HOW TO START TAKING COMMISSIONS V 0.1

[ THIS IS NOT THE FINAL DRAFT! THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED WITH REVISIONS AS THEY COME ALONG. I have decided to post the unfinished version so you guys can ask questions now and and I can help make it less confusing. A LOT OF THIS IS NOT ORDERED CORRECTLY, so right now things might be a bit scrambled. Take a look, see if you can learn anything, and PLEASE! ASK QUESTIONS! I will be more than happy to answer, that is what this patreon is for! I will be working on this more when I get a chance to do some more research, I have had an incredibly busy month and it's about to get a lot busier! THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO 💜 ]

Hello! Thank you for checking out this guide; I’ll be doing my best to teach you my method of selling commissions. For reference, I specialize more in starting up as an artist in the furry community and have been wildly successful since I started in 2010. I am self-taught in art and business and I want to share with you my method of success in the hopes it gives you the courage to step out into the world of creative freelancing. Please keep in mind that this guide was written on the basis of my own experience, and there may be differing ways in the way we think and do things, but by the end my only hope is that I can help expand your knowledge in this subject and gave you a different view on the myriad of ways we can take control of our work. Let’s get started!

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Every person is different and has their own way of doing things--everything in this guide is just what I do to run run my business and is not the “Perfect Way To Do Commissions”. If anything, this guide is “The Lazy Artist’s Guide to Taking Commissions” because I just love finding the quickest and easiest way to do things that is both respectful to my customer and efficient for me.

Here are the tools you will need to take your first art commission:

ART SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Although artistic experience isn’t exactly needed in order to start taking commissions, it does help draw in customers and establish a fanbase. 
• Your art level varies from style to style, and explaining this is another guide all in itself, so I will have to elaborate on the skill scale later. [Include: Ratios, line width, consistency in anatomy]
• If you have very little experience with art, or feel your skill is not up to par, there is a way to use commissions to further your development as an artist. [In another guide, explain how to properly use commissions as practice to better your art, i.e. getting paid to practice]

BANK ACCOUNT

• It does help to be old enough to open your own bank account, but a quick google search says that if you are 14-17 years of age, you can open a joint account with your parent(s) and/or guardian(s). If you are under 18 years of age, talk to your parents if you wish to start getting paid for online commissions! If for whatever reason you are still unable to open a bank account, you can wait until you are of legal age or practice your art and build your following in the meantime. Sometimes, problems can be a blessing in disguise, so be smart and utilize your time wisely.
• You will need a place for money to be sent to you online, and I have only ever taken commissions through PayPal, so I can only help you in terms of using PayPal; which is fine! Once you know how PayPal works it isn’t so scary. If you wish to use something other than PayPal for money transfers, there is Square and CashApp, but I don’t know how to use these platforms, so you will have to educate yourself about them on your own time, sorry about that!

CHOOSE YOUR ARTISTIC MEDIUM

• TRADITIONAL ART: 
  • Pencil & Paper
• DIGITAL ART:
  • FREE PROGRAM: Krita
  • PAID PROGRAMS: SAI, SAI2, CLIP Studio Paint, Photoshop
• You can also mix digital and traditional mediums! For this you will need either a camera or a scanner, and both traditional and digital tools.

BUSINESS PLATFORMS

In terms of starting your business, it’s actually best to use as many social media platforms as possible and linking them all to each other on your front page where everyone can see them. This isn’t going to give you exposure right away, you have to work for it. Art is beauty that advertises itself, and if you never post our commissions, how could anyone know what you’re up to? How can people share your work, providing you with the invaluable resource that is sharing across media platforms? 

There has never been a better time in history for artists to thrive doing what they love just from the click of a button. SHARING IS FREE ADVERTISING! Companies pay millions of dollars just to have 10 seconds of air time, but here you are, capable of reaching MILLIONS of people for FREE! If you intend on becoming an artist, DO NOT TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED. Or, you know, take it for granted, I’m not the King of You—but if you only see customers (who are real, breathing beings with history, hopes, lives…) as a paycheck, the integrity of your business will suffer. When art becomes just a way of making money instead of what it actually is—an expression of yourself—some people will begin to sense you’re only doing this for the money. Sure, some people will stick around, but not the honest ones that really count—the people who want you for more than just a vending machine to spend their money on; to enjoy your art as an expression of your inner world and the beautiful things only you can see; to know you put a piece of your soul into all that you do. 

