• 
  This isn't meant to insult anyone or anything, by the way...Sorry if I come off as a jerk. o_o;
  
  In a guild on Gaia, a member posted a recent artwork he purchased from a pretty well known artist there. The thing is...for a CG headshot, I didn't even think it was worth the high price and the long waiting. The chibi wasn't drawn all that well and the coloring was just cel shading and shiny. Nothing really spectacular. Just your average anime artwork.
  
  On Menewsha, I see hoardes of really, really talented people here. After looking at their galleries, I totally understand why people would claw to the front of a waiting list just to get art from them. They're beautiful, they're detailed, they're original, AKA, they're quality works that are worth their value and wait.
  
  But now how do mediocre artists get their name out there?
  How do they get away with charging ridiculous prices that don't really reflect the quality of the work?
  Are you lured into buying from them so you can gloat you own art from them?
  Just how much does their fame mean to you as a buyer?
  
  I'm a mediocre artist who draws for cheap. XD On Gaia, for example, I stick with how much I made in my very first and only individual art auction back in 2004. So it surprises me to see that someone can get the same amount for a headshot when...sorry to say...they're not that great. They're just....famous.
  
  As an art buyer, I'm more interested in the quality of art. If a mediocre artist is famous and charges a lot...I move on. If I can draw it myself, I will. I'd rather spend on people who have skills beyond my own. XD

What can I say... shinies are blinding? 8D...

... ok what I'd LIKE to say is that there's good reason for people to be 'famous' and it's usually reflected in their work. However sometimes a really strange mix of things will make an artist popular o_o;;

Like... drawing popular subjects.. or shinies... or making things omfgawd cute... or just plain dumb luck.

I've noticed that sometimes the name sells more than the art which is kinda sad :roll: but hey it happens?

*grin* ah, well i have to admit, sometimes its true, the name is the reason its selling for big bucks, but at the same time (coming from the art whore guild on gaia) you see some really freaking amazing stuff people have gotten from these so called "famous artists". i mean hell who wouldnt want a fully shaded detail piece like you see fongmingyun do, or one of those amazing pieces Alexi has from ProdigyBombay, to name a few. and in all honesty yes i cant afford it on gaia, but if i can get a little piece of their art for my own here, then sure i'll dish out all i have to get that little gem.

true there are alot of people that can get away with charging an insane amount ad are really not that talented, but at the same time there are tons of up and coming that are amazing that charge really cheap for what they do.. i mean hell look at King ion one, Navidian, Haliya, and GargoyleGoddess21, all of them charge severly under what they can ask for ^^

and yes i'll admit, saying i have a little piece for luciole and from woe makes me all kinds of happy since there is not a chance in hell i could afford it on gaia.

But a lot of people CAN draw but can't compare to others who are better, but who is to say what they can & cannot charge?


At the end of the day, it's not real money, & it's just a forum on the internet called "Gaia".



When you consider real life $ commissions, now THAT'S something else entirely.

I suppose an artist name sell for it self. Most artist on community website like this are under payed and when som get a little bit of pularity, they try to make it back to a normal price, which could pass like high on Gaia but cheap in real life.
But I suppose there is artist who pump them self up for no good reason and use there popularity to raise there price like made.
The other reason would be that they sell thing IRL and put big price on gaia as it's only pixel money afterall.
I don't consider the Chibi art I'm selling like high quality but I would like the sell them to 10 $ in real life... which isn't my price on gaia, more like 6$.

This is how it works in real life too in a way, which is one thing I enjoy about pixels... I think there are probably three factors involved:

What you sell - of course the quality if your art is somewhat important.

Who you sell to - selling to popular people gives you more exposure, especially if they put it in their sig or use it as a reference. People go woah.. I want art from that person!

Who you associate with - I think a lot of people can get by without this one, but having important friends is definately a big factor for mediocre artists getting big bucks. they get hyped up.. people get excited.. and empty their wallets. But who's to say it's not worth it, if a person is pleased with their art that's all that matters.

speed is probably also a factor (one that doesn't work in my favor) The more you can produce the quicker your name will spread.

Hum... yeah speed is a great factor I think too.

I hear ya, Torikat. But names don't impress me. I like an artist for the work he or she produces, not for what his or her name is. And truthfully, there are many of the "big names" that really don't interest me in the least. (Not anyone here, though! ^_^) They do good work and can draw circles around me, but I see other artists I'd much rather commission instead - artists who may not have the popularity, but are certainly fresh and good. So fame means absolutely nothing to me. In fact, my favorite auctions to bid on have been joint auctions full of people who haven't made a name for themselves yet. Generally, these people end up putting so much into the work they do - they want the final product to be worth the money spent.

