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Vixenkiba — [Tutorial] How to set up and handle commissions
Published: 2016-05-01 22:06:16 +0000 UTC; Views: 406860; Favourites: 2418; Downloads: 0
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Updated 11 November 2020

This is directed mostly towards digital/traditional artists, but also literature artists!

At some point in your artistic life, you might want to start earning a bit of extra money from the work that you love to do; yet I see that many people struggle with commissions, especially in the beginning. Thus I decided to write this little "How to" journal, where I share my own experience.


1. When do I start to do commissions?
Whenever you want to, and especially, whenever you feel comfortable doing so! Especially that last part is important. I remember lots of people asking me if I were doing commissions years ago, and I had to say "no" to all of them, simply because I didn't feel ready for it. I was also completely nervous when I started doing commissions for the first time; what if no one would respond? What if the commissions were way too difficult to handle? What if I got negative responses?

I started doing commissions when I felt right about my art; when I trusted myself in mastering human/animal anatomy good enough to give good results, when I trusted myself in being able to shade an artwork, and make simple backgrounds for it. And even then, it was pretty difficult to set up that first "Commission Information" journal!

And even then, if you're still not sure if you're ready to do commissions, a great indication that tells you if you're ready to get started is when people actually start asking you if you do commissions ;D It shows that people are interested in your art style, and willing to pay for what you do!



2. How do I start doing commissions?

2.1 - Payment - How to get paid?
First and foremost, you need to think about payment. How would you like to get paid? Currently, there are four popular ways of getting paid; with DeviantArt  points, Paypal, Stripe, or Ko-fi:

  • Points are DeviantArt's own currency. One point is worth 1 dollar cent, so 100 = $1, which is the conversion that is used if points are converted to real money using the commission widget, but we will get to that point later.
  • Paypal is basically an online payment system. You can link your debit- or creditcard to your Paypal account and use it either to make payments online, or to receive payment from other people.
  • Gaining popularity over Paypal, Stripe can be used to receive or send money and works in similar ways to Paypal. The difference is that it's currently supported in less countries than Paypal and is not able to convert as many currencies as Paypal. It is currently preferred over Paypal however. You can check here if your country is supported by Stripe: stripe.com/global
  • Some people use Ko-fi for small commissions (which is linked to their PayPal). Ko-fi is a "donation site" where people can commission you and/or give you one-time/monthly donations. Ko-fi has a built-in commission system, where people can buy a commission from you that you set at a specific price. Ko-fi can also be used to thank artists without any reward, or can be used as a tip-jar!

For people that do not have a bank account, for example young people, points are probably the way to go But since I have a bank account and want to use the money to help in paying my rent, I prefer Paypal/Stripe/Ko-fi myself ;D I've also seen lots of people who simply use both points and paypal/stripe/ko-fi!

For payment with points, there are several ways of obtaining the points:

  • Receiving the points as a "gift". On your profile page, people will click on the "give" button (the button that looks like a present) in the upper-right corner, select "give points", and pay you the amount of points needed for the commission. These points cannot be converted to real money! They will only be available to you as points.
  • Receiving the points through the "Commission Page". On your profile page, click on "Shop" and go to "Commissions". You can then create a commission. Points earned in this way will go into your "earnings" in two weeks, and then you will be able to either cash them out with a creditcard, or Paypal. To see your earnings, click on your icon in the top right and click Earnings.


    • For payment with Paypal, please keep the following points in mind:

  • Use a personal account if you do commissions as a hobby, use a business account if you do commissions as a part-time/full-time job! Please check the F.A.Q. at the bottom of this tutorial to read about the difference between these two.
  • Either ask your customers to pay you through "goods and services" if you have a personal account, or better send the customer an Invoice. Make sure to leave the tip-option open if you use an invoice!
  • Paypal takes a fee, depending on the price that is being paid. The Paypal fee can easily be calculated here: thefeecalculator.com/  Please note though, that it is illegal to ask customers to pay this fee, it is on your costs! If Paypal finds out that you included the fee into your commission price, they simply deactivate your account. I personally always pay artists the fee as well when I commission someone else, but when they pay you, you will just have to hope that they are so nice, since you cannot ask of them to pay it for you. 
  • For people with a personal account, ask your customers to NOT include an address if they pay by Goods&Services! If they put an address, this could result in problems for you! If the clients puts their address in the payment order, PayPal will think that physical goods have been ordered that need to be shipped , whilst art is (usually) digital and doesn't require shipment. In the past there have been many payment scams where clients put their address in the order, and then reclaimed their payment because their order was not "received" physically, while of course they received the art, for free... To prevent these kind of scams, you basically don't allow payments that include an address.

