First option, artist who loves the process, product and my characters are always more fun to work with.

I think it depends upon what you are looking for in the art. If you are working with it - book cover for instance - then you go with the professional look. If you are loving the art for the art - then you would go with passion...

Vix

What an interesting question. As with any query like this one it depends on exactly what I'm looking for in an artwork. Of course the artist would be much easier to work with if they enjoyed their work. I would hope any artist enjoys their work. But then, with this choice, I wonder, how it would be clear artist #2 hates their work before I commission from them?
So let's say that I commission from #2 and then it becomes clear that they hate their work. That would drive me to ask how someone with such skill comes to hate their work. Clearly it wasn't always this way or they wouldn't be skilled. I would try to find something that helps this person regain some love for their art. So it may be a more compelling choice for me to pick #2.
Now let's say, through comments or journals or some big banner on their homepage that says "I hate my work, but you'll get what you pay for", that I indeed have a clear choice to make. Hmm....
I gotta say I think I would still be driven to talk to this person first and find out why they are in so much pain. I mean, pain unfortunately makes for great art in every form. When most people pay for fine art or music they are paying for struggle and pain deep under the medium. I'd want to help.
Now if #1 was clearly struggling, but also loved their work and has less skill, then that would be something very disheartening and I might also be driven to purchase art from that person specifically for the love underneath and the ability to help them. I suppose in either case, the artwork would have to represent something, either love or hate, but also a statement that I was able to help them in some way. Or if I couldn't, then a lesson for me everything I look at it.

It doesn't make much difference if the result is the same. I'd probably choose whoever is more pleasant to work with and discuss with. That is usually artist #1 but not always.

I would say option 1.

As someone who have commissioned a lot of art I can see whether someone like what they are doing if I look at the art piece enough. There is a sort of.. quiet, subtle energy, positivity or just outright look emanating from the piece itself. Not entirely sure on how to properly explain it in words. You can just look at the art piece itself and you just.. know that this artist is passionate about what they are doing and genuinely enjoy drawing.

I always love it when artists also enjoy what they are doing, and when interacting with them even if it's over the internet, I can tell from the way that they speak and just generally carry themselves in interactions and conversations(there are many subtle hints to look for in conversation and interaction). It is also much preferable that the artist actually like what they are doing as it will not only affect themselves but also how they interact and converse with customers and potential customers, which will also affect the bottom line which is the income.

Now, it is preferable to have both skill/talent AND a good and positive outlook on doing the art itself, but if I had to choose I would prefer a more positive outlook.

It's a balance, but given the two options I definitely prefer the first one.

I like when it feels like a collaboration of sorts between the commissioner and artist.
An artist who enjoys the process and works with the commissioner makes it a lot more fun to commission, and hopefully ensures the artist in turn has fun with the work they do too.

Having a dialogue back and forth about potential suggestions, tweaks and ideas, and if things are up to expectation, is really important on both sides to ensure the finished work is both what the commissioner wanted, and something the artist enjoyed working on.

The second may be important in cases where you're going for a specific look and you know the artist match that exactly.
But it comes with the risk that the artist is less open to input and just does the work their way and give back the result with zero input or tweaks possible from the commissioner.
If it turns out as expected, great. If it doesn't, it may have been wasted money for you, and wasted time for them.

So to me, the first option just seems both more fun, and safer, for both sides.

Option 1 100%
i have dealt with an option 2 once and it was horrible... and i still hate that i have one of their artworks...

I think if you commission someone and know that they hate what they're doing, you would feel it and see it every time you look at the drawing. Even if it’s really, really good.

Passion doesn’t just bring a drawing to life, even if it isn’t perfect, you will always see the commitment and love behind it. In addition, working with passionate artists is much more fun. <3

So, you should never completely rule something out, but I guess I would stick with option one almost every time.

I'm gonna say the first one. Even if it's not perfect, it's the passion. You can see it in the lines/colors/contours/everything! When an artist feels their work?
It's visible. There's something about it making it more vibrant/eye-catching.

I've seen #2 and it's kinda heartbreaking. Sure, they're able to deliver and the piece looks good but, it's muted.
Comparing it to personal pieces that had them in the zone and vibin, not just going through the motions. You can seriously tell the difference.

I've seen a mix of both and if I was to commish, I'd hopefully be able to bring option 1 into option 2 for the artist I'm commissioning.
I want them to enjoy what they're doing.

First option! I actually have a preference for commissioning artists who are passionate about their work and are fun to interact with. If someone has the most amazing Renaissance style paintings, but they're not fun to talk to, then I won't bother to commission them

oh this is an interesting question!

overall i have to say I lean for the first one. I love supporting newer artists and watching them grow. there are several artist that i have gotten a few art pieces throughout the years and i love seeing their visible improvements in how they draw my character. plus i love feeding into their enthusiasm and encouraging them wherever i can. i want the artist i am working with to enjoy drawing Aurora. if i know it is just a job for them and the do not like it, I often feel like I am an inconvenience to them. Like I am bothering them or annoying them to draw for me.

That being said, on the very rare occasion I have picked an artist explicitly for an art style because it matched a theme or work I was trying to portray. If this happens and I know they do not like drawing art, I just try to be as understanding and appreciative as i can be. Hoping my kindness will make them just a happier to draw for me.

