Doing art for free...

[grygon.livejournal.com]

Looking for advice here... recently I've opened myself to free art requests. The skill level is, not to toot my own horn, better than art I usually do for myself. Some people don't even bother to reply or acknowledge me once the artwork is done and posted.

What's up with that, and how would you continue?

I don't do art for ass-pats, and I've been taking these free requests as something to do to work on techniques and skill but at least a comment would be nice so I know they saw it. I mean, it was for them, specifically, so SOME appreciation would be nice, right?

Anyone been here, does this, and how did you handle it?

Comments

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

There are those who will jump for free art all the time. Jump and jump and in their greed they sometimes even forget to acknowledge the ones who gave them the free art in the first place. Pretty rude in my opinion.

But are you just posting it, or are sending them PMs/Notes to let them know as well? If its the latter, then they're just taking and running, and from there on I wouldn't do anymore art for them, should they go back for more. Also, you could try sticking to only giving watchers who have been following you from x-date (i.e from point of journal posting) a chance for the free art, so that way random passerbys can't just get freebies and forget you later on. Followers are more likely to comment and fave usually, so if you stick to them, then ignoring you is really going to look tacky.

But the truth is, you might just have to be prepared for those who won't acknowledge the art via comments or a fave, and move on.

[thornwolf.livejournal.com]

Do art for yourself and stop doing it for other people if they're going to be ungrateful?

I dunno, that's what I would do. You can just as easily practice your skills by challenging yourself instead of having others ask you to draw their fursonas, which typically aren't that challenging.

Lame folks can't even acknowledge it though, but if that's going to be a trend I wouldn't cater to them anymore.

[lobotomysoup.livejournal.com]

I look at it as using them to try to draw something I normally wouldn't.

But then again I don't really pay attention if they do post or not.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

This kind of thing is why I VERY rarely take such requests, even though I enjoy doing them when I get thanked. I've pretty much taken to asking friends for things to draw, rather than opening it up to anybody.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

My theory is that when you devalue your own time spent and artwork, other people have no reason to value it either. I'm not saying you have to charge, just that it's a trend I've noticed - when you take away the value of your product, no one has to value your product.

[bonegrind.livejournal.com]

maybe just do free art for yourself and your friends? or fanart.

[kriscynical.livejournal.com]

I never do free artwork because then everybody wants it/you become known as "the one who does free art". I draw what I want to draw in order to test out new techniques or practice things I'm not that good at... that way if it gets completely fucked up, nobody ever has to see it. lol

[blackberrypie.livejournal.com]

Yeah I get the same problem, so I decided to do nominee requests. Which worked well, that way the receiver didn't ask for it and gets the random surprised. I've had good results with that. :D

I'd say do trades to get random art as well, but its hit or miss with that. I get some trades back fast, sometimes never. @_@

[chrystena.livejournal.com]

I always thank people when they gift me art :)its awesome of them to do it for me and Im always grateful

[enchelynassa.livejournal.com]

I had a problem like this in exchange communities on lj. I think I had my chosens not acknowledge the work three times in a row, and that's when I stopped signing up. :I Do work for yourself, friends, or commissions. I think it's pretty (extremely) lame when people seem to ignore stuff drawn for them.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

I would stick to offering requests to people on your f-list or other inner circles.

Someone else, in this comm I believe, once suggested there was a free-art-whore-phonetree since complete strangers would pop up, ask for art and then disappear off the face of the planet once their art was done. I've seen some communication between these people that suggests that they indeed tip each other off as to people they can get free art from, and none of them seemed to have much in the way of polite manners. A lot of these people take the effort required for granted, getting free work in the most normal thing in the world for them.
Not a crowd I'd want to cater to.

I'm sure you have plenty of friends who might take you up on your offer? Otherwise, ditch the free requests schtick and work on your own projects, much more rewarding than wasting your time on a bunch of complete ingrates, because yes, you do at least deserve a "thank you" for your efforts.

[lincard.livejournal.com]

So much this! I have been fortunate of late to be gifted with several pieces done by some quite amazing artists. And pathetically grateful doesn't even begin to describe my reaction :-)

The fact that someone else finds you or your characters inspiring enough to want to spend time and effort in drawing them is very humbling. The least you can do is thank them.

