# What attracts your commissioners?



## CyberPsych (Aug 6, 2014)

I've been open for commissions for a while and I know I'm not one of the 'Fur Famous' artists, I like to think that my art is fairly decent (don't get me wrong. I know I have a lot to learn. I always will)
The only problem is I can't seem to get commissioners. 
I was wondering if you guys could help me out in my predicament? What attracts your commissioners? What do you, as a client, look for in artists?
Thanks! 
Attached are links to my gallery on FA and my commission price sheet.
FA Page; http://www.furaffinity.net/user/-cy-/

Price Sheet and Terms of Service; 
Prices; http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5912836/
TOS; http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5912803/

Thanks again for your help!!


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## PurryFurry (Aug 6, 2014)

Here's what's worked for me.  Number one was actually spending $20 for a banner of advertising on FA.  Number two- posting stuff in the 'Art Sales and Auctions' section of the FA Forums.  Number three- make a lot of submissions.  (I'm guilty of not doing number 3 as much as I could be.  But I do notice that the artists that I follow that have a TON of submissions also have a TON of followers and pageviews).  Number four- always try to improve!  Do tutorials, gain new skills, experiment, etc... it won't help in the short term but in the long term it will.

Oh... and it's been said before but... doing adult stuff will get you a lot of views.  It's just the truth.


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## CyberPsych (Aug 7, 2014)

Lol. Thanks. I actually ended up moving my profile and I still have a lot of submissions on my other profile. 
I'll consider the 20$ for the banner. I'm hoping I can get some sort of money soon. 

Thanks so much for the advice <3


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## Wolfool (Aug 9, 2014)

One thing that helped me loads was just getting my name known a little more by offering free art first; run around surprise gifting people with art, draw sketches on people's request topics, the more people see you around the more you'll get interest in your commissions^^ Or at least that's how it seemed to work with mine. Was hardly getting any but then in my down time I practised by drawing other people's characters and then I started to get more people interested in commissioning me. One thing I'd definitely do before spending money on a banner though is just stick in your signature that your open for commissions, then every time you post somewhere you get free advertising and it's only limited by how active you are^^


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## CyberPsych (Aug 11, 2014)

Thanks wolfool ^^ I really appreciate it. I'mma do my best ^^ That seems to be the general census is that to do a lot of requests and to get my name out there. So so far it looks like it's the most promising 

Thanks you guys <3


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## CyberPsych (Aug 11, 2014)

PS; Wolfool, 
I didn't even know you got commissioned by my buddy Iraa <3 I went to school with her and see her from time to time ^^


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## Nuzzo (Aug 11, 2014)

My quirky, lovable personality. Also, my devastating attractiveness and effervescent charm. I'm pretty sure my humility has something to do with it, too. 

In all seriousness, though, I'm not exactly one of the FA heavy hitters, but I think I've picked up enough things over the past few months to offer some advice. For starters, free raffles are a great way to attract an initial watcher base to your gallery. Even if some of them are just there for the chance of free stuff, there's a pod chance you'll attract a few mainstays who'll stick around, give you advice, and possibly advertise for you. Getting your name out there really is important! I spent a couple of weeks just doing free sketches, mostly focusing on requests from people with significant numbers of watchers of their own, and by the end of it my number of watchers had increased significantly.

Secondly, I noticed that you're pricing your work extremely cheaply. Try not to do so for too long - doing so may cause prospective commissioners to remember that 'cheapness' the wrong way. Instead, focus in improving your art. Always make sure you have something to work on, even if you have to resort to free raffles for interest. When you feel you've improved (and you will - definitely!), price your commissions higher, at a price YOU think is fair. From experience, commissioners are influenced more by quality than by price. Discounts and low prices are nowhere near as likely to generate interest as simply posting better art.


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## CyberPsych (Aug 12, 2014)

Makes sense and I agree as far as pricing. The only problem I feel is if I don't get any commissions on the prices I have, then if I increase them, what's the science behind that? I mean don't get me wrong. I agree as far as pricing. It's mostly just a starting line for me. 

