#Seeking help with commissions

5 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

slow wigeon
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Hi, I want to start by saying that I'm genuinely starting to worry that I'm doing something wrong.

It's been a while since I announced and started posting that my commissions are open, after ‘practicing’ with some friends and doing a few pieces for them (we’re Brazilian, so our currency is different). But since I started, I haven’t gotten anything. The only request I received was for a chibi for $17, and it was paid in Steam gift cards. The second one turned out to be a scam, which I luckily figured out before I got burned.

Other than that, I just never get any requests, and honestly, I really need to. It’s my dream to work with art, and things are tough where I live.
That’s why I want to understand what I might be doing wrong.

Maybe it’s the way I talk and present myself? I’ve also wondered if it’s the pricing. Some people say my prices are underpriced, but maybe they’re actually too high? Or maybe my art just isn’t what most people are looking for, and it’s not interesting enough?

In the message below, I’ll forward both the old message I used to send and the one I use now, so you can see how I approach people. I just ask, please, I’d really appreciate some help with this.

[Old/New]

IMG-20250709-WA0000.jpg
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[Old/New messages]

Screenshot_20250709_100231_Discord.jpg Screenshot_20250709_100209_Discord.jpg
vivid dust
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maybe try posting ur art on social media,become popular first and then make commissions?

languid anvil
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+1 on the posting art to socmed, though i understand that it might seem scary to post on bigger sites where generative ai and scraping run rampant.

You don't necessarily have to have a very big following to get comms imho, you just have to really put yourself out there. Try to promote yourself as much as you can while still respecting others' space and follow the rules of each site / server.

Regarding your ad messages- the only advice i can give is to make it as concise as possible, aka you can try shortening it down to what it was like in your old messages.
The reason why i would suggest this- to put it very crudely so apologies- is that people these days usually don't bother reading a whole wall of text and might just skip it. Considering that some might browse for comms on mobile, having to scroll through a large wall of text might turn them away.

A potential solution i can offer is to

  • shorten your message to just 1 category of what you are offering + pricing and payment methods ( i would recommend just stating the full coloured option because most ppl usually get coloured comms

  • attach your sample drawings as usual

  • For your other categories of comms, you can try making a simple website on cardd or even strawpage, and link those websites in your commission post so that ppl won't be overwhelmed by a big wall of text at first, and can click in for more info should they be interested.

  • You can also consider setting up a portfolio online on websites like toyhou.se (an oc storage website) so others can easily check your past works and get an idea of what you can offer.

Starting out is never easy, especially in a field that's oversaturated with sellers instead of buyers. Just keep trying to promote yourself and don't be afraid to put yourself out there !

slow wigeon