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Genuine question about artists.
2 years ago
Hello random reader.
I have this weird question and I wanted to see what you think since there is a good bunch of you watching me.
What is the deal with commissioning artists nowadays?
Especially full-time artists. I try to get to a lot of people who are full time artists but it feels they are always closed when I want to commission them. That or they read the note I sent them (I CAN SEE WHEN YOU READ A NOTE. ITS LITERALLY A SYSTEM IN SENT NOTES THAT SHOWS IF YOUR NOTE HAS BEEN OPENED) and ignore it. Is it that hard too write a "no I'm not". And even when they are not open... How is it they go about not opening Comms and not drawing anything... Then suddenly "emergency Comms" open to pay bills...
I mean. Patreon artists i can understand although I am someone who would rather give a one time payment at once rather than do that same payment monthly over years.
Commission batch artists I also kind of understand when you can afford to have a shit tonne of people try to message you at once. It makes the commission demands contained in the batch amount.
Even "commission auction" to a degree. Although I find it silly that people would BID ON THE POSSIBILITY to commission someone.
But if art is all you live from, and you don't open your only system of sure-income, then ask why you don't have any income... (Not going into the pension fund debate about this)
I seek Enlightenment. I am genuinely confused and desire information.
I have this weird question and I wanted to see what you think since there is a good bunch of you watching me.
What is the deal with commissioning artists nowadays?
Especially full-time artists. I try to get to a lot of people who are full time artists but it feels they are always closed when I want to commission them. That or they read the note I sent them (I CAN SEE WHEN YOU READ A NOTE. ITS LITERALLY A SYSTEM IN SENT NOTES THAT SHOWS IF YOUR NOTE HAS BEEN OPENED) and ignore it. Is it that hard too write a "no I'm not". And even when they are not open... How is it they go about not opening Comms and not drawing anything... Then suddenly "emergency Comms" open to pay bills...
I mean. Patreon artists i can understand although I am someone who would rather give a one time payment at once rather than do that same payment monthly over years.
Commission batch artists I also kind of understand when you can afford to have a shit tonne of people try to message you at once. It makes the commission demands contained in the batch amount.
Even "commission auction" to a degree. Although I find it silly that people would BID ON THE POSSIBILITY to commission someone.
But if art is all you live from, and you don't open your only system of sure-income, then ask why you don't have any income... (Not going into the pension fund debate about this)
I seek Enlightenment. I am genuinely confused and desire information.
I personally never ignore anyone, and if I do not respond within a week-ish it's 100% because I cross-platform commissions and some websites I use do not send me an email notification that I got a message, therefore I have to check notifications manually (4-5 websites).
I have a hunch that one factor in this may be because a lot of artists are neurodivergent, specifically ADHD and social anxiety, and might find themselves forgetting to reply if they need to come up with a professional response. Other than that they might be forgetful because they're not actually doing art full time, they have a main job and or are in education and again might forget to reply.
Other than that some people are just very bad at the management part of commissions lol, bad at managing their money and/or bad at professionalism (this too is a job that requires it, some people need to remember that).
That is completely understandable. Neurodovergence and ADHD are a thing. I too find myself forgetting about E-Mails, so I had to train myself into figuring out responses on the fly when I get a work email or someone who needs something of me.
Do feel that because they might have poor management experiences, they just burn themselves out with art too. But that'd be something one can work to. I'd say like... I am exaggerating. But I imagine someone as extreme as MilesDF who has $3k+ commissions would be very management oriented, with his comment mods, and payment plans that he believes the whole thing along with his art costs as much. I would not commission him... But one would expect the price to match the professionalism.
But the question WAS aimed for artists who are, in their words "full-time artists". No day job. For them to have a level of little professionalism kind of hurts. I'd hazard a guess one wants to perfect their craft from the art to the social interaction otherwise why do a job that requires social contact to actually establish income? Programming, as hard as it is is a job with minimal contact. You got you, the computer, the code, and occasionally the memo/email that asks for what they want out of the code. ^^
Correct me if I am wrong there.
"but one would expect the price to match the professionalism." full on agree, it's very important that we uphold a certain standard of politeness and professionalism even in furry art commissions be they a side or main job.
Also random thought but I feel like because this is an "internet job" with a niche community that automatically breeds casual-ness. I also sadly see a lot of people who go head on into the furry community just to do commissions because "oh furries will pay for anything" which is just fucking dehumanizing to me. I don't identify as a furry myself, I used to but no longer do because I'm not much into the social aspect (fursuits, cons, specifically seeking out furries to be friends with although some of my friends are furries, I just don't go looking). But I saw the community grow and establish itself in my country in the 2010s and I feel like that's a big spit in the face to something entirely self made just to view furs as ""money bags"".
TLDR; respect and professionalism are important