Help me estimate my commission rates

[wekanian]

Hi!

Real life is unpredictable so a new source of income will do me good ;w;

I've never tried opening commissions before so I am completely clueless to estimate my starting rate. I also see that artists divide their rate based on what's included in the commission, like head only, torso up, etc.

This is an example of my art (taken from comic)

I feel like I am quite comfortable with poses, but need to practice more on proportion and anatomy. I am thinking to take commissions for human characters only for starter.

How much do you think I can charge people for head-only, torso up, waist-up, and full body?

[darthmongoose]

Okay, my advice is to try to work out roughly how long it takes you in hours to do the different types of image you offer, rounding up.
then work out how much is a reasonable hourly rate, assuming that it should be above minimum wage because of the skill, software, hardware, admin and promo involved.

So for example, a reasonable beginner rate might be in the $15-20 USD region. This means a fully coloured and shaded head or head+shoulders, probably a roughly 1 hour commission, costs $15-20, then head-waist or head-hips is probably $30-40, and full body is $45-60.
I often charge half price for additional characters added to the same piece, and add on a half hour for a simple background or full hour for a complex one. Abstract, patterned or coloured backgrounds are free.

As you build experience and develop your skills, you can raise your rate over time. The beginning of the new tax year is usually a good time do do it.

[wekanian]

Thank you! I’ll start with seeing how long does it take for me to finish each “level”.

[Ordinaryaverageguy]

work out roughly how long it takes you in hours to do the different types of image you offer

This is a reasonable sounding approach & one that I think is used a lot by artists, but I want to offer a thought on it...
The finished-work price is going to depend a lot (obviously) on how quick the artist is. If the resulting estimates don't line up competitively with other artists, one may need to revise them to compensate for simply being a slower worker. Then as your skills develop, redo the estimates.

[crowstories]

But also keep in mind that a lot of newer artists seriously undercharge for commissions, which hurts everyone. It makes clients expect work for less than it's worth, and it leads to burnout for artists who then have to produce more work for less money.

[Ordinaryaverageguy]

True, that. I suspect newer artists are so unsure of the value of their work that they offer it at lower prices to get started & get a feel for the market.

I kinda also have concern that less experienced, or less polished, artists can become disheartened if they're encouraged to ask hourly rates at min wage & higher but then their work doesn't sell at all, when perhaps lower prices could have gotten them some initial sales & on their way to happier results. Does that make any sense?

[crowstories]

Oh, for sure! There's a lot of factors at play, most of all the general tendency for art to be devalued as a skill that takes time to learn in addition to the production itself. Obviously an artist who has invested less time in their skills will have difficulty getting the same rates as someone more accomplished.

[Ordinaryaverageguy]

And then there's the "supporters" & "friends" who will say, "You should do something for me for free because you like drawing, so it's just fun and not work!"
I'm kinda glad I'm not trying to sell any creations. I think I'd never have a correct appreciation of how much it was worth.

[crowstories]

Yeah, I don't do commissions because I barely have time to get my own work done... also who knows if anyone would want them lol

[maseba]

Ok:
You had to think how many cost you had in the material you use, because your first goal is cover it.

Then you can think in how many hous will you waste in the draw: my color drawings are more expensive than the black and withe ones because of the time.

The level of details in the work.

The level of atractive of your work: people will be more happy to pay you more if your draws are cool.

And who is the buyer: normal people can pay less that someone who will doing a book, or something.

And your need.

By the way, i'm counsious that i'm cheaper than american artist, but i dont know if i should adapt the prices, so not listen me to much XD.

[TunaPrincess]

I totally understand I mean I've been here a few years ago when my art wasn't as polished. It does suck when you don't get any work in, but like it just means you have to keep drawing and improving your skills. It was a really hard pill for me swallow, realizing that my art wasn't 'there' yet, but it also motivated me to get better. I also think not getting work also relates to art visibility too. I have friends who are hecking amazing artists, but they don't get many commissions because they don't spend time promoting themselves. I think it's okay if in the beginning, beginner artists don't charge as much, but I just think that min wage is important because it's still work, and undercharging does hurt everyone in the art community.

Like I'm just thinking of one artist that I love on twitter who gets flack from a certain fandom because their 'prices are too high' (they charge $70-$100+), but like... it's custom artwork. If it were in the fine art world, a commission would easily be upwards of a thousand dollars.

Anyway as far as commission advice goes, (addressing OP) please don't work for less than min wage. Your work is awesome!!! It might take time to build a client base but don't get discouraged. Success is a slow grind unless you get extremely lucky. One of my good friends is now able to pay her bills off of commissions, making comics and art freelance work, but it took her 7-8 years to get there. Before she had it as her sole income she managed coffee shops and worked at a comic book store. It's possible! Don't give up!

(also if this sounds harsh, I am so so so sorry. typing is the worst because there's no tone, but please know that I'm not trying to attack anyone and be like YOU'RE WRONG!!! I'm just sort of stating my experience having been an artist on both sides of the fence)

[Ordinaryaverageguy]

Yes, visibility means a lot. It's hard to distinguish no commissions because of poor advertising from no commissions because no one likes your work, and that latter thought is demoralizing.

I think artists maybe think about "the min wage" too much. I mean, min wage is only a legal construct & all it does is say how little a legally-defined employer can pay a legally-defined employee. But the artist is their own employer & employee. And min wage changes arbitrarily; one day it's (e.g.) $7/hr, another day it's twice that - but the art or artist didn't suddenly get twice as good. So, the legal construct & it's arbitrary number don't apply unless you make a personal decision to make it so.

Similarly, folks who (with their own good reasons) come down on "undercharging" (e.g., less than min wage) because it hurts the community may be engaging in shaming without having intended to. I mean, if my art isn't up to the quality of (e.g.) $40 for a colored torso rendering (or maybe I have a Hieronymus Bosch style few like), it seems I'd be setting myself up for disappointment to ask $40 simply because that's what the community says it gets, & I ought to charge, for such renderings.

And then there's the difference between the artist trying to make a professional living (& needs to charge what the market will bear) & the artist who is merely trying to pick up a few bucks with what remains their avocation.

But... all that said... I'm not an artist trying to make a few bucks or trying to make a living, I just think this is such an interesting aspect of the artist life. So take my blather with a grain of salt & shake the dust from your sandals if it offends or makes no sense at all.

[TunaPrincess]

I think these are really good points too!

Pricing art is hard at the end of the day >.> I tend to skew towards the "charge a min/living wage" because art is something I do work on professionally. Even if my art hustle is only part-time right now and the other half is working as an art teacher. It's definitely a bit of a knee jerk response for me. I think if you're a treating it more as a hobby and stuff there's more leeway. I think what's the most important at the end of the day is that people charge enough where they don't feel like they're being taken advantage of for the work they're doing. Minimum wage is a really easy and convenient number to use because most people know what is for their area, and generally I don't think it's a ridiculous amount to ask. But like if someone were to charge less money, because they're a beginner, etc, whatever reason, I think it's just important that person is happy and not feeling like what they're doing is way more work than what they're being compensated for.

And you're all good It's a good conversation.

[Ordinaryaverageguy]

I like to see people succeed. So, I like to see artists making money. Some will sneer and say "capitalism" but I say "stuff that" - humans seem to have trading & buying & selling in our DNA. The workman is worthy of his hire & a good trade is when both parties are content with what they take home.
Thanks for listening.