I used to do headshots for $50 when I started out a couple years ago, now they're $300 and full illustrations are $1000-$2000 AT LEAST, multiplied by a healthy amount for deadline rush and commercial license. Raise your prices and... don't listen to people who don't value you... https://twitter.com/Kaneblob/status/1277290900901605377

Art is a luxury, not everyone's is supposed to be able to afford you so set prices to get paid properly for your skill and time!

If it helps anyone: I have my prices public on my portfolio and most of my freelance work comes to me through email, although I think they find me from all over (twit, insta, artstation, pixiv). I've never really advertised my commissions that much, just posted artwork.

ALSO, draw/post the kind of work you want to be commissioned for. People come for me for my style, not for me to be their art slave. I take payment in full beforehand (with optional half payment) unless there's a contract. Charge extra for major edits (and minor if you want to)!

Shoutout to my friends for helping me with and raising my confidence for pricing over the years I still ask around before giving rates sometimes, especially if I know someone who does similar work. (My public rates are only estimates for personal comms.)

Building up social media is a good way to supplement commission demand and has definitely been part of my job for the past few years. Improving my art skill and making my work appealing enough to sell/gain attention are active decisions. (which luckily I happen to enjoy doing)

I add that in because sometimes people like to argue that they can't charge higher bc they have less following. Just not sure if it occurred to them that I worked on growing my following for the purpose of increasing demand.

When I first took commissions, I was 15 charging like 150 points ($1.50) on deviantart for pixel art. And 3 years ago, when I was 18 I was still doing full-body (albeit being experimental style comms) artwork for like $20 each. My highest amount of followers was on DA, like ~6k.

SO IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS- I had like 3 part times throughout high school. I only quit them once commissions started making more than min wage. But even then, I valued improving over everything else and didn't overload myself with art-work. all about that long term gain guys

There's so much to say about this lol.. do note that I'm an art nerd who's primary goal is to get super good at art so everything else comes behind that and my priorities reflect this. Although running the business side comes a close second.

If your goal is just money, working on your marketing/business skills can make you a lot of $$$ with less technical skill needed. You don't HAVE to draw basically everyday like I choose to, focusing on improving just happened to better my income and art desires at the same time.