#i HATE doing full pieces so i ofc had to do a silly sketch as a well done for finishing one

[aviyx]

another random sketch

[the-march-hair]

hello ! i was just wondering if you’d have any advice for someone considering setting up/starting commissions for the first time, thanks !

I think everyone has different advice and tactics, so anything I say, others may find me to be completely wrong, this is just my opinion on things. As artists tend to work alone there are as many ways to sell art as there are to make it! This is just what works for me.

Firstly understand that commissions are not a “quick and easy” way to make money if you are just trying to avoid finding a “real job”.

Secondly your followers are just people who like to use the internet, and yes potential future customers, but they owe you nothing. No one has to buy your work. Let them want to buy it because they want it not because you beg them to buy it.

Now I got the kinda negative bit out the way let’s talk business!

1) Create a professional art self on the internet. Whether thats just a tumblr blog where you only post YOUR ART or with the addition of a portfolio or otherwise, build a following of people who like your work and yours alone. Tumblr sideblogs are great, I have about 9 for various things, and I am very very strict with my @fionacreates account hence why I have accounts like this one for silly fanlulz. Some people do get away with shitposting, posting art, politics, fandom squees, asks, and lulz, but tbh I don’t follow a single art account that I like that combines it all.

Different people have different successes with different platforms. Find what works for you. I still use deviantART a lot, despite the shit people give it, because often it’s still where people go to find new people to commission and i’ve had an account for over a decade now,

2) Decide what you are selling. From experience “OMG WILL DRAW ANYTHING FOR CASH MONIES” kinda lends itself to either drawing stuff you hate, or no one hiring you because they dont really know what you sell. If you only love to draw portraits in black and white, don’t sell full body colour pieces.

3) Decide what your time is worth. Look at other artists who draw at your level of both talent and online following for a guide, but also make a decision on what your time is worth. If this is not at least minimum wage for the hours you put into it, don’t sell it. I could write a whole essay on why dirt cheap commissions aren’t a good idea. If you have to put your price high and no one buys it, keep improving, maybe find a non art job for income security. Your mental health will thank you. 

4) Make sure you know what copyright you are selling, and what’s more make sure your clients know. My cheaper “private” commissions are cheap precisely because they are private. They are for the client and the clients private use alone. My commercial work (board games, illustrations etc) cost more because the company that buys them, puts them on a product or uses my art to sell their product. For commercial work never ever do anything without a contract. Definately do your research about this.

5) Take a deposit. For most work I take 50% up front, make the piece and get the second 50% when I completed it, and then I send the finished file.

6) Draw your work printable. That is at 300 dpi. Your client will likely want to print the shiny art they bought!

7) Tell people about it and be very clear how they can contact you. People won’t message if they can’t find your contact details easily! Make sure it’s on your tumblr bio, twitter bio, linked in your sidebar to your commissions info, make it loud and clear you accept paid work!

Going back to an earlier point... do not pressure or expect anyone to buy your work. It sounds utterly heartbreaking to do it all right, get the nice folio, make the nice graphics, advertise on all the right places and get no emails! It may be a false statistic but I read a long time ago only 1 in 100 of your followers are willing to spend money on stuff you make, and that number goes down the more expensive it gets.  Use the time you have no work to make kick ass personal work and continue to share it on your social medias, people like artists who post regularly (even just sketches) and people are more likely to spend money on artists they like.

If you want to sell more full body designs, draw more for fun, show people what kind of thing they could be buying!

8) I don’t know where you are from, but for goodness sake look up your tax laws for self employment. Don’t get into trouble because you didn’t declare you sold some art on the internet.

9) You can say no. If you feel uncomfortable drawing something someone is willing to pay you for, do not draw it! Say no. The money is not worth it.

10) You will make mistakes. You will slip up, or your mental health might do something stupid like stop your working for a bit. I have no answer for this as it has also effected my own work sometimes even though I wish it wouldn’t. But talk to people you love about your work and let them in. An artist usually runs a solo business and that shit gets heavy sometimes. 

11) NEVER WORK FOR EXPOSURE you can expose yourself on twitter far more than anyone offering exposure on their account can give you. If their digital reach is large enough to make a difference to you, they have enough money to pay you. 

And lastly.....

Just.. make art! Make what you love and the people who also love it will find you. Get involved in projects, like zines, talk to other artists on social media, take part in hashtag events (such as #portfolioday was the 9th july on twitter and next on the 9th october). Whether you make money or not if you feel like you are an artist, you are one! Whether someone buys your work or not is not an indication of your ability. Don’t give up, go forth and be an artist.

I certainly don’t want to put you off with anything negative I have brought up, but I don’t want to send you forth with “omg ofc people want to buy your work, you’ll be minted soon!” But if you just go forth and do what you do best, and do try to keep a professional head on your shoulders (and let the artist run wild in the work) you’ll hopefully do ok!

As I said this just my opinion, I may have missed things and other artists who read this may do things differently, but this is just based on my own experience!

PS If you find the secret to rich clients who let you paint what you want... do get in touch.