If you were expecting a free giveaway, I'm sorry to disappoint but this is about how to ask for free work from artists. First the don'ts.

1. Don't message an artist cold when they don't know you from Adam and aren't offering freebies already. It's spammy, at least say something nice about their work rather than just asking for free stuff.

2. Don't message an artist asking for the moon on a stick, it's not going to happen. Generally when artists do free artwork? It isn't for the guy who says "I want free art" and then launches into detailed description of what he wants as if he's expecting the same service for free work as their paying customers get. Remember you're asking them for a favour, for their time, they don't have to give you either.

3. Don't message an artists without looking at their gallery first, if you send someone a request for some oddly specific fetish that they have nothing anywhere close to in their gallery, it just feels like you're spamming artists blindly, and that doesn't make artists want to draw things for you, especially not stuff they're not that interested in.

4. Don't send artists what is clearly a form letter. Again, this will get you pegged as a spammer.


Do:

5. Be prepared to take no for an answer, they may be busy, they may be uninterested in your idea or they may not be taking freebies at that time. Whining about a no? Will land you on most artists "I wouldn't draw for them if they paid me" list.

6. Thank the artist for their time if the answer is no, they took time out of their day to respond to you, the least you can do is acknowledge that. When you don't say thank you? It simply looks like you're spamming many artists.

7. Tell the artist what you like about their artwork and why you're asking them for a free piece. It's always nice to be flattered and it makes it clear that you aren't just one of the spammers who spams every artist they see begging for work.

8. Keep in touch even if the answer is no, if you liked their art enough to ask for free work, then you clearly like it enough to stick around even without freebies.

9. Do be polite, again, you're asking for a favour, for their time, do remember that, abrupt or rude communications are not the best way to do that.

10. If the answer is yes, for a love of god, do remember to say thank you, it's a really sour note when an artist works their ass off on something, produces a lovely piece, send it off and hears only silence.

Really, I shouldn't have to write this, but amazingly I do get notes from people who do it all wrong.