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Major Announcement **PLEASE READ**
6 years ago
The Memoirs of Yote
*peeks in*
Hey everyone. I wanted to give yall a quick update, as well as make a major announcement.
As you know, I've been battling depression which has been killing my drive to art. Also with working part time, I've been having to re-adjust to fast pace work environment from having been mostly sitting at art desks/computers since leaving my previous job. I ain't a young buck anymore, so exhaustion is kicking me in the rump too.
The past 2 months have left me questioning my life path as well as where I want my art to go. I have been doing a bit of personal soul searching; weighing options on ideas and what routes to pursue.
Arting is my passion. Yall know that. And I love sharing it with the world and making my services available to everyone so they can get cool art too. But with taking custom commissions, it doesn't leave time for work on personal art; especially now that I have a job. Don't forget I have a family too, with a little one of my own that I am trying to balance time with.
And I have always felt like I was under pressure to take commissions for financial reasons. But I honestly don't need to do that as we are financially fine without it. Its nice to have the extra cash, but it's not critical, nor a main source of income. I barely squeak by with 100$-200$ in art commission sales which goes to bills. I've done the math a couple of times, and most of my works of art I'm lucky if I make 1.50$ an hour to create it, most of which is traditional medium using professional grade materials.
Commissions, to me, mean no more personal work, OR, reduced personal work. HOWEVER, reduced is rarely something that occurs for me as I feel a tremendous amount of guilt if I draw/art for myself while I have folks waiting for art they've paid for; therefore, I don't work on anything personal.
Breaks in between commission queues are nice, but when I draw something then want to work on completing it, but have to open for commissions again because I promised I would, it goes on the back burner.
I want to start a Patreon, but if I am taking commissions, I don't have much time to work on Patreon tiers.
Another downfall to commissions is they are typically poor at 'resale value' as far as products go. Due to it being a specific individual/character, it makes it hard to use on products such as key chains and prints because it won't sell. If the art work was more generic, it makes it easier for me to create product to sell at cons and even online. My convention merchandise has been stale the past 2-3 years due to this.
After talking to some good friends of mine and fellow artists, I have decided after this current queue, I WILL BE CLOSING MY COMMISSION QUEUES INDEFINITELY. If ANY commissions are taken, it will be on a case by case basis and pricing will be based on hours, no longer by size or type.
Con-Sketches will remain the only type of commission I will take on spot, and only at a convention.
I want to start working on some of my own stuff, and I have so many ideas. I want to basically art without the obligation and pressure. I want to start a Patreon where I can give away sketches, maybe even full colored pieces. I want to be able to focus on my community give-aways such as the "Color the World" Christmas giveaway of a brand new set of 150 Prismacolor pencils (yes it is now officially a yearly thing here at ArtOfYote). I want to be able to make videos and explain my processess, and continue livestreams even if its just a random doodle. It will be good for my mental health as well since C-PTSD is one hell of a buzz kill for creativity, which spells disaster in trying to do business in taking commissions; creating inexcusably long wait times.
I want to do more for the community and for you wonderful folks who have supported me through thick and thin. I want to color the world that is becoming dismal and gray during these times, and I want to do that without limits and boundaries.
I apologize deeply to those who have been wanting to commission me and get art from me. But you will be able to still get art from me, it just wont be commissioned works anymore. It will be the fantasy worlds I mold on a piece of paper with some wax and graphite (or pixels and algorithms for digital).
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ACTIVE COMMISSIONS WITH ME:
Nothing changes! They will still be done! Yall are just the very last folks to get commissions from me for a good long while. I am currently working on getting a new schedule that doesn't conflict with my hours at the dog salon, and getting back into the groove of things.
Any questions please don't hesitate to ask. <3
Sincerely and humbly yours,
Yote
Hey everyone. I wanted to give yall a quick update, as well as make a major announcement.
