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Rant about Classless Commissioners
12 years ago
THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO MY LOVELY COMMISSIONERS. MY COMMISSIONERS ARE AWESOME.
Note: This rant is from a professional artist's point of view. I've worked in the graphic design and gaming industry for years. So I understand the value of art, and how much work it takes to produce something. My opinions are formed from working in a professional environment with other professionals, and seeing how people interact with commissioners on a professional level. So if you don't agree with my views, consider that perhaps you don't truly understand the industry.
This was inspired by a horrendous commissioner of a friend of mine's. Like seriously, you guys. Commissioners like this suck, and should be ashamed of themselves.
So, the artist this pertains to did a special on commissions. You would get a full body experimental art, in color, no background, for $20. That is actually an AMAZING deal, especially for her quality and skill level. This person is a professional illustrator, has a successful web comic, and is currently getting a BA in animation. A price of $20 is a fantastic price.
The commissioner in question paid the artist for the commission, and then started demanding that the artist include a background. A background which was stated would not be included, and none of the samples for the special included background. This artist is a very sweet person, and didn't want to make their commissioner mad by not doing a background.
But I told them that the first thing an artist needs to do is watch out for themselves. In this industry, people will walk all over you if they can. People will demand things they haven't paid for, they'll try to make you work for way too little, and they'll make you feel like shit. What does that do? It makes the artist work exponentially more, for exponentially less in pay. It puts the artist in an even harder financial state (because 90% of us are not rich). It hurts the artist, it hurts their reputation, and it gives a selfish, childish person free art.
So my friend messaged the commissioner that backgrounds aren't included with the commission price, but that they could pay $10 more for a background and the artist would gladly draw one for them. I feel that that is a fair way to state it. $10 is a reasonable charge for a background. It's what I charge. There are no issues here.
But that classless person had the gall to write a paragraph rant back to my friend, stating why they shouldn't and wouldn't pay more for the background. I haven't seen this rant yet, but I can tell you this: It is bull shit. Bull. SHIT. There is absolutely no reason why a skilled artist shouldn't get paid for their work. Absolutely none.
This artist has let people do this to them multiple times. One time, somebody paid them FIVE DOLLARS for a full body, full colored chibi. It took hours to complete. That is working for maybe $2 an hour. The artist finished it, and then the commissioner said that the line quality was not the same, so the artist redid the entire commission! When they only got paid $5! I would have only touched up the line art. Yes, this is partially the artist's fault, and yes, I would want the lines touched up if I bought art. But the person who commissioned the artist was lucky to get ANYTHING for $5. Much less a full body colored chibi.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE GUYS. UNACCEPTABLE. Nobody should ever treat an artist this way. No artist should be made to feel that their art is shit and worth nothing.
If you agree with me, please post a comment saying so, so that my artist friend can see that they're being taken advantage of. That the way they're being treated is wrong. And that they need to start standing up for themselves.
Note: This rant is from a professional artist's point of view. I've worked in the graphic design and gaming industry for years. So I understand the value of art, and how much work it takes to produce something. My opinions are formed from working in a professional environment with other professionals, and seeing how people interact with commissioners on a professional level. So if you don't agree with my views, consider that perhaps you don't truly understand the industry.
This was inspired by a horrendous commissioner of a friend of mine's. Like seriously, you guys. Commissioners like this suck, and should be ashamed of themselves.
So, the artist this pertains to did a special on commissions. You would get a full body experimental art, in color, no background, for $20. That is actually an AMAZING deal, especially for her quality and skill level. This person is a professional illustrator, has a successful web comic, and is currently getting a BA in animation. A price of $20 is a fantastic price.
The commissioner in question paid the artist for the commission, and then started demanding that the artist include a background. A background which was stated would not be included, and none of the samples for the special included background. This artist is a very sweet person, and didn't want to make their commissioner mad by not doing a background.
