Like above, there's so so so so so much more to this than can be explained in one post. But I'll toss in a few small things. My background is mainly conventions of various kinds (comic, furry, anime) with a 10+ years of experience in freelance illustration, with college education on top of that. (Just so you know where I'm coming from!)
Type of work: Primarily cartoony/anime, Adult comics, then furry, then finally conceptual design for mascots (Conventions mascots)
What sells: Generic things for the entire spectrum, from DND characters to wolves and foxes in furry. But what sells the most is my adult work which I've had published on some paysites. (Club Stripes, Hardblush and Slipshine)
Price ranges: Single character commissions range from $75 up into the hundreds depending on detail and complexity. I am not a background specialist so I do not focus on them. Adult commissions are double that, comic pages range in $200 a page (full color, 100 for non).
Sites to use/advertise on: Deviantart, Furaffinity, Tumblr, Twitter, and Personal Website ( I stress making your own site first and foremost)
Need to know info: Email and website info is all I give people beyond my internet name. My real name is irrelevant to most.
What to watch out for: People who ask me to do art for free without a budget or offer to pay. The whole "It'll get you exposure!" excuse is a redflag of all redflags. I also turn down commissions for overly complex designs as I've gotten picky over time.
How people view artists: Many don't seem to appreciate them or understand that their talent has a true demand, and so they don't feel it has a value. Some do appreciate them, but those customers are rare. So keep them! Some people act as if art isn't a "real job" on top of that, so you have to be positive and confident or those types will bring you down.
Any additional comments: There is no magical key to finding what sells. My advice is to find something YOU like, make it your own, sell it and you will gain the fanbase you want. Drawing what you enjoy sure beats making art for everyone else's interests, and can drain you really fast. I learned this the hard way, and now I draw what I enjoy and people follow me for that - not for some niche I'm trying to fill. I created my own niche.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2012-06-11 09:04 pm (UTC)Type of work: Primarily cartoony/anime, Adult comics, then furry, then finally conceptual design for mascots (Conventions mascots)
What sells: Generic things for the entire spectrum, from DND characters to wolves and foxes in furry. But what sells the most is my adult work which I've had published on some paysites. (Club Stripes, Hardblush and Slipshine)
Price ranges: Single character commissions range from $75 up into the hundreds depending on detail and complexity. I am not a background specialist so I do not focus on them. Adult commissions are double that, comic pages range in $200 a page (full color, 100 for non).
Sites to use/advertise on: Deviantart, Furaffinity, Tumblr, Twitter, and Personal Website ( I stress making your own site first and foremost)
Need to know info: Email and website info is all I give people beyond my internet name. My real name is irrelevant to most.
What to watch out for: People who ask me to do art for free without a budget or offer to pay. The whole "It'll get you exposure!" excuse is a redflag of all redflags. I also turn down commissions for overly complex designs as I've gotten picky over time.
How people view artists: Many don't seem to appreciate them or understand that their talent has a true demand, and so they don't feel it has a value. Some do appreciate them, but those customers are rare. So keep them! Some people act as if art isn't a "real job" on top of that, so you have to be positive and confident or those types will bring you down.
Any additional comments: There is no magical key to finding what sells. My advice is to find something YOU like, make it your own, sell it and you will gain the fanbase you want. Drawing what you enjoy sure beats making art for everyone else's interests, and can drain you really fast. I learned this the hard way, and now I draw what I enjoy and people follow me for that - not for some niche I'm trying to fill. I created my own niche.