So I've been curious about how exactly artists who take commissions for real-life currency handle the process. I have never sold my art for real money, so I'm very naiive on how the whole thing works. I'm interested in doing commissions for fun money on the side, but I have no idea where to get started.
I have a lot of questions, but I'll try to keep it organized:
1. How do you know how much to charge for your art?
2. I imagine for online commissions you'd use Paypal or something?
3. Does the customer pay you up front, after the art is received, or a half now half after sort of deal?
4. How long is too long for the customer to wait for the product?
5. If you provide prints, where do you print the art? FedEx? At home?
6. If you sell your art in the form of buttons, stickers, posters, con material, etc, do you use some kind of service that makes those for you in bulk and then you mail them out to buyers?
7. Where do you get most of your business? deviantART? Tumblr? Twitter? Instagram? All of the above and more?
8. Full time, American artists: how do you report your earnings on your tax returns? Do you keep invoices for tax season and pay it all at once? Is there sales tax on your art? I have no idea how any of that works.
9. Convention/Artist Alley artists: How do you know how many prints to make beforehand?
-What do you do if you run out too soon?
-Do you do commissions at the convention?
-Do you have a slot list that can be maxed out?
-Do you finish them all at your table at the con before it ends, or take them all home and do them at once, or do you draw them at your hotel room at night between events?
I hope this is the right subforum.
Forums Artist Galleries How to become a commission or full-time artist?
I'm really curious about this as well! I think it's hard to be a full time commission artist.
I know a lot of people tend to compare their art to others, and then price it comparatively.
I know a lot of people tend to compare their art to others, and then price it comparatively.
I'll try to answer the questions I can. I am by no means professional.
1. How do you know how much to charge for your art?
Honestly, feel the market. Having pay-what-you-want shops can give you an average price range that people are looking for, but do be aware that people will always try to ask more for less. If you want to get an estimate for a steady price, keep track of how long it usually takes you to finish each type of art (headshot, full body, colored, bg, etc) and then multiply how many hours it took you by minimum wage (which can vary between $7.25 to ~$8). All in all, it just depends what you want to get out of it. If you are active enough and spread your art far enough, you can generally charge what you'd like and someone is bound to buy it. The same can be said for undercutting, though. Just because your art is cheap does not mean people will buy from you. Your biggest opponent is advertising.
2. I imagine for online commissions you'd use Paypal or something?
Paypal is the most widely used and safest option for both you and your buyer. But there will always be other options out there-- none of which I know, however.
3. Does the customer pay you up front, after the art is received, or a half now half after sort of deal?
The most common method of payment is half up front and half after completion. I would suggest you heavily watermark any samples, sketches, wips, or completed artworks before you get paid. NEVER start working on a piece until you get at least a downpayment. Any time you spend on something should be compensated. When showing your artwork to the buyer, make sure you watermark it if you haven't gotten paid. Offer to send them an unwatermarked version after payment, whether it be a digital copy or physical copy.
4. How long is too long for the customer to wait for the product?
This is up to the buyer, honestly. Sometimes you'll get commissioned with a deadline, other times it depends what the two of you agree upon. I suggest offering a flexible time limit and let them know if you have other commissions before then.
5. If you provide prints, where do you print the art? FedEx? At home?
Some places like DeviantArt or Red Bubble handle shopping and printing for you, but you can always try each option out and see what you like best. Once you figure out your niche, make sure you include it in your charges. I suggest charging based on order size and quantity.
6. If you sell your art in the form of buttons, stickers, posters, con material, etc, do you use some kind of service that makes those for you in bulk and then you mail them out to buyers?
I have never done this, but Red Bubble is a worthwhile site to check out. You can basically upload whatever art you want and each purchase gives you a percentage. They handle shopping and printing and all that good stuff.
7. Where do you get most of your business? deviantART? Tumblr? Twitter? Instagram? All of the above and more?
I honestly find most if my business on avatar sites, but it really depends on how active you are and how much you advertise. Making a site for your own (even with a free template) can garner you more attention as it gives you more of a professional appeal and a home site for people to always find you.