I think the most important thing is just to really put a lot into the works that you are commissioned for, whether they be full blown CGs or watercolors or insanely detailed graphite pieces or even simple little sketches. Your audience may start out small, but after a while, slowly people will begin to take notice that you're an artist who doesn't crap out on the work you do. Keep striving for improvement, keep stretching yourself, enter contests here and there, post something pretty in your sig...people will notice! Not everyone hangs on to a popular name. Unfortunately, you may not ever get the money or recognition the big names get, but that's not always what counts in the end.

I know a few artists on Gaia who charge a great deal more than they probably would normally get because they don't have much time to do art. They only take a couple commissions every week/months and people keep upping the price to get these people's art.

And that is how you get to uber high prices--when there are people who have x ammount of gold to just throw about, they will to get what they want, even if it's not entirely worth it. Since the artist got the price one time, they'll get it again. The price will get driven up again and again.

Personally, I would rather get quality art. Which is why I'm so excited there are so many amazing artists here offering commission work (Even if they're just headshots or doodles), people whom I actually admire for the quality the produce.

And I get to rub up against them and suck out their brains. xD

XD! I was going to point out what bluessence already said. It's not just on gaia or mene or DA.... RL works this way too. You may not like the popularity race but getting your name out there is half the battle.

Honestly if an artist can charge a certain amount and get away with it, most of the time they will. Though I have some personal pet peeves for a few which I feel are not worth what they're hyped up to be, most of the time though the fame is well deserved.

Going to say it straight off the bat - a lot of fame is hard-earned. It's not like you stumble across someone good, and that instantly means they'll soon become famous - popularity doesn't drop out of the sky (lord knows I wish it did, lol). Art skill has maybe, a 75% correlation with popularity. People purchased based on what they see as value.

Marketing isn't just about prices. There are reasons why people are willing to pay so much for XXX name. We went over branding - it's all perception, a promise you make to your customer. You make sure people know who you are - you do link exchanges, collaborations, set up on every art gallery you can. It's hard, and it's taken me what - four years to get this far. Certain artists have a lucky break - they win a contest, they hit the front page. But for a lot of us, it's hard work. You know why a lot of people ahve heard of Tittri/Anarahk? She has a very distinctive style, and her work can be seen near everywhere. You see it, you want it, but you can't get it from anyone oehter than her (luff yew, Ana). So, if you want to get your name out there, buddy up and just plain out advertise. But what you advertise, you trun into a promise you have to keep.

In short, I got to whatever level of fame I'm at by the help of my friends (thank you all. :heart:) and delivering the kind of quality people sign up to get. Even if every DTFing artist plugs your commissions in thier journal, you're not going to get any customers if you don't deliver they quality they expect. (Lifetime value > trial value, for you marketing folks). That is how true fame is earned, and more importantly - kept.

When it comes to 'name' - it's like owning a Porsche vs. owning a Hyundai. People make inferences. if you had the money to get art from XXX, it adds some status to you. Which may be why some people purchase. Evereyone has thier different reasons for buying.

I consider myself pretty well-known. Not popular to say the least, but respected. But I consistently get more popular artists telling me I should do such-and-such to get more famous. That I should CG more. That I should play more to the public's interests (eg - shinies). I take it into consideration, but you know - selling your art is as much marketing as it is drawing. When people hear "MingYun Fong" I want them to think of average-class (and mildy attractive, haha) young men who carry themselves regally - done in obsessive-compulsive quality with traditional media. Totally a niche market, lol, but it expresses my personal feelings.

I can try to explain everyones' "ridiculous prices", but I suppose the only ones I can explain are mine.

For me, charging high prices is a time issue. At my current commission rates, which I've lowered because nobody buys any *sigh* - . People like ProdigyBombay, Ramy, Celesse, Kuroitora, etc. We usually have other things we're doing on top of free art (eg - school work, exams, family issues, minimum-wage jobs, art-for-pay). So we have to maximize our earnings on one Mene piece. This is the reason I am not lowering my shop rates on Mene - and I don't think I would even if I didn't do such good work. In short, when it comes to fake moeny, you're paying more for my time than for my skill.

Nevertheless, supply and demand - if more people want it, you can either make more, or chrage more for it. And well, a lot of us would rather not work more for more pixel items than work less for more pixel items.

To be honest, I get pissed that a lot of artists charge $30 for a fullbody pic. The time they spend on that is the time it takes me to do something half that size. I average in around 10-20 hours per fullbody, and by the time I'm left with that - that's $3/hr. Half of what I could make at Mickey D's. I do it because it's fun, and I can manage myself. So, you see, even if you're pouring way too much time in, delivering as much quality and service as your midterms will allow, people just complain.

Oh, and to those people who think they can offer gold for fullbody, full background shaded... lulz, forget it. You'd have to go on Gaia and give me DJs. Real money on the other hand... *sigh* Well, I have massive tuition bills.