[kiwihunter8.livejournal.com]

Instead of taking requests, consider making gifts for those you admire/or whose characters interest you. It really brightens people's day to recieve a gift, there's none of the annoying back and forth stuff like a client, and you will get the practice in you are aiming to get.

[the-lest.livejournal.com]

I always make a point of writing a nice comment when I get free art or art trade work, but I've noticed that a lot of people hardly even acknowlegde gift art which is disheartening. Like other people have said, maybe stick to just doing it for friends, or to doing trades.

[junoluver.livejournal.com]

This happens most every time I take requests, and I only take them from people on my locked friends list on LJ. Personally, yes, I think people should always take the time to thank and acknowledge the artwork, and I also agree with the first poster, sometimes they may not realize you did it if you don't send them a note (I know I'm busy enough that I can't keep up with my LJ friends page, let alone deviantART or any other art site).

I've found that, instead of offering to be a request artist, I get better practice and something more valuable out of being a "suggestion artist" who asks for ideas (links to original characters, mythical beasts, something new to draw), but doesn't promise anything. Then I pick from them the ideas that sound the most interesting or challenging, and work from there. If people complain, too bad! It's not like you owe them anything!

[valentinecrow.livejournal.com]

Yup - just gone through this too.

Not much you can do except not do free/request art from them again, or like someone else suggested only do freebies for people you are close(r) too. Gift art or trades. Hmm I wonder if there is an lj furry community for that...

[taasla.livejournal.com]

I did a 50 free sketches a few months back to get a better grip on anatomy and learning to just have fun.

A small percentage of people were actual watchers and people from my livejournal. The rest? Whoooaaa boy, I had never seen them before. It's amazing how fast everything filled up, too.

Only a fraction of them replied to my replies with their art in the journal. I don't really think I am going to do anything like that anymore. But I did use it as a good time to draw critters that I would have probably never thought of doing in the first place.

[greenreaper.livejournal.com]

If you are looking for something, you should at least say what you're looking for when you make the offer. If you just say "offering free art for nothing", there are people who will take you at your word and give you precisely that in return.

If you're looking to develop, then you really need to do this, as people are unlikely to provide criticism of a gift.

[alexds1.livejournal.com]

If you're doing free art to hone your skills, then focus on that and not on the feedback. Sometimes I don't even get feedback from people I do commissions for. If you're making art for free then don't be surprised if people might feel like it is okay to devalue it.

[hollowzero.livejournal.com]

Can you explain how the nominee process is done? I'd love to know, it sounds great :)

[jaswinder.livejournal.com]

whenever i take free art requests i usually have the caveat that i'll only draw what requests pique my interest. this way i can just ignore the 500 requests for DRAW ME INTO DOG PERSON!!

or i'll make it into a meme/challenge thing, like making them pick a song that would be thematic to the drawing.

another time i had like 10 slots but i'd only take one character of any given species; ie once someone requested a fox everyone else was SOL. goddamn tricky furries got around this by requesting WOLVES JACKALS AND DOG BREEDS.

[blackberrypie.livejournal.com]

Basically say you're doing x amount of whatever for x amount of people. Then say you're doing them for someone that is in need of a smile, has hit hard times, etc. You get a bunch of people posting, and you just pick a few of them. I always peek around people's accounts to make sure they aren't just a mate or a fellow free art whore. Most of the nominees I get have posted sad journals or something, so I know it will actually brighten someone's day verses being another jewel for the dragon's horde.

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

This x 1000.

[mrlich.livejournal.com]

The other thing you could do with a 'nominee' scenerio would be "You have to nominate someone else to receive the artwork."

That might help to reduce the hording, and the people who receive the art are likely to be more thankful (as it's a surprise).

I would personally recommend against free art for someone else as I (personally) feel like it devalues your artwork for other people. Obviously this is a personal choice, but I would think that it would be easier to charge for art on Thursday if you don't give it away for free on Tuesday.

[blackberrypie.livejournal.com]

Thats why I said nominate someone else who needs it.. etc. I never do anything for those that nominate themselves. :)

Edit crap.. I didnt put it in those words, but thats essentially what i meant.