Why do I price my work how I did? Because regardless of talent, working on a commission takes time. Time I could be spending doing things with my family. My time is not free, often I have so very little of it - so no, prices are not negotiable. Often even simple sketches can take upwards of 6-9 hours, 10-16 for inked work, 20-50 for CG work. While I like to offer cheap commissions (and I need the money, this is my ONLY source of income) I am aware of how long it takes me to do a suitable piece of art that is up to my own standards, and I do not want to waste an entire day doing art I may not even really want to do, for pocket-change.
That being said, prices were set according to difficulty and estimated time it would take to do each type of piece. The more difficult the picture - the more it costs. Yes, that is why it costs so much to add backgrounds or more characters to commissions. It's twice, sometimes triple the work of a single-character no-background image, so it's price is adjusted accordingly.
1. Check out my gallery and know what you are getting into. It doesn't take a genius to understand that I'm not an epic artist - I have things I do not draw well. (Animals, environment etc.. I am still learning.) Yes, I will draw them if you ask me to - I will honestly put my utmost effort into it.. but don't expect the outcome to be as good as something I'm good at drawing (Women!). I simply haven't had the practice.
2. I will draw anything. Yes, anything. I might not like drawing it, I may not be good at drawing it, but if you ask, I will try my best to live up to my usual standards.
3. I reserve the right to turn down commissions. Sometimes I'm really busy - sometimes I may just not like your attitude. I can turn down your commission if I so feel like it on a whim. (This rarely happens though XD)
4. I reserve the right to post your commission in my gallery or use it for self-advertising. I may post it, I may not - but I drew it, and I'd like to show it off. If the commission is of a personal nature (of a loved one for instance) you may of course, ask that I not post it. I may agree not to if you ask nicely. I also reserve the right to make the lineart I draw for you available to colorists around the site so they may practice. I do have a strict policy on crediting both myself and you for the lineart. If you do not want the lineart to be available for people to color it, please let me know, and I will post a special note on it asking that it not be used, or I will keep the lineart from my gallery entirely.
5. All payments MUST be made before I will begin to work on your image. My time isn't free. If I choose not to finish your commission, I will refund your payment. If you receive your commission and don't like it, we will discuss it. I'm very thorough when I work on a piece, and check in with my progress on a daily basis - and fix it along the way to your specifications. Because of this process, I will NOT redo an entire piece once it's finished. You will have had plenty of time to speak up about any problems with it before then, and I will assume you're trying to con me out of my pay. I'm not opposed to fixing small issues even after it's colored, but I will not redraw the entire piece, nor will I give you a refund at that point. This is why I said #1 up there: know what my capabilities are, so you know what to expect. Don't expect a miracle, and then demand a refund - whether you like it or not, I put a lot of effort into the art I created, and I am entitled to payment for that work.
6. All commissions are given in digital-art form. (.jpg, .psd, .png, .gif .... whatever you prefer). I do not ship hard copies of my art - don't ask. I keep all hard copies for myself as proof that the artwork is my own should an art theft issue arise in the future. Usually my canvas size is around 900-1k pixels in size, depending on what was drawn. You may request any size version you wish of your commission. Just be sure to ask before I start work. It's easier to shrink an image and retain quality than it is to blow up an image.
7. All commissions will come with a digital watermark or signature (probably signature) somewhere on the image. YOU MAY NOT REMOVE IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. I don't care that you paid for the image - I drew it. I want credit. If for some reason you want a version of the image WITHOUT the signature (and can give me a good reason) I will consider leaving it off. But it'd have to be a very good reason, and credit would still have to be given wherever it is posted.
8. You may do whatever you wish with your commissioned image as long as you do not remove the signature/watermark, and credit to the artist (moi) is given wherever it is posted. I don't care if you make prints of it and sell it - upload it to your own gallery...put it on a professional website... I could really care less, as long as I receive the credit.
9. Yes - if you ask, I will draw you copyrighted characters - I will even mimic another artist's style - but you must have permission from the original owner of the copyright. I want expressed, written permission from them - not you. I don't want to step on anyone's toes and earn money off someone else's character unless they are all right with it. So before you ask me to draw it - get permission.
