#thank you for commissioning me! this was so fun!
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micahulrichdraws · 2 days ago
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I come in peace! I don’t wanna try to convince you to take commissions! But I am curious about why you’re so strongly against them, did you have a bad experience working on one? Anyway, love your stuff, your tarot designs go so hard
Thanks for the love!! The reason isn't a bad experience or some such, it's 19 years of being a professional artist and knowing the field!
TLDR: I'm a traditional pen and ink illustrator, so it's not financially viable or creatively fulfilling.
I'm always down to talk art business, so here's a brief breakdown wall of text:
On the financial side, commission designs are almost always done at a net loss/break even for the artist, and I'm no exception. They're alright for starting out, or if you're looking to incorporate them into your marketing (IE: doing a poster design for a band to gain exposure), but typically they're roughly half the cash-per-hour for any established artist VS making an original design, and creating a print run of it.
Example: while tons of folks would look at someone charging $1k USD for a commission and think that it would be crazy cash, once you break down the math, it's pretty bad. An average design for me takes on average 30-40 hours, and that's because I don't have to communicate with anyone else. I'm just drawin' my idea. Assuming this is a dream client who has the mind-meld with me, wire transfers the $1k straight into my bank account the second it's done, that's roughly $25/hr. Once again - this looks *great*, that's around $50k/yr from drawing custom stuff! But that's not how it works. First of all, most folks would lose their *minds* at paying $1k for a commission - over the years I graphed it out, and back when I was a less-established artist, most folks would start with a budget of $100, have their limits pushed at $300, and outright refuse $500. You have to sift through all of those folks in order to get that reasonable commission. That includes folks who aren't willing to commit to a commission, don't want to say no to the price, but will still take up your time. Roughly, for me at least, 10 hours a week of it. You'll also have to run collections on roughly 20% of your customers - they may pay the deposit, but you'll have to chase them for the final payment. Even if you take the payment *in advance* you'll end up having to chase them down/get ghosted. So, realistically: you end up taking the $500, for *at least* 50 hours of work. On average, it clocked in closer to 65-70. $7.14 an hour. That's less than a third living wage and less than minimum wage. You cannot grow an art practice while actively starving. It's easier to make a design, sell it/license it/etc. to make more cash without losing your mind.
That said - After 2020, I reached a point in my career that when I take on custom work, it's typically from a larger brand with a larger scope and larger budget, ranging anywhere from $5k-$30k. That said - these businesses are typically ones that understand the industry and are far less of a headache to work with than individuals, and will give several months worth of work at a time at a living wage.
On the creative side, I enjoy making my own designs and work as opposed to other folks. I have a ton of drawings and projects I'd rather work on and share with folks of my own that are infinitely more fun than the 200th identical commission request (a biblically accurate angel that also is the grim reaper that is also Baldur's Gate 3 thirstraps/Dark Souls fan art/primarchs because Y'ALL AIN'T CREATIVE BUT MY ASTARION X SANGUINIUS SHIP CAME FIRST.) Also, most of the fun of my career is knowing as many folks as possible get to enjoy my art junk. I'd rather go through a few extra hoops and have thousands of folks see my stuff vs something only one other person gets to see.
If you made it this far, congrats, here is my favorite image I have saved in my camera roll:
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mintybleh · 18 hours ago
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🌒 outfit design commission for @chaebolheir 🌘
this was made at the very end of last year, and gods was it fun! flowy fabrics my beloved, and all those arms were very very fun to pose, they have so many hands to bejingle and jangle, and the sort of ethereal theme was just a joy!!
I included some outfit design sketches as well 🌕
again, thank you so much for commissioning me, it was lovely to work with you!!
+speedpaint!
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gyrhs · 13 hours ago
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Commissions I did past year for @peaceheather for her fic From the Shadows to the Light (it's amazing, go and read it!).
It was so fun to try and make them paint like, I think it goes well with the whole story. Thank you so much for commissioning me Peace!
