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Why I won't buy a commission from you by QTMelon
One of the things that is so predominate in the "art community" is selling commissions. It's not that I don't like getting a commission now and then, but I don't think people are putting much thought and have gotten into some bad habits that are actually turning people off from purchasing.
I'm not talking about people who think they should pay little for artwork and try to compare it with mass produced publications. I'm talking mostly about me and the perception communities have given where I don't even want to bother giving you money.
So I'll leave a list of why
- Your work is always on sale, or too cheap.
Believe it or not when you actually undervalue your work, it leaves me with the impression you're rushing it and not caring. If it's too cheap you don't like what you're doing. I want to pay for work that people care about.
- You have art block
There isn't really such a thing. People newer to art complain about it because they expect some 1 hit wonder success. Art is a lot of work and trial and error. If you aren't willing to explore and complain your creativity is being blocked, I don't feel that putting money is going to solve your problem.
- It's an emergency. Desperation
This means I probably have less of a chance actually seeing the work into fruition. I'd rather not put money into something with no return. The desperation also makes me feel less like I'm getting a commission and potentially investing in a bad relationship where you're the clingy other.
- There's an emergency, drama going on during commissions.
I know that people do this on the side, and stuff happens. I hate how when someone takes a lot of commissions, in a day talks about how they are having some problem and will be delayed. This also bothers me due to really piss poor communication. Shouting on a journal how you're delayed is not actually talking to your customers/clients.
You should be messaging each person who has taken the time to put in money to buy something from you about your situation. It's really treating your clients with a level of disrespect. Your clients shouldn't have to cling to your journal to get news. You deliver that news on an individual basis. If you got 20 people, each one should get an email or contacted. If that's too many, then you should have thought about that before taking on commissions.
- Complaining you can't get them done
You need to learn and time yourself on how long it takes you to finish. Stop taking on large amounts because you're broke and need the money desperately. It annoys me that I have to be your Mom because you don't know how to budget or support yourself. I enjoy supporting artists, but you also need to be adult enough to learn to support yourself with what you're given.
- Your art isn't really that great and you make it sound like a chore
I know that is the one that probably smarts the most for many but I'd rather not pay for cheap crappy artwork. It makes no sense to me. So maybe some people shouldn't be selling but working more on artwork and having fun to enjoy it. I want to buy from people enjoying their craft, not someone who decided to make this a chore to earn money.
- You have a passive aggressive way of reaching customers with TOS and journals
I understand there are some problem customers, but don't take it out on your potential customers. I've seen a lot of passive aggressive comments and statements in a person's journal open for commissions or they have a really complicated Terms of Service. It chases someone like me away. I don't feel like you want to work with me but I'm just another object or number. You're not big business so it's ridiculous to treat people like that on a smaller scale.
I have more but I wanted to give a perspective of not the person who "can't afford you" but the person who probably can.
Journal Information
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- Comments:
- 21
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- Rating:
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Comments
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Said artist keeps taking commissions even after their queue is full, even though they're supposedly "closed," or have other overdue commissions weeks and months old!
I've personally seen (and quickly unwatched/unfollowed) artists that are guilty of that. It just gets on my nerve when they're able to pop out personal art, gifts for their friends or keep taking other commissions- yet they have other clients that have been waiting for a long period of time for their art. Good example, I've been waiting for over 5 months for a simple sketch from a particular artist. Said artist has yet to finish it...yet is still taking and COMPLETING other commissions taken after mine.
But you made some good points- I too am pretty picky about who I commission and I don't care how cheap their art is...or how high quality is it. If they have poor customer service skills or something seems off about their sales and art? I don't bother.
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I don't mind seeing personal work in between commissions. In fact I prefer it. Nothing burns an artist out by not having some personal time to do art. However, it should not be at the expense of the person paying.
I think artists should take breaks in those times to do personal work instead of taking on too many commissions.
It also gives more variety to their galleries.
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I know a lot of artists that do commission during the week and personal art on weekends. That way they can work on their own project too
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Such things should be a baseline of standards for all commissions.
I'd also add it's important to be able to immediately issue refunds if necessary.
Taking the money and spending it before the commission is done is a recipe for disaster.-
Indeed, but if you have the "I am going to be evicted" person, you won't see that money.
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This is a very good, insightful and unbiased journal. I've felt my own pains from commissioning people, or had similar second thoughts about requesting based on reasons you've listed, but I'm also struggling with opening my own, too. I try to keep things simple with my TOS and not under-sell myself, but I'll be honest - I'm having the hardest time committing to doing paid work. I'm a responsible person so it's not a matter of not getting it done but I guess I want to be at my personal best when I'm doing it, y'know? I tend to over-think things, anyway... lol
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Yeah sometimes it is easy to get caught up in worrying about not delivering a good product.
I found though the more I communicate with the client it is easier to see how well you are going with it and eases those fears.
It also develops a more happy relationship with a customer
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Good points all-round, it always saddens me to see artists who should know better act unprofessionally.
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It has gotten just downright depressing at times to look for commissions.
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This is a great journal, it could also help future commissioners to know how to seek the right artists.
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100% spot on.
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The only thing I really take issue with is this one:
"Your work is always on sale, or too cheap.
Believe it or not when you actually undervalue your work, it leaves me with the impression you're rushing it and not caring. If it's too cheap you don't like what you're doing. I want to pay for work that people care about."
But this is only because it's different for me. I write story commissions - I don't draw, people can't just look at what I sell, they have to READ it. Reading is not popular. It never will be in the grand scheme of things I think. So, honestly, I do believe I am undervaluing my time at present, but also I believe I'm not so refined in the process of writing commissions that I could reasonably charge more. My worth is iffy.
That and I worry. Right now at my present prices I do get plenty of customers - often repeat customers. If I go and hike them up, I'm not SURE yet if I'd lose them or what.
So yes, I may be too cheap in one person's eyes, but I can't say it's a unanimous thing. I've been considering raising my prices, but I can't fully seem to justify it. :x
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But that is the thing that many artists face. I know that writing is harder to be more prolific, but you need to have some respect for your work at some point instead of making excuses to repeatedly undervalue it.
You don't have to suddenly add sticker shock but incrementally increase. What product you know has stayed the same price for years? Not many and some have gone down due to mass production and availability, others mostly go up because it isn't 100% made by robots and people still need to eat and pay bills.
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I like how all of them except #6 are "1."
Very well-written and most points are very very true. I've seen way too many people get screwed over because they bought a commission to help someone out of a hard time, just to never get it done and be unable to get a refund. There are 2 exceptions, though:
If the artist is offering stream commissions for emergency reasons, it's a pretty safe bet because you can see the quality of work you'll be getting and watch the work in progress, no waiting. (A friend recently did a sketch stream for her fish's medical expenses.)
If an artist is new, has raw talent, and is underpricing their art out of inexperience and lack of self-confidence/popularity, you can get good art for cheap AND teach them that they deserve more than what they're charging. (One of the best sketches in my ferret sketchbook was done by an unknown charging $5. I paid her $15 and pimped her to my friends at the con.)
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That is bizarre, maybe some formatting issue. I will try to fix it. Maybe 6 stayed at 6 because there is a comma instead
Those are also good points as I have paid more than what was agreed upon.
Tho people have quit or had tech issues during streams do there is that too
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Yup it is a bug. When I edit the entry the numbers are correct. Markdown is making everything a 1.
Link
BeautifulWhispers
I wish I could +like your journal..