This is a basic idea of how I take on design commissions with the final product in the bottom left corner.
To see the full finished Reference click here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22453579/

A commissioner gives me the species and general idea of body type as well as the colors they would like used.
I do a rough sketch and make up several ideas using those colors. We uses bits and pieces of each until we get a design thats perfect! All but the final design belong to me and can be used else where/ re-purposed for sale. Nothing too similar to the final design would be reused (example top row far right and bottom row middle are too similar to the final design. However top row far left could be re purposed for other use).

This final character belongs to   L0st