8. Full time, American artists: how do you report your earnings on your tax returns? Do you keep invoices for tax season and pay it all at once? Is there sales tax on your art? I have no idea how any of that works.
It depends on state, but I believe anything over 400 dollars a year should be reported. I highly suggest talking with a tax expert.
1. How do you know how much to charge for your art?
Honestly, feel the market. Having pay-what-you-want shops can give you an average price range that people are looking for, but do be aware that people will always try to ask more for less. If you want to get an estimate for a steady price, keep track of how long it usually takes you to finish each type of art (headshot, full body, colored, bg, etc) and then multiply how many hours it took you by minimum wage (which can vary between $7.25 to ~$8). All in all, it just depends what you want to get out of it. If you are active enough and spread your art far enough, you can generally charge what you'd like and someone is bound to buy it. The same can be said for undercutting, though. Just because your art is cheap does not mean people will buy from you. Your biggest opponent is advertising.
2. I imagine for online commissions you'd use Paypal or something?
Paypal is the most widely used and safest option for both you and your buyer. But there will always be other options out there-- none of which I know, however.
3. Does the customer pay you up front, after the art is received, or a half now half after sort of deal?
The most common method of payment is half up front and half after completion. I would suggest you heavily watermark any samples, sketches, wips, or completed artworks before you get paid. NEVER start working on a piece until you get at least a downpayment. Any time you spend on something should be compensated. When showing your artwork to the buyer, make sure you watermark it if you haven't gotten paid. Offer to send them an unwatermarked version after payment, whether it be a digital copy or physical copy.
4. How long is too long for the customer to wait for the product?
This is up to the buyer, honestly. Sometimes you'll get commissioned with a deadline, other times it depends what the two of you agree upon. I suggest offering a flexible time limit and let them know if you have other commissions before then.
5. If you provide prints, where do you print the art? FedEx? At home?
Some places like DeviantArt or Red Bubble handle shopping and printing for you, but you can always try each option out and see what you like best. Once you figure out your niche, make sure you include it in your charges. I suggest charging based on order size and quantity.
6. If you sell your art in the form of buttons, stickers, posters, con material, etc, do you use some kind of service that makes those for you in bulk and then you mail them out to buyers?
I have never done this, but Red Bubble is a worthwhile site to check out. You can basically upload whatever art you want and each purchase gives you a percentage. They handle shopping and printing and all that good stuff.
7. Where do you get most of your business? deviantART? Tumblr? Twitter? Instagram? All of the above and more?
I honestly find most if my business on avatar sites, but it really depends on how active you are and how much you advertise. Making a site for your own (even with a free template) can garner you more attention as it gives you more of a professional appeal and a home site for people to always find you.
8. Full time, American artists: how do you report your earnings on your tax returns? Do you keep invoices for tax season and pay it all at once? Is there sales tax on your art? I have no idea how any of that works.
It depends on state, but I believe anything over 400 dollars a year should be reported. I highly suggest talking with a tax expert.
@Shadowman: Thank you for all the information. It's extremely helpful. I'm going to research sites like Red Bubble. Guessing it's great for pre-made designs and can take a lot of stress out of bulk production and delivery.
I'm going to have to look into the tax thing more.
The half payment up front and half after completion seems like the best route to go. That way if a buyer gets shady or takes off, I will have gotten at least some payment.
I'm going to have to look into the tax thing more.
The half payment up front and half after completion seems like the best route to go. That way if a buyer gets shady or takes off, I will have gotten at least some payment.
So I'm by no means a professional, but I did graduate art school and have a few friends in the biz. I'm more or less just recovering from some mental health stuff trying to get back on the art game.
1. How do you know how much to charge for your art?
Trial and error, largely. People really tend to undercharge for their own art - myself included - which sucks. But, if you're not really a known artist yet, it's tougher to reach a broader audience (who would then be more likely to spend more, etc). It's a vicious cycle because you feel like you're charging too much even though you're likely working for less than minimum wage (if you break it down for time spent, materials, etc).
