Art Commission Mobile App

[Anonymous No.4052574]

Hey /ic/

nerd from /biz/ and /g/ here. I've identified a gap in the market when it comes to artists and commissioned work. It seems deviantart isn't what it used to be, fiverr is litered with poor quality, and both of these (and other platforms) don't cater specifically to what matters to artists and those looking to have art commissioned.

I've started building the groundwork of the mobile app to fill this void, but I'd like to get some input from actual artists on what matters most to you when doing commissioned pieces. What processes are you guys currently using for commissioned pieces? What features would be must haves, and most importantly, what would actually make you use the app?

My incubating idea is to have an platform that's easy to highlight your portfolio of work, and the types of work you're available for. Customers could search the app by tags such as portraits, anime, 3D, landscapes, etc and could quickly browse an artists portfolio, prices, turnaround times, and reviews etc.

Lets build this together

[Anonymous No.4052574,1]

you mean artstation?

[Anonymous No.4052741]

>>4052574
Bumb

[Anonymous No.4052752]

>>4052574
I don't use my phone to draw, why would I want a mobile app where I would have to move images (and god forbid 3D models) from my computer onto my phone to upload?

Why would I use your service over artstation, Twitter, or Instagram?

Why would anyone who wanted to hire a professional artist use your app specifically?

What kind of market are you trying to setup here?

[Anonymous No.4052755]

>>4052574
Additionally will the legalities of the business transaction be handled via your service or will we all have to create our own invoices and such and such

Are you supported by any art companies or big name professional artists?

How well do you understand the art market?

[Anonymous No.4052756]

>>4052752
>>4052755
if you're not going to give helpful suggestions then you can fuck off

[Anonymous No.4052757]

Fully support this idea, here are some features I'd like to see:

- Searching for artists based on style and content: realism, cartoon, anime, concept art, landscapes, portraits, pets, etc.

- A review/feedback system that gives future commissioners a chance to see the artists references. Also reviews for the buyers to weed out people who don't pay artists or who are difficult clients.

- Folders/categories, so artists can organize their portfolio (sketches, fully rendered, traditional, digital, that sort of thing)

- An easy way for artists who aren't willing or able to take on a job to recommend other artists they think would be a good fit (could be as simple as being able to link profiles of other artists)

- Integrated payments so you can charge and receive payments through the app (via PayPal or something)

- Facebook/Google/Instagram/email/phone verification for both clients and artists, to make it less likely to get scammed.

- A "roadmap" of the commission process that updates as you complete various steps. Example, first step is agreeing on whatever terms artist and buyer agree on > pay deposit > deliver sketch > deliver proof > client sends final payment > high res files are delivered. Each option would be grayed out and would become highlighted once it's completed. Each artist can customize the steps however they choose and however it makes sense for what they offer.

- A way to upload and sign contracts on the app. Maybe even some super basic contract templates that can be tweaked depending on each artist's needs.

- Dark mode

That's all I can think of right now, hopefully theres some useful ideas in there. Good luck, would love to see something like this actually come to exist.

[Anonymous No.4052778]

Lol will you be another trash app that sides the clients more than the artist? There are heaps out there where artists get cheated off their work because payment systems are so inept, and it doesn’t sound like yours will be any different.

Propose a good payment system, maybe you’ll get some good artists, but you sure won’t get a lot of clients. How are you going to solve that?

[Anonymous No.4052785]

>>4052756
>asking legitimate questions that you needto answer if you're trying to create something people are actually going to use
>FUCK OFF!!!

i can already tell your app will be shit.
if you can't take criticism or answer basic questions in relation to your project, you shouldn't be doing this in the first place. it's basically signing up for failure.

[Anonymous No.4052791]

>>4052756
Why did you come to the board for art and critique if you can't handle the latter?

[Anonymous No.4052909]

>>4052574
>mobile
Why though? You contact people via email, why would you want to awkwardly search through tiny images on your phone screen to find right artist and then have to copy his email address to your PC and then write the email while you can just use normal site via your PC instead?
Good idea, just drop the mobile part.

[Anonymous No.4052971]

>>4052574
>mobile
>for high-quality, high-res artwork

PFFFFFFHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Anonymous No.4052990]

>>4052909
I agree with you, but anon, even my dad's first mobile phone from the 90's could send emails.

[Anonymous No.4052991]

>>4052756
Both have legitament criticisms

[Anonymous No.4052998]

>What features would be must haves, and most importantly, what would actually make you use the app?

Traffic is the most important thing. And You need a lot of money to shill your app in the current year of corp soc media. So good luck with that. Unless you have a solution for this problem, we cant help you.

