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Has anybody on ERA ever paid someone for art? (commissions)

Mediking

Mediking

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,195
St. Louis City, Missouri aka Persona 3's Dorm
So, uhhhh… I was thinking about paying somebody online for commissions for art. They seem really talented to me and I appreciate the work I’ve seen.


Has anybody ever done this before? How was the experience?


…


Has anybody ever paid for… umm… lewd/adult art? Just wondering. Like, how do you convince yourself that its worth spending money and isn’t dumb like spending money on porn?

I'm not trying to troll or anything weird. I'm genuinely curious because paying someone online for commissions sounds interesting yet super risky at the same time.

INB4: "Gimme your money, Medi and I'll draw anything you want". Lol
 
Regiruler

Regiruler

Member
Oct 28, 2017
8,613
United States
I have no interest in doing so unless their portfolio is really good and already in a style I like (90% of the stuff I see on Twitter is curvy western cartoon or furry). Given that you (presumably) have to pay upfront definitely makes me more hesitant.
 
Trevelyan

Trevelyan

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,113
Yes, many, many times. It’s all been Nintendo themed commissions, and I’ll sometimes pay into the thousands depending on the artist. Worth every penny to my wife and I. Never had a bad experience either, though I generally work with bigger artists.
 
Quantum Leap

Quantum Leap

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,988
California
I've paid for a portrait of myself and had a great experience (through Instagram). The guy even sent me the PSD file through Google Drive.
 
Conkersbadfurday

Conkersbadfurday

Member
Oct 29, 2017
3,186
Minnesota
i've never done it, but I know plenty who have and it's not all that risky. Typically the artist has a big gallery and lots of fans going "THANKS FOR THE [insert drawing]." Reputation is a big deal in those circles, and taking money and running kills that fast. That info spreads fast, too.

If the artist in question is fairly established, don't sweat it. And if the artist isn't, I still wouldn't sweat it. People gotta start somewhere. They're more worried about you not paying properly than the reverse.
 
Uzzy

Uzzy

Gabe’s little helper
Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,467
Hull, UK
Sure. Good experience, the artist communicated a lot and was reactive to my suggestions, got a great piece at the end. Like with anything make sure it's with an artist whose work you like, and maybe check to see if other people have had any issues with commissions.
 
Mcspooky

Mcspooky

Member
Oct 26, 2017
370
Yes? Also do tattoos count as art.because then definitely.

But yes. Painting and drawing as well. Mostly at conventions as such.
 
Xe4

Xe4

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,732
Mediking said:
Nope but I could see myself potentially doing it someday.
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lol ok I was just wondering based on the wording in the OP.

I've never commissioned art myself but do know quite a few artists who do commissions and it's usually pretty straightforward and safe. Though definetly use PayPal cause they do good with consumer protection stuff.
 

Euphony

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
1,594
Commission? No. I haven't really felt the need to spend a decent amount of money for a commission, partly due to the price but also because I can't think of anything I'd want done, lewd or not. For me Patreon fills that nice niche between commissioning art to support artists you like and doing nothing.

If the artist is fairly established and regularly does commissions, I don't see what the risk would be apart from maybe getting a piece of artwork you weren't happy with in the end. However, if you're working with a good artist, they'd probably be happy with talking to you at different stages of progress to see if you're happy with it.
 
Jersey_Tom

Jersey_Tom

Member
Dec 2, 2017
3,977
I've commissioned art before for business reasons. Specifically logo designs and the like.

The artist I worked with was very nice and kept me abreast of the status of the work. I originally got some VERY rough sketches to try and confirm that the design was to my liking before they went and actually did it for real.

Important thing to remember is that the artist is likely doing this for you out of their own free time. Your work is not going to likely be what helps them pay the rent that month or put food on the table. While yes you should expect to not receive your work a year from when you commission it, you also shouldn't expect it to be done in a few days or a week or two, depending on how complicated of a project you're asking them to work on. You need to be just as respectful of their time as they are of your business.