Ask friends to help you with pricing! I've been struggling for years and have finally settled on some numbers, and friends tell me it's still a liiittle too low but I'm comfortable with it since I work pretty fast, and lower prices do sometimes mean you can squeak out a few more orders.
2. I imagine for online commissions you'd use Paypal or something?
PayPal is by and large the biggest, but.. not necessarily the best. Some people take Square, some people even work directly through a store front such as Etsy or something. I .. don't really like to use Etsy since they take a 10% cut and it's kind of janky to contact through Etsy itself, but the option is there.
3. Does the customer pay you up front, after the art is received, or a half now half after sort of deal?
Typically it's half before, half after, but you can be flexible as long as you're up front with your clients. For sketches, I usually just do it and then request payment (and then fix up any mistakes/issues after that, if necessary).
...Come to think of it, I usually request payment just before wrapping up either one. They don't get the full resolution/best quality until it's complete and paid for, though.
Also, make sure to read PayPal's ToS and stuff, since there are specific ways you should be requesting money. If they catch you trying to skirt around fees they could lock your account.
4. How long is too long for the customer to wait for the product?
Honestly, as long as you work it out with the client and inform them of any delays, it can take as long as they're willing to wait. I feel TERRIBLE about it, but I had a commissioner wait almost a year for a piece. I was struggling with some stuff but also told them like, each time I had the energy to try to sit down and do it, something came up and ruined everything, lmao.
Typically, though, people seem to like faster turnaround since people love instant gratification, haha. I take 1-2 weeks for most stuff fancier than a sketch, which is 2-3 days.
5. If you provide prints, where do you print the art? FedEx? At home?
Currently, the only prints I have were done at Walmart. :') FedEx isn't bad quality, though, and I was doing some of my zine printing through UPS, though I'm going to Staples for my next batch since their paper quality is a little better. This requires some trial and error since it's kind of about what you like and prefer too, y'know?
Usually, quality matches price; cheap isn't always going to be AWFUL but if you pay a little more for a fancier service, you'll likely end up liking the end result a lot more, haha. Some buddies use CatPrint.com, for example. I've never used VistaPrint's actual poster/art printing services, but they do kick ass at my business cards.
6. If you sell your art in the form of buttons, stickers, posters, con material, etc, do you use some kind of service that makes those for you in bulk and then you mail them out to buyers?
I haven't done buttons yet (but I have a tab open from PureButtons.com right now, haha!), but buying in bulk is almost always the way to go since it's a lot cheaper per unit. I go to StickerApp.com for my sticker printing and you can get ROUGHLY 50 2" stickers for $20. That's incredibly cheap and if you sell them for $1-2 each, you've made your money back before getting through even half.
They are not the best quality, but again, like printing, there's quality vs price. If I had more funds, I'd likely go through StickerMule.com instead, but so far StickerApp has treated me well.
That said, if you're just starting out - don't buy TOO much at once!! Start with the smaller bulk purchases (25-50) and see how they sell. You're likely to end up with a bunch of leftovers at first, but if you keep putting out new designs, you'll learn what people like the most.
7. Where do you get most of your business? deviantART? Tumblr? Twitter? Instagram? All of the above and more?
Twitter and Tumblr are where I post exclusively now, and honestly nearly every commissions I've gotten this year has been from Twitter despite advertising all over Tumblr. I even had a pretty big blog reblog my commission post. D: It just kinda depends on the circles and timing, too.
8. Full time, American artists: how do you report your earnings on your tax returns? Do you keep invoices for tax season and pay it all at once? Is there sales tax on your art? I have no idea how any of that works.
If you're just starting out and making under roughly $1k a year (THOUGH THIS WAS IN MICHIGAN, it likely varies a lot), you don't have to claim taxes on them. However, that's not really sustainable ... as for the specifics, I'm not terribly certain, but typically you do pay out your owed taxes at the end of the year once you file your returns. You can include a little extra in your pricing to accommodate sales/income taxes, as well. The client doesn't need to know your breakdown of why - they just have to agree that they'll spend that amount.