    • If more information on any of these methods is requested, just ask or check the comments on this journal! I have answered hundreds of these questions over the last years (no kidding) <3

    !!!
    There have been some controversies with Paypal in the last years though, cases where Paypal has withheld thousands and thousands of dollars from artists and locked their accounts (see for example here: twitter.com/liliuhms/status/13… ). Therefore, many people are currently moving to Stripe instead. The issue is that Stripe is not yet allowed in every country, so some people simply have to rely on Paypal. But in case you are able to use Stripe, it is often preferred. Don't forget that not only YOU would have to live in a country where Stripe is used, the customer also has to live in such a country!
    !!!

    Therefore, for payments with Stripe, please keep the following points in mind:

  • Make you you live in a country that supports Stripe. You can check here: stripe.com/global
  • When you get a commission, check if the customer has a Stripe account/is able to use Stripe. 
  • The rest works similar to Paypal; you link your bank/credit card to your Stripe account, and you can create invoices. This tutorial won't cover how to set up a Stripe account, as there's plenty of information to be found on that elsewhere.


    • For payments with Ko-fi, keep the following in mind:

  • The customer needs either Paypal or a Debit/Credit card to pay you on Ko-fi. 
  • In order to receive that money, you can link Paypal and/or Stripe to your Ko-fi account. 
  • On Ko-fi, you can allow for monthly payments, where a customer "subscribes" to you and automatically pays you money monthly. In order to do so however, you need to have a Paypal Business account. 


    • 2.2 Payment - When to get paid?

    It is also good to think about WHEN to receive payment for a commission. This is perhaps also a matter of trust between the artist and the customer;

    • I for example like to receive payment in advance of the commission. In this case, the customer has to trust me that I will finish the commission and won't run off with their money.
    • Some other people like to be payed after the commission is completed. I myself don't like this type of payment, because it means I have to trust the customer. I could finish the commission for them, and they could just vanish from the internet, not paying me. All the work for nothing...
    • Of course, something in between is also possible. You could, for example, sketch out the commission for someone, and if the customer likes it you could ask for money right then. Of course, you won't continue the commission until you've actually received the money, to prevent scams ;D

    It is handy to put this kind of information in your "commission information" (see 2.3).


    2.3 - Commission InformationWhat needs to be done second is putting down your commission information. People need to know what they can commission you and for what price, after all! There are many ways of presenting your commission information; for example on your profile page, in the commission widget itself, but I mostly like to keep this kind of information neat and tidy! Therefore I use a Journal to present my commission information.