Always keep in mind the three pillars of skill-based work: Time, Money, and Quality. If you want something quick and cheap the quality will suffer. If you want something expensive and of high quality, it's likely not going to be quick. And so on and so forth.

And generally, don't get mad at the artist if what they made wasn't exactly to your specifications. Likely it's not so much that they didn't care about what you wanted as it is you didn't do a very good job explaining what you were looking for. So try to be very specific about what you're looking for ahead of time, because big changes can require more funds to complete the commission.

If you're worried about the risk involved, then look at the artist's gallery at their commissions. If the person who commissioned the work is listed, feel free to drop them a message and ask about their specific experience with the artist and if there's anything you should know. Nothing wrong with asking for a customer review.
 
Cosmonaut X

Cosmonaut X

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,326
Trevelyan said:
Yes, many, many times. It’s all been Nintendo themed commissions, and I’ll sometimes pay into the thousands depending on the artist. Worth every penny to my wife and I. Never had a bad experience either, though I generally work with bigger artists.
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Would love to see some of these - can you share?

I've got a few commissioned pieces from British comic artists - Dom Reardon, D'Israeli and Charlie Adlard - but nothing in the that price range! Would be cool to see :-)
 
Tomat

Tomat

Member
Oct 25, 2017
183
Use PayPal and do a little research on the artist you're looking to work with, regardless of the SFW/NSFWness of it. Read through all of their commission information to try and get a feel for what they're okay/not okay with drawing. Ask questions for anything you're unsure about.

Have had good and bad experiences with commissioning art. The worst is with an artist going MIA about a year ago, which was a risk I knew going into the commission. Pretty rare for that to happen though from my experience. Generally speaking the worst experiences I've had is something not turning out quite how I want, but that's a risk you take in commissioning. Artists all have their own style and vision and you'll have to work with that.

Don't be a pushover when it comes to asking an artist for changes after they deliver you an initial sketch (if they do that), but try not to go crazy asking for drastic changes either, even if they sound like simple changes to you.
 
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Wulfric

Wulfric

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,284
Yes, things like my avatar and such. Cheapest was $20 for a single Telegram sticker, $150 for two character piece.

Always use Paypal Goods/Services for people you've never worked with. It keeps the seller protected as well.

As for porn, consider it art that wouldn't have existed if you hadn't paid for it. Seriously, there is no shame in commissioning porn. Just be to the point. Any r34 artists are going to have a thick skin.

Be polite and read any ToS or waitlist policies an artist might have. Be mindful that it might take a few weeks to a month or two depending on their schedule. Most will charge upfront, other will ask for a 50% advance if it's a more expensive final cost.
 
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Bobo Dakes

Bobo Dakes

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
25,141
Not for anything lewd, but I paid through Paypal.

First dude had a lot of requests, paid him a deposit in February, ended up not getting the final art til like July. That was annoying, but I was happy with the finish product. I was frustrated, but he was consistently putting out work, just wish I knew what my place in line was.

I hit up a second person while I was waiting on the first for another piece, I think I paid her up front, but that also took longer than expected 2 months.

I did my research beforehand. One had an impressive Facebook gallery of the style that he had been doing for years, the other had a website.

Might go for a third piece, but at least I know ahead of time it might be done until September depending upon their schedule.
 
Zombine

Zombine

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,443
I am an art collector and have thousands of dollars of art. Typically speaking, when looking to commission an artist, you get in touch with them via email if their lists are open, and they will offer you their rates for various sizes and flourishes. Some new buyers don’t understand the process, but after a deal has been made and the artists and you both agree on what they are creating ***YOU PAY FIRST*** no you are not going to get robbed by a reputable professional, so don’t worry about this process as 99.99% of the time this is done by PayPal.

Please be aware that if you try to request lewd art and that isn’t their thing, just move on. A lot of professionals do not do it if it is not typically part of the source material. But always discuss subject matter and what you want so you can get a clear idea of what to expect. Personally, I find that 9/10 artist like a vague idea of what you want, with room open for interpretation.

Also, be patient. This shit isn’t instant gratification. In some cases artists are super booked and might not get you your product in a timely matter. Communicate with them to figure out what their schedule looks like and what you can expect.

