# Should I take NSFW commissions?



## MuskButt (Sep 19, 2018)

(Sorry if this seems a bit long, but it's a complicated dilemma I'm facing. Input from NSFW furry artists is especially appreciated.)

So, I've been thinking this to death for a couple of months, but I can't make up my mind. Long story short, I've been asked multiple times for NSFW commissions, many of them involving my fursona. I've been offered a fair amount of money for the commissions, and have been told I should do it for the money. However, I've had to tell people I needed to think about it before I could accept or decline the commissions. Although the thoughts of making an extra income from art is very attractive, a few things are holding me back—what if my friends, family, and employer find out I draw yiff? Could it potentially wreck my social life?

Also, what is it like among other furries as a yiff artist? Do you get lots of attention online or at conventions? If so, is it usually positive or negative?

Once again, sorry for not being able to keep it short and simple, but I couldn't condense my thoughts down any more without losing information on my concerns. But should I do it, or should I not? And if anyone can share their experience as an NSFW artist, that would be very much appreciated. This is a very big decision I'm trying to make, and all advice is valuable.


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## faerr (Sep 19, 2018)

I'm not a well known artist and I am not the most well-versed in this community (I'm new). 
Personally, I was willing to do NSFW right off the hop. I will deny any commission with subject
matter that makes me uncomfortable, but anything that unnerve me - I'll paint.

It's also my choice to post what I paint in my online portfolios (dA and FA). I have so many ugly, unpolished
pieces sitting in a folder, never seen by anyone except for myself. If I was commissioned for a particularly
graphic piece, I'd give it to the commissioner but maybe never post it myself. 

But I also believe art should challenge your tastes. Many of the masters painted questionable subject matter,
and still we don't think of them as a lesser artist. That being said, don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable.

Those are my two cents, anyway. And it's certainly a subjective matter of opinion. I hope this helps! c:


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## Fiorabeast (Sep 20, 2018)

I'm not a popular artist at the moment, but I do occasionally draw NSFW in my own time (and just working on my prices for that at the moment).
Honestly, if drawing NSFW makes you uncomfortable, just tell people that you don't draw that and decline! No matter how much money is involved, you being comfortable in what you draw comes first really. 
Since you mentioned that most seem to want to involve your sona, usually there's a fine line for people when ask that too.
However, if you need the money and want to expand your NSFW drawing horizons (I mean, some of them is good anatomy practice really), just label what things you are willing to draw and not draw, as well as setting up your prices depending on the level of lewdicy involved.

If you don't want to risk people finding out that you draw this, (and parroting off of what @faerr said) you don't have to post up the NSFW commission and just tell the client that it's a private commission. This is on you in telling the client that it's okay to post and link back in their gallery themselves, but if they demand you put that work up IN YOUR GALLERY you can hit them with a NSFW art posting fee to either deter them from it or 'make extra money' if the latter doesn't work. Or, you can just make a separate art account just for NSFW and have it locked away since usually something like that requires you to have an account for it to see it.

If your friends, family etc.. find out, well... That depends on their reactions and how you can handle and explain to them that! You COULD tell them, the 'in this hard economic times' excuse, or the pretty much true, 'NSFW sells, so I'm lucky to get paid a really good amount of it!' explanation because honestly, sometimes sex DOES sell well depending on the client and audience.


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## MuskButt (Sep 20, 2018)

Thanks for the replies; you both have some good advice. I honestly do want to draw my fursona nude, if people want to see that. (Someone offered me $350 to draw him pooping...lmao) I'm still going to have to think it over before I make a decision, but your advice will help me figure it out, I think. Does anybody else have something they'd like to add to the discussion?

BTW, this isn't my main account. I created the account "MuskButt" in case I do decide to draw yiff. Would it be foolish to have a link to my main account from MuskButt? I mean, I guess people will notice the same art style and characters being used, anyways.

But maybe I should let them figure out the connection, themselves.


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## Fiorabeast (Sep 20, 2018)

Ha! I could kind of see why you'd be on the fence but personally, if that were me, I just wouldn't do it even though that amount of money is tempting. I mean, I have my own fetishes I'm okay with but something like that is too much for me!

Well, think of it this way, the username you run with is kind of like a 'brand' so to speak, so if 'MuskButt' is going to be your NSFW art brand, it's your choice to inform your SFW viewers on it. 
Maybe write down, 'If interested in a NSFW commission, I go by a different name than from my main here, please PM for the details and price listings' (assuming that NSFW prices are really different from your SFW stuff here). If it's too much of a hassle to do that constantly, yeah, you could go link it there instead. Again, all up to you.

And really, thinking over it before coming to a decision isn't a bad idea really. NSFW art isn't for everyone really so honestly, don't feel bad if you come to the decision of not doing it. I mean, what kind of audience do you REALLY want to attract and interact with your art really is something you should also think about too.


