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Advice for Fresh Artists
9 years ago
~ 🐾 ~
Was just having a conversation about this and figured it'd be nice to write about it.
If you're just starting out with commissions I would like to offer one very solid piece of advice:
HAVE A TERMS OF SERVICE!
There are clients out there who will take advantage of young and inexperienced freelancers and I've seen this first hand. Having a ToS will not only protect you but it will also protect your clients. They know what they're in for in terms of your process and you know how to block out anyone who looks for holes in that plan. Some things I've seen and experienced include, endless changes/revisions/changes of mind throughout the commission, not paying before the completion of a commissions and thus never paying at all, manipulating an artist to charge less for whatever reason and forbidding an artist to post their own work.
1. Limit the amount of revisions someone can have to their commission. If they like your style this shouldn't be a problem, but often someone will commission the wrong artist for the wrong thing calling it a 'challenge'. State that if there are more than a certain number of revisions you'll charge more. This will protect you financially.
2. Get your payments upfront! I have never had an issue with this. No client has ever argued that they don't want to pay before they see their commission. Unless you charge by the hour (and let's face it... barely any of us do) there's no reason you shouldn't be able to see your money upfront. This DOES require you to be loyal to your clients though. Do not screw them over. Be trustworthy and get that work DONE.
3. Have a solid price list. Think of everything including complicated characters, image inserts (close ups), additional body parts etc. Do not get saddled with the most complicated commission ever and have it conveniently slot into one of your already set prices in such a way that you can't argue. Again, protect yourself. You don't have to list all these additional prices but state that they exist.
4. And of course retain your rights. Your artwork is YOURS. It's fine on a professional level if your client wants to keep their image secret, but get them to buy the rights to that image. Otherwise you have every right to do what you want with it. Respect people with time sensitive stuff (presents, holidays etc) but post it the moment you can. If someone complains that they didn't want their image posted online, direct them to the ToS you clearly wrote out that they were supposed to read BEFORE commissioning you. Then they can't do anything to you.
5. Always have a ToS, and always direct your clients to read it. Protect yourself and your clients and you'll have a smooth experience in the art business!
END
6: Declare all income truthfully to the appropriate authorities, no matter how small. You don't want to have the tax man after you.
7: Above all, when money is involved, treat it like a business, not a hobby.
when/if I Do do that, I Will keep this in mind :3
The other thing that I think is more of a personal thing is paying upfront. There are plenty of artists that accept after the sketch is approved, usually because it is smooth sailing from there, and keeps the artist from taking on more than they can chew so that the client is not waiting months on end with no art. We all know stuff happens, but at the same time I think that is also a valid time to collect money, because then if they can't go through with it, the pose might salvageable and one has not poured tons of time into yet.