/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

>>3758102
This is probably a retarded question to kick off this thread, but can you setup a paypal account for business transactions without your real name? How do you do that?

>>3758112
Not exactly the answer you are looking for, but because of restrictions of my own country I had to use the address of my friend from another country. It worked for a year or so, and then paypal suddenly have put a half-ban on my account and requested the ID confirmation. I could'nt have provide it so I've basically lost an account. Glad it was empty at that time.

>>3758112
I think your business account can have a fake name but you still have to give PayPal your real name, but your clients won’t see it. It’s probably for tax fraud purposes.

>>3758112
If you’re drawing things you don’t want traces back to you, it’s probably best to work in cash.

https://www.vandalhigh.com/blog/2015/7/3/the-problems-with-artist-pay-on-magic

Interesting article, it was a dream of mine to do work for Wizards of the Coast having idols like Kopinski and Sheppard, but it seems artists get the raw end of the deal. I would still jump at the opportunity to draw a magic card, and I bet there are thousands of thirsty artists who would do the same which is sadly why they can get away with shit like this.

>>3758131
I was asking because I'll soon put my stuff out there and work online, so cash isn't an option.
>>3758125
>>3758129
I see anons, I'll put more research into it, I think some settings in the business account invoicing options might do the trick. Thanks.

>>3758143
Good article. Really shows how execs undervalue artists. Part if it is simple supply and demand but when you're making so much money, at least let some trickle down to the people that literally made the fantasy world you're profiting big from. Artists need to be better negotiators but then again, supply and demand. If you get too uppity, they'll swap you out for a thirsty artist.

>>3758143
WoTC doesn't even fill out visa forms for their artists coming in to work plus other cost cuts and not compensating appropriately.

https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/462151-magic-the-gathering-boycott

Not a great company to work for.

>>3758102
I always wanted to ask this of /ic/

Memes aside what is the point when you have "made it"? I get the impression that most consider that you made it when you are financially supported from your art reliably and in long term. But what is that exactly?

Like one could say that when you get paid for drawing but that is extremely vague. Like even professionals that worked for big time companies do not have guaranteed incomes because they can loose their jobs. Plus many are hired on project basis. So even someone had worked at some major company but quit after X year does that mean he didn't make it?

Or you made it when you have a certain amount of followers and a good income at Patreon? That is even more uncertain seeing how a fanbase is an fickle thing and how these days Patreon can just ban you for no reason for something you have done years ago.

Or does it mean that you have your own family like wife/husband and kids and are able to support them with reasonable living standard and you have a decent family life. Granted if you are here on 4chan this may be questionable.

So seriously when does one actually make it?

>>3758169
>>3758143
Yikes. This is sad. When I first started learning, cool magic cards were a huge inspiration to me. What a bummer

>>3758163
>Artists need to be better negotiators

This is the entirety of your problem. All talented people either become virtue-signaling hippies who "love their craft" and ruin the market
or bitter pretentious "ontrepenoors" who make big money off of sucker amateurs and "sup bros I make money from my passion and so can you" web articles, books, etc. that teach nothing thus crippling their own market and infrastructure

You want to make money as an artist? create a product and sell it. The better the product, the higher the pay-out

>You can draw/paint? Pitch me a film, comic, create a game, etc. and if it's good you'll get funding, be independent, rich and famous.
>You can teach? host a course, youtube, website. if it's good you'll be popular, wealthy, and have a fantastic reputation..
>You can work really hard? create an outsourcing studio. if it's good you'll be extremely skilled and wealthy in a couple years.

churn and burn motherfucker. Get out of the fucking industry and go indie if you have to, otherwise it's not an issue

>>3758143
Interesting read. The state of things is pretty sad.
>>3758175
Financially, I'd say that making it is when I'll get to the point where I'm able to comfortably support myself while being able to put money on the side, all that by doing art. I don't really see myself building a family or getting in a long term relationship so considering it'd only be to sustain myself, it sounds feasible.

Someone wants a shirt of one of my drawings. Any advice? I’m thinking redbubble is the easiest way? I don’t really care about making money but quality would be important to me.

If I have the skills but not a portfolio, can I still make money?

>>3758268
Why not make a portfolio then?

>>3758268
It's like walking into a job interview wearing a tracksuit.

Make a portfolio, that is your first impression and will land you more jobs then a padded resume.

>>3758268
Make a portfolio, you goofball.

>>3758268
How do you know you have the skills if you haven’t made anything worthy of being in your portfolio?

>>3758216
bump

I think it's time to increase my rates. Commissioners blow up my email inbox and it's getting impossible to stay on top of it all.

I charge around €80-120 for a commission (nsfw), would going to €100-160 for the same amount of work put my old commissioners off too much? What's the normal rate increase here? I started at a pretty high skill level so from the moment I started doing commissions I was charging what I do now.

>>3759723
https://millo.co/raise-your-rates-without-ticking-clients
If you have a patreon maybe offer a discount to partrons?

