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Financial Troubles
7 years ago
It's tough for me to have to admit it, I have been feeling guilty and ashamed of myself but
unfortunately, there is no more denying it, I am hemorrhaging money and the commission queue is piling up.
This is a hard moment for me and I feel that I am at a crossroads and I really don't know what I should do.
This is a month when just a ton of bills are due, and I don't have the savings to cover it.
My usual plan is just to work harder to try to catch up each month, but I usually end up further behind than I was before.
There is only so much productive work I can do in a day, and doing what I am doing isn't paying the bills anymore; I consistently underestimate the size of my projects or spend too much time mulling over the details.
I know I've posted and complained about it before and even talked about getting a day job,
but I have doubts I would be able to do the day job and still finish the commission work I owe because I would have to spend so many hours doing the other job to make ends meet.
I have looked for different kinds of work, and they don't pay enough to cover the bills (especially since I don't even own a car atm) or I'm grossly unqualified for the work.
I have been having constant anxiety about this,
I am just feeling incredibly desperate and I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel.
If anyone has any advice, jobs, kind words or anything at all, I would greatly appreciate it.
Paypal:
https://paypal.me/kiwiroo
Kofi:
https://ko-fi.com/antiroo
unfortunately, there is no more denying it, I am hemorrhaging money and the commission queue is piling up.
This is a hard moment for me and I feel that I am at a crossroads and I really don't know what I should do.
This is a month when just a ton of bills are due, and I don't have the savings to cover it.
My usual plan is just to work harder to try to catch up each month, but I usually end up further behind than I was before.
There is only so much productive work I can do in a day, and doing what I am doing isn't paying the bills anymore; I consistently underestimate the size of my projects or spend too much time mulling over the details.
I know I've posted and complained about it before and even talked about getting a day job,
but I have doubts I would be able to do the day job and still finish the commission work I owe because I would have to spend so many hours doing the other job to make ends meet.
I have looked for different kinds of work, and they don't pay enough to cover the bills (especially since I don't even own a car atm) or I'm grossly unqualified for the work.
I have been having constant anxiety about this,
I am just feeling incredibly desperate and I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel.
If anyone has any advice, jobs, kind words or anything at all, I would greatly appreciate it.
Paypal:
https://paypal.me/kiwiroo
Kofi:
https://ko-fi.com/antiroo
If you're at all interested in watching:
https://www.twitch.tv/antiroo
Hang in there bud
(There's no need to feel ashamed, we all hit walls. Sometimes we need help getting over them.)
How could I help?
You got this just relax, calm your mind, make a plan and follow threw.
We all have been there, myself included. I had to do some life style changes so I lived within my means and in doing so financial trouble has ended.
Your asking for help and that's very admirable, alot of people wont do that, I know you probably hear it all too often but, you will be ok you just really have to get a firm grip on your situation and take control. You can do this!
Maybe, once things settle, you can get back into arting full time again? I wish you the best of luck no matter what you choose. You just gotta hang in there and push through.
Also maybe try setting up a kofi. Just for simple donations and stuff.
Talk to me alright I don't wanna see you hurt your self.
1) Increase the prices of your artwork, if the time spent and money earned is not enough to cover bills then its not really a job that can be kept, unless there is luxuries you can drop, save up money until things improve for you?
2) You could try and spend less time with all the smaller details, or maybe even ask the customer to come up with more refined details of what they want instead of being vague and leaving it to your interpretation?
3) You could start looking for work, which you have already done, granted you said it leaves less time for artwork, but if you can do an hour here and there, not take anymore commissions until your list is close to 0, that way people wont feel like theirs has been forgotten whilst you take new orders.
4) Could rely on donations, make it a bit easier and more visible for people to donate to you, a good artist I would have thought does occasionally get tips and every little bit helps right?
If there is anyway I can help feel free to note me!
I can reduce a lot of the detail work I like to put into my pics, I'm afraid they won't look as good, which is probably true, but I know there are ways to get around that, and spoof detail where I need it. So, you're right, this is something I really do need to work on.
These are some really good tips, and I really appreciate you taking the time to write this out for me.
Others sometimes charge say 40$ and they can get 10% off a commission and get priority on these. So really it depends on if it will increase workload too much to come to the same result as currently.
If you do already have one, it should be posted in your profile with some sort of icon or eye-drawing attention, after all a lot of people enjoy paying the 1 or 2 dollars to get the high def versions of art from artists or to see stuff posted ahead of time.
I also follow a few artists that have like specialty tiers that are very good; SigilGoat does a sticker for each of their 25$ supporters each month, keeping them on a theme (like <3 for Feburary) and Shadowpelt does an art of their choice for their $25 dollar tier patreons (following a do/don't list from their patreons), both of these sorts of options let you have more general creative freedom and also give people who want art from you a way to support you without needing to pay attention to openings or what not! Plus I'm sure being able to get familiar with a set of characters makes it a little easier to do the arts!
Those ideas may not work perfectly for you, but hopefully they might be able to help springboard something that does work for you!
Either way do your best to take care of yourself! I'm rooting for you! <3
I have been thinking about switching to a monthly thing where I just post a bunch of w/e art I've made.
Look into jobs outside of retail/food service for supplemental income. The qualifications for postal workers, while physically demanding at times, are not particularly onerous and the benefits are good. When I was in college, I stocked the shelves at the local dollar store from 2AM-8AM a few nights a week (yes, the pay was minimal, but enough to cover rent).
Transportation a problem? Is public transit available? Perhaps you could find a bicycle at a yard sale or pick up a cheap car at a police auction?
In any case, please don't despair. You're bright and creative and have numerous friends. You'll find a solution.
Would part-time work help if you balance between the two jobs? ^?^ *snugs muchly* Patreon is something people use quite a bit, like Taelsin mentioned. Sorry I don't have more advice for money making.
https://www.patreon.com/antiroo
It's not been great because I've had trouble keeping up with it. :/ I am thinking about changing the way it works to make things easier for me
Art is a bit of a struggle, finding something consistent to supplement it might be a good idea.
I might be able to donate a little your way when I have some extra.
Also what about collabs
Also, I do have a Patreon!
Https://Patreon.com/antiroo
Another would be I know u get decent number of viewers is try a strawpoll of poses/ideas n do donation sketches for "warm up" or ych. It would be a sketch and depending on donation/purchase colored.
I only say these two is I know some people see these big beautiful artists (yeah I said it! n.n ) and can't afford the proce tag they ask or rnt sure really how to ask for a commission. Plus I've seen artists do both and set a "daily donation mount" and have it blown open wide with only 3-4 viewers.
Ur work is beautiful and hopefully u can figure out something to move u in a positive direction :3