Questions On Commissions?

[PFC]

Okay... I was skimming by the commissions board, and I have come up with a few questions for those of you who do commissions or those who know anything about it. This is just for information, so if you have any, by all means, please share it.

Q1: How good would you say someone should be before trying to sell their artwork?
Q2: What is the average starting price you think most should start out with. Please don't answer this with: "Well, I'd like to be able to pay 2 cents for a CG'd picture..."
Q3: Do you think, if someone is doing commissions, they should be able to draw all sorts of things, or should they be able to stick to whatever they normally draw?
Q4: What makes you want to buy someone's artwork?
Q5: (final question for now) How hard is it for someone to become fairly well known, according to your knowledge?

Again, if you have any answers regarding these questions, I would really appreciate your input. Thanks!

[Touzoku-joou]

I say you're good enough to start charging if you start getting a lot of requests from people.

Pricing... it all depends on the picture quality (sketch? Linework? High quality CG? High Quality traditional mediums?), and also your skill. At a little convention for Girl's Inc, I charged 2.00 to do a quick, shaded cartoony sketch portrait. None of the money went to me, though. It was a GInc benefit thing. Dx Blast it.

I find that a lot of amateur artists charge around 5 bucks for a quick sketch, and 15+, depending on the quality of the image, and all the details needed. Professionals or just insanely popular artists charge a lot more.

As for subject matter, that's up to you. You'll probably get more business if you're open to everything, though.

And what makes me want to buy (though I have yet to buy, but I've wished I could) is simply skill. How good are they at anatomy? Coloring? Conveying character emtions? Paying attention to small details?

I'm going to be very honest with you. You're not a bad artist, but I don't think I would commission you. I think you should improve a bit more before you think about selling. I mean, you can try, but...

I'm not trying to be mean or anything. :B I don't think I'm good enough to charge, either. I'm not sure I'll ever grow the ego to start charging, other than quick sketches and such. I'd feel like people were wasting their money on me. D:
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[url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-Touzoku-Joou.php]FAC[/url]

[PFC]

Thanks for your comments. You gave me all the information I needed to know. I really like to see that kind of thing. Thanks.

As for me doing commissions, I still have several things I know I need to make better. I wouldn't mind being able to do commissions, but as for now, I'm sticking to requests and art trades. Thanks for your input though.

[fallenangel]

[quote]How good would you say someone should be before trying to sell their artwork?[/quote]

Good enough that someone wants to buy it. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it's not always about skill. Just like with fanart views, subject matter and style has a lot to do with it. So-so Inuyasha artists can make pocket money from doodles while amazingly talented landscape painters may never sell a thing. Although, how good a person should be before they start actively [i]trying[/i] to sell their work (ie, advertise as opposed to being approached by someone in the first place), I'd say when you're in the top 5-10% of your given style/genre. Sounds grim, but you'll notice 99.9% of commission advertisements go unanswered, and those who do really well at them hardly ever post ads for their commissions. They don't have to. They're so good people [i]actively[/i] want a commission, and in general, that's how it always goes. People already know they want something in the first place, they generally don't decide to buy something based on an ad.

So. If you're getting requests, you're good enough. If you're in the top 5% of your genre, you're good enough but will probably need lots of promotion.

[quote]What is the average starting price you think most should start out with. Please don't answer this with: "Well, I'd like to be able to pay 2 cents for a CG'd picture..."[/quote]

Completely depends on the artist and the piece. My starting price was $100, it's wavered up and down from there (for the good stuff, I do lots of cheap sketches for people. meh). If you're just doing CG doodles, you can't charge the same as people like Pu-Sama who spend hours and hours making marker/digital pieces. A good formula is cost of materials (usually ends up a few cents, but if you have to buy anything special for what they want...) plus whatever hourly wage you're willing to work for. $2 an hour is far too low, but $50 an hour is getting extreme. Find a balance, estimate how long you think it will take, and there's your price.