10. I will try my best to finish commissions in a timely manner, and with the utmost effort I am capable of. However, occasion may arise in which I must put off work for a couple of days - please be understanding of any delays, and I will try my best to keep you informed of any and all work on your commission so that you always know where I stand with its completion. See estimated times below for each type of work. (Note: for lineart, the sketch time is included in the estimate. For standard color, the linework and sketch time are included. etc etc)
Sketches: 1-2 days
Painted Sketches: 2-3 days
Monochrome Painted: 3-8 days
Color Painted: 5-10 days
These are only time estimates. Pieces may take longer or shorter times depending on my current work flow and the difficulty of the piece. Backgrounds and multiple characters adds more time to these estimates.
11. I reserve the right to artistic license. If you ask for a certain type of picture or pose, I will try my very best to accomplish what you ask - but I like to experiment and change details. It's fun, and it keeps me interested in the work I'm doing. If you have any objections to my artistic license: voice your concerns early. (For instance: if it's a commission for a book cover, you may want the characters portrayed exactly to some specification - and I will comply to your request)But if you are not detailed enough in what you want, or you aren't sure, and say something like "I just want a waist-up shot of my OC...", expect random creativity. The more creative leeway you give me... the better your commission will probably turn out.
12. I work on a first-come-first-serve basis. I have a running list of commissions in the order I received them, and they are completed in that order. Occasionally I will skip a commission up my list if the person before them on my commission list has not been responding to messages, the commission can be done really quickly (like a sketch), or the person before them has put a hold on their commission due to financial reasons. I do what I can to get my commissions done as quickly as possible for everyone concerned. When you commission me I will warn you about how many commissions I have before you, and will note you when it is time for me to start your commission. You need not pay for your commission until I am ready to start it.
13. Yes, I do collaborations - if you've had another artist create you a commission and you'd like me to edit something on the commission or to complete it, I'd be willing to work on it (we can negotiate prices based on what needs done) but I do require that the original commissioned artist send me a note letting me know that it's okay for me to work on their piece. I don't want to step on any toes or end up over-drawing something someone was really proud of unless they know about it and are okay with it. I may also agree to do a collaboration with you - ask first. sometimes if my workload is low or an artist is really awesome, I'll do a collaboration for FREE, but if I'm already busy, or the artist is a newbie, I'll probably charge a fee... because my time could better be spent working on paid commissions.
On occasion I may put a freeze on taking new commissions if my current list of commissions is getting quite long. I don't like making people wait more than a week or two for their commission, and will ask you if you mind the wait ahead of time.
PAYMENTS: I accept PayPal. US Dollars Only. Or points as listed above. I will not currently accept art trades or requests (though if you ask, I may donate my time towards a contest prize or charity).
HOW TO COMMISSION: Send me a note here on DA, with "COMMISSION" in the subject line (so I don't lose it in my junk mail folder!), detailing the type of commission you want, and any pertinent details to what you want in the image. (be as detailed as possible please! I don't want to have to send you 20 e-mails to figure out what you want -_-), I will then confirm that you understand the price of the commission and have read the entirety of this journal. If you agree to my terms, I will give you the e-mail I use for PayPal so that payment can be made, and I can begin to work on your commission! Don't be afraid to ask questions if you have them, I don't mind answering them, and I want both of us to be clear on the commission process before any transactions are made. I will try my best to give you an estimate on how long it will take me finish your commission. Depending on the size and detail involved, pieces usually take me 9-47 hours of straight work (several days real time. I do need to eat and sleep etc.). Visual aids are helpful if you have a certain pose, hairstyle, or clothing you want in the image - or if you have reference images of your character, but they aren't required. a text description is perfectly fine
In case you need to check my credentials (to be sure I won't take your money and run with it). Below are people who have commissioned me in the past, and their commissions have been completed.
1.
Everyday-Grind-Comic - Sketch, Waist Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
2.
