I don't draw for free, even if I draw for fun

[Kisa]

Since my job is almost SC free, I figured I'd start sharing my few art SC's who I encounter on occasion as an artist.

I started college a few months ago and on Friday, I show up to class a half hour or so early because driving my brother to school takes me in that direction and I'd rather just go to school than waste gas driving home for 10 minutes. One day, I brought my sketchpad and started a piece I've been wanted to do for a while of an Australian landscape. By the time class started, I had some rock, a dead tree, and some shrubbery sketched out. Keep in mind I typically sketch in 2H pencil to keep the lines light and easy to change. People slowly entered and took their seats, and the ones who passed me naturally stopped to comment of my sketch. One girl who sits near me was really curious about my art and kept asking question after question about "have you even drawn this or that" and such. I answered them all. Yes I have sketched people, no I haven't sketched a car, I started drawing in 7th grade, I haven't had professional training, no I don't want to be an artist as a career.

During a 15 minute break, she started asking if I would be willing to draw something for her.

I typically don't do commissions, mostly because the people who tried to commission me in the past gave me trouble with price, payment, time frames, content, the whole shebang. I decided to only do commissions for close friends when I have time and they pay in full up front before I even think of starting. I may pick it up again in the future if I have more good experiences with it lol.

Anyway, I reluctently started going over the details with her asking what she wanted, when, color or no, what size paper, background or no. She wanted a portrait of herself, whenever, in color, with a basic pattern background. I made it clear I have a cartoon-y style and that realistic portraits aren't my strong suit. She said she doesn't mind, she just thinks it will be cool to have a sketch of herself. I decided she seemed nice and flexible so what the hay and brought up the issue of pricing and paymet.

She was floored. Why did she have to pay? It's just a drawing. $15 is way too much.

I explained that my supplies aren't free: Faber Castell pencil to sketch, Sakura Micron pens for line work, Prismacolor colored pencils to color, and then a sheet of 14x20 paper. I up the price for colored pieces, I up the price for bigger pieces, I up the price for realism. Color pieces use more supplies and more time, bigger pieces use more supplies and more time, realism uses more time and more of my patience. My time is valuble, and I don't work for free. I thought $15 for a realistic, full color, 15x20 portrait complete with a background was pretty reasonable. I figured $8 for pencil lead, paper, ink and colored pencil and $7 for my time and effort.

No no no, that was way too high for a portrait. After all, it's just a drawing and someone as talented as me could churn it out in a few hours.

Ok so now we moved on to flattery. I have artistic talent, but I'm not a speed sketcher. It would take me 4 or so broken hours to sketch, 20 minutes to ink and clean up the lines, then 6-7 broken hours to color and blend. I say "broken" because I have school, a job, family, and pets. I don't have a full day to sit on my duff and churn out art. I got fed up and asked, out of curiosity, what she thinks a fair price would be.

"I thought it was going to be free."

Yes! I'll draw it for free! Because obviously drawing you is such a joy and honor, I consider myself lucky to not have to pay YOU! Sure I'm using precious time and expensive products to create said drawing and you are a perfect stranger, but I'll make it free because that's what you think is fair.

Oh the joy of feeling entitled!

[mikoyan29]

This seems to be a common theme with artists. My mom is an artist and I don't know how many times I've heard her talking about being asked to do something only to have to tell the person, "I'm not about to fire up my car for that little". People seem to forget that time has a cost associated with it too.

if she wants a sketch of herself so cheaply, maybe she should go to one of those machines where it gives you a sort of pencil sketch?

[AyreBiskits]

i would have drawn her as a stick figure with swirlies in the background. what? you want it in color? let me get out my crayons. oh by the way, what color is the sky in your world?

[thatcrazyredhead]

I think $15 is more than reasonable for what she wanted! My husband really wanted to get a caricature portrait done of the two of us on our honeymoon. We sat for an hour, paid $70, and it was HORRIBLE. Not even unflattering, just didn't look like us at all. The guy didn't even draw the clothes we were wearing in the right colors. $15 for something that would take you several hours is a very generous price. Good for you for sticking to your guns.

[camjuniper]

That is ridiculously insulting! If she wants to see some free sketches of herself, she should do modeling for an art class. Sheesh. And even then, the students typically keep their work. I do know a small group of amateur artists who ask people to sit for them and let the person keep the portrait/sketch/painting they like the best in lieu of payment.

Also, considering the time, effort & supplies, I think you're underselling yourself.

[Severen13]

I've encountered something like that before. At another message board I used to belong to (key words being "used to belong"), some people there got all huffy with me because I wouldn't draw their portraits for free. Those same people treated me like trash (referring to me as "that miserable art chick" and reminding me for the 400th time that I was just so boring, tedious, and not funny), then they were shocked...shocked, I tell you!! that I wasn't falling all over myself to do them a favor.

[raudf]

if she wants a sketch of herself so cheaply, maybe she should go to one of those machines where it gives you a sort of pencil sketch?

Most of those aren't free! They cost around $5 for a pencil sketch, so even machines value their time

I've ran (Hrm, I wanted to say rant for some reason) into people who thought that art was something people are just born with the ability to do, no practice required. Thus, it doesn't take TIME for us to do art, so we shouldn't need to be paid for it. Uh-huh.

