How to Commission a Fantasy Portrait When You "Know Nothing About Fantasy"
Your partner just spent another evening explaining the difference between a sorcerer and a wizard. You nodded. You still don't get it. And honestly? You don't need to.
Because here's a secret: you can commission an incredible fantasy portrait from their photo without understanding a single thing about fantasy.
No studying required. No fantasy dictionary needed. Just follow these exact steps, written for people who proudly admit "I know nothing."
What You DON'T Need to Know:
- ❌ The difference between races and classes
- ❌ What "chaotic neutral" means
- ❌ Armor types or weapon names
- ❌ Any fantasy terminology at all
What You DO Need:
- ✓ Their photo
- ✓ Basic info you already know
- ✓ 30 minutes total
Step-by-Step: From "I Know Nothing" to "Here's Your Portrait"
1 Gather Your Three Pieces of Information
Time needed: 5 minutes
You only need three things, and you probably already know them:
- Their character's name (You've heard it 100 times: "Thorin" or "Luna" or whatever)
- The basic type (Just "fighter" or "magic person" is enough)
- One thing they always mention (That special sword, their spell book, their pet)
Literally write this down:
"Name: [Whatever they call them]
Type: [Fighter/Magic/Sneaky/Holy person]
Special thing: [That item they always talk about]"
That's it. That's enough.
2 Get Their Photo (The Easy Part)
Time needed: 2 minutes
Any photo where you can see their face clearly. That photo from last weekend? Perfect.
Photo requirements:
- Can see their face: ✓
- Not blurry: ✓
- That's literally it: ✓
Don't overthink this. The artist has seen worse photos work fine.
3 Find the Right Artist (Use This Checklist)
Time needed: 10 minutes
Don't look for the "best fantasy artist." Look for someone who:
- ☐ Says "gift-friendly" or "no fantasy knowledge needed"
- ☐ Shows before/after photos (regular person → fantasy character)
- ☐ Has a simple form, not an essay requirement
- ☐ Mentions working with "non-gamers" or "gift-givers"
- ☐ Offers revisions (because you might not describe it perfectly)
If they use lots of fantasy terms in their description, move on. They won't translate for you later.
4 Fill Out the Form (With These Exact Phrases)
Time needed: 5 minutes
Here's exactly what to write in each section:
Character Description:
"This is a gift for my [partner/friend/child]. They play a [character name] who is a [basic type you wrote down]. I don't know much about fantasy, but they always mention [special thing]. They describe them as [any personality words you've heard]."
Special Requests:
"I know nothing about fantasy games. Please make the fantasy details accurate - you know better than me. I just want it to look like [person's name]."
Deadline:
"Needed by [date] for a gift."
Copy and paste. Seriously. Artists love clarity like this.
The Magic Translation Table
When your partner says → You tell the artist:
- "Level 10 Paladin" → "Holy warrior person"
- "Chaotic good rogue" → "Sneaky but nice person"
- "Multiclass wizard/fighter" → "Does magic and fighting"
- "Wood elf ranger" → "Nature person with bow"
- "Tiefling warlock" → "Magic person with horns"
The artist will understand and translate to proper fantasy.
5 Answer Their Questions (They'll Be Simple)
Time needed: 5 minutes
Good artists will ask gift-giver friendly questions like:
- "Happy or serious expression?" (You know this)
- "Any favorite colors?" (You know this too)
- "Armor or robes?" (Just guess, either works)
They won't ask:
- "What armor class?" (Run if they do)
- "Which edition rules?" (This means they don't get it)
- "Spell component pouch visible?" (Too much detail)
Your answer to any confusing question: "Whatever looks best for a [fighter/magic person/etc.]"
6 Review and Approve (Trust Your Eyes)
Time needed: 5 minutes
When you get the first version, ask yourself one question:
"Does this look like [partner's name]?"
If yes → You're done
If no → Say exactly what: "Can you make the nose more like the photo?" or "The eyes should be blue"
Don't worry about the fantasy parts. The artist knows more than you. Focus only on whether it looks like your person.
Common "I Know Nothing" Situations (Solved)
Situation: "They talk about stats and numbers constantly"
What you say: "They're really proud of their character's abilities"
Artist understands: Make them look powerful
Situation: "They keep mentioning some backstory about a village"
What you say: "They have a detailed history"
Artist understands: Add some weathering/experience to their look
Situation: "Something about multiclassing?"
What you say: "They do multiple things"
Artist understands: Combine visual elements
"I literally told the artist 'she's the one who heals people and has a god' and somehow they created this perfect cleric portrait. My wife asked how I knew all the details. I didn't. The artist just... knew."
- Tom, successfully faked fantasy knowledge
Emergency Phrases for Any Situation
Save these. Use them liberally:
- "I don't know fantasy terms, but..."
- "You probably know better than me"
- "Whatever is normal for this type of character"
- "My partner plays this, I just want it to look like them"
- "Is this something you need to know, or can you decide?"
What Success Actually Looks Like
You won't feel like you gave enough information. You'll worry you described it wrong. You'll think the artist needs more details.
They don't.
Your "he's a fighter with a big sword" becomes a fully realized warrior with accurate armor, proper weapon design, and fantasy elements you couldn't have described if you tried.
That's the artist's job. Your job was just to connect their face to their hobby. Mission accomplished.
The Truth Nobody Tells Gift-Givers
Artists who specialize in fantasy portraits from photos expect you to know nothing. Your "I don't understand this hobby" messages are normal. You're not the first partner/parent/friend to commission art for a fantasy fan. You won't be the last. And that's exactly why this works.
Your Checklist for Success
Print this. Check boxes as you go:
- ☐ Write down: Character name, basic type, special thing
- ☐ Find clear photo
- ☐ Choose artist who says "gift-friendly"
- ☐ Copy/paste the template phrases above
- ☐ Answer simple questions simply
- ☐ Approve based on "does it look like them?"
- ☐ Stop worrying about fantasy accuracy
Ready to Pretend You Understand Fantasy?
You don't need to become a fantasy expert. You just need to follow these steps, use these phrases, and trust that artists who do this for a living know how to translate "person who fights" into incredible art.
Your partner thinks their character deserves to exist visually. You can make that happen without learning a single fantasy term.
That's not just a gift. That's magic. (The real kind.)
Start Your "I Know Nothing" Commission →