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## coldbrew (Sep 20, 2018)

The money can be tempting, but it's your personal fursona involved here, so you might wanna consider if you want to see them portrayed that way. If you're A-OK with the fetish and if it's your thing, by all means go ahead! As long as you enjoy the process of drawing it, I say. You're going to have to look at that picture every time you open the site, and if you think it'll make you uncomfortable, then that's a big no-no sign  

I personally don't draw NSFW art, but I do appreciate those who can do it well, and am completely fine with tasteful nudes or pinups. Hey, if you're not sure about diving head-first into explicit NSFW, you can draw nudes or practice doodling by yourself first to see if you dig it or not. Nobody needs to know what you do behind doors, if ya know what I mean 

As for linking accounts, that's completely up to you. Would you want your SFW audience to know what kind of NSFW you draw? On one hand it could mean more customers, but on the other hand, that means you're drawing more attention to the NSFW side (because let's face it, people smash on the NSFW link like it's a whack-a-mole). I'd suggest you keep it hush hush from your real life peers, _especially _family and friends who don't understand this kind of stuff. I personally have a cousin who went by 3 months thinking I drew yiff before I corrected her lmao (she's a great cousin for saying nothing about it xD). Since you got a separate account, just...keep it away from being linked to any emails or sites you use irl? People linking art styles by themselves are fine; you can brush it off by an "eh, coincidence" if you don't want to let them know the truth. 

Hope you could come to a happy decision! Remember that NSFW pays, but don't do it at the expense of your joy! Everybody has a line they draw, and it's no shame to stand firm on your ground and say "no" to those you're unwilling to cross!


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## PercyD (Sep 20, 2018)

Personally, I keep all of my art and dealings online separate from my personal life. Mainly because it's stupid that my personal life is scrutinized in such a way. Additionally, it's no one's business what I do with my free time. 

Ultimately though, its up to what you're comfortable with.


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## Amibo (Sep 26, 2018)

Everyone above me summed it up so;

TLDR; If you're uncomfortable, don't do it. If the close relative finds out, explain your financial situation.


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## Folhester (Sep 26, 2018)

Hey!
You were already given good advice about finding and respecting your own limits, so I'm just gonna add my 2 cents about my own experience as a NSFW artist.

Folhester is a name I use exclusively for my furry work, precisely cause I didn't want any relatives to stumble upon it. I'm already keeping it quiet about my furry drawings, so I just do the same for the NSFW bits. Drawing furry stuff can already potentially wreck your social life, cause 'normies' will assume you're into yiff and hardcore fetishes, so actually drawing yiff isn't really 'worse'.

I've only told 2 people about my yiff work. First one is a good friend who's also a furry, they don't like yiff so they don't wanna hear about my NSFW stuff (though I'm far from being hardcore ), but they understand my financial reasons to do so. Second one is my SO, who's not a furry and has quite a bad image of the fandom, but they roam on 4chan, watch anime and have waifus, so deep down they know yiff isn't so far from ecchi/hentai  And they understand the appeal of money as well. Even if they don't like furry and yikes when they see me working carefully on a wolf's dick, my SO supports me and it's quite enjoyable. So to put it in a nutshell, you don't need to tell everyone you draw yiff, but having one or two people of trust you can casually talk to about your NSFW projects can be nice.

My NSFW commissions are mostly tasteful nude and erect shots on ref sheets, even though I'm working on adult material to expand my range of projects. I have more favs on the SFW versions though, cause they're more visible on FA. One piece of work does get a lot of attention: a transformation sequence I did for a client, cause it's a specific fetish and my work pops in the results when people are looking for TF art. But then again, the SFW version of it is more popular than the NSFW one. I'm not big on the scene so I never had negative feedback though.


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## The_Occupant (Sep 27, 2018)

I'd do it on a case by case basis, only saying a hard no on illegal and gratuitously violent stuff.
We all got to eat, and I don't see anything immoral or wrong with drawing this stuff.  Still, you got to follow your own conscience, I say.


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## ditta_ragdoll (Sep 27, 2018)

I'm by no means popular, but I personally find myself taking great joy in my nsfw work! As the artist, I have the option to not draw things I don't wanna! But the good bit is, most of what people seem to ask for is "yiff" art of themselves and their mates! 
All I've been doing is putting artistic form to someone's relationship, which I find a little beautiful! IF nothing else, I do smut with joy because that's what sexuality is for! Sharing love and joy~ And when it's not I can shoot that sumbitch down and tell them to get some help.  I don't get my own character involved, because that's my character, but frankly, it's fairly safe to tread into that turf once you've found yourself a good pseudonym. Just don't cross the streams friend!


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## chuckfiala (Jan 1, 2019)

Yes, most people in the world assume that if you are an artist, that you probably have drawn some sexy pictures. Have fun with NSFW art.


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## Troj (Jan 1, 2019)

In a pinch, I reckon you could do NSFW art under another name and/or art account, if you wanted to do NSFW art, but didn't want it to potentially affect your reputation as an artist. Others might have more insight into how to go about that.

Offhand, my sense is that you can always make money all kinds of ways, so if you feel viscerally icky about this, you might want to listen to your gut on this one.

In itself, there's nothing wrong in my book with being an NSFW artist or performer as long as everything is safe, sane, and consensual, and I hope the widespread stigma around consensual sex and nudity continues to fade. 

That said, because your fursona is basically an avatar of yourself, it might be wise to think thrice before agreeing to endorse or create NSFW art of your fursona, especially for other people. Are you comfortable with people potentially swapping, jerking off to, fantasizing over, or even, editing NSFW pictures that are essentially of _you_--or, at least, a version of you? Something to think about before jumping in, I think.


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