    Here's some examples of my old commission journals and my new one, for traditional/digital artwork:
    Commissions - CLOSEDCommission information Check below in this journal for the "How to commission me?" part. Cheap Options! $10 SIMPLE DIGITAL ANIMAL - CLOSED Example: Pokémon styled animals, your OCs of closed species, really anything!   Up to 5 characters per commission!  Only for $10! You get two characters for the discount price of $15! Three characters for $20, four characters for $25, and 5 characters for $30! No background, no shading/very simply shading. $12 CHIBI - CLOSED Chibi-style drawing of your OC!   $12 for one character, $20 for a couple. No background. Other types of commissions $20 HEADSHOTS/BUSTS - CLOSED        Headshot/bust s...  Experimental Commissions - Hatch the Eggs!Vixen's Experiments - hatch the eggs! Always brewing and working with science, Vixen's experimentals are about to be opened... literally! New eggs have been found in the world of TerrApocalypse and are waiting to be hatched, each of them an  ART surprise for you!Depending on the egg you choose to hatch, you get an experimental artwork that does not exist in my gallery yet. Depending on the price the egg might contain cute chibis, dynamic full scenery artwork, animations, and so on. If you like the idea of receiving something experimental, and you wish to grab an egg (slot), then check below what you have to do: The Options: SLOTS: 1.  ...  [Closed CM] SALE $5 Semi-Chibi Busts or 5 for $20!I'm opening unlimited slots of semi-chibi busts of your Gemsonas, Bagbeans, Humanoid/Creature OCs, Closed/Open species , etc! I'll do these busts in between my other art, since they're really nice stress-relievers for me! Plus, I just love this new little style <3They will be drawn in the style of this one:max ~ 500x500 pixels, .png, no background (transparent) Sale Price: $5 or 550 points! And there is a special deal  as well!   5 busts for $20 or 2200 points! Get one free! What I will draw: Your humanoid or animal/creature OCs (anthro/kemonomimi included) Young people, old people, I don't mind! Gemsonas Bagbeans Pokémon / Digim...
    You can use it as an example if you like! See how in my newest commission journals I refer to my Terms Of Service? A T.O.S. is a journal that basically contains your rules.

    Here's my T.O.S.:
    Terms of Service Last updated November 2021 General Information I do not work with written contracts, since so many DeviantArt members are still too young for that. However, I do hope that when you commission me you will read my terms of service, and will try to keep 'to the rules' to avoid uncomfortable situations or misunderstandings either from me or you! <3When you have questions, feel free to send me a note. Payment I will only start a commission after payment has been received. Various commission types might have various payment options. Normally I accept both Points and Paypal (USD), sometimes however only Paypal.  When the payment is with points, ...

    I also have an example commission journal for literature works:
    Literature CommissionsLiterature Commissions (You can write some personal message here, like "Hey" and "welcome" and stuff, maybe stating why you want to do literature commissions, and what made you start doing them, etc) Types of Commissions Short Story(1-2k words) - $xx / xx :points:  (You can have a standard price for this, it would be great to make this a cheap commission) (Provide some examples here by posting the thumbnails to stories you already made) Story Chapters (~2k words per chapter, max 3 chapters) - $xx / xx :points: (For people that want a chaptered story, but don't want to pay too much. You could give this a standard price as well) (Provide so...
    Again, just an example! You can use it if you like <3

    Basically, the commission information needs to contain at least this:
    • Types of commissions; what types of artwork/literature can you offer?
    • Commission price; what price does your commission have? Do you have a standard price, or does the price go up when the commission (OC or story) is more detailed?
    • Optional: Do's and Don'ts; What do you like to draw/write, and what will you not accept?
    • Optional: Extra information; Basically, your commission 'rules'. See the two examples above for ideas!
    • Optional: Commission Form; a Form that people can fill in and note you with, so that all the commission information gets neatly in a row.
    • Optional: Commission slots; So that people can check how far you've progressed with a commission!
    • Optional: Preferred way of communication; Would you like to communicate about the commission in the way of notes, or rather email?

    For those that prefer email over notes, and in order to also let non-DA people commission you, it's great to also mention your email address in your commission information!


    2.4 - Pricing your commissions
    This is probably one of the hardest things for many people! Let me just say it loud and clear; don't undersell yourself! I cannot stress this enough. If you're unsure about how to price your commissions, look at the minimum wage, and check how long you spend on a commission type. Is the minimum wage for your age $5 per hour, and do you spend 2 hours on a specific commission type? Then charge $10 for such a commission! Is the minimum wage for your age $10 and do you spend 3,5 hours on a specific commission type? Then charge $35 for such a commission! And so on.

    After all, people don't buy the end product only, but also your TIME!

    Asking the minimum wage for a commission is of course the lowest minimum you could ask for. If you really want to take your prices professional, you could also choose to take the art supplies into account. Not only traditional art uses art supplies! Digital art has them as well, and even literature, in the form of Software and a drawing tablet.