9. Convention/Artist Alley artists: How do you know how many prints to make beforehand?
This varies on the subject material, the convention you're at, and again - how much reach you have. If you're starting out, I wouldn't recommend more than 10 each. .... actually I'm just repeating stuff I've read before (though I've followed nearly all of this advice!), so maybe it's best just to read it from teh source lmao
http://jojostory.net/post/110452410527/how-to-prepare-for-your-first-artist-alley
Really though, this is good advice.
-What do you do if you run out too soon?
Most conventions take place in or near hotels, and they frequently have a FedEx or something right inside the building. If not, you may be able to make a run to a nearby print store before the Alley opens again the next day.
-Do you do commissions at the convention?
I do! That's where I make most of my convention funds, tbh. Usually just on-site sketches.
-Do you have a slot list that can be maxed out?
What works for me is that I take them until I feel like I can't complete them in a week. During the Alley, I'm doing nothing but greeting people and drawing. Use that time to complete the commissions you've received already and you'll be basically printing money.
-Do you finish them all at your table at the con before it ends, or take them all home and do them at once, or do you draw them at your hotel room at night between events?
Some people do ONLY take-homes, I prefer to get them done while I'm there. Being surrounded by the creative energy at a convention is so much more motivating than looking at a big ol' to-do list while sitting alone in my bedroom, haha. But, everybody has their own preferences. You gotta play it by ear!
WHEW. I hope that helps! :O
1. How do you know how much to charge for your art?
Trial and error, largely. People really tend to undercharge for their own art - myself included - which sucks. But, if you're not really a known artist yet, it's tougher to reach a broader audience (who would then be more likely to spend more, etc). It's a vicious cycle because you feel like you're charging too much even though you're likely working for less than minimum wage (if you break it down for time spent, materials, etc).
Ask friends to help you with pricing! I've been struggling for years and have finally settled on some numbers, and friends tell me it's still a liiittle too low but I'm comfortable with it since I work pretty fast, and lower prices do sometimes mean you can squeak out a few more orders.
2. I imagine for online commissions you'd use Paypal or something?
PayPal is by and large the biggest, but.. not necessarily the best. Some people take Square, some people even work directly through a store front such as Etsy or something. I .. don't really like to use Etsy since they take a 10% cut and it's kind of janky to contact through Etsy itself, but the option is there.
3. Does the customer pay you up front, after the art is received, or a half now half after sort of deal?
Typically it's half before, half after, but you can be flexible as long as you're up front with your clients. For sketches, I usually just do it and then request payment (and then fix up any mistakes/issues after that, if necessary).
...Come to think of it, I usually request payment just before wrapping up either one. They don't get the full resolution/best quality until it's complete and paid for, though.
Also, make sure to read PayPal's ToS and stuff, since there are specific ways you should be requesting money. If they catch you trying to skirt around fees they could lock your account.
4. How long is too long for the customer to wait for the product?
Honestly, as long as you work it out with the client and inform them of any delays, it can take as long as they're willing to wait. I feel TERRIBLE about it, but I had a commissioner wait almost a year for a piece. I was struggling with some stuff but also told them like, each time I had the energy to try to sit down and do it, something came up and ruined everything, lmao.
Typically, though, people seem to like faster turnaround since people love instant gratification, haha. I take 1-2 weeks for most stuff fancier than a sketch, which is 2-3 days.
5. If you provide prints, where do you print the art? FedEx? At home?
Currently, the only prints I have were done at Walmart. :') FedEx isn't bad quality, though, and I was doing some of my zine printing through UPS, though I'm going to Staples for my next batch since their paper quality is a little better. This requires some trial and error since it's kind of about what you like and prefer too, y'know?
