# Adoptables? Whats the trick? Why do so many people like them?



## SlugBurger (Mar 4, 2013)

_Please forgive me if this is in the wrong spot, Im very new here... like a day new?  It was this or the Den?

Anyway I have started selling adoptables, I was designing a lot of characters but then scrapping them because I didnt really need a new character, so I figured I would sell them. 
 Ive looked around took note on the types that people like, color schemes and tried to incorporate that. I dont seem to be having a ton of luck though. This could very well be a lack of skill on my part or a lack of understanding on my part as well.

What should I know about selling adoptables? What are some tricks that I should incorporate? What ways should I promote myself that are not just wasting my time but are actually productive? 
Last but not least why do people like them so much? I wouldnt buy them because I know that I can design my own. Im assuming its for people that cannot or will not and just want a character? 

Thank you for all your *kind* answers! _:smile:


Edit: I am also on DA, I have enough followers on there that the adopts get notice. : )


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## Venu.Shade (Mar 4, 2013)

you only have 1 watcher and 18 pageviews. that is likely why you haven't had any luck.

Keep any ideas of selling adoptables and such on a backburner until you have a bit of a fanbase...or just give them away to people who will draw them/get art of them more often than you would.


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## SlugBurger (Mar 4, 2013)

I very much agree with you on that except I am also selling them on DA as well and I have enough followers  that it is seen by enough people. 
Thank you though


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## Heliophobic (Mar 4, 2013)

SlugBurger said:


> What should I know about selling adoptables?



Not to do it. You're only encouraging the brutal death of creativity. It's like giving a treat to a dog because he looks cute.
Every single thread until you like it.


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## SlugBurger (Mar 4, 2013)

Saliva said:


> Not to do it. You're only encouraging the brutal death of creativity. It's like giving a treat to a dog because he looks cute.
> Every single thread until you like it.



But if its a nice side revenue for some artists why not? If there  are  people willing to buy it why not? :S Could an adoptable not spark some  inspiration for them to work off of?


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## Arshes Nei (Mar 4, 2013)

The trick is your art is good and unique enough to be worth purchasing.

Right now you have recolor templates. It's about as creative as buying DLC of a recolored Capcom character.


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## Tiamat (Mar 4, 2013)

EDIT: Arshes had her ninja revenge upon me.

Meh, adoptables are no threat. Improve your skills and create something that people want to buy. Avoid the copy and paste cookie-cutter template stuff.


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## SlugBurger (Mar 4, 2013)

Arshes Nei said:


> The trick is your art is good and unique enough to be worth purchasing.
> 
> Right now you have recolor templates. It's about as creative as buying DLC of a recolored Capcom character.




Mhm I found that out when I was doing some research so Im starting to step out of that area. Those recolors are older ones that I will not be working more on.


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## SlugBurger (Mar 4, 2013)

Tiamat said:


> EDIT: Arshes had her ninja revenge upon me.
> 
> Meh, adoptables are no threat. Improve your skills and create something that people want to buy. Avoid the copy and paste cookie-cutter template stuff.



I will definitely be avoiding the cookie cutter look in the future, I found out they dont sell so well as the individual adopts. Thank you for commenting and being polite : )


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## Judge Spear (Mar 4, 2013)

Just get good at what you do and build a fanbase. And to avoid making a generic response, may I suggest spicing it up? 
When I see adoptables, I often see 3-5 of the same exact creature only different colors. It's fine I guess, but it's old. If you draw them in different positions and different expressions, they'll come across as having distinct personalities and will stand out. And make them with different physical attributes (not just color), like one has little horns, another has a third eye, one is quadrupedal and the others are bipedal. Stuff like that. Just vary them up basically and try not to get lost in the crowd of mediocrity. 

BUT get decent and known first. Not Maxfield Parish or whatever, but enough.


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## SlugBurger (Mar 4, 2013)

XoPachi said:


> Just get good at what you do and build a fanbase. And to avoid making a generic response, may I suggest spicing it up?
> When I see adoptables, I often see 3-5 of the same exact creature only different colors. It's fine I guess, but it's old. If you draw them in different positions and different expressions, they'll come across as having distinct personalities and will stand out. And make them with different physical attributes (not just color), like one has little horns, another has a third eye, one is quadrupedal and the others are bipedal. Stuff like that. Just vary them up basically and try not to get lost in the crowd of mediocrity.
> 
> BUT get decent and known first. Not Maxfield Parish or whatever, but enough.



You know this should have been obvious but I guess it just didnt cross my mind, I guess I was just to concerned with colors and what not. THank you I really appreciate it I will be using this advice


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## Heliophobic (Mar 4, 2013)

SlugBurger said:


> If there  are  people willing to buy it why not? :S



Because backlash. This is exactly how the video game industry turned to liquid human shit. People started thinking money was everything. Now there's very little creativity, standards have lowered, and the people doing their own thing are doomed to fade out into obscurity.

The effects of you selling a character or two are obviously minuscule, of course, but not insignificant. You'd still be encouraging someone who believes they can be a successful artist so long as there are other people willing to wipe their ass for them.



> Could an adoptable not spark some  inspiration for them to work off of?



It could. But you know it's more likely that won't happen.


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## Ikrit (Mar 4, 2013)

why would i buy your fursona when i could take it, modify it, and make it my own?


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## Tiamat (Mar 4, 2013)

Ikrit said:


> why would i buy your fursona when i could take it, modify it, and make it my own?



...the hell?


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## Arshes Nei (Mar 4, 2013)

The problem is the market is saturated with people to bend over backwards for cheap. If you have nothing unique to sell, you're going to be lost in the sea. If your art looks like the 1500 furries selling the same kind of stuff, how do you stand out?

People seem to skip the "get better at art part" a lot too, they see "just don't recolor your stuff"

The adoptable thing seems kinda old, rehashed to death and I see more "YCH" (Your character here) but I'm sure it will get old too.

See the problem is while Adoptables kinda work if you change the idea a bit, like a digimon/tamagotchi variance hatching it's afterwards... 

Exactly what do you do with them afterwards? You got this character that you can use, but can't draw. You commission others? You waste more money on it? Do you develop it? You see where I'm getting at? Pretty soon the novelty dies because it never really felt like *your* character. The artist still owns the copyright to the art, and the only way you can brand your character is to draw it more and more or get someone else to. 

Are people going to pay over and over for the same thing? I mean you make them unique you're going to charge more than the templates. The only ones I've seen work well enough to pay a higher price is if you actually can...well draw. And draw I mean good drawings, or at least from someone popular enough that people want that art. 

So the TL;DR is that really stop worrying about selling, worry about your artwork actually being better and worth buying. I'm honestly telling you right now, it's not. I know it sounds harsh but there's so much art out there...


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## mapdark (Mar 5, 2013)

Arshes Nei said:


> So the TL;DR is that really stop worrying about selling, worry about your artwork actually being better and worth buying. I'm honestly telling you right now, it's not. I know it sounds harsh but there's so much art out there...



Amen


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