>Put commission prices at 35-50
>no one buys them

I have a large following, but I get little to no commission offers. What can I do to get more commissioners or project offers?

>>3759798
How big is your following?

>>3759798
>>3759808
Also, do you post finished commissions on your social media, that might turn commissioners off.

>>3759808
4000 on Instagram
>>3759811
And when I do get commissions I tend to post them, but I hardly get any commissions at all so I don't have any finished pieces to post.

>>3758102
/biz/+/art/? Dare I say /Bizartine/?

>>3758112
Paypal gets your real name once you confirmed your bank account.

>>3759841
Don't you mean /biz/+/ic/ = Bizic or icbiz?

>>3759852
You shut your whore mouth.

>>3759830
That’s pretty decent but Instagram is a very low committal form of social media. Honestly I’m not sure where the best following would be now that Tumblr shit itself and even in Tumblr you’d need to cater to those oh so hated tumblr tropes. Twitter followings are too memey. Redditors seem to like spending money but I’ve never gotten commission offers there. I’ve gotten print requests there, though. When you are commissioned is it for a particular style or subject?

>>3758102
https://www.saatchiart.com/

I've recently started uploading some stuff here, everything is overpriced since the site takes like 35%, getting something sold is like winning a lottery and I get less views than on newgrounds on my first day. But it's something at least.

>>3759872
Did you intend on selling the original of just prints? Can you just upload digital?
Actually just thinking right now of doing prints on canvas for friends/family but digital.

>>3759915
Not him but I think inprint might be what you’re looking for, and the current industry standard for art prints. It’s what Dave Rapoza uses so its probably legit.

>>3759925
cool good to know the options out there

>>3758102
How famous do you have to be that you need to stop using pirated software? Can developers tell somehow?

>>3759976
Adobe already knows. Sai and CSP probably know. The only safe bet is free software with open source code which for digital art your best bet is Keira.

>>3758102
Does anyone have the newest Graphic Artist's Guild book for Pricing and Ethical Guidelines?

>>3758131
Not him, but is there a possible alternative to PayPal that doesn't require a bank account or giving them your real name? The only alternative I can think of is bitcoin.

>>3760268
what happens, do you get a C&D on all art products you've posted with the metadata of the pirated software?

>>3758102
Is heavily underpricing commissions worth doing if I'm just starting out? I think I am at a mid-tier skill level. My level/art style is very similar to pic related, if not nearly identical. I just want to get a few commissions in to get my feet wet/build a trustworthy reputation, and then raise my prices to its proper worth.

>>3761203
No, never heavily underprice, especially if you're as good as you say you are. You'll attract the wrong audience.
I mean you could underprice when you start out though. Just, not too much.

>>3759870
I mostly get commissioned to do cute artwork as thats the main theme of all of my work.

>>3761203
If you can differentiate from similar artists to add value in some way (include simple/abstracted backgrounds, only offer 2 price points for work, push a unique style, etc) you can charge more, make more per hour, and get more work. The value is in comparison to other artists, what is mediocre for the price compared to good artists is an excellent value compared to okay ones charging less. It also makes you appear more valuable, it's all smoke and mirrors.

The only thing you have to be ready for doing commissions is making your comm work look as good as your personal projects. Most artists shit the bed with that when they start out.

>>3759872
Holy shit

Hey can someone help me with what I should do in this situation?

Someone I met at a convention a couple of years ago said he is now writing a comic and needs an artist. He has an editor who is planning to fund the comic through kickstarter.

The writer has been the messenger for me and the editor. He said the editor asked if I can do 5 inked pages for $70 per page. I normally would charge $90/$100 for inked pages (which I know is still super low for page rate standards, but I'm not really well known in the industry yet and these are people finding a comic through kickstarter), I said the lowest I can do is $85 per page.

The writer said the editor can do $73 the most for each page, but once the kickstarter reaches its stretch goal, the money will go towards the artist. (I'm assuming that means its additional money on top of $73 offered per page and not being paid the $73 per page after the stretch goal, because if it's the latter then they can fuck right off altogether)

So before I could even give an answer, the writer said "if it's an issue, I can pay the difference?"

Idk how to respond. I dont want to outright say "yeah sure, pay the difference", but if I can get $85 for each page, it'd be nice. Should I just take the $73, counteroffer $75 per page, or take the $85 by asking the writer to pay?

>>3761846
Basically what I'm asking is how should I respond because I am a social retard.

This is all being discussed over Facebook messenger btw.

>>3758175
For me, it's not so much the money, but I just want to be known for something. Whether its having your work published in a comic, a book cover, a mobile game or even a perfume label. I want to be able to see my work shown to the world so I can tell everyone "I did that"

I've gotten paid for freelance art in the past that paid well, but a lot of those projects I worked on were either cancelled or my art was unused. Getting paid for your art is nice, but it's hard to get more work if your previous work isn't shown anywhere.