tips for starting commissions ( as someone who started when they were 12 )

tips for starting commissions ( as someone who started when they were 12 ) first and foremost, at 12 I was absolutely NOT ready to start commissions if you lack understanding of basic art fundamentals and that fact SHOWS in your art, (like it did for me at 12) chances are, you wont get clients this isnt to say that you cant do what you want, but speaking from experience, it was extremely discouraging when nobody was buying from me, and its because i shouldnt have started that young and at that level of experience. now we can get into the actual tips when deciding how to price your art, take into consideration how much time each piece takes you, and how much people at around the same skill level as you are pricing their own art (also, dont start off pricing really high, as demand gets higher, raise your prices.) do NOT undersell yourself. also take into consideration what you can and cant do. if you cant do detailed backgrounds, list that somewhere, among other things you cant or wont do. for things that will take more time or effort, charge more. this can include but is not limited to extra people and detailed accessories or armour secondly, NEVER and i mean NEVER take payment at the END of a commission when everything is said and done. by doing this, you are putting yourself at very high risk of being scammed. always ask for payment up front or at most after the sketch. third, i always send pictures of the progress rather than sending the finished piece all at once. this allows the client to point out any mistakes or things that need to be changed early on, to avoid more work for the artist if the art is already finished. i dont see this said often in videos about commissions, but always give your client routine updates. let them know if something comes up that will delay the process, rather than only messaging to show the commission. which brings me into my next tip, when telling your client an estimated time for how long it will take, give yourself more time than you think you may need. for an example; if you think you'd need 2 days to finish the commission, give yourself anywhere from 4 days to a week. thats all for now! if i missed anything ask me in the comments