That piece of sculpture you're admiring? Took me 2 weeks, because it required time to get it looking the way I wanted it, for the clay to dry enough to fire, then be fired, glazed and fired again. Oh, and that's the 5th one of that. Yeah, it took me FIVE tries to not get a clay grenade! That photo? Took me 8 hours, mostly because I had to take three shots of the subject just be certain to get ONE decent image. Then 4 hours of lab work and then drying time.

Umm.. sorry... this is one of my pet peeves. I have done many different forms of art and in every form, someone has to be stupid and discount my time and effort. I admit, I did like trading art with fellow students. If they had something I liked and I had something they liked, it was always an even trade, because WE knew what effort was put into it!

[Kisa]

I wouldn't have been as pissed if she said she didn't expect to be charged for materials, but she basically said my materials AND my time are worth nothing. My pencils cost $1.70 each, my Prismacolor pencils cost $2 each, my pens cost $2 each, and my blenders cost $2 each. I could use Ticonderoga pencil, Crayola colored pencils, BIC pens, printer paper, and no blenders, but then I wouldn't have the quality of work I do. I probably would charge more if I knew how much to charge and how well it would turn out I'm not a very confident artist ahaha there are plenty of people who draw better than me

[Micer]

Tell her to take a photo of herself, take it to a Kinkos that has a copy of photoshop on it, and Filter -> Sketch. Bang, picture of herself that's in a sketchy style and if she's fast enough, she'll only have to pay eight bucks, can claim she did it herself and therefore is now an art wiz (lol) and she can go fuck herself while she's at it.

I know I low ball myself ($25-30 for a single colored character, it brings back repeat business), but there's no way in hell I'll do free pictures, I used to when I was a teacher and the kids wanted something to color, at least with that after a while the kids just started drawing their own stuff once they realized they knew how to trace, but otherwise? Been dicked and nit-picked to death when it was free.

I'll always go back to the story our one painting teacher told us, about how his brother was constantly begging for a painting to have for their home, oh they would love a painting, please won't you give us a painting, yadda yadda yadda. So he gives in, paints them a picture for free with his every bit of heart and soul, makes something that in his eyes, is amazing and honestly a fucking masterpiece and was tempted to keep it for himself. Anyhow, long story short, gives it to his brother, they gush over it as first, and later on he finds out that they hate it, doesn't match the furnishings and they shove it in a closet only to take out whenever he's about to visit. He found out by stopping by one day unannounced.

So next time brother started begging for a picture he basically told him, 'Sure, I'll make you a picture, but it'll cost you -insert price here-' Brother balks, asks why is he charging family???

And he answers with, 'You didn't value what I gave you for free, so hell, if I'm going to make you anything else, it's going to be worth the time I put in to make it.'

[Jay 2K Winger]

And he answers with, 'You didn't value what I gave you for free, so hell, if I'm going to make you anything else, it's going to be worth the time I put in to make it.'

This kind of mentality is why I still wear the blue wool knit hat my sister gave me for Christmas one year. Not that the hat is badly made or uncomfortable (though it is a bit, now that I shave my head), it is very nice and keeps my head warm in the winter. But I wear it all the time in the winter because my sister made it.

[Android Kaeli]

When I do jewelry for people, the only times when it'll be free if the people who want the stuff done PAY for the materials or it's a GIFT. Otherwise, it'll be expensive -- especally if I have to go out and buy more materials to cover what they want. It doesn't happen that often, usually it's family that gets it for gifts.

Want Swarovski crystals? The cheapest *I* can get is $5 per 30-32 crystals and that'll reflect in the price, by a WHOLE lot if I use the Crystazzi crystals instead. And, no, I'm not going to go out and buy some piece of crap transite wire to do a necklace or bracelet, especally when I can get actual FISHING LINE that's more durable then that stuff [and, yes, I've used both].

I can't draw to save my life, but I know how much artist supplies are. The Prismacolor pencils are NOT cheap, especally if you buy the bigger packs -- those run no less then $150.

[spark]

No no no, that was way too high for a portrait. After all, it's just a drawing and someone as talented as me could churn it out in a few hours.

Even if you could, that argument is moronic. Somebody as talented as you should be PAID for those few hours. In fact the more talented somebody is the more they charge for something! Saying because you're good enough to do it fast you're... not good enough to be paid? I mean really?

What a twit.

[Seraph]

Holy mother of entitlement! I'd have ripped her a new one on the spot, you're much, much nicer than I would've been.

Also, charge more. Seriously.

[XCashier]

No no no, that was way too high for a portrait. After all, it's just a drawing and someone as talented as me could churn it out in a few hours.

"Annie Lennox! I was wondering if you could sing at my birthday party?...How much? No, no, no, that's way too high for a party. After all, it's just a party and someone as talented as you can churn it out for a few hours."

See how ridiculous it sounds in another context? You wouldn't expect a singer or athlete to perform for free, why should she expect you to?

[Seshat]

I've ran (Hrm, I wanted to say rant for some reason) into people who thought that art was something people are just born with the ability to do, no practice required.

My therapist discovered that I do amateur art; and because I'm semi-professional as a speaker and professional-grade as a writer, we use art as a way to get straight to my psyche without my trained self-editing getting in the way.

Anna's therapist admired one of my pieces, and said something about not being able to do art. I just gave her a 'you know better than that' look (hey, she's a therapist!), and asked her how many hours of practice she'd put into it.

She thought about it, then laughed at herself and granted my point.

I'm not a very confident artist ahaha there are plenty of people who draw better than me

And there are plenty of people who draw worse than you.

Value the skill you currently have: don't denigrate yourself because you're not yet Picasso.