Everyday-Grind-Comic - Sketch, Waist Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
3.
Everyday-Grind-Comic - CG, Full Body (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
4.
SolBhonjai - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
5.
SolBhonjai - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
6.
Leafykins - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
7.
Leafykins - CG, Bust Up +1 (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
8.
XUsagi-Chan - Sketch, Bust Up +1 (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
9.
Alchemical - CG, Full Body +1, + Semi-Com BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
10.
Erajia - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
11.
dayblush - CG, Reconstruct (
raep0w.deviantart.com/art/colo…)
12.
Leafykins - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
13.
Leafykins - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
14.
myaku-utsu - CG, Bust Up + S.BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
15.
Leafykins - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
16.
CaitieBerry - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
17.
Vamaena - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
18.
Vamaena - CG, Bust Up (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
19.
Yuli-chan - CG, 3rd Party Lines (
www.immortal-doll.com/secret/y…)
20.
FactoryKat - CG, Bust Up + S. BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
21.
myaku-utsu - CG, Bust Up + 1 + S. BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
22.
ResidentRook - Cg, Bust Up + S. BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
23.
ResidentRook - CG, Bust Up + S. BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
24.
maquila - CG, Full Body + S. BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
25.
ResidentRook - CG, Full Body + S. BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
26.
sarcastabitch - (No Longer on DA - RESERVED - NOT PAID)
27.
sarcastabitch - (No Longer on DA - RESERVED - NOT PAID)
28.
JamieDavenport - Color Painted, Partial + C. BKG (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
29.
ResidentRook - (RESERVED - NOT PAID)
30.
Hikari-Starr - Color Painted, Partial (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
31.
maquila - Sketch, Full Body (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
32.
dernwine - Sketch, Fully Body (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
33.
Whisperwings - Sketch, Partial (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
34.
TeraSArt - Sketch, Partial (
fav.me/d48mtkv)
35.
Blue-Bossa - Sketch, Partial (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
36.
duckfeetinc - Sketch, Partial (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
37.
PaulAsaran - Mono Painted, Full Body (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
38.
PaulAsaran - Mono Painted, Full Body (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
39.
PaulAsaran - Mono Painted, Full Body (
fav.me/d50q1nk)
40.
PaulAsaran - Mono Painted, Full Body
fav.me/d541rb4)
41.
camicuti97 - Color Painted, Partial (
fav.me/d54twxo)
42.
camicuti97 - Color Painted, Partial (
fav.me/d57wm0a)
43.
LadyLuca87 - Sketch, Partial (
fav.me/d5dk21o)
44.
ErraticRhapsody - Sketch, Partial +1 (
darlingmionette.deviantart.com…)
45.
Maan11j - Sketch, Partial (Waiting On Reply - NOT PAID)
46.
Maan11j - Sketch, Partial (Waiting On Reply - NOT PAID)
47.
Yephire - Sketch, Partial (Waiting On Reply - NOT PAID)
48.
sambeawesome - Partial, Color Painted Sketch, +2 (
fav.me/d5kznp9)
49.
maquila - Partial, Color Painted Sketch, +1 (
fav.me/d5f4phr)
50.
Kardeen - Full Body, Color Painted (
fav.me/d5hlu13)
51.
Not-So-Handsome - Full Body, Sketch (RESERVED - NOT PAID)
52.
Kardeen - Full Body, Color Painted (
fav.me/d5is4r2)
53.
GreenButterfly99 - Partial Body, Color Painted Sketch (
fav.me/d5l6633)
54.
Kardeen - Full body, Color Painted (
fav.me/d5mk8q9)
55.
Kardeen - Full body, Color Painted (
fav.me/d60tldh)
56.
CelestialMoon - Full body, Color Painted Sketch (
fav.me/d5u4m53)
57.
LifeIsZealous - Full Body, Color Panted Sketch + 1 (
fav.me/d5tnft2)
58.
Perry-Pictures - Partial, Sketch (
fav.me/d5udf2r)
59.
maquila - Partial, Sketch +3 (
fav.me/d5wzcj1)