how do u get commission work?

[Scribbles]

hey guys, i wanted to ask how those of you that make money off your work do it? how do you find clients for commissioned work or what are some ways that you make money with your artwork? i'm working a ton of hours doing acrylic nails and i hella hate it. ready for something else.

[Popninja]

I just did my first ever eBay commission and it was so easy that I kick myself for not having done it years ago. Other than having a website with a good amount of work samples and advertising your availability for commissions there, I don't know how else to do it other than on eBay.

My first commission, which only netted me $37.00 has gotten me two new clients and I didn't have to put up another auction to do it.

[Inkthinker]

I've heard good and bad things about Ebay, but mostly good.

I get a lot of offers, but it's not easy to cull the serious buyers which bring a profit and further the career from the guys who just want to pay $10 for a picture of Wonder Woman doin' it doggie style. Generally I only accept jobs from publishers as a result... commisions from individuals always seem to get bizarre or don't make much money.

I get my freelance work from a combination of showing work in a public forum (like this one!) and beating the bushes looking for it, by sending submissions and making contacts at cons.

[Popninja]

Originally posted by Inkthinker
...it's not easy to cull the serious buyers which bring a profit and further the career from the guys who just want to pay $10 for a picture of Wonder Woman doin' it doggie style. Generally I only accept jobs from publishers as a result... commisions from individuals always seem to get bizarre or don't make much money.

I was very hesitant to put a commission auction up for that very reason. I'm a bit of a snob as far as what I'll do and who I'll do it for, and odds are I probably won't put up another commission auction for a while, but it was fun. So far, nothing too kinky.

[dfbovey]

I get a lot of commissions through posting here and other messege boards. I also get requests through my website. I don't make nearly as much off of comicbook stuff as I do off of portraits and other illustrations though. For that kind of stuff I also get requests through my site and also through word of mouth.


I thought about doing the e-bay thing as well but it doesn't seem to be my kind of thing.

[Phil Clark]

Hey, Pop... Do you think you could post a thread that outlines the basic steps that are so easy? I am interested in earning a little extra cash by doing commissions too (yeah, like anyone would want my art ). As far as subject matter, if they ask for something that you don't want to draw, all you have to do is say no.

I guess the more desperate you are for money, the less ability you have to say that. Now that I am working again, I can say no when I want to.

[xadrian]

You could also put that in your commission offer. "No nudity or sexually explicit material."

Granted, that would lose you 99% of the market, but Juan's already got that anyway.

[dfbovey]

Unless you are an established pro talent and have name recognition, sex is what sells on E-bay.

[jeremy dale]

I've had a pretty steady commission base for over a year now (which isn't a long time, but it's been fun), and I've had the crazies who ask for pornographic material and I simply tell them I won't do that sort of thing, get a life, get out of your mom's basement, etc. It works every time.

Jeremy

[Popninja]

Originally posted by dfbovey
Unless you are an established pro talent and have name recognition, sex is what sells on E-bay.

That was my general belief, as well. For my very first eBay commission, I did two female characters in costume. Not touching or anything. I was surprised...and relieved. Not that I won't or can't do nekkidness, but I prefer not to.

Originally posted by Phil Clark
Hey, Pop... Do you think you could post a thread that outlines the basic steps that are so easy? I am interested in earning a little extra cash by doing commissions too (yeah, like anyone would want my art ). As far as subject matter, if they ask for something that you don't want to draw, all you have to do is say no.

I didn't think anyone would want my art, either. As far as basic steps, I just looked at how other people, like Juan, set their auctions up and did it that way. I did point out that I would do nudity, but I wanted to keep it decent. I didn't expect to get one bid, but I got 4 or 5.