When and how do I monetize my art?
I've decided to catch up with my art friends and start taking art commissions. But the thing is, I'm pretty insignificant and not well known.
How would I go about gaining a following big enough to open commissions.
Also, If this also helps, I cant churn out art as quick as i want because i dont have a cintiq. Any artwork i do has to be drawn on paper and vectored in Adobe Illustrator.
Do you have a degree from an art school?
>>17259539
Currently, a senior in art school right now. But of course some of my friends have already taken commissions and getting paid for their work.
>>17259543
Well, ask around your school, there's 1000 times more knowledge there than here.
>>17259543
it depends hwat kind of comissions you are talking about.
if your OP image is any indication, you should just draw a really epic hentai comic, and then start taking comissions. if you mean you want to be a serious artist, im not sure where to really begin assuming you do already have a portfolio and a website up showcasing good art.
can you show us that?
>>17259559
Well i'm definitely not gonna do hentai commissions. Atleast not yet anyway. Im not at that level yet.
If by serious, you mean safe for work, good for original illustrations and fan art, then yes, thats what i want. Also I don't have much of a portfolio put together.
I only have a few small stuff and some animations that I put on my website since it was required for one of our classes.
>>17259578
unless you create something impressive, no ones going to want to pay you to make something for them.
and it seems that by your own account you have nothing impressive to offer. there isnt a huge market for fan art. your friends may get some comissions but i doubt they are getting al lthat much or paid all that much.
How good are you at drawing butts OP
>>17259582
Well im not asking for a fortune, Just enough for a few dollars on the side.
I was hoping i could get some advice on how to start freelancing, maybe when would be a good time to set up a patreon?
>>17259586
Eh, its a butt. but not something i'd feel good about showing off just yet.
>>17259599
>maybe when would be a good time to set up a patreon
when you create content that people want to see. the problem here is you went to school but never honed your craft, your style, your passion. its just something you did, like math. now you want to be paid for it, but have nothing to show.
the thing about freelancing is you need to build up a fanbase.
so, say you want to do fan art comissions, you need to post some really stellar fan art. if you want a patreon oyu need to be continually pushing somehting out that people like.
consider using fan art to bring in randos, but releasing your own comic at a rate of say, two pages a week? ocassionally throw in one shots that are fan comics, but make your on going story something that will keep people coming back, and of course support you on patreon.
the problem is you want to fast forward through this and arent focused on the passion. most of the people who started patreon were already doing something they loved for free.
>>17259615
What if i cant put out content at a consistent pace. I am working on an idea for a webcomic, but since its like story heavy, i've considered just uploading a nice chunk to read every month or so.
I mean i'd love to work on more stuff, but since im at home and dont have access to a cintiq for the rest of the summer quarter, I really cant work as much as i'd like to. especially since i have a specific style i go for thats overall much easier and quicker to do when im not working in Illustrator all day. I can't really improve my craft of 2d animation either (animation major), since i have no equipment for that either.
>>17259627
>just a big chunk a month
if that chunk can be divided into the weeks, then why not do that? what is a 'chunk'?
the issue with once a month is you arent keeping yourself fresh in peoples minds. one month is long enough for people to forget you exist. two pages is a small amount to consume each week, but it keeps it fresh in their mind and wanting to know more.
also consider getting a credit card or a line of credit or whoring yourself out to get some basic equipment.
i know, i know
>THAT SOUNDS HARD
it sucks. but we all had to do it. filmmaker, still in the process. i get paid to do visual effects now but i had to work a shit job to get a computer capable of handling it and actually put out videos in order to garner attention.
its a process. you are late to the game. there is no shortcut. if you are lucky something you do will go viral.
things like hentai make it easier, but ultimately its the same process.
good luck.
>>17259640
Well i'm not too keen on the week format because, the way im doing this, there's probably not going to be anything worth reading in a week.
In a week i could probably get maybe 2 or 3 pages drawn and vectored, and colored to my standard, and at most the only thing that happened is, "Oh shit he jumped into the air, Oh shit, he did a flip." or something like that. It'd be like watching the original dragon ball z, but only 10 minutes of each episode a week. And an episode where they talk instead of fight at that.
With the once a month method, i can atleast get something worthwhile reading.
When i say story heavy, I really mean story heavy. Like, I have huge plans for this story.
Don't get me wrong though. I'm willing to put in the work, It's just that im trying to figure out how to make it manageable for me and that it cooperates with my work method.
I heard Patreon is good for that sort of thing. Quite a few of my friends from art school have one set up. I'm not sure how well it's actually working out for them though. I don't have one myself as I have just started art school and haven't quite got the hang of time managing yet. Another thing that's popular around these parts is storyboarding. We're in hollywood so a few of us like to mess around the local film schools and scam hipsters into commissioning us to do their storyboards for their shitty short films. If you're in a similar geographical situation, maybe you could take advantage of something similar to that.
What art school do you go to?
>>17259627
>2d animation major
jesus mate
You know 2D is dead, right?
>>17259655
>there wouldnt be much going on in 3 pages
and thats normal. idk how many webcomics oyu read but its pretty normal.
thsoe who want something weekly still get their fix, and those who dont can still check in once a month. but if you only offer once a month, you are going to have a hard time maintaining interest.
one thing you can consider is releasing it on your main account (whichever site you use) as one bulk issue a month, then on say, facebook (your advertising sourcE) or tumblr (also great for advertising) you can release those pages one at a time over the course of the following month, linking back to your main page.
the comics ive followed tend to do two pages a week, updates on tuesday and friday. ultimately you do you, but advertising wisei ts better to have somethign coming out every week.
>>17259661
>hollywood
neighbor.
>>17259667
i was gonna argue that the majority of tv is still 2d, but yeah the bulk of thats been sent overseas. i mean the not actually animating parts are handled here (prop design, set design, character design, story boarding, animatic etc) but its certainly not thriving the way it used to
>>17259661
Scad.
>>17259667
How'd you know that's what im specializing in? To be comepletely honest, I was going to do video games, but coding (and math) was never my strongest skill, and the idea that i walk into an office with video games plastered all over a shiny piece of paper didnt sound too appealing. Thought I could branch out easier if I went animation. Both 3D and 2D. I hear there's a good deal of job security with setting up 3D characters because nobody wants to do that.
>>17259671
Actually thats a good idea, I can do that.
>>17259671
i know a girl who literally only releases one 'frame' a day, whjerein the frame takes the entire page.
she makes money off of it, and it was popular enough that she has had prints of it sold.
>>17259672
I bet you're that giant black tranny I keep seeing walking down Santa Monica, shaking your thang like you're hot shit in a martini glass
>>17259714
close.
i like art
Instagram. search up the hashtag for ur city and follow a bunch of ppl.
Open a booth at an anime convention. Not sure how to do that, but I knew someone who did it.