Thanks for everything else though~~ I really appreciate it.


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## monochromatic-dragon (Aug 12, 2014)

My so-called "strategy" for myself is to keep commissions closed while I work on my skills and gain followers. I have set some basic goals that I want to reach for my artwork before offering commissions, but to sum it all up I just want my gallery to look consistant as far as the general quality of my artwork. 

I guess you could say that my short-term goal is to open for commissions by next summer, and my long term goal is to make digital artwork like this.

People will want to commission those whose art is unique and high-quality, not just low-priced.


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## Lhune (Aug 12, 2014)

I'd say it's all about putting yourself out there. Of course, the ultimate way to get commissions is simply to be a good artist. Good art attracts customers, period.

To get started though, I second the raffles and gift arts and I most definitely second the getting rid of cheap prices. Pricing is not just between your ears ("my art is not good so I must sell really cheap"), it is also between that of your potential commissioners ("this art is really cheap so it can't be that good"). A couple of years ago I doubled my prices, because I was fed up with the few commissions I got paying me next to nothing in terms of an hourly wage. I figured if I ended up getting fewer commissions, the ones that I did get would at least be worth it. Funny thing is I actually got _more_ commission requests. Apparently, the higher price made the artwork more interesting. Of course there's a limit to that tactic, but whatever you do don't sell as cheaply as possible. If it's barely worth it, then don't charge at all until you are confident enough to ask for more.

Finally, I'd suggest making your gallery more interesting to look at. Your gallery is your business card. It's technically your portfolio, albeit a bit less official, but if your goal is to get commissions it has to look the part. Yours doesn't right now. Put the old streaming messages in your scraps and only leave the things there that people would actually want to commission you for. Leave the pieces that are good examples of what you can do, and if you don't have enough of them, make some. 

Last but not least, draw draw draw. Keep drawing, keep posting, show that you are active and capable of working hard. Activity attracts activity.


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## MischievousPooka (Aug 14, 2014)

Also, if you go to any conventions, hand out business cards of your FA  or website page.  This may let other people you met that you have an FA  page and that you do commissions.

As for on the site, just interact with a lot of people.  Some people do find other just by commenting a lot.  And some of those people may find your commissions if they decide to visit your page.  Doing trades with other artist can also sometime help.


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## rjbartrop (Aug 14, 2014)

As  far as attracting mass amounts of eyeballs, I still think it's hard to beat the bang for your buck that a banner ad gives you.   Of course, once you have their attention, you have to have something to show them.

Like Monochromatic Dragon said, work on your craft, and don't be afraid to cast a critical eye on your work.  There's a lot of talent artists out there, and "good enough" just isn't good enough anymore.

Looking at your page, I would say nuke all those streaming ads.  People hate streaming ads at the best of time, and multiple copies of the same ad is just a big page full of "NOPE!"  If you really need to keep them, move them to scraps.  Think of it as your portfolio.   Put original art there to show them what you can do, and give a thought to what sets you apart from all the others.   There are lots of hands for hire out there, so give them a little sample of what's in your head.   What is there about your art that's going to make people point and go, "Oh yeah, that's CyberPsych!'


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## CyberPsych (Aug 18, 2014)

I never thought of getting rid of those. Thanks so much guys 
I'm also always open to critique so if you guys have anything about the art to comment on, feel free <3
I really appreciate you guys taking your time out to check it out. It means a lot. It really does.


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## Nuzzo (Aug 18, 2014)

One thing I forgot to mention last time: other furry sites like e621 and u18chan are fabulous for exposure. The former is especially great at attracting new people who would not have seen your art otherwise, provided you're able to create submissions that stick around on the popular by day page. Fan art of popular characters seems to do very well on that site. Consider creating an account there and posting your stuff! You don't lose anything by trying it.


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## CyberPsych (Aug 19, 2014)

This may be true but on e621, I don't entirely feel comfortable drawing NSFW stuff, at all. I apprecite that but I feel like that piece of advice might be one I have to decline


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