But I told them that the first thing an artist needs to do is watch out for themselves. In this industry, people will walk all over you if they can. People will demand things they haven't paid for, they'll try to make you work for way too little, and they'll make you feel like shit. What does that do? It makes the artist work exponentially more, for exponentially less in pay. It puts the artist in an even harder financial state (because 90% of us are not rich). It hurts the artist, it hurts their reputation, and it gives a selfish, childish person free art.
So my friend messaged the commissioner that backgrounds aren't included with the commission price, but that they could pay $10 more for a background and the artist would gladly draw one for them. I feel that that is a fair way to state it. $10 is a reasonable charge for a background. It's what I charge. There are no issues here.
But that classless person had the gall to write a paragraph rant back to my friend, stating why they shouldn't and wouldn't pay more for the background. I haven't seen this rant yet, but I can tell you this: It is bull shit. Bull. SHIT. There is absolutely no reason why a skilled artist shouldn't get paid for their work. Absolutely none.
This artist has let people do this to them multiple times. One time, somebody paid them FIVE DOLLARS for a full body, full colored chibi. It took hours to complete. That is working for maybe $2 an hour. The artist finished it, and then the commissioner said that the line quality was not the same, so the artist redid the entire commission! When they only got paid $5! I would have only touched up the line art. Yes, this is partially the artist's fault, and yes, I would want the lines touched up if I bought art. But the person who commissioned the artist was lucky to get ANYTHING for $5. Much less a full body colored chibi.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE GUYS. UNACCEPTABLE. Nobody should ever treat an artist this way. No artist should be made to feel that their art is shit and worth nothing.
If you agree with me, please post a comment saying so, so that my artist friend can see that they're being taken advantage of. That the way they're being treated is wrong. And that they need to start standing up for themselves.
I wouldn't even ask for a touch up honestly. I'm typically just happy with what I get. So long as an artist enjoyed working with/for me then I'm going to be pleased with whatever the result is. I'm not sure I can understand that they can be happy with what they are given. ESPECIALLY if they are getting a sale, a cheap price, and for fuck's sake free. People have made mistakes on Muse but it was free art so I was perfectly fine with it. I had no right to complain.
Some people just show no respect.
Respect your local artists. They're not bathing in caviar in mansions. I've been to their homes/work spaces. I've done landscaping and construction for dinner and a chance to be helpful.
Let's use a hair salon for an example.
Let's say someone paid for a hair cut, and it was stated that it included only the cut. Not a shampoo, not a style. Just the cut.
There were other prices for those options as well. That's standard for most, if not all, salons, yes?
Say a customer came in, paid for the hair cut, then started ranting and raving that the person didn't style it or wouldn't/didn't wash their hair.
They'd be kicked out. Depending on the stink they caused, possibly even have security on them.
This person did the same thing to the artist. The only difference is it is a different service.
People will push and push and push, there's very little respect for any artist.
I was gonna say unless it's one of the very popular or "famous" ones but no, then the problem is they charge too much and so only the super rich can afford their work.
I guess it's like saying Ferrari should offer up some $5000 Enzos ¬_¬
I've had to get quite a few sketches from an artist recently because they couldn't quite get the idea I wanted, I think partly my descriptions could have been better but also I think there's a language barrier there.
This commission isn't cheap and I don't want to just settle on a sketch that's okay when I know they are capable of capturing exactly what I want perfectly.
But at the same time, I wouldn't expect them to send three pages of sketches for nothing. One, sure. Two, maybe. Three, no.
It doesn't matter what it is, a $5 chibi or a $500 painting, I think it's fair to expect both parties be happy with the end result.
But at the same time if you're quoted $30 say and then you ask for more, or ask for changes outside of what they originally offer, then yes, you're going to have to pay extra for that.
These people obviously never look at it from the other side, it'd be like if their boss said "Hey Billy, you're gonna need to come in Tuesday but I won't pay you". They'd be furious.