Usually, quality matches price; cheap isn't always going to be AWFUL but if you pay a little more for a fancier service, you'll likely end up liking the end result a lot more, haha. Some buddies use CatPrint.com, for example. I've never used VistaPrint's actual poster/art printing services, but they do kick ass at my business cards.
6. If you sell your art in the form of buttons, stickers, posters, con material, etc, do you use some kind of service that makes those for you in bulk and then you mail them out to buyers?
I haven't done buttons yet (but I have a tab open from PureButtons.com right now, haha!), but buying in bulk is almost always the way to go since it's a lot cheaper per unit. I go to StickerApp.com for my sticker printing and you can get ROUGHLY 50 2" stickers for $20. That's incredibly cheap and if you sell them for $1-2 each, you've made your money back before getting through even half.
They are not the best quality, but again, like printing, there's quality vs price. If I had more funds, I'd likely go through StickerMule.com instead, but so far StickerApp has treated me well.
That said, if you're just starting out - don't buy TOO much at once!! Start with the smaller bulk purchases (25-50) and see how they sell. You're likely to end up with a bunch of leftovers at first, but if you keep putting out new designs, you'll learn what people like the most.
7. Where do you get most of your business? deviantART? Tumblr? Twitter? Instagram? All of the above and more?
Twitter and Tumblr are where I post exclusively now, and honestly nearly every commissions I've gotten this year has been from Twitter despite advertising all over Tumblr. I even had a pretty big blog reblog my commission post. D: It just kinda depends on the circles and timing, too.
8. Full time, American artists: how do you report your earnings on your tax returns? Do you keep invoices for tax season and pay it all at once? Is there sales tax on your art? I have no idea how any of that works.
If you're just starting out and making under roughly $1k a year (THOUGH THIS WAS IN MICHIGAN, it likely varies a lot), you don't have to claim taxes on them. However, that's not really sustainable ... as for the specifics, I'm not terribly certain, but typically you do pay out your owed taxes at the end of the year once you file your returns. You can include a little extra in your pricing to accommodate sales/income taxes, as well. The client doesn't need to know your breakdown of why - they just have to agree that they'll spend that amount.
9. Convention/Artist Alley artists: How do you know how many prints to make beforehand?
This varies on the subject material, the convention you're at, and again - how much reach you have. If you're starting out, I wouldn't recommend more than 10 each. .... actually I'm just repeating stuff I've read before (though I've followed nearly all of this advice!), so maybe it's best just to read it from teh source lmao
http://jojostory.net/post/110452410527/how-to-prepare-for-your-first-artist-alley
Really though, this is good advice.
-What do you do if you run out too soon?
Most conventions take place in or near hotels, and they frequently have a FedEx or something right inside the building. If not, you may be able to make a run to a nearby print store before the Alley opens again the next day.
-Do you do commissions at the convention?
I do! That's where I make most of my convention funds, tbh. Usually just on-site sketches.
-Do you have a slot list that can be maxed out?
What works for me is that I take them until I feel like I can't complete them in a week. During the Alley, I'm doing nothing but greeting people and drawing. Use that time to complete the commissions you've received already and you'll be basically printing money.
-Do you finish them all at your table at the con before it ends, or take them all home and do them at once, or do you draw them at your hotel room at night between events?
Some people do ONLY take-homes, I prefer to get them done while I'm there. Being surrounded by the creative energy at a convention is so much more motivating than looking at a big ol' to-do list while sitting alone in my bedroom, haha. But, everybody has their own preferences. You gotta play it by ear!
WHEW. I hope that helps! :O
I know jack shit about art and being an artist but I do know things about taxes! I, ah, am not your tax accountant and this is not professional advice etc but
The general rule is that you have to report income. I think there's a level under which you don't have to report--people here are saying 400, but I don't have a lot of experience with income at those low levels (if you aren't making that much, you don't pay people like me, haha). If the art is your main "job", you can deduct any expenses you have related to the art process. If it's not, it's usually considered a hobby and you can only deduct up to the amount of income you made. Keep track of that sort of stuff, especially if you're making enough on art that it becomes an actual income source. There are also a bunch of rules on whether you'd be considered self employed or not, but individuals aren't my line of expertise, and I don't feel comfortable speaking on that.