    And don't forget to increase your prices as you get more experience with art, too! Because after all, you put a lot of time and effort getting to the point where you are. All that time studying is WORTH adding to your prices! This is also why many professional artists, who studied and worked long and hard to get to their level of experience, generally ask for much more money for commissions than people who are just starting out.

    How do you know when to increase your prices? When you open commission slots, and they're gone in hours, INCREASE YOUR PRICES! 

    Still not sure how to price your art? It's okay to take inspiration from others. Find multiple artists that draw in a similar style as yours with a similar quality as yours, similar amount of experience, ánd check if they're from a similar country (since different countries have different wages per hour), and use their prices as an example. You might find a lot of artists that undersell themselves, simply because the competition on DeviantArt is high. This is exactly why I always have different types of commissions customers can choose from; also some "cheap" options, such as a more sketchy style or chibi-artworks that take me less time, so that people can also get a piece of art that doesn't directly cost $50+.

    Oh and last but not least, INCREASE YOUR PRICES!



    3. Taking your first commissions - ADVERTISING
    So now that all your commission information is set up, it is time to throw that journal in the World Wide Web, and try to get commissions. Don't be discouraged if you don't receive commission notes right away! I also had to wait some time before I got my first commission, and really wasn't that popular here on DA at all.

    Sure it helps to already have a large group of watchers supporting what you do, but a lot of new and relatively unpopular people (like I was as well) will have a bit of a harder time. But do not fret, there are ways of getting your commission information out there!

    3.1 - Groups
    In the past years, ever since the introduction of Groups, I've found that most of the commission advertisement can best be done through groups. There is a huge amount of groups on DeviantArt that focuses especially on commissions, so you might just get a chance there!  The groups can also be used to find "looking for someone to draw for me" type of journals!

    If people need help on how to join groups, which groups are good for starters, and how to add journals to a group, please ask me! I will make a more detailed tutorial about it then <3


    3.2 - Raffles
    That's right, in order to start your commissions, you can hold a raffle! Not only will more people start to notice you through the raffle, but the prize that people receive through the raffle is a great example for your commissions, and will link even more people towards your commission journal!

    Here, have one of my example raffles!
    Summer Art Raffle! CLOSED!WINNERS The winners of this raffle are @lonesomepine, @DanaDani, @rumianyan! Congrats :D RULES  You only have to leave a comment on this journal for your first ticket, but you can earn more tickets in the following ways: By entering, you get your first ticket! More tickets can be received by  +watching, +faving this journal, and making a journal or poll linking to this raffle!  That's 3 more tickets! Two more tickets can be received by  faving the following journals:  Pay what you want Charity Commissions OPEN   and Contest: Create a Mount! $45 in prizes  By doing everything, you get  another ticket , getting  7 tickets in ...
    See how people can receive optional extra tickets by +faving my commission journals? It's a great way to spread your information
    Make sure to submit your raffle journal to 100+ groups, so that many people will notice you.


    3.3 - Forums
    The DeviantArt forum is quite big and visited by many people, and therefore an awesome place to advertise! Do not be scared, just try it out ;D
    Here is the link to the Job Services Forum, where most people put their commission information and offer commissions paid by real money: forum.deviantart.com/jobs/serv…
    If you prefer getting paid by points and offer point commissions, then go to the Projects Forum instead: forum.deviantart.com/community…
    In the same way and on the same forum, people also post "looking for someone to draw for me" forum posts, so you might also want to try your chances there!


    3.4 - Links
    You can link to your commission information in the artist comment underneath your artworks! Also make sure to have a link to your commission information on your front page ;D

    In order to make a nice looking text link, try the following code:
    <*a href="PUT THE LINK TO THE COMMISSION JOURNAL HERE in between the quotation marks">Commission Information (or any other text)  And remove the *'s!!!