Edit: P.S. —don’t commission lewd art of non lewd characters, ffs.
 
meowdi gras

meowdi gras

Member
Feb 24, 2018
7,450
Sorta. I paid a writer friend of mine $50 a few years ago, primarily to help him out. Still haven't gotten my story, though. Lol
 
LosDaddie

LosDaddie

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,622
Longwood, FL
3yrs ago, I paid Greg Horn $400 for a Hulk commission at MegaCon that I had Stan Lee sign. I had it custom framed with the CoA.

100% worth it.


Also.....Lewd art commissions? I hope you don’t plan on getting laid then.
 
Conkersbadfurday

Conkersbadfurday

Member
Oct 29, 2017
3,186
Minnesota
Here's a question: what's the understanding with requesting a .pdf of the image? Is that okay? I got something I'll end up getting commissioned that will act as an album art, and if I get the .psd and he works in layers, I'll be able to mess with it as needed for maybe cheap lyric videos or t-shirts or whatever.
 
OP
OP
Mediking

Mediking

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,195
St. Louis City, Missouri aka Persona 3's Dorm

Deleted member 9479

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
2,953
I commissioned Steve Leiber to do a sketch of Carrie Stetko on the title page of my Whiteout trade paperback. It was pretty low level work, he asked for like $20. This was around 2000-2001.

No it wasn’t lewd she was in normal clothes for the series, an arctic parka :P
 
Mr Delabee

Mr Delabee

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,124
UK
I paid someone to do my small avatar, as my real face isn’t that perfect. Commissions were open from the artist and I had seen people on twitter with the same style avatar and I liked it.

Just be polite and ask, even if it’s lewd, what you were looking for and how much would it cost.
 
Moose the Fattest Cat

Moose the Fattest Cat

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Dec 15, 2017
1,437
Paying people for art is a good idea.

Do it.

Paypal & equivalents are all quite easy & secure.
 
Last Jon Standing

Last Jon Standing

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,410
Brazil
Mediking said:
Has anybody ever paid for… umm… lewd/adult art? Just wondering. Like, how do you convince yourself that its worth spending money and isn’t dumb like spending money on porn?
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One of my best friends is a relatively famous hentai artist and he used to show me his WIPs back in the day. There was this time in which he shared a story that sounded weird and wrong to me, involving a commission. Some rich dude, owner of a now defunct hentai site, paid him for a commissioned story. Said dude proceeded to send him the story's full script and photos of himself and two women, saying it was of utmost importance that the characters resembled the people in the pics. Turns out the guy had a crush on the two when he was a child (or maybe a teen, I don't really remember that part) and he wanted to have a story in which he won their hearts and had lots of sex with them (or some shit like that).
 

Deleted member 2229

User requested account closure
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,740
My girlfriend and I had a comic artist draw pictures of us. They did a basic concept of each of us, we gave them some advice then they sent us the completed originals on paper along with the digital files. Will probably get more done by them in the future. Was a smooth experience, payed over paypal and the guy seemed to like us enough to be willing to work with us again.
 
OP
OP
Mediking

Mediking

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,195
St. Louis City, Missouri aka Persona 3's Dorm
Last Jon Standing said:
One of my best friends is a relatively famous hentai artist and he used to show me his WIPs back in the day. There was this time in which he shared a story that sounded weird and wrong to me, involving a commission. Some rich dude, owner of a now defunct hentai site, paid him for a commissioned story. Said dude proceeded to send him the story's full script and photos of himself and two women, saying it was of utmost importance that the characters resembled the people in the pics. Turns out the guy had a crush on the two when he was a child (or maybe a teen, I don't really remember that part) and he wanted to have a story in which he won their hearts and had lots of sex with them (or some shit like that).
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lmao
 
Marjorine

Marjorine

Member
Oct 27, 2017
723
The lameness that only comes from being 29 years old, single and having no friends in a new city: I paid someone once to draw my World of Warcraft character. It was like $100. I thought it was pretty cool. I may or may not still have it hung up in my basement.
 
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