[Anonymous No.4053003]

>>4052574
don't pussy out the NSFW content, and you are already ahead of the mainstream media

[Anonymous No.4053047]

>>4053003
this makes sense

[OP No.4053233]

>>4052785
>>4052791

OP here, that wasn't me, my only post is the OP.

>>4052752
> I don't use my phone to draw, why would I want a mobile app where I would have to move images (and god forbid 3D models) from my computer onto my phone to upload?

The reason for a mobile app is normies. Less and less people are using PC's. If you run any sort of website you'll know from your analytical data that more than half of web traffic is now mobile, and it's only getting bigger. Phones and tablets have high resolutions now, and displaying artwork on a phone/tablet is less of an issue than it used to be. The consumer is going to be less interested in the pixel-level detail when they're just uploading a cute couples portrait to their instagram. With so many cloud storage services (iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox) it's pretty easy to work on something via PC and have it automatically synced to your phone.

> Why would I use your service over artstation, Twitter, or Instagram?

Twitter/IG are social networks, not platforms to find/sell art commissions. The only focus of this app would be a streamlined way to find an artist for a commissioned piece.

> Why would anyone who wanted to hire a professional artist use your app specifically?

Again, normies. There's a lot of everyday people who just simply won't hire an artist because there's no easy way to do so. This app wouldn't be for companies and professionals to find someone to hire, but for the every day individual who maybe wants their video game avatar drawn, or a picture of them and their spouse, or their dog, etc. Though it could be used by businesses as well, that's not the primary target.

> What kind of market are you trying to setup here?

A simple, streamlined market that allows artists to get paid for their work. The platform would allow the artist to set/charge their own prices and display their portfolio. Payment would be handled directly through the app, with the platform taking a small percentage of the fee.

[OP No.4053246]

>>4052755
> Additionally will the legalities of the business transaction be handled via your service or will we all have to create our own invoices and such and such

Everything will be handled within the app. Payments, etc the artist doesn't have to do anything but make their profile as attractive as possible, respond to messages, and accept gigs. The platform will handle payments and payouts

> Are you supported by any art companies or big name professional artists?
Not currently

> How well do you understand the art market?
Hardly at all, which is why I'm here.

>>4052778

> will you be another trash app that sides the clients more than the artist? There are heaps out there where artists get cheated off their work because payment systems are so inept, and it doesn’t sound like yours will be any different.

How I image the payment system working is similar to Upwork if you're familiar. The artist accepts a gig, the consumer sends the money to the platform, and when the work is completed the files are delivered and the money is paid out, sans a small platform fee.

> you sure won’t get a lot of clients. How are you going to solve that?

I have an extensive background in marketing, so I'm not too worried about getting users.

>>4052909
> Why though? You contact people via email, why would you want to awkwardly search through tiny images on your phone screen to find right artist and then have to copy his email address to your PC and then write the email while you can just use normal site via your PC instead?

Easy of use for normies. Telling someone to boot up their computer, open their browser, type in a website, and browse with mouse and keyboard just isn't as convinient as mobile. There will be a website for sure, but the focus will be around the app. That's how you get users (customers) and stand out from other platforms.

>>4052971
Did you know the iPhone X has a higher screen resolution than most laptop/desktop monitors?

[OP No.4053250]

>>4052998
Agreed, however I disagree you needs tons of money to get traffic. You don't really need any, money is just a shortcut. I've run several businesses and mobile apps most of which I generated traffic and users without any paid marketing efforts. It takes time and effort to grow organically for sure.

>>4052757
Thank you for all of these great points, adding them to my notes.

[Anonymous No.4053331]

bump

[Anonymous No.4053349]

only interested if you will support nsfw, which would mean you cannot deploy to itunes or google play store. which would mean you cannot realistically turn a profit. which would mean the project is simply unrealistic.

[Anonymous No.4053357]

>>4053349
didn't art station do something where they have nsfw but not for certain platforms?

[OP No.4053404]

>>4053349
porn isn't the only thing that sells. Saying it's unrealistic because there couldn't be nsfw content is pretty naive

[Anonymous No.4053417]

>>4053404

well if you make non-porn you run into serious issues regarding how to filter garbage and where to draw the line for acceptable quality of work.

If you allow too much garbage quality noobs and photobashing third worlders on the site, it puts off serious artists and turns the platform into a lowballing, race to the bottom type marketplace.

I see a lot of looming difficulty in the curation of the site and the design of the parameters that automate curation.

[Anonymous No.4053426]

>>4053404
I wouldn't use it if nsfw weren't allowed, personally. Would it be possible for artists to sell nsfw but only have sfw content in their portfolio? Maybe they could link to an art place elsewhere with their nsfw content?
I think you have a good idea going, though.