PRICING

Pricing your commissions can depend on many different factors; skill level (in art and business), popularity, demand, and most importantly, life expenses, which vary depending on how you live (with parents, with roommates, by yourself). You want to price your commissions first based on what you are able to do in order to afford a comfortable life for yourself month-to-month; this requires some budgeting. [I’ll write more about budgeting later]

Always keep in mind, “no matter where I am now, if I keep at it, someday I will be where I want to be”. No matter how slow you are, or how fast, just keep pecking away at what you love, and don’t compare yourself to others, and someday you will reach YOUR goal. You can use others as an example, as either an inspiration or what not to do in order to navigate life’s obstacles and accomplish your dreams with efficiency.

CHECKLIST REVIEW

1. Have some experience with creating art;
2. Have a working Bank Account;
3. Have your PayPal account linked to your Bank Account;
4. Choose your social media;

A CAUTIONARY TALE

As tempting as it is to jump into the art world and watch those dollars rise, art is not free money. Taking payments upfront can be playing with fire. Never in my 8 years as an artist have I taken payments upfront, and when I did, it got me into trouble. Some people are disciplined enough to get paid upfront and carry through the work, and some of us are not. I fall into the latter category, not for lack of discipline, but that I love the drive it gives me knowing I have a job to do in order to get paid. 

Personally, if I get paid before I do the work, I feel anxiety (“I have to get this done, their money is important! No rest!”) as well as losing that extremely valuable reward response that helps me see my work through until the end (“Oh joy! When this is done, my customer will be happy AND I’ll get paid!”). I feel deeply that this way of doing things is healthy for both you and the customer, and for one reason: if they have not yet paid, they have spared you the temptation of spending money you have not yet earned. 

If you’re worried that someone won’t pay after the work is done, there are ways around this too. You don’t have to be untrusting of your customers, especially from the get-go. It is good to leave a friendly-yet-professional impression on your customers, old or new, to build your reputation. If you are cold and court, people won’t feel as inclined to work with you again. I know this because I myself don’t appreciate someone who treats their customers and/or their work as a chore. I don’t enjoy it when I have treated my customers as a chore, I don’t like seeing others treat their customers as a chore, and I don’t enjoy being treated as a chore, so why would anyone want to support it? Be nice, be grateful. Someone loves your work enough to pay you real dollars for it! This is the best time in history for artists to make a living, but the truth is you have to be willing to work your ass off for it. I’m sorry to say, but there are no shortcuts. Only hard work and persistence will get you there, but once you get there, it is worth every hour you put in. 

Taking commissions doesn’t have to be complicated; although, you are able to make it as complicated as you want. Customers prefer when all information is readily available and easy to read—wouldn’t you? You have look at yourself and think “if I were a customer, what would make me want to commission this person?” Here are some things to consider when expressing your business online:

• People like consistency and authenticity. Period. In reality, there will only be a few people who are willing to support someone who is consistently late in their work, unable to maintain a predictable style, and/or has a reputation for bad financial habits. If you’re wondering why you don’t get many customers and/or you want to boost your customer base, you’re going to have to put in the work to kick those bad habits (if you have them) and start building your reputation. Art commissions are NOT free money. [EDITOR’S NOTE: I will explain my method of protecting you and your customer a little later on, linking it later.]
• Customers usually have something in mind when they commission you (you dream too, don’t you?) so it’s good to maintain a consistent style. [EDITOR’S NOTE: I will explain “How To Stay Consistent With Your Art Style” and link it here it later.]
• Customers love it when you are quick in your work. If you take weeks, months, or even years to get work done, it’ll harm your business in the long run. Learn your technique and learn how to execute it quickly and efficiently.