If it means anything, Tori - I think you're not mediocre but really damn good. With a style like that, you certainly have the quality-backed reason to raise prices.

I really haven't seen any mediocre artist selling stuff for a high price. Ok, maybe a couple, i think that people just buy it for the name, for their signature on their art, which is kinda dumb, so i wouldn't do it. O_o''

You know, what a lot of people don't consider, waht a lot of people don't realize... is that, if you back up your prices with a good quality product, the higher your price, the more people will interpret your product as a luxury and want to buy it. I mean, the one thing Tiffany $ Cos (the jeweler) sells most of is keychains. $65 keychains. I mean, really - shouldn't that money be better spent elsewhere? No, buecase people are willing to pay for that little slice of luxury.

On the other hand, my keychain was from a free giveaway at my bank.

mmmm or those tiny little pendants you can buy at H. Stern

XDD;; lol it's the reason why people are willing to pay 5x as much for the same shirt only with a namebrand on it. Not that that's the way it should be...

It depends what people are after and what matters to them D:

D8 This world is so heavily based on popularity and the name. I mean clothes, jewelery, and cars were mentioned, but also schools too. A company would be 90-ifnot99-% more likely to chose a person who graduated from Harvard than someone who graduated from ...I dunno School of Visial Arts? D8 Thus all of our surrounding's based on the name and how much rep+fame it/he/she has. It's sickening, it's dumb, it's complete non-sense but that's just how life is. I hate it and suffer from it, but I'm happy because of all the customers that I ever had, I know 99% were happy with my commissions. That's why I don't like raising my prices, but have to due to inflation.

Originally Posted by Noa

D8 This world is so heavily based on popularity and the name. I mean clothes, jewelery, and cars were mentioned, but also schools too. A company would be 90-ifnot99-% more likely to chose a person who graduated from Harvard than someone who graduated from ...I dunno School of Visial Arts? D8 Thus all of our surrounding's based on the name and how much rep+fame it/he/she has. It's sickening, it's dumb, it's complete non-sense but that's just how life is. I hate it and suffer from it, but I'm happy because of all the customers that I ever had, I know 99% were happy with my commissions. That's why I don't like raising my prices, but have to due to inflation.

Lol. Poor Noa. Fame's all based in reason, though. It's just a matter of whether or not you can capitalize your own skill into fame.

I mean, the research that has been done at Harvard... certainly a reason to make it famous.

And way to name one of the most prestigious art schools in the United States to prove your point. XD

Methinks you're just panicking because of college apps. Don't fight the system, use it.

8'D Not all fame...but yeah...most for colleges at the least. Yet it still irks me off when it affects fields like art instead of law/science/engineering. I know there are MAJOR benefits in being educated even in the art field but D8 yeah...it just sucks how I have to try to balance school work with art while keep good grades/even keep up and improving my skills as an artist T__T. Been getting slapped in the face with bad marks in AP and IB lately that I'm starting to panick about how colleges will look at it ;__;.

for the SVA comment, XD it's true though...

Originally Posted by Noa

8'D Not all fame...but yeah...most for colleges at the least. Yet it still irks me off when it affects fields like art instead of law/science/engineering. I know there are MAJOR benefits in being educated even in the art field but D8 yeah...it just sucks how I have to try to balance school work with art while keep good grades/even keep up and improving my skills as an artist T__T. Been getting slapped in the face with bad marks in AP and IB lately that I'm starting to panick about how colleges will look at it ;__;.

for the SVA comment, XD it's true though...

*getting slapped in the face with bad marks in uni, lol*

Ah, I'm sure you'll get in somewhere good. I mean, your school's prestigious. Just make sure to apply to a whole host of places. Doing all-the-ivies-plus-Rutgers is not a good idea. Cuz chances are, you'll end up at Rutgers. I suggest ot you Virgina Commonwealth University and Carnegie Mellon and UCLA as more second-tier choices? They all have good art programs.

*nodnod* I want to have more...mid-ranged schools too just to be safe...but my mom thinks it's just a waste of money cause she believes that I can at least get into NYU DD8......I think I'll apply myself and pay for it myself if I were to apply to carnegie and virginia.

Originally Posted by Noa

*nodnod* I want to have more...mid-ranged schools too just to be safe...but my mom thinks it's just a waste of money cause she believes that I can at least get into NYU DD8......I think I'll apply myself and pay for it myself if I were to apply to carnegie and virginia.

NYU offered Ramy $100,000 for four years to go there, and you might be smarter than him. I bet you can get in, especially if your sister is there.

Carnegie offers merit scholarships, which is a plus, and I think you'd be able to get one, especially if I did. ($13k, a year if you were wondering)

look up SkyDestinies. She goes there if I hadn't told you before.

I'm a big fan of CMu .It was my second choice. XD

I agree with fongmingyun's statement:

Originally Posted by fongmingyun

Going to say it straight off the bat - a lot of fame is hard-earned.

They work hard for what they do-- after all, you don't usually become famous without the ritual shedding of blood, sweat, and tears as you claw up that mountain. There's a lot of practice and studying and experimenting, which the artist has invested lots of time, to become as popular as they are now. I think the fame to their name is well-earned, definately; and that they should raise their prices in accordance to the time spent of the project, the quality of the project, their popularity, and also with the desired frequency of commissions to take.

I suppose people raise their prices to absurd proportions that it might seem unfair or not worth it, but the thing is there are people that actually buy them. :\ Someone feels that it's worth the amount of gold/$ they've spent, and as long as people keep buying it, chances are the prices aren't going to drive down and might go up instead, depending on the amount of interested customers. If people don't buy, the artist would probably lower the prices, and sooner or later they'll hit the level with which people will start purchasing them.

I think it's all in accordance to your taste in art, and other people's tastes. One person might not like your style, but another might love it enough to pay top dollar for it. :\ Supply-and-demand, y'know?

Hmm... Back to the fame thing...

Mediocre artists could probably get their name out there through their customers, or by advertising! There are many, many ways of advertising, but I think the fame gained boils down to the quality of the work and prices.

... So, if they're mediocre artists, they'll get mediocre fame. If they're super great artists, they'll get super great fame! That's what I think. I mean, that makes sense, right? It's most logical right?

I think there's a lot of temptation in recieving art from 'name-brand' artists. First of all, you'd be owning something that they took time to do. Second and probably the most important of all, you'll be able to have a relationship with the artist-- a connection with them. I, myself, idolize great artists, and to just speak to them makes me happy and giddy and excited! To tell people, "Oh, s/he drew this just for me!" would be, like, totally awesome, because people will think, "Wow, she met with so-and-so and got this great art!" instead of, "Wow, that's a nice drawing." There's a sort of individualization and fame from just purchasing art from famous artists, methinks.

But, like, if the quality of the work isn't good... ... I wouldn't want to ask for my money back. I'm much too shy and intimidated with their prowess and status to even speak up against them. They did, after all, take the time to do it, being the busy people they are, and that's good enough. I'd just probably not buy from them anymore, though. XD

DDX! Are you serious?!? Oh man...>_>;; I don't know if I'm smarter...but it would be SO nice if I could get that offer.

*3* Ohhhh I see. I think I'll have to retake the SAT though cause the 650 is really pulling down my overall grade DD8. If I can bring it up at least another 50-100 points, I'll be a happy person and be convinced I have a chance at merit scholarships.

*__* Ohhh really? 8O Wow...you, pb, and skydestinies all going to such good schools...and I bet ana will get into an amazing one too X3X;.

XDD lmao, my friend was like "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO CMU ANYMORE!!" cause he said social life = 0 if a student goes. 8D I was just like "isn't going to this school preparing us to have no lives in college O.o?"

Originally Posted by Noa

DDX! Are you serious?!? Oh man...>_>;; I don't know if I'm smarter...but it would be SO nice if I could get that offer.

*3* Ohhhh I see. I think I'll have to retake the SAT though cause the 650 is really pulling down my overall grade DD8. If I can bring it up at least another 50-100 points, I'll be a happy person and be convinced I have a chance at merit scholarships.

*__* Ohhh really? 8O Wow...you, pb, and skydestinies all going to such good schools...and I bet ana will get into an amazing one too X3X;.

XDD lmao, my friend was like "I DON'T WANT TO GO TO CMU ANYMORE!!" cause he said social life = 0 if a student goes. 8D I was just like "isn't going to this school preparing us to have no lives in college O.o?"

Lol. Everyone in BFS is either in a good school or applying to them. I mean, the lowest ranking school out of all of us is PSU, and PSU is one of the best state unis out there. And it's hella cheaper than waht the rest o' us are paying.

CMU = 2nd ugliest campus in the US, lol.

That said, Yang is so pretty and makes me hate myself *sob*

I have no life in college,a nd you know where i go to schoo.l

LOL 8D;; I used to have a life in school. I don't anymore T___T;;; Well ok I have somewhat of a life, just not much DX.

baaahh NYU gave me a pretty good scholarship too D8> but it wasn't enough when you consider living expenses in NYC :'D... though I kinda regret it now.

Honestly I don't think it matters as much as you think in the end :F... I went to a really competitive highschool and I feel that my outlook on things is much more relaxed now.

Go where you think you'll be happy. It's not worth it if you end up somwhere where you're miserable, no matter the name of the school. I've also seen a lot of kids break down after a year or so from the pressure and other shit. I've had my own breakdown actually :F but I think I'm over it now.

I'm sure you'll do fine noa *3*