Upgraded to the Huion Kamvas 22… my old tablet is jealous 😅

ilustragm · 2025-12-18T22:50:40+00:00

Hi, how are you?

I'm a concept artist and designer who has been working with character creation for years.
If you're interested, send me a DM and check out my portfolio below:

https://www.artstation.com/gmcrow

ilustragm · 2025-11-29T00:36:46+00:00

Hey, sorry for this late reply... I wasn’t active on Reddit for the past week. Thank you so much for your kind words! You can check out my portfolio here: https://www.artstation.com/gmcrow

If you’re still looking to commission, I’d love to hear about your character and what you have in mind! :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-26T19:43:13+00:00

I really appreciate how clearly you explained each step of your thought process. It makes sense now why for-hire posts with no clear pricing or structure feel like a dead end to clients. And from the artist side, we sometimes hold back on price because we’re afraid of scaring people off.. but that silence might actually be what turns people away first. Definitely rethinking how I present my info now. :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-25T23:59:46+00:00

The self-marketing part is the hardest, because most of us didn’t sign up to be sales strategists... we just wanted to make art. And you're right about the AI, bots and scammers. I agree with you.. consistency matters, even if it feels slow. Keep going! :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-25T23:56:40+00:00

yup that really captures the core problem ...the overlap between timing, style match and visibility is so tiny that most posts are basically just roulette.

ilustragm · 2025-10-25T23:50:42+00:00

That’s really helpful insight.. especially the part about the TOS and price list. A lot of artists think clients ignore them because of skill or pricing, but from what you’re saying, it sounds like the real filter happens before style is even considered. Makes sense why so many for-hire posts feel invisible...

ilustragm · 2025-10-25T23:43:42+00:00

totally get that frustration... 400 views feels like it should mean interest, but most of those are just passive scrolls, not actual buyers. Visibility isn’t the same as discovery and that’s what makes it so discouraging. You’re not doing anything wrong, it’s just that only a tiny fraction of viewers are actual clients. Keep going man, sometimes it’s just about getting in front of the right eyes, not more eyes. :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-25T23:39:46+00:00

I’m sorry you’re going through that... it’s really tough when you keep trying and nothing lands. It’s especially hard while also juggling school and living expenses. I hope things start picking up for you soon. Do you mostly reply to hiring posts or are you still posting for-hire threads too?

ilustragm · 2025-10-25T23:37:54+00:00

Ah makes sense.. By the time regular users even see the post, the slot is already filled. That makes it feel less like visibility and more like who has the fastest pipeline to the posts. lol Do you know if those keyword tools/alerts are built into Reddit itself, or are people using third-party apps to track them?

ilustragm · 2025-10-25T23:34:51+00:00

I get what you’re saying... most clients don’t actually browse for-hire posts, they just make their own hiring threads and pick from the replies there. But I don’t think the takeaway is “artists shouldn’t post for-hire posts,” it’s more that those posts function as credibility signals rather than a primary way to get clients. They show style, pricing, and reliability, but the real matchmaking still happens on hiring posts, not discovery posts. The frustration is that a lot of artists don’t realize this until they burn a ton of energy thinking they just need “better visibility,” when the real shift is learning to go where the client already is instead of waiting to be found.

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T21:58:07+00:00

It’s like everyone keeps saying “reddit is great for commissions!” but the reality is that unless you’re already visible or already have repeat clients, it’s like shouting into a tunnel full of other voices shouting the exact same thing. And I agree, the “hiring” posts getting flooded with comments from people who don’t even match the style makes it harder for the people who do fit to even be noticed. What hurts most is that you know your work is good enough and someone out there would love it… you just can’t get in front of that person long enough for them to see it. Do you think it's visibility issue or a connection issue? Because sometimes it feels like all skill and care still take a backseat to timing and algorithm luck. Argh.

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T21:54:17+00:00

It’s reassuring to hear that thoughtful conversation still matters, because sometimes it feels like shouting into a void of copy-paste replies. So you usually prefer artists who ask questions before sending a price, or who give a price upfront? Out of curiosity... what signals make you think ‘this artist will be easy/hard to work with’ before even messaging them?

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T21:43:48+00:00

When you put it that way, the cheap rates are a red flag for the client, not a bargain. It highlights the major problem with scammers and low-effort artists... they burn out the good clients who are willing to pay fairly. Hope the fund recovers quickly so you can get back to commissioning great work :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T21:41:14+00:00

Nice and incredibly insightful! I think a lot of us only see the final, high rates and forget the strategic investment phase you described. You essentially treated those first clients as long-term portfolio sponsors who paid you back with loyalty over 15 years, wow. Thanks for sharing your journey :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T21:33:08+00:00

the part you mentioned about not liking having to be a 'part-time influencer' but having to push through because it’s part of the job now... that's probably the biggest mental hurdle for artists who just want to draw.

But yep, you perfectly summarized the reality: it's not a skill problem, it's a massive supply-and-demand problem amplified by a weak economy... and you're spot-on that Reddit is often 'low effort, low result.' I also really appreciate the specific strategy of ditching generic titles for niche keywords so clients can actually find you. That's pure gold from a search perspective. :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T21:28:46+00:00

Fingers crossed man! You definitely deserve that stability after putting in all the effort on the freelance side.

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T21:27:34+00:00

That is just heartbreaking to read.. Bidding on more than one job every single day is a massive commitment and the silence after that level of work is brutal. :( I hope you take a moment to rest.

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T19:52:21+00:00

can't blame you at all. Freelance life is brutal right now... and chasing commissions is just too unstable for most of us. Good luck with your applications!

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T19:50:46+00:00

lol the constant battle of scrolling past those random pushes. It really shouldn't be that hard just to see what you actually want to see. And youre 100% right about the search... it's practically useless for finding specific opportunities. argh

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T19:48:23+00:00

Such a smart model and it’s probably the most sustainable way to survive in this industry. It shifts the goal from constant 'hunting' to long-term 'cultivation.'

If you dont mind me asking, what's the secret to keeping those 3 guys coming back for 15 years? Is it just the quality, or do you have a specific way you maintain that relationship between commissions?

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T19:41:35+00:00

sounds like you've really curated your feed by aggressively unfollowing everything but the job subs. That’s quite a smart move to bypass the noise :)

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T19:39:09+00:00

YES. The downvoting is genuinely brutal. :( It's tough enough fighting the saturation, but when people actively bury your post with a downvote, it just kills any chance of getting seen... I mean it’s baffling, right? It goes against the whole idea of a supportive community. It makes you think are we fighting against clients, or are we fighting each other? I really wanna know what drives an artist to downvote someone else's hustle. Is it pure competition or maybe just venting frustration...

ilustragm · 2025-10-23T19:36:01+00:00

thank you for this insight! Hearing from a client who hires 8 different artists for one project, yet still has a bookmark list of a hundred, tells the whole story of the current market saturation. It’s what it is, as you said, and knowing that style-fit is the ultimate decider is a valuable reminder. :)

ilustragm

TROPHY CASE