#1

Because I've commissioned several different artists of varying levels of popularity, that I love the work they produce, and I've seen the ones that take pride in their work and the one's that don't and it shows.

I know I'm slow to post my comms, but some of the ones I have, I deliberately DON'T post because the end result is so damn disappointing. You look at their gallery and see that their personal works or things they make for their friends, patrons, or other more regular customers are of FAR better quality and you can tell they put a genuine effort in the work - no matter how much it cost. And mine, for the same price, looks like straight dogshit. Like, some of these comms are so bad...I genuinely wish that I could ask the artist to undo their work just so I can get my money back. It also taught me not to have high hopes of some artists, they let you know very clearly that they don't give a damn.

All that being said, I know they like their patrons/friends more, that's not what I'm referring to. It's the fact that the artist(s) are doing this at the cost of other people's money. Even if you go to a restaurant and you're not a regular or "big tipper", you still expect the bare minimum of time and effort into your meal because you know....you still PAID for it.

Just my 2 cents.

If I'm gonna pay money for something, I want my money's worth and that will involve good technical side of things or at least as good as my own skills so that I wouldn't have to look at some mistake and keep on noticing it (I cannot unsee such stuff unfortunately)... in worst case I'd take matters to my own hand and touch up the problematic bits, as disrespectful as it may be toward the original artist, if they're not going to do it themselves...

But I definitely like the idea of 1 much more than 2, but the 2 has things I cannot ignore either.

Option 1.

Ive been doing this a VERY long time, so Ive seen the Pros and Cons of both sides.
Money is also an issue, which is a HUGE part of my decision as well.
I do personally think Skill matters more then Passion....but in my many years supporting this community, it kinda feels like the reverse is true....
People not as good but enjoy this, have produced better work for me, then the big talented and skilled artists.

The less Skilled people also need work & motivation in order to improve their skills, so often times Id chose them, so they could get some revenue themselves and get work, which (hopefully) transitions into exp to improve their skills to one day stand by the big artists.
Most of my Commissions are from Small-Time people, and some of them have become Amazing...but sadly half of them disappeared, or have become popular to the point ill never be able to commission them again

And...the People who ARE skilled but dont care about what they do.....its happened a great handful of times...they get lazy.
Maybe they are good at doing this, but then at the drop of a hat...suddenly they wanna take all the time in the world to do it, or they make mistakes and errors from becoming complacent. They refuse to fix mistakes and will charge you for their time to fix THEIR mistake. And even.....they might often just dump the most uninspired looking image, but maybe they are just really good at coloring so they can dress it up enough to almost make you forget / Forgive it.

Option 1
less skilled or newer artists seem to be more involved in the commission and communicative, having a passion leads to a strong desire to push for piece to turn out the way the buyer was picturing.
Well more skilled artists do the job well and offer edits if needed, it tends to seem so transactional.
like ordering a cake for a birthday vs baking a cake with a friend

Tbh I don't care that much if they love or hate doing it as long as it doesn't affect good communication/customer service and is offered willingly. You don't have to love every minute of your job to be good at it.

First option 100%. It's also how I choose artists to follow. I'd much rather see art that actually speaks to me, even if the anatomy isn't perfect, than the most beautiful pieces that have no feelings behind them.

Someone passionate about what they do. They're more likely to talk to you, ask about the character, details, etc. Its a lot more interactive and fun process.

What an interesting question, I really like this one!

Bearing in mind that I do not tend to purchase commissions nor offer them myself; I would 100% go with Option 1. Technical skill is amazing for sure - but to me, the passion and love behind art is what matters most. Art is a beautiful communication and connection between people and their inner worlds. If I were to commission something of my characters that are my heart and soul - I'd want the person drawing them to *enjoy* working with them, to feel a similar excitement and joy that I do with my boys. If it is purely a "I'm doing this only because I have to, but I'm not into it at all" it doesn't feel as good. Ultimately, for me, the experience between people over shared interests and love of the characters and their art is far more important than having the "best result ever" - as the meaning behind the piece and the connection to the artist is just as, if not more important as the skill used to make it.

1 no question

The first is genuinely what we value. The experience is everything. That's more memorable...

There could be middle ground ^^
When I commission someone, I want to be sure they're comfortable with what I ask for. That's why I often prefer maximum artistic liberty, if it suits them.
That's why, too, I'm quite shy with nsfw commissions.

If my commission request makes an artist unhappy, I would hope they would decline me. If I knew it'd make the artist unhappy, strained, mentally unwell I wouldn't commission them in the first place. That's like asking for things on the will not draw lists in commission TOS's. It's okay to have boundaries.

Option 1 all the way X3

I especially like to mold my commissions to the artist; to work with them and see if I can inspire. Oftentimes I would ask an artist directly what they would want to draw and then offer up characters. I have found that by being a bit more open, even if I have an idea, can lead to some of the most *epic* results, where the artist can take it in an unexpected direction. I -love- it when an artist has fun with a piece for me, as it tends to show in the final product, and -that- is it's own kind of inspiration in turn X3

1 100%, I really love the more raw and human side of art and I feel a big factor of that is how much the creator enjoys making it. I'd vastly prefer a silly little mspaint doodle from someone who genuinely wants to make something I like to a professional high-fidelity painting from someone who doesn't care and I'd feel like I'm just burdening. Passion and soul is everything to me (in art and all media really) even if the "objective" quality isn't necessarily the highest.