There do seem to be a lot of resources online that you can look into, though. Some I found while doing a bit of research:
https://greendragonartist.com/taxes/how-to-do-your-taxes-as-an-artist/
https://www.thoughtco.com/tax-considerations-arts-and-crafts-vendors-193053
The general rule is that you have to report income. I think there's a level under which you don't have to report--people here are saying 400, but I don't have a lot of experience with income at those low levels (if you aren't making that much, you don't pay people like me, haha). If the art is your main "job", you can deduct any expenses you have related to the art process. If it's not, it's usually considered a hobby and you can only deduct up to the amount of income you made. Keep track of that sort of stuff, especially if you're making enough on art that it becomes an actual income source. There are also a bunch of rules on whether you'd be considered self employed or not, but individuals aren't my line of expertise, and I don't feel comfortable speaking on that.
There do seem to be a lot of resources online that you can look into, though. Some I found while doing a bit of research:
https://greendragonartist.com/taxes/how-to-do-your-taxes-as-an-artist/
https://www.thoughtco.com/tax-considerations-arts-and-crafts-vendors-193053
//These are just how I personally do things aaa1. How do you know how much to charge for your art?: I think I charge on what feels right at the moment and how much I think my audience can afford. :O
I currently charge for my art:
|| Headshots || Simple Shading: $7 - Detailed Shading: $10 | No BG = Free - Simple BG: +$1 - Detailed BG: +$5
|| Waist Ups || Simple Shading: $10 - Detailed Shading: $14 | Extra Character: +$8 (For both shading styles) | No BG = Free - Simple BG: +$2 - Detailed BG: +$7
|| Full Bodies || Simple Shading: $15 - Detailed Shading: $20 | Extra Character: +$10 (For both styles) | No BG = Free - Simple BG: $3 - Detailed BG: $10
|| Chibi || Simple Shading: $8 - Detailed Shading $12 | Extra Character/Plushie Accessory +$6 per character (For both shading styles) | No BG = Free - Simple BG: +$1 - Detailed BG: +$5
2. I imagine for online commissions you'd use Paypal or something?
Yep! Personally I think paypal is best for taking online commissions, but I have let close friends send money via snail mail as they didn't have a paypal. Sometimes artists also accept amazon wishlist items and gift cards as payment! I haven't tried those methods yet but they sound super cool! C:
3. Does the customer pay you up front, after the art is received, or a half now half after sort of deal?
I personally take all up front. From an experience in the past of finishing a commission and giving it to them without getting payment first, then waiting for two months without a word from them (ended up getting the money thanks to my friend) but after that I started doing only payment first types of things :'> I'm not that good with confrontation so I'd prefer to ask for all the money up front, then getting only half and then having to build up the courage to ask for the other half when it's time. X'D
4. How long is too long for the customer to wait for the product?
I think about 2+ months. If they are on a waitlist and you don't have their money yet, that's totally fine, but if you are taking this long to finish the commission, whether it's personal issues or something, it's best to give them updates as much as possible. It's best to have a said date as to how long your commission will take to finish too.
7. Where do you get most of your business? deviantART? Tumblr? Twitter? Instagram? All of the above and more?
Personally, Facebook is where I sell most of my commissions! I post my art a lot in a certain fandom, so I have an audience built around that. Although I started out accepting currency from the game as commission payment, not too many people were upset when I switched to real money commissions and still got quite a lot of sales! More older people in the fandom are likely on FB so they are able to pay for the prices, though when I opened my commissions on Instagram I got a lot more comments saying they wish they were in the game currency/free/etc and sales went pretty down so I much prefer doing my commissions on FB.
