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Kero
Student
Rock Hill, South Carolina
3
Questions
Asked
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How do you start taking commissions?
I only recently set up an account on a digital wallet app, and as a digital artist I've always wanted to take commissions. But I have no idea how/where to advertise or price my work. I mainly draw characters, and I've seen people do a body-sheet where different amounts of the body are worth different prices, but I'm not sure if I should do something like that or if there's a better way to do it.
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1 answer
Kim Matthews
Graphic Production Designer and Sculptor
135
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Kero,
FWIW, I found this via a Google search.
"Pricing for body sheets (often called reference sheets or character sheets) for emerging illustrators varies based on detail, experience, and complexity, typically ranging from $50 to over $300 for a full character sheet. For illustrators with 0–3 years of experience, hourly rates usually fall between $25 and $50, which can be used to calculate a flat fee for a character sheet project.
General Pricing Structure for Emerging Illustrators (Estimated)
Simple/Flat Color Sheet: $50 – $100 (1 view, basic turnaround)
Standard Ref Sheet: $100 – $200 (Front/Back, simple shading)
Complex/Detailed Sheet: $200 – $300+ (Multiple views, close-ups, full shading)"
As for your other question, you might consider doing some creative illustrations on your own--maybe each exemplifying one of these listed items and some other things that might be relevant to what you want to do. From there you could see if a local comic book store, school or public library, or coffee shop might be interested in exhibiting them. Otherwise, you can try bidding jobs on Fiverr or other sites but it's very likely that potential clients would want published work samples and a track record.
I'd suggest assembling a portfolio first, then finding a way to showcase your work (such as your own website or exhibition as I mentioned above). If someone wants to hire you to complete a commission, make sure to get 1/2 down to cover your time and cost if things go bad. Working with clients can be really touchy, and it takes time to learn how to deal with them. It's a whole other skill on its own.
Hope this helps!
FWIW, I found this via a Google search.
"Pricing for body sheets (often called reference sheets or character sheets) for emerging illustrators varies based on detail, experience, and complexity, typically ranging from $50 to over $300 for a full character sheet. For illustrators with 0–3 years of experience, hourly rates usually fall between $25 and $50, which can be used to calculate a flat fee for a character sheet project.
General Pricing Structure for Emerging Illustrators (Estimated)
Simple/Flat Color Sheet: $50 – $100 (1 view, basic turnaround)
Standard Ref Sheet: $100 – $200 (Front/Back, simple shading)
Complex/Detailed Sheet: $200 – $300+ (Multiple views, close-ups, full shading)"
As for your other question, you might consider doing some creative illustrations on your own--maybe each exemplifying one of these listed items and some other things that might be relevant to what you want to do. From there you could see if a local comic book store, school or public library, or coffee shop might be interested in exhibiting them. Otherwise, you can try bidding jobs on Fiverr or other sites but it's very likely that potential clients would want published work samples and a track record.
I'd suggest assembling a portfolio first, then finding a way to showcase your work (such as your own website or exhibition as I mentioned above). If someone wants to hire you to complete a commission, make sure to get 1/2 down to cover your time and cost if things go bad. Working with clients can be really touchy, and it takes time to learn how to deal with them. It's a whole other skill on its own.
Hope this helps!