To do's and don'ts of commissioning a freelancer?

[MagicBuns]

Hiya guys,

I've been considering commissioning an artist for the visual novel I'm making, but I seem to be doing a bad job at it. I want to be able to find an artist who could slowly with me over time, as I'm on a budget myself. I am clueless when it comes to the dos and don't of this situation, or what it's like as an artist for hire, but at the same time, I don't want to be ripped off.

Please could someone help point me in the right direction! D:

Thankyou!

[GNVE]

There are a few things that come to mind.
Think about the artwork you are looking for as it helps to narrow down the artists you might consider.
be clear about what you can offer per x amount of time (25 a week 200 a month or whatever) this will allow the artist to give you an indication about the amount of art they can generate and if it is even worth their time.
Be honest. You'll be working together for quite a while so investing in the relationship is quite important.
If you employ an artist you'll need to compromise a little on your own vision. They'll always add a little of their own creativity into the project.
Feel free to walk away from a deal if you don't think they are the right fit.
Credit their work properly as it might lead to them getting more work down the line.
I'd personally always ask for the artist to work on a work for hire based contract, even if you need to pay a little more. This means you'll own the copyright when you pay the artist for the work. This is quite normal and could save you a lot of headache down the line.

[HEXdidnt]

Be honest. You'll be working together for quite a while so investing in the relationship is quite important.

This is possibly the most important point, overall, and it absolutely goes both ways. Most artists will ask for at least part-payment up front, which means you have to be able to trust them to follow through.

It's well worth agreeing a timescale/deadline structure for sketches, revisions, colouring, and finalising artwork at the very start of the process. Then keep in touch, so you know that things are on schedule or, if not, what effect any delays or complications might have on the artist's ability to complete the work. Things can happen in real life, after all.

While I prefer not to have to keep badgering people for news on their progress, it's disheartening to hear nothing from an artist for months, only to find they've barely started what you've paid them to do. Worse still if they eventually get to what should be the final stage of preparing the artwork and just stop responding... especially if it happens after your window for opening a payment dispute has elapsed.

I've recently been looking at Fiverr.com for collaborators. Their services have approximate scheduling built-in, and great options for offering feedback at every stage. I'm not entirely a fan of the 'ratings out of five' aspect of their reviews but, ultimately, it's a simple way for the buyer to gauge the seller in terms of their previous collaborations, and means the seller has a vested interest in providing a reliable, consistent service.