As you know, I've been battling depression which has been killing my drive to art. Also with working part time, I've been having to re-adjust to fast pace work environment from having been mostly sitting at art desks/computers since leaving my previous job. I ain't a young buck anymore, so exhaustion is kicking me in the rump too.
The past 2 months have left me questioning my life path as well as where I want my art to go. I have been doing a bit of personal soul searching; weighing options on ideas and what routes to pursue.
Arting is my passion. Yall know that. And I love sharing it with the world and making my services available to everyone so they can get cool art too. But with taking custom commissions, it doesn't leave time for work on personal art; especially now that I have a job. Don't forget I have a family too, with a little one of my own that I am trying to balance time with.
And I have always felt like I was under pressure to take commissions for financial reasons. But I honestly don't need to do that as we are financially fine without it. Its nice to have the extra cash, but it's not critical, nor a main source of income. I barely squeak by with 100$-200$ in art commission sales which goes to bills. I've done the math a couple of times, and most of my works of art I'm lucky if I make 1.50$ an hour to create it, most of which is traditional medium using professional grade materials.
Commissions, to me, mean no more personal work, OR, reduced personal work. HOWEVER, reduced is rarely something that occurs for me as I feel a tremendous amount of guilt if I draw/art for myself while I have folks waiting for art they've paid for; therefore, I don't work on anything personal.
Breaks in between commission queues are nice, but when I draw something then want to work on completing it, but have to open for commissions again because I promised I would, it goes on the back burner.
I want to start a Patreon, but if I am taking commissions, I don't have much time to work on Patreon tiers.
Another downfall to commissions is they are typically poor at 'resale value' as far as products go. Due to it being a specific individual/character, it makes it hard to use on products such as key chains and prints because it won't sell. If the art work was more generic, it makes it easier for me to create product to sell at cons and even online. My convention merchandise has been stale the past 2-3 years due to this.
After talking to some good friends of mine and fellow artists, I have decided after this current queue, I WILL BE CLOSING MY COMMISSION QUEUES INDEFINITELY. If ANY commissions are taken, it will be on a case by case basis and pricing will be based on hours, no longer by size or type.
Con-Sketches will remain the only type of commission I will take on spot, and only at a convention.
I want to start working on some of my own stuff, and I have so many ideas. I want to basically art without the obligation and pressure. I want to start a Patreon where I can give away sketches, maybe even full colored pieces. I want to be able to focus on my community give-aways such as the "Color the World" Christmas giveaway of a brand new set of 150 Prismacolor pencils (yes it is now officially a yearly thing here at ArtOfYote). I want to be able to make videos and explain my processess, and continue livestreams even if its just a random doodle. It will be good for my mental health as well since C-PTSD is one hell of a buzz kill for creativity, which spells disaster in trying to do business in taking commissions; creating inexcusably long wait times.
I want to do more for the community and for you wonderful folks who have supported me through thick and thin. I want to color the world that is becoming dismal and gray during these times, and I want to do that without limits and boundaries.
I apologize deeply to those who have been wanting to commission me and get art from me. But you will be able to still get art from me, it just wont be commissioned works anymore. It will be the fantasy worlds I mold on a piece of paper with some wax and graphite (or pixels and algorithms for digital).
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ACTIVE COMMISSIONS WITH ME:
Nothing changes! They will still be done! Yall are just the very last folks to get commissions from me for a good long while. I am currently working on getting a new schedule that doesn't conflict with my hours at the dog salon, and getting back into the groove of things.
Any questions please don't hesitate to ask. <3
Sincerely and humbly yours,
Yote
V.
Keep doing that voodoo that you do so well!
I totally feel you. I used to do commissions and free art for friends, then one day when I went through my portfolio if found that was All I was doing! It's Very disheartening when you look back over a couple of year's and see Nothing that reflects Yourself.
Draw for yourself I say, and should you Chose to share that magic with us, we'll all be here waiting to see and admire your fine new works!