By business · Creators

Instagram auto-replies for artists and illustrators

An illustrator's DMs repeat the same questions: are commissions open, how much for a portrait, do you sell prints, can I put this on my shop. Comment-to-DM answers them from one word, so drawing time stays yours. Which commissions to take is still your call.

Updated 6 October 2026

Start free See the set-ups

Comment words for artists and illustrators

Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.

COMMISSION: How commissions work: what you draw, starting prices by size, how many revisions are included and how long the queue is.
SLOTS: Whether commission slots are open this month, how many are left and the request form for reference images.
PRINTS: Print sizes, paper, packaging and delivery times by country, for people who comment on a finished piece.
LICENCE: Your terms for using an artwork on a logo, product or website, with the difference between personal and commercial use.
PROCESS: A step-by-step breakdown of one piece, from sketch to final, sent to anyone asking how it was made or whether it was AI.
BRUSHES: Your own digital brush set, with a guide to which brush does what, for people who ask about your tools.
COLOURING: A printable colouring page made from the line art of your newest piece.

4 set-ups to try

Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.

Commission details from a time-lapse Reel
Someone comments on your post
COMMISSION
Public reply under their comment
Thank you! Commission info is in your DMs 🎨
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for the comment. What would you like drawn, and is it a gift or for your own use? Reply and I'll send my commission prices and how the process works.Yes pleaseCommission info and pricesSee commissions
A time-lapse shows the hours behind a price, so people stop asking why it costs what it does. Subject and purpose are asked first because a gift pet portrait and a logo for a business are quoted differently.
Open slots announced in a Story
Replied to your story
SLOTSThanks for replying. Do you have a reference photo ready, and when would you like it by? Reply and I'll send what's left in the queue and what to put in your request.Slots and the request formRequest a slot
Slots are the scarce thing, and a Story reaches people the day you open them. The reference photo decides whether a job is workable, and the date tells you if it fits the queue. When slots are full, change the card to a waitlist form.
Print sizes and shipping from a finished piece
Someone comments on your post
PRINTS
Public reply under their comment
Print details are on their way to your DMs
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for asking. Which country should it ship to, and would you like a small or a large print? Reply and I'll send the sizes, the paper and the delivery times.Yes pleasePrints: sizes and shippingBrowse prints
Postage and delivery time depend on the destination, and prints travel in tubes or flat packs that cost more abroad. Asking the country up front avoids a surprise at checkout and tells you where people want prints.
Licence questions from people who want to use your art
LICENCEThanks for asking first. What would you like to use the artwork for, and will it be sold or only shown? Reply and I'll send how licensing works.Using my art: licencesRead the terms
Add USE, LOGO and MERCH to the same auto-reply. The reply never grants permission: it explains your terms and asks the purpose so you can price it. People who ask before using are worth a personal answer afterwards.

Freebies worth commenting for

A printable colouring page made from the line art of your latest piece
A phone wallpaper cropped from this month's illustration, in two sizes
A custom brush set for digital painting, with a one-page guide to each brush
A checklist of reference photos for commission clients: light, angle, resolution and how many to send
A time-lapse breakdown of one piece as a PDF: sketch, flat colours, shading and final details
A swatch file with the colour palette from your newest piece
A guide to scanning or photographing artwork without glare or colour shifts
A printable sticker sheet from your characters, to print at home

What people ask an artist in DMs

Most messages come from three people: someone who wants a piece made, someone who wants one that is already made, and someone who wants to borrow your work. Each needs a different answer, and the third is the one to be careful with.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
Are commissions open?	The SLOTS card, or the waitlist form when you are full	They have a deadline, such as a wedding or a birthday
How much for a portrait of my dog?	The COMMISSION card with starting prices	The subject is several pets, a detailed background or a large size
Can I get this as a print?	The PRINTS card	The piece is sold out, or they want a custom size
Can I use this on my shop or logo?	The LICENCE card with your terms	Always: commercial use is priced separately by many artists
Is this AI?	The PROCESS breakdown	They are upset about it: a calm personal reply goes further
Can I have it free? I'll credit you	Nothing	Always: it's your work and your decision

Tip: In the AI replies on the Growth and Business plans, add that every commission is quoted personally and that nothing is licensed over chat. The AI then points people to your terms and doesn't guess a price or a permission.

Posts that earn comments, and the word for each

A time-lapse of a portrait from blank page to finished piece, with COMMISSION for prices.
A flat-lay of the finished piece next to the pencils and brushes you used, with PROCESS for the breakdown.
A framed print on a wall in a real room, with PRINTS for the sizes.
A Story the day slots open, with SLOTS and the number left.
A line-art post for kids and adults, with COLOURING for the printable.
A screen recording of a digital brush stroke, with BRUSHES for the set.

Many commission enquiries arrive in the weeks before gift-giving holidays, and people ask early because they know good artists have queues. Open slots and prepare the words before that period, and test each by commenting from a second account.

Running a commission queue from your inbox

Announce slots in a Story with SLOTS. The reply asks for a reference photo and a date, so you see the job before you reply.
The card opens a request form. DMFast doesn't hold your queue or take commission deposits, so say on the form how and when payment works.
Offer the reference checklist or a colouring page for an email. The CSV export becomes the list you write to when slots reopen.
Turn on the single reminder for people who asked about prices and went quiet. Gifts are often decided by more than one person.
When the queue is full, change the first DM to a waitlist question and update the card, so nobody is sent to a closed form.

An artist in India can use the DMFast store to sell a brush set or printable pack as a digital product, give a colouring page away for an email and take free or paid 1-on-1 calls such as portfolio reviews, with payments through Razorpay. Originals and physical prints go through your own shop.

Copyright, client work and other things to watch

In many countries the artist keeps the copyright to a commission unless it is transferred in writing, but rules differ. Put your terms on a page and check them with a local professional.
Don't post a client's commission, or a pet's photo they sent, without their agreement. Say so on the request form.
Promising a delivery date in an automated message sets you up to break it. Say that dates are confirmed personally.
Prints and tubes shipped across borders can meet duties and tax that differ by country. Say who pays on your prints page.
A private reply to a comment can go out once, and only up to 7 days after the comment. A time-lapse that takes off after a week can't be answered that way, so set the word up when you post.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Should the card show my prices or ask for a request first?

Starting prices on the card save both sides time, and a request form follows for anything outside them. People who find the price too high leave without writing, which is better than a long exchange. Put “from” prices on the page, not in the chat message.

I only open commissions twice a year. What do I do the rest of the time?

Change the card to a waitlist form, and edit the first DM to say that commissions are closed and when they open next. Or switch the COMMISSION word off and leave PRINTS, PROCESS and LICENCE running. Either way, nobody should be sent to a closed form.

Can people get a free brush set for their email?

Yes. The first DM asks them to reply, then the card links to the download page. DMFast collects the email address and rejects throwaway ones, and you can export every address as a CSV. Tell people on the page what they will receive from you afterwards.

Do I need a Business account to answer commissions?

You need a professional account, Creator or Business. Many artists choose Creator. DMFast doesn't work with personal accounts. Switching is free in Instagram's settings, and your posts and followers stay as they are.

Related businesses

Words to know

More businesses

Answer every COMMISSION comment in seconds

Pick a post and the word. DMFast replies under each comment, sends the DM and follows with your link once they answer, day and night. It can collect emails on the way. Free plan, no card.

Start free