I think the people who charge $5-$10 know they suck and aren't good enough to be selling their work. I see it a lot on DA. "$10 for a fully colored piccie!!!". No drop in price is going to make someone want sub-par work. Practice, get better, then charge a good price for good work.

[quote]Do you think, if someone is doing commissions, they should be able to draw all sorts of things, or should they be able to stick to whatever they normally draw?[/quote]

Depends on their goals for commissions. If it's just a hobby and they can afford to turn down jobs, then by all means just draw whatever you want and wait for someone else who wants it. If it's going to be a substantial source of income, then you have to be flexible and able to draw whatever the client wants. I won't draw crappy bands (well, I would if the money was right, but it never is). Or cars. Or landscapes. Or monsters. Or robots. But if being freelance was my job, I would.

[quote]What makes you want to buy someone's artwork?[/quote]

One part skill, one part style, one part subject matter. This was the last piece I commissioned. Because I <3 her style and the way she draws PB boys. So I told her which characters...and black and white...and that was it. And as expected, 'twas marvelous. I don't commission much 'cause I'm usually far too poor. I splurged half a paycheck on this. But it was worth it.

Very few people have the money to spare in order to commission random art. That's why pet portraits and family member portraits are so popular and where the real commission money is. That and character portraits, but in that case you'd better be damn flexible, and art theft is so rampant now most people just go rip something from a great fantasy artist and say it's close enough.

[quote]How hard is it for someone to become fairly well known, according to your knowledge?[/quote]

Just south of impossible. And you have to be damn good, damn lucky, and/or damn trendwhory (in which case your popularity will eventually fade). Of course, it depends on where you want to be well known. FAC...I suppose it could be fairly easy with the right amount of skill and subject. If I drew Inuyasha, I'd rule the land.

DA is a lot harder. The internet art world in general...good luck. There's a reason the infamous ones are Linda Bergkvist, Pu-Sama, Socar Myles, Ursula Vernon, Nimra, etc.


The problem with commissions is they usually fall into two categories. Mundane personal art (family members, pets, etc.) that people think make great gifts, and tedious wall art that looks good above the sofa (the picture I commissioned may not be tedious, but it is hanging next to my bed. Looks good with my other random wall art ). If your stuff is something else...good luck.


Ugh, I'm longwinded today...

You can sell anything really. Just have to find the rare people who want it enough to pay. Even really specific things...it's next to impossible to find the audience.
Fallen pays big money for her obsessions.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[Lizkay]

It also depends on the general theme of art how much you maybe charge for it...
What I expirienced in the past, me getting commissioned and me buying commissions, was following.
Anthro Art can be sold more expensive than pure human art. Nude/sexy stuff, also sells higher than tame stuff. Specials (this really really made me wonder) like style imitations, specialy species like Taurs and such sells to "any" prices, not that I am selling mostly commissions in that class, but I see a lot doing it, though.. specially style imitations are quite hard to be done from the artist, and these who commissione such are quite picky. So be sure that you add enough information to your offer, like what you draw and what you do not draw.

.. just my 2 cents.. :P

Add-on: of course what I said is meant to be done in one medium.. it's self efident that a comical drawn anthro would sell cheaper than a realsim painting of a human character, but if you would paint the anthro character that way it would be the double pirce.. just imagine all the fur.. just to give a reason why they are more expensive...
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- hmm... did someone say "MUFFIN"? -

[PFC]

Wow... thanks for the even larger input. I think I have all the info I need now. Thanks a ton!

[Free_to_Dream]

[quote="fallenangel (fallen)"]
Good enough that someone wants to buy it. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it's not always about skill. Just like with fanart views, subject matter and style has a lot to do with it. So-so Inuyasha artists can make pocket money from doodles while amazingly talented landscape painters may never sell a thing.[/quote]

I have to agree with you on this...about the Inuyasha and some anime characters' artworks. I live near this art store that sells beautiful landscape and real life nude women, but they don't really make any money. I see people who make anime characters get more money...which is odd.

