# When did you decide to start doing commissions?



## Torrent (Jul 28, 2009)

This is obviously for the people that are doing commissions.  When did you finally feel capable of selling your art?  Did you receive propositions before even considering it, or perhaps you needed to earn a few extra bucks?

How did you decide you were ready to do it?


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## Arshes Nei (Jul 28, 2009)

When you can make deadlines, have reasonable level of self worth, and when people ask you to.


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## Torrent (Jul 28, 2009)

So you didn't advertise when you were first approached?


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## Arshes Nei (Jul 29, 2009)

You can, but I think it's better when you're in demand vs desperate.


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## Aegidia (Jul 30, 2009)

I don't offer commissions on the internet, but I do commission in real life, mostly for paintings people want to hang in their living rooms or murals. I just try to get word out there that I enjoy painting and will be happy to paint things for people. So far, that seems to be working, as I've been getting regular commissions. Not NEARLY enough to make a living of, but it's a nice bonus every now and then. I was first commissioned by someone who saw some drawings of skulls I did and wanted one of a porcupine. Personally, I hadn't thought I was at the level where people would pay for my art yet, but apparently I was wrong. 

One of the ways I 'advertise' myself is making paintings or pet portraits as gifts for people and I have a very enthusiastic mother, who sometimes gives my paintings to new colleagues of hers to brighten up their office. She herself has two portraits of our dog by me and a third painting hanging in her office. (two paintings of the dog, no pictures of the family. Maybe that's a sign of something) Of course, you can overdo this. If everyone you know constantly gets art from you, they'll probably get sick of seeing it.

But, obviously, I'm not exactly an expert on how to get commissioned _here_. But I think that in any case, you have to make known you take commissions. You don't have to go out of your way to advertise it, but people shouldn't have to dig for info if they want it.


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## Shukit (Aug 1, 2009)

A friend on ventrilo wanted to make a new fursona :3
I think that was the first... I forgot. But it was definitely him who got me started on it. XD I still have a long way to go, but if people want to pay for art from me that's cool. I don't mind having money. XP


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## Torrent (Aug 1, 2009)

That's a really cool story Aegidia =).


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## sakket (Aug 8, 2009)

when i realized doing art for gaia money was absolutely retarded and a waste of time.


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## RailRide (Aug 8, 2009)

While doing an art trade pic in Anthrofest's lounge awhile back, a couple of congoers passed by and noticed my work. The comment went something like "_Dude, why aren't you in the dealer's room?"_.

Actually that only made me consider doing artist's alley at the cons I attended (with widely varying levels of success, it turns out). Commissions were an afterthought, since I didn't _need_ the money in either case, but the stuff I drew had advanced to the point that it has a few fans, and therefore the possibility arose that a subset of that group may want to see their character/s drawn in my style/ specialty of subject matter. To keep things manageable, I don't really _advertise_ (i.e. journal announcements) that I take them.

---PCJ


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## Asswings (Aug 9, 2009)

Other than a "I will totally sell you a chip off my soul and draw porn for some shiny moniez so I can get other people to draw stuff for ME" it was actually my friends going OH HAI GUESS WHAT WE GOT A TABLE AT THIS CON AND YOU'RE ON THE LIST SO YOU GET TO DRAW FOR MONEY LUL IT'S NEXT WEEK.


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