Money sits with Stripe, not with gestuo, not with the artist. Here is how the three-stage payment flow works for original commissions.
If you are commissioning an original piece for the first time, the scariest moment is sending money to a stranger. Who holds it? What happens if you don't like the painting? What happens if the artist disappears?
gestuo uses Stripe to hold the buyer's payment in escrow. The money does not touch gestuo's bank account, and it does not reach the artist until the painting is delivered and approved.
The three-stage flow for Tier 3 (original) commissions.
Stage 1 — Deposit (30%). When the buyer submits a commission and the artist accepts, the buyer pays 30% of the agreed price. This money goes into Stripe escrow. It does not go to the artist yet.
Stage 2 — Work. The artist works on the piece. The buyer can see progress (photos, sketches, video). The artist can ask questions. If either side wants to cancel, see Stage 4.
Stage 3 — Delivery and balance (70%). When the artist delivers the final piece, the buyer has 7 days to approve or request revisions. If approved, the remaining 70% is released from escrow to the artist, plus the original deposit. If the buyer requests revisions, the artist has time to make them, then the cycle repeats.
Stage 4 — Cancellation and refunds.
- If the buyer cancels before the artist starts work, the deposit is refunded in full. - If the buyer cancels after the artist has started work, the deposit is split: 50% to the artist (for time spent), 50% refunded to the buyer. - If the artist cancels after accepting, the deposit is refunded in full. - If the buyer and artist both agree to cancel mid-work, the deposit is split based on the percentage of work completed.
These split rules are enforced by gestuo — neither the buyer nor the artist can unilaterally change them. Disputes are reviewed by our team within 5 working days.
Why Stripe? Stripe is a regulated payment institution. The money is held in a pooled Stripe account in the UK, segregated from Stripe's operating funds. If gestuo (the company) were to go bankrupt, the escrow funds would not be part of our estate — they would be returned to the buyers.
Tier 1 and Tier 2 (digital and print). These tiers use a single-stage payment: the buyer pays in full when the artist accepts, the artist delivers, and the funds are released 7 days after delivery (or upon approval, whichever is first).
Refunds. If the buyer is not satisfied with the delivered work, they can request a refund within the 7-day approval window. gestuo reviews the request and either refunds in full, refunds partially (with the artist's agreement), or releases the funds to the artist. Refund decisions can be appealed to support@gestuo.com.
What this means in practice. For most commissions, the flow is straightforward: pay, get the painting, approve it, the artist gets paid. The escrow is there for the edge cases — the artist who disappears, the buyer who refuses to approve a great painting. The platform fee covers the cost of operating escrow + dispute resolution.
David Handford
gestuo author