[quote]So. If you're getting requests, you're good enough. If you're in the top 5% of your genre, you're good enough but will probably need lots of promotion.

I think the people who charge $5-$10 know they suck and aren't good enough to be selling their work. I see it a lot on DA. "$10 for a fully colored piccie!!!". No drop in price is going to make someone want sub-par work. Practice, get better, then charge a good price for good work.[/quote]

I kind of disagree...>.> <.< If you do artworks for some friends who are just plainly broke and desperately need your help, then you got to charge them less than you usually do. O.o' That's what happens to me except for one art. Practice is definitely important, that is one thing you cannot escape and charge arts depending on how good your art is. That's the most fair way.

Also...DA...I'll quote you on this...there are too many "trendwhores" in DA, no offense to anyone who uses DA. They sell things so cheap there, it's not even funny. O.o' Rather good for those who are broke though but you're not making any profit.

[quote]One part skill, one part style, one part subject matter.[/quote]

Haha, I totally agree with you on this. That's all I'm going to say.

[quote]Just south of impossible. And you have to be damn good, damn lucky, and/or damn trendwhory (in which case your popularity will eventually fade). Of course, it depends on where you want to be well known. FAC...I suppose it could be fairly easy with the right amount of skill and subject. If I drew Inuyasha, I'd rule the land. [/quote]

O.o' Lucky is the best way to get commissioned and also skills. One thing...how do you know you're good? Do requests from other people say that you're a good artist? o.o' I'm confused about those things...

[quote]The problem with commissions is they usually fall into two categories. Mundane personal art (family members, pets, etc.) that people think make great gifts, and tedious wall art that looks good above the sofa (the picture I commissioned may not be tedious, but it is hanging next to my bed. Looks good with my other random wall art ). If your stuff is something else...good luck.[/quote]

You [i]can[/i] sell your stuffs but you just have to have the right connection or people who are in complete awe of your artworks. O.o' That's about all I know and experienced...sshh

[fallenangel]

[quote]I kind of disagree...>.> <.< If you do artworks for some friends who are just plainly broke and desperately need your help, then you got to charge them less than you usually do. O.o' That's what happens to me except for one art. Practice is definitely important, that is one thing you cannot escape and charge arts depending on how good your art is. That's the most fair way.

Also...DA...I'll quote you on this...there are too many "trendwhores" in DA, no offense to anyone who uses DA. They sell things so cheap there, it's not even funny. O.o' Rather good for those who are broke though but you're not making any profit. [/quote]

I wasn't referring to cheap art for friends, though. That might as well be gift art. I've done a lot of it, and usually I just tell them to not bother paying me. Or pay for my lunch or something 'cause I'd rather see it as gift art than being paid $10 for so much work.

But a stranger...if they're too poor to pay a fair amount, too bad for them.

[quote] One thing...how do you know you're good? Do requests from other people say that you're a good artist? o.o' I'm confused about those things... [/quote]

Depends on who those people are, I suppose. At my school (and any top level art school), the instructors won't sugar coat anything, so if they say you're good, you can bet you're good. If your grandma or some random person who has no concept of art says you're good...doesn't mean much.

Most people, if they're honest with themselves, know how good they are. For most things besides the extremely conceptual like abstract work. If you draw anime, you can probably tell where you stack up next to the likes of [url=http://pu-sama.deviantart.com]pu-sama[/url]. If you do realism, you know how you compare to [url=http://nimra.deviantart.com]Armin[/url]. And so on.

[quote]You can sell your stuffs but you just have to have the right connection or people who are in complete awe of your artworks. [/quote]

True. But in the end, subject matter always wins. No matter how well done, I wouldn't want a random portrait of someone's uncle hanging on my wall. You really can sell anything, the problem is if your target audience is small, it takes a lot of work to find them.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall