This is a rant post about art prices.
Sorry if this offends you in any way.
I've been drawing ever since I was a little kid. When I first started making money from my art was when I was 15. And I remember exactly how it all went. The client asked for prices, so I replied with them. (Which btw, they where LOW as hell. Probably like 2-3 dollars for a fullbody.)
And the reply from that client, up to this day, I still remember it.
"Why is your art so pricey? Can you draw this --- for 1 usd?"
This is my art back then...
I was calm. Cause I didn't know what my art was worth, so I took it.
My mind was happy those days, I was able to buy my own Movie ticket for myself! And little by little, I made progress.
And I kept selling my art for little. Until someone, a cool dude offered me like 5 usd for a fullbody.
Oh yeah.
I raised my prices to 5usd each fullbody.
My point is...
Up to this day, people ask me for my prices, I say "40usd the fullbody"
Here's a sample of a fullbody drawing that I do now
And people STILL try to haggle my prices for as low as 10usd.
What the hell is wrong with you?
If I am selling my art for 40usd a pop and you cannot buy it, then simply don't. Do not haggle prices with an artist, you know why? Cause that makes them INSECURE.
Why insecure?
Artists right now, living in the current modern world, are STARVING. Perhaps you haven't noticed, or perhaps you're not that interested... but, let me tell you that i've seen, heard and witnessed so many artists failing, and giving up in their careers, just because they cannot make a dime out of their art.
Haggling prices with them, just makes them feel that their art is not worth the amount asked, and what do they do? They prefer quitting, and going after a job that leaves them LESS than what they could earn.
I am tired of being an Starving artist. I am tired of being pushed out of monetary gain because of jealousy of people. (True story, I was pushed out of Facebook due to a jealous super artist that flagged me and threw me away.) I am so so tired of people telling me my art is not even worth 10usd. I try to do my best! I am a cheerful person that even though I have tons of problems above me, I TRY to be civilized and cool.
But reality is, that as an artist, I need money.
I don't even have a damn tablet to work on anymore. Im currently working mouse 100%.
I am sorry if this offends you. I am sorry to be an artist that is screaming for people to respect them.
But if someone doesn't say what they feel, they might as well, just leave and work on an office with dreams fading away.
tl;dr : I will not quit my life as an artist. I just want people to understand that we sometimes make a living out of our art, and that by haggling, you're not helping us. You're destroying our security about our own art.
Thankyou.