Find my illustrations here: https://twitter.com/Lydiachan22
@Lydiachan22: That's certainly very helpful :) I considered Facebook as a means of earning commissions, though I've heard a couple of artists say if you make a like page, Facebook doesn't notify you when someone pings you, likes your page, etc. I'd guess you would have to check it habitually in that case?
@Slytherclaw: THANK YOU! I read all the way through that greendragon page, and it was very informative. I've got it bookmarked lol. So basically all income you make has to be reported no matter what, then depending on the amount the IRS may or may not charge taxes (under $400 appears to be the tax free limit for most on a federal level?) Make enough money doing art and you'll be categorized as self-employed, even if you have another job, which is fair. Looks like sole proprietorship is the way to go there.
@Addy: I looked around at some other artist pages, and I think I'll start pricing sketches at about $8, color adds another $8, full body another $5. That's pretty reasonable, I think, especially since I'm basically unknown. Maybe if I get a bigger audience I can raise my prices and do the half up front and half after completion, like you do.
As for conventions, I really appreciate all the information! I haven't been to a con in years, so I wasn't sure how to go about it. I live near Otakon, but right now I'm not sure if I'll do a table. Maybe I'll just attend at first, meet some other artists.
@Slytherclaw: THANK YOU! I read all the way through that greendragon page, and it was very informative. I've got it bookmarked lol. So basically all income you make has to be reported no matter what, then depending on the amount the IRS may or may not charge taxes (under $400 appears to be the tax free limit for most on a federal level?) Make enough money doing art and you'll be categorized as self-employed, even if you have another job, which is fair. Looks like sole proprietorship is the way to go there.
@Addy: I looked around at some other artist pages, and I think I'll start pricing sketches at about $8, color adds another $8, full body another $5. That's pretty reasonable, I think, especially since I'm basically unknown. Maybe if I get a bigger audience I can raise my prices and do the half up front and half after completion, like you do.
As for conventions, I really appreciate all the information! I haven't been to a con in years, so I wasn't sure how to go about it. I live near Otakon, but right now I'm not sure if I'll do a table. Maybe I'll just attend at first, meet some other artists.
I'm glad I could help!
And as a side note, I'm also close to Otakon, and work a booth in the dealer's room (or have for the past two years and proooobably will next year also), so let us know if you're doing a thing and I'll show up and peer at your art and stuff--we usually blow a few hundred in the artist alley because we collect prints to frame on the walls, haha, so it'll be super fun to see! That said, Otakon is also super expensive, and their artist alley has a bunch of rules that other artists have complained about, such as having to have at least 50% of your merchandise be non-fanart despite fanart being what will actually sell at a convention, etc.
And as a side note, I'm also close to Otakon, and work a booth in the dealer's room (or have for the past two years and proooobably will next year also), so let us know if you're doing a thing and I'll show up and peer at your art and stuff--we usually blow a few hundred in the artist alley because we collect prints to frame on the walls, haha, so it'll be super fun to see! That said, Otakon is also super expensive, and their artist alley has a bunch of rules that other artists have complained about, such as having to have at least 50% of your merchandise be non-fanart despite fanart being what will actually sell at a convention, etc.
@sasha: Just don't devalue yourself! Honestly I'd round up to an even $10 as soon as you can. :o I'll keep promoting ~
And like @Slytherclaw said, Otakon can be expensive. If I recall correctly, it was like $200-300 to get a table in the Alley? You can split it with a friend which takes the edge off a bit (clicky!), but definitely ill-advised early on. It DOES definitely get you some exposure for sure, but it's tough. SO FAR, I've only tabled at conventions that are free (you get in by lottery!), but the prep and everything can be pricey on its own too. :'3
And like @Slytherclaw said, Otakon can be expensive. If I recall correctly, it was like $200-300 to get a table in the Alley? You can split it with a friend which takes the edge off a bit (clicky!), but definitely ill-advised early on. It DOES definitely get you some exposure for sure, but it's tough. SO FAR, I've only tabled at conventions that are free (you get in by lottery!), but the prep and everything can be pricey on its own too. :'3
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Having you as a Voltie would be awesome.