A Point on Commissions

xedramon:

alainaprana:

Okay you know what…I’ve gotten about a thousand asks over the past year about how to price commissions – and while I would usually leave this? I wouldn’t mind making an exception because dammit.

This is important to me.

So what DO you charge for your art? 

Well lets think about the factors a moment! 

Art takes TIME – that TIME is the hours put into your JOB – because that is what you are doing – a JOB. Whether it is on the side or full time, you are providing a paid service for someone else. This is the MOST important thing to remember, YOU ARE DOING A JOB. 

IT IS NOT ‘JUST A PIECE OF ART’, IT IS A PIECE OF ACTUAL WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.

THIS IS OVERLOOKED SO MUCH.

YES IT’S A DANG FUN JOB AND YES YOU CAN LOVE IT BUT IT IS STILL WORK, RIGHT?!

So respectively, charging accordingly only makes sense! Artists, by nature, are not hired by a company (normally), or at the very least commissions are done entirely on their own time and through privatized means. 

This means that there are no health benefits, no vacation pay, no mandated days off (which means no breaks during an exceptionally busy period) and no way to alleviate the possible costs of material that is REQUIRED to do ART (tablet, computer, traditional art supplies of trade, craft supplies for craftsman, etc.) 

So when you PAY for a piece of ART you have to understand – you are paying for that artists livelihood – and their costs come completely out of pocket. (This is referred to as ‘overhead’ btw and an artists overhead will vary.)

For instance, overhead is included on all my plush prices- this accounts for my sewing machine cost and maintenance, thread cost, necessary sewing supplies like scissors and the like that are all periodically ‘included’ in what I have to invest in daily on top of basic material and time. 

Just as a personal example, I have over $600 worth of thread on hand at any given time. I use Guterman brand EXCLUSIVELY and no i will NOT downgrade because every time I do the thread snaps in the machine or it just doesn’t seem to last as long. 

So dang! That sounds like ALOT! 

Well that’s cuz it IS.

And digital art still requires a computer, a tablet, and a program to use! So there’s still cost there! 

In my personal opinion and what I find best – is to START at a BASE of $10/hour USD no matter what. This is ESSENTIAL and will at least cover the base of your TIME and EFFORT. 

Frankly speaking any less than this and you simply aren’t ‘making money’. I know that seems weird, but THINK about everything you have to start with and whatever your skill level – you’re still putting in that TIME as a JOB. 

Overhead should be included and I usually would amount to $5-$10 on top of that per piece – depending on what your personal ‘everyday’ materials used are.

And from there you can start upping your price based on your personal skill and clientele. And the TYPE of clientele that is yours is a learning process. 

Again: I’ll use myself as a personal example – I sometimes get people asking for ponies from me. 

I do not do ponies. I don’t do them because I don’t want to learn, I don’t do them because I know that is not my forte and I can easily pick out several other specialty pony plush artists that would make the client that much happier. 

I simply do not think I could make anyone seeking that kind of thing happy with how I do things. 

Anyway – that – is kinda my lil ramble on commissions – 

Charge for your time dangit. You’re freakin’ worth it.  

This is some A+ information here! Thank you for taking the time to share, Alaina!