FA+
Shop
Of doodles and thoughts and things to come. (please read)
12 years ago
Fair warning, this is going to be a long drawn out journal so if you don't feel up to it then don't read it right now, but do read it at some point please.
*sigh* okay. Welp. The new year is upon us, people partying, making resolutions, all that stuff. It's time for change, and as such, I feel I'm going to change how I do things here. As many of you are aware I've recently undertaken a calendar project of sorts, you can see a rough sketch of a month to come as well as the completed January pic in my gallery. And as of late the urge to draw has been relatively strong on me. I've been trying some new techniques for roughing and sketching that seem to work really well for helping me to get started on many pics that I would otherwise just fall apart on. My workflow has taken quite a few refinements and tuneings and whatnot, as if I had a set in stone workflow to begin with. As a result, I'm getting out of a dry spell that's plagued me for the past few months. And even though I'm busily working on a calendar series, I'm pushing to draw some of my other ideas as well, stuff that I'm way behind on like other series', requests, even a trade. So yeah, all good and fair on that front. ^^
Here's where it gets deep for me though. I've had a few friends tell me that they'd pay for some of the stuff I've drawn for them, still others that will see some of my finished stuff like my plushy icons and ask me what I charge for such. *not trying to toot my own horn, I really do get asked this* Personally, I've been rather back and forth on the idea of doing commissions. I would love to get paid to draw for others, I think it'd be awesome. Now, I've got enough friends that'll bash me around for whining "I'm not that good, my pictures aren't good enough to be worth paying for *whine,bitch,groan,etc.* So instead, I'll bring up the other thought that bothers me with charging for my work, and it really starts with the reason why I draw.
I'll admit it, I love seeing others draw me. I've made the occasional request to have my character drawn here and there, even won a free raffle once to have any drawing I wanted done. Fact is though, I hate paying for "art." Stop! Before you cuss me out let me explain my reasoning. I'm a very hands on kind of person, I like to make things, learn by doing, all that. You know, "Give a man a fish, he eats for the day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for life." I very much admire this type of mindset. It's that very mindset that's gotten me into drawing in the first place. Seriously, any of you that have made anything, produced any kind of work, no matter how little or grandiose it was, you still get a sensation of pride when you're done right? It's not the idea of merely having something in your possession , but that you created it by your own hands. You, in essence, breathed life into your own creation. That's how I feel anytime I complete a drawing, when I finally put down the pen, look at what I've done, and think "Yeah, I'm happy with it. ^^" That's what I get from drawing, it's an emotional high that I love, and it's something that I don't take lightly. Like I said at the outset of this paragraph, I love to see other people draw my characters. It's an excellent opportunity to find how they see you, how they interpret your own ideas. And thus I get to the reason why I dislike paying others to do that. Because I can *to some extent* draw, if I paid someone else to draw for me, it'd be lazy on my part. I get demoted from a creator to, merely an "idea" guy. And as much as I hate to burst your bubbles, anyone that's ever had one of those "Oh!" moments, anyone who's ever compilated a new thought in their mind; which btw pretty much encompases every living, breathing, reasoning being on the planet; they're all "idea guys." Everything from the most generic like a fox, cat, or even a rat, all the way up to the most absurd or exotic characters, they all start as ideas. Beyond that, is all a matter of translating that idea into another medium; a written description, a song, even, dare I say, a picture. . . sorry, I'm rambling now, where was I . . . Right.
Point is, I don't want to be just an idea guy, cause ideas are a dime a dozen. The creators, the people that take ideas and bring them to life, that's where it's at for me. It's my first taste of blood as it were *bad example but just go with me on this* I love seeing my ideas take shape by my own hands. It makes me feel accomplished. As if I've done something that no one else can do. It's a sensation that I don't want to lose, and thereby, paying someone else to do that for me, just feels wrong. Yes I know plenty of people here that draw for commissions as a living, and I'm alright with that. Gotta put bread on the table somehow and, if you can make a living doing what you love then power to ya. :) But this leaves me in an interesting mindset. What when I reach the point that when my work is considered good enough to be called "art," what then? Do I give up on my ideals and blindly join a crowd that I've personally taken issue with? What about those that /want/ to support me financially? Do I leave them out in the cold as it were with no other options?
As you can see, I'm rather at odds with myself on this. I've contemplated doing pay what you want and even so much as "dollar doodle" commissions. But in the end, I come to this conclusion.
*IMPORTANT STUFF RIGHT HERE*
Commission status - Nope, not taking commissions. Why? `Cause if I did I'd feel like a hypocrite for wanting people to pay for what I draw, while not wanting to do the same for others. *this may change in time as I change, but for now I'm still very torn between the two ideals*
Trade status - Yes. If someone wants to suggest a trade with me then I'm all for it. I'm already working on one with the awesome
IdleStatus and I welcome the opportunity with others. Draw for draw. I find it fair to me, I find it fair to others, and it involves no money while at the same time offering something in return for both parties. Win/win! ^^
Requests - Yes. Though I do work on what I want at the moment, if you want to request something from me then I'll give it some thought. No promises unless I say otherwise though. I'm not going to "ok" every idea that gets thrown at me, but I will talk it over first. If I decline, I'll explain my reasons why, and if I accept then yay!
Tips - This is the one I think I'm willing to come to terms with now. For a while I've been hesitant about accepting payment for any of my work, even when people offered it. However, that's not fair. Now this isn't for people to bribe me to draw them, if that were the case it'd be under commission. No, this is for the people that do like my work, that have received pictures from me, and just want to give something back in return. It's right along with the trade option. Whichever you can afford be it time, effort, or money. I'm leaving the options open to you.
