When is a person ready to start taking commissions for money?

[LukasA]

I've offered my art services to people on different websites either for free or for that virtual currency, but never for real money.
Partly because I don't think my art would be worth anything to anyone in the real world or it would simply not be wanted there.

I have seen artists who make money selling art online for real money but they're not scanning the pictures well and has very many flaws (I know that there are always flaw but, I don't know how to put it with out sounding mean).

So, does it matter the quality of the art to start selling?
I know that more people would commission higher quality art, though.

To the point; I think it would be cool if I had people commissioning be for real money, I would be getting practice on my art and better off later on in the real world by myself.

...or is it not how I think it all is?



Feel free to correct me on anything
I have no idea what I'm talking about, which is why I came here in the first place.

Thanks in advance!

[QueenGwenevere]

You're ready to sell your art for money as soon as people are willing to pay you money for your art.

And that's about it, really.

Put yourself out there, and if nobody bites, you're not ready. If people go for it, well, there you go.

[LukasA]

You're ready to sell your art for money as soon as people are willing to pay you money for your art.

And that's about it, really.

Put yourself out there, and if nobody bites, you're not ready. If people go for it, well, there you go.

Thanks for replying!
I will definitely try to see if anyone would want to buy from me.
Where do I start though? Obviously I've never tried to get commissioners from here, but it seems like there would be a lot of competition...?

[QueenGwenevere]

Spread the word that you're open for commissions on any and all art sites you're on, you never know who will be interested. (And being active on a lot of sites helps, too.) Come up with some standard rates and have an easy-to-find rate sheet, that helps... (maybe link to it in your sig, have it on your profile, etc.) I think people are more likely to commission if they have a clear idea of what they'll get and what it costs. Otherwise they might be afraid to even ask about commissions.

A lot of people start out with commissions on DeviantArt, so there's that. Not a great place to get professional-level rates, but okay for starting out and practice.

You could also tell everyone you know that you're open for freelance work, if you want to do freelance work... I picked up a number of small local freelance gigs in my pre-college years just through word of mouth around town. Tiny jobs for low pay, but it was good experience for starting out.

[Noah Bradley]

Please, for the love of God, don't think that $10 jobs are anything but jokes or insults. Wait until you can get into the three figures, at least.

[QueenGwenevere]

Depends. If you're fourteen or fifteen and doing itty-bitty things for friends, two figures is acceptable...

If you're trying to be professional, then yeah, three figures at least.

Ten dollars is pretty much a joke regardless (unless you're thirteen and under.) I've seen $20 as a common DA baseline for "Super-Cheap-Special-Deal-Getcher-Sketches-While-They're-Hot" commissions, so ten is cheap even by DA standards (which are, yes, notoriously cheap.)

[LukasA]

Please, for the love of God, don't think that $10 jobs are anything but jokes or insults. Wait until you can get into the three figures, at least.

I'm only 14, getting $10 for drawing seems like a dream hahaha
Thanks for replying!

[LukasA]

Depends. If you're fourteen or fifteen and doing itty-bitty things for friends, two figures is acceptable...

If you're trying to be professional, then yeah, three figures at least.

Ten dollars is pretty much a joke regardless (unless you're thirteen and under.) I've seen $20 as a common DA baseline for "Super-Cheap-Special-Deal-Getcher-Sketches-While-They're-Hot" commissions, so ten is cheap even by DA standards (which are, yes, notoriously cheap.)

Sorry, I must have replied to Noah at the same time you posted this.
You can look at my post above to him
Are you saying I should take the $10 as a joke, or the people that commission artists for $10 are a joke?

[OmenSpirits]

Please, for the love of God, don't think that $10 jobs are anything but jokes or insults. Wait until you can get into the three figures, at least.

And what hookers have you been visiting?

It's usually $50 for a job.

But I digress.

I've commissioned artists on CA (and the wedding present was loved by my friend and his betrothed to this day) and it worked out well and was within my price-range (at that time).

Give it a shot just to test yourself if nothing else.

[Noah Bradley]

Just keep doing the work you want to do. Trust me: you'll have all the time in the world to do work for other people. Relish the chance to do whatever the hell you want, whenever you want.

[TinyBird]

Though, it would also help if you're sure that after couple years you're not going to go "oh god did I really draw that for someone and they're still probably showing it around somewhere" because you've improved a lot. Lets just say that there's couple art jobs I did when I was 14 (and I/everyone can still find them easily through Google) that make me go "oh boy...". With stuff that's completely your own you at least have more control and you can purge DeviantArt accounts etc of the really old art.

[Arshes Nei]

Personally I don't think minors should be "starting a business" in commissions...but I guess that's my opinion. It's just that it's people's money and having a minor involved with it can get really nasty. There's some legal reasons behind this too.

[QueenGwenevere]

I don't see that doing occasional commissions as a minor is any different than, say, raking leaves or babysitting or setting up ye olde lemonade stand on the front yard... I did all kinds of little art jobs for friends and acquaintances and friends-of-friends when I was 13 - 14, it was the only way I was gonna get any personal spending money, so why not?

[Arshes Nei]

I don't see that doing occasional commissions as a minor is any different than, say, raking leaves or babysitting or setting up ye olde lemonade stand on the front yard... I did all kinds of little art jobs for friends and acquaintances and friends-of-friends when I was 13 - 14, it was the only way I was gonna get any personal spending money, so why not?

Usually that's done with neighbors and people you know. Going online and advertising on Deviantart is not.

[vineris]

When are you ready to do commissions? When you have enough business knowledge to not get you and your parents in trouble, and enough social knowledge to handle problem clients. Oh and you'd better like writing e-mails and PMs because that's what you'll be spending most of your time on.