How do I get back to doing commissions?

[numituwi]

Good evening everyone! Many of you are more skilled in business practices and have done commission work longer than I have, it would be wonderful to hear your responses. Note! This is not a post asking for commission work.

As artists, I believe we can all agree that making money from our art while we are busy with school, work, or personal life is difficult. You get busier and seldom do you have the energy to finish a painting.

Currently, I am facing this problem. I have done the most commissions I ever had in the years 2013-2014, and never received any more work since than. Now that my first commercial game is being made, making money is important to ensure a quality demo is created before the kickstarter is launched.

So, how do I get back in the commission business to finance my game?


Here are examples of pieces I have done so everyone can get an idea of what skills I possess. (If the issue is my skill level)





Thank you reading through my post, it means alot! I hope you guys have a wonderful day.

[YonYonYon]

I’ve heard furries are good customers who commission a lot.

Semi-joking aside, commissions are still pretty much a business. In order to have customers, you gotta build a presence. You’ll have to make yourself visible, so be active in social media, visit promotional sites, enter contests, and draw fanart. I’d say draw a lot of fanart. And then nudge new viewers towards your commission price list. Oh yeah, make yourself a pretty price list you can link to. Put the link into your forum signature, into blog and art descriptions, anywhere acceptable.

I’ve got a lot of customers who wanted their fan characters drawn, also several people who found my porn gallery, and people who liked bara characters which are my specialty. Interestingly enough, people who found my porn didn’t commission porn.

[Zylinder]

For me, I got back into it after around a 2-year absence by approaching people who advertised for art.

Some ways I used were:

• Discounts and art tests: I know it's frowned upon in some art communities, but offering to do art tests is a way to get back in the game if you have less portfolio pieces. Either offer a single piece for free, or at a reduced price -- with the caveat that whatever you produce gets to be entered as your portfolio if you're not hired. This is a quick way to both build portfolio and net wary employers quickly.

• Widen your marketable assets: If you can, don't corner yourself as a character artist etc. Inventory your skills and market anything you can -- animation, video editing, backgrounds, icons, GUI -- sell everything including your grandma's crockery. As long as something is profitable for you to make, you should make it. I saw from your art thread that you did amazing animations, so that's one thing you can definitely market. You also have excellent character design skills.

• Approach everyone: Does someone need lineart? Coloring? Icons? Just approach them if it's anywhere within your skillset, and while you're at it keep a ear out for more work. Make sure they know from the get-go what else you can do too.

• Trades: Art for music, writing etc. This gets you a bit of the assets you need without paying for it, and helps build portfolio -- provided that your trading partner agrees, of course.

• Get a few friends to group up: if you have fellow artists, get them to band together if you guys are able to mimic each other's style. This adds more portfolio, increase versatility, and your project turnovers. The more projects/work you have under your belt, the more marketable you are.

• Put your information in your signature, then be more active: clearly market yourself as an artist, put up banners in your signature, and engage the community. Chances are people will click on it and notice you.

I hope this helps!

[numituwi]

Thank you for the replies Yon and Zylinder! I appreciate you two taking the time to answer my post. It means alot!

I will heed your advice and release more work, be more proactive and create a stronger portfolio!