[OP No.4054044]

>>4053417
Quality artists and work can be featured manually, and the app would prioritize artists with higher reviews and ratings. It won't become difficult to manage until there are tens of thousands of users, and then it becomes a good problem to have

[Anonymous No.4054080]

>>4052574
What will your app have over arty.ooo
Other then maybe a better name lol

[Anonymous No.4054114]

>mobile
Won't use this garbage, fuck you and your "app".
Do you code on your phone, per chance?

If you want to hear what braindead ADHD consumers want, go ask on Instagram, here you'll find mostly people who work on table-bound workstations because it is objectively better for creating art.

At least you didn't call yourself a programmer, just a "nerd".
Which is zoomerspeak for startup leeches wishing they'll be the next Zuckerberg.

[Anonymous No.4054125]

>>4054114
Post your startup

[Anonymous No.4054132]

OP hasn’t done even the most basic research to find out that the app market is dead as fuck. The vast majority of consumers download 1 or ZERO apps in the last 6 months.

People don’t want to download shit, forget it if you’re not Spotify or candy crush.

[Anonymous No.4054136]

>>4054132
Not people, but ""people"".
Things are getting pretty corporate, I can't wait for the new Internet to be born so I can get away from this apocalyptic hellhole set forth by the ubiquity of Internet.

[OP No.4054220]

>>4054114
no one's asking you to make art on your phone. you would be selling it through the app, not creating it.

>>4054132
I've made several apps that have made a pretty large amount of money. App market isn't dead.

[Anonymous No.4054222]

>>4054220
>no one's asking you to make art on your phone. you would be selling it through the app, not creating it.
Do you update Github on your phone? Do you discuss the details of your coding commissions through emojis?

I don't have time to install Pokémon Go and go around talking selfies, I'm a working artist. When I'm off my PC I'm eating, sleeping or talking to people face to face.

[Anonymous No.4054260]

>>4052574
Start with a website Ok ?

It needs to be diverse.
In general people like anime, comics, and video games. Add them on the homepage.
Most artist dislike porn, 2d cartoons and furries. Don't bring them in the homepage. Keep them hidden.
This is good for having a clean homepage or you'll end up like deviant art.

Shit art and Good art should be seperated. There is an objective view on good art but this highly depends on the admin or janitors.
And also Western and Eastern. Some people hate the western artsyle of drawing. They're obvious to spot, ^again.

[Anonymous No.4054372]

>>4054222
Pyw, you're probably just a larping beg.

>>4054080
I think OP's app is supposed to be more like fiverr.

>>4054220
OP, you do now that fiverr has an app? Well, whatever, it's your time and money. As for suggestions: 1) don't listen to pornfags 2) make it so that artists can create different profiles for different types of work they do.

[Anonymous No.4054881]

>>4052574
Hello, dev/artfag here.

Have you thought about how you're going to get critical mass/break the chicken egg problem? How you're going to get people to use the app with what I presume is near zero advertising budget?
How will you get artists to join? Without artists, there are no customers. You could provide that service yourself until more artists get aboard, but that requires you to actually be good at art.
How do you plan to compete with sites that already have commissioning built-in with near zero effort? Ko-fi already has thousands of artists that are already homey there, so why would there use another platform instead of keeping things streamlined?
How do you plan to make money long-term? Most artists don't like platform fees. Nobody likes ads.
I could keep going here. How do you deal with scammy artists? How do you resolve payment disputes? How will you deal with chargebacks since that's YOUR job now? Do you plan to hire support?
There is room for a new commissions platform, but it won't be a mobile app, and it won't be made by some non-artist entrepreneur.

[Anonymous No.4055891]

>>4052756
These are questions any not retarded seeker of business would take into consideration. The question is, are you not retarded?
Especially the moving art/3D models from computer to phone. This is a huge inconvenience and will ensure that very few people will actually want to use your app. Very few artists, anyway.

So consider that criticism, because if you don't, it sure as fuck will be your downfall.

[Anonymous No.4056826]

>mobile
stopped reading there

[Anonymous No.4057032]

>>4055891 not Op
These questions are not retarded but you r uwu
>>4053233

[Anonymous No.4057331]

>>4052756
That's not how you defend your project... He's not a "hater" or a troll, these are constructive questions.

[Anonymous No.4057339]

>>4053003
Keep it separate from the rest (display:none by default) & add filters, normal functioning people don't want to see that degeneracy in public.

[Anonymous No.4057795]

Just make a website you tool.
It's what all the app developers do now anyway and make a retard browser for the mobile store version.