*phew* okay, I think I'm done. Thanks for listening everyone. Now back to life. ^^
*sigh* okay. Welp. The new year is upon us, people partying, making resolutions, all that stuff. It's time for change, and as such, I feel I'm going to change how I do things here. As many of you are aware I've recently undertaken a calendar project of sorts, you can see a rough sketch of a month to come as well as the completed January pic in my gallery. And as of late the urge to draw has been relatively strong on me. I've been trying some new techniques for roughing and sketching that seem to work really well for helping me to get started on many pics that I would otherwise just fall apart on. My workflow has taken quite a few refinements and tuneings and whatnot, as if I had a set in stone workflow to begin with. As a result, I'm getting out of a dry spell that's plagued me for the past few months. And even though I'm busily working on a calendar series, I'm pushing to draw some of my other ideas as well, stuff that I'm way behind on like other series', requests, even a trade. So yeah, all good and fair on that front. ^^
Here's where it gets deep for me though. I've had a few friends tell me that they'd pay for some of the stuff I've drawn for them, still others that will see some of my finished stuff like my plushy icons and ask me what I charge for such. *not trying to toot my own horn, I really do get asked this* Personally, I've been rather back and forth on the idea of doing commissions. I would love to get paid to draw for others, I think it'd be awesome. Now, I've got enough friends that'll bash me around for whining "I'm not that good, my pictures aren't good enough to be worth paying for *whine,bitch,groan,etc.* So instead, I'll bring up the other thought that bothers me with charging for my work, and it really starts with the reason why I draw.
I'll admit it, I love seeing others draw me. I've made the occasional request to have my character drawn here and there, even won a free raffle once to have any drawing I wanted done. Fact is though, I hate paying for "art." Stop! Before you cuss me out let me explain my reasoning. I'm a very hands on kind of person, I like to make things, learn by doing, all that. You know, "Give a man a fish, he eats for the day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for life." I very much admire this type of mindset. It's that very mindset that's gotten me into drawing in the first place. Seriously, any of you that have made anything, produced any kind of work, no matter how little or grandiose it was, you still get a sensation of pride when you're done right? It's not the idea of merely having something in your possession , but that you created it by your own hands. You, in essence, breathed life into your own creation. That's how I feel anytime I complete a drawing, when I finally put down the pen, look at what I've done, and think "Yeah, I'm happy with it. ^^" That's what I get from drawing, it's an emotional high that I love, and it's something that I don't take lightly. Like I said at the outset of this paragraph, I love to see other people draw my characters. It's an excellent opportunity to find how they see you, how they interpret your own ideas. And thus I get to the reason why I dislike paying others to do that. Because I can *to some extent* draw, if I paid someone else to draw for me, it'd be lazy on my part. I get demoted from a creator to, merely an "idea" guy. And as much as I hate to burst your bubbles, anyone that's ever had one of those "Oh!" moments, anyone who's ever compilated a new thought in their mind; which btw pretty much encompases every living, breathing, reasoning being on the planet; they're all "idea guys." Everything from the most generic like a fox, cat, or even a rat, all the way up to the most absurd or exotic characters, they all start as ideas. Beyond that, is all a matter of translating that idea into another medium; a written description, a song, even, dare I say, a picture. . . sorry, I'm rambling now, where was I . . . Right.
Point is, I don't want to be just an idea guy, cause ideas are a dime a dozen. The creators, the people that take ideas and bring them to life, that's where it's at for me. It's my first taste of blood as it were *bad example but just go with me on this* I love seeing my ideas take shape by my own hands. It makes me feel accomplished. As if I've done something that no one else can do. It's a sensation that I don't want to lose, and thereby, paying someone else to do that for me, just feels wrong. Yes I know plenty of people here that draw for commissions as a living, and I'm alright with that. Gotta put bread on the table somehow and, if you can make a living doing what you love then power to ya. :) But this leaves me in an interesting mindset. What when I reach the point that when my work is considered good enough to be called "art," what then? Do I give up on my ideals and blindly join a crowd that I've personally taken issue with? What about those that /want/ to support me financially? Do I leave them out in the cold as it were with no other options?
As you can see, I'm rather at odds with myself on this. I've contemplated doing pay what you want and even so much as "dollar doodle" commissions. But in the end, I come to this conclusion.
*IMPORTANT STUFF RIGHT HERE*
Commission status - Nope, not taking commissions. Why? `Cause if I did I'd feel like a hypocrite for wanting people to pay for what I draw, while not wanting to do the same for others. *this may change in time as I change, but for now I'm still very torn between the two ideals*
Trade status - Yes. If someone wants to suggest a trade with me then I'm all for it. I'm already working on one with the awesome
IdleStatus and I welcome the opportunity with others. Draw for draw. I find it fair to me, I find it fair to others, and it involves no money while at the same time offering something in return for both parties. Win/win! ^^Requests - Yes. Though I do work on what I want at the moment, if you want to request something from me then I'll give it some thought. No promises unless I say otherwise though. I'm not going to "ok" every idea that gets thrown at me, but I will talk it over first. If I decline, I'll explain my reasons why, and if I accept then yay!
Tips - This is the one I think I'm willing to come to terms with now. For a while I've been hesitant about accepting payment for any of my work, even when people offered it. However, that's not fair. Now this isn't for people to bribe me to draw them, if that were the case it'd be under commission. No, this is for the people that do like my work, that have received pictures from me, and just want to give something back in return. It's right along with the trade option. Whichever you can afford be it time, effort, or money. I'm leaving the options open to you.
*phew* okay, I think I'm done. Thanks for listening everyone. Now back to life. ^^