I’m open for commissions if you want something like this, or you can support me on:
gyrhs.storenvy.com vgen.co/gyrhs ko-fi.com/gyrhs13/ patreon.com/_gyrhs
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inktr0vert · 2 days ago
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hi! i just saw your recent ask from Birdie about commissions. i wanted to 1) tell you how proud it made me feel to see you be so candid about your mental health & 2) echo her sentiment that i would love to commission a piece from you someday if you were ever in the headspace to do so. you are so incredibly talented.
in the same way that i’ve spent thousands of dollars on art in the form of tattoos, your art is beautiful and valuable enough to spend money on. i’m not saying this to try to, like, persuade you to ever take commissions. i just felt the need to verbally express how floored i am by your art. my tattoo artist occasionally needs to be shaken/reminded how incredible she is sometimes, and i feel like you can just never hear it enough, especially when you’re struggling.
i profoundly relate to your struggles with bipolar/simply just existing. i see you. & i just wanted to be another voice temporarily speaking over the deafening bad thoughts in your mind.
if you ever want to scream into the abyss at a bipolar stranger on the internet, my DMs are always open 🖤
i hope you’re having a good day
Hi there :)
1--I am tired of feeling ashamed for being me. Fuck shame. I think that's why I still act like I'm 13--that's the last time I felt unashamed of everything I am. So I'm done feeling bad for who I am. *I* think I'm pretty fucking cool. So does my husband and my beautiful kiddo. So yeah. Fuck shame <3
In regards towards my mental health vs shame, I had an epiphany:
There is nothing wrong with me.
And the world is wrong for telling me otherwise.
We are all different. And that's not always a bad thing.
2--With all of this self-discovery shit, I'm realizing that I am worthy of so much more than I let myself believe. That I have allowed others to convince me that I am a nuisance, that I am incompetent, that I do not deserve love, praise, or that I shouldn't even be allowed to exist. By the by, someone telling you that you aren't worthy of being alive feels pretty shitty. Don't let those people in your life. Run away. Run away and warn the others, jesus fucking christ.
ANWAYS. I think I may work towards commissions.
I always thought it sounded fun, tried it out, but I pressure myself too much--what if they don't like it? what if they don't want to pay that much? what if my art is trashfire kindling and everyone that's ever complimented my art is a dirty dirty liar that wants to see me fall flat on my face?
And most importantly: What if it's not perfect? What if the eyes are off, or the anatomy is 'wrong', or it's not the EXACT thing I pictured it to be in my mind?
Newer motto (still under construction): Fuck perfectionism. What a stupid cage to lock yourself into. Working on unshackling myself. Have been KINDLY (*this is important) reminding myself whenever my thoughts head down that path to redirect back towards the joyous parts of creativity. And it's been going pretty good. Slow, but making progress.
So yeah! Rambling coming to a close. Thank you for being another positive voice in my head to help fight away the void that other's have created. And for being that for a fellow tattoo artist as well <3
I think I should create a discord group called "screaming into the void" and invite all of you wonderful humans that have invited me for private sessions to join. We can all caterwaul into the abyss together XD
I hope you are having a good day as well. Be kind to yourself <3
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russellwynn · 6 months ago
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commission for @nostalgicblur of noelle having a run in with the driller killer 😳
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ir-dr · 4 months ago
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Day 3673 - 11 October 2024
🍓🍞
.//projectTiGER
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poorly-drawn-mdzs · 9 months ago
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Bunny pile!
[Commission for @newfriendly]
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beebeedibapbeediboop · 1 year ago
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Necromancer commission for @shipsngiggles :)
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bonesmarinated · 6 months ago
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🖤😈🖤commission of Lilith (@barbecutie 's oc) and my boy Kristian 🖤🍷 🚬 art by @pirate-cashoo
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fyllophobia · 16 days ago
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seliph & ares commission, thank you!
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gojosattoru · 1 year ago
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★ SATOSUKU HEADER AND ICONS ★ -> commissioned by anon Hope you like it! For better resolution for the header, you can download on this link! Thank you for your commission! :D
COMMISSIONS/KO-FI AND REQUESTS OPEN!!!
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waveoftheocean · 4 months ago
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hubert comm for @lemon-grey!!!
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papabigtoes · 5 months ago
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Render commission for the zazzy @ghoulnovio - What if the Metal Masked Assassin was a frontman of a death metal band himself?
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nosnexus · 1 year ago
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Commission for @dimension20stuff of Nikhil, Murdina, and Sestia from Battle for Beyond!
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kalechipslives · 9 months ago
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🦋🕯 fatamorou comm
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momoiro-hime · 9 months ago
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Commissioned artwork for @feline-christine ! 🌺🌱💠
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