    For example, if I do this with my own commission journal example, the result will look like this:
    Commission Information

    Neat huh? People don't see an ugly link, but they see a clickable text! Okay, moving on~



    4. Handling a Commission - Do's and Don'ts
    So you received your first commission, how exiting! Now here's some do's and don'ts for you, based on my own experience;

    Do's!
    • Keep communicating! Your customers would love to know how their commission is coming along. Make sure that you communicate with them at least once a month (but more is better)! One easy way to communicate the commission's status is to post a "to-do-list" on your front page that says how far done the commission is.
    • Ask your customer for references, and not only references of their character, but also if they want the character to be drawn in a specific pose, with a specific background, a colour palette, day/light/sunset atmosphere, etc. If the customer doesn't have these kind of references, you could also provide them with some examples of poses and colour palettes yourself ;D
    • Send Work In Progress pictures (WIPs)! I noticed that people love to receive at least the sketch for their commission. It is handy as well, because mistakes in the design can be pointed out by the customer, which saves you a lot of work.
    • When communicating, whether it is in comments or notes, stay professional and polite. It doesn't matter if the customer appears to be a rude person, always handle it in a polite way. Do not swear, stay calm, and reply normally.
    • If it works for you; Set aside a certain time on a certain day in which you will work on commissions. You can even learn your brain to "trigger" this specific time of the day, for example by eating a snack/drinking coffee (or tea) right before this specific time arrives. There are also wonderful apps for your mobile phone that can help you manage the time.
    • Entirely optional and mostly for digital artists, but I noticed that people really love when they see a stream or speedpaint of their commission. People told me it was nice to see how I work, and to also learn some more about photoshop/SAI/etc techniques ;D


    Don'ts...
    • Don't keep your customer waiting for months without letting them know anything from you. It's plain rude!
    • Don't finish a commission in one go, without checking with your customer. If something happens to be wrong in the end, this is your fault (if the customer communicated the commission details well enough), and even if the customer didn't provide enough detail, it's always nice to check if everything is looking fine to them. It's their money after all! ;D
    • Don't take more commissions than you can chew! I fell into this pitfall pretty hard. Not only will you stress yourself out by seeing the gigantic list of commissions still to do, but also will your customers have to wait long times for the art to be finished.
    • This also has to do with the previous point a little bit, but don't set deadlines on commissions if you're not sure you will be able to meet them! It will only stress you out. I don't mean that you just have to shove commissions aside entirely, but more that the time you take for a commission should be realistic ;D


    What if you can't finish the commission?
    It happens to all of us; sometimes a commission might prove to be too hard for you, sometimes we take too much that we can chew, sometimes life is too busy, and sometimes unfortunate things happen in life. At some point, you might realise that you simply cannot finish a commission. What to do?

    Offer a refund. Especially if it has been MONTHS since the customer has paid. Don't be afraid, it is really the professional way to handle this! It is rude to keep those customers waiting, and while it might not feel right to do, it isn't right to keep your customers waiting for a long period, and it might make you feel stressed as well. It might even make you feel demotivated about drawing or writing. Now that doesn't help at all, does it?
    Write a kind note to your customer, saying that unfortunately you cannot finish their commission anymore. You don't need to go into too much detail as for the why; it is not of their concern. Ask them kindly how they would like to receive their money back; through points (as a gift, donation?), or through Paypal? Make sure to include the paypal fee for them if you pay them back by Paypal.

    That is, in my opinion, how you keep your commission business professional and how you can handle your customers well. Don't feel ashamed if you have to go through this situation! It can happen to all of us <3


    When to say "No"...
    Sometimes you might run upon a customer that is problematic in one way or another; the artwork they want from you might be too difficult for you to produce, or maybe you don't feel comfortable creating what the customer wants. It can even appear that a customer is simply very rude, or picky. Man, I've heard so much stories about artists not receiving any payment for their hard work, because the customer refuses to pay them... (which is frankly why I always choose to do payments beforehand!).

    Anything can happen really. What to do in this case?

    Say no. Save yourself the trouble! You have the right to turn people down. Just do it in a polite and professional way. Even if a customer is downright rude to you, keep calm, keep polite, keep professional.

    Money might be tempting to keep a commission going, but what worth is this if this single commission causes so much distress and negativity? I would rather do multiple awesome commissions for returning customers than one negative/stressful commission.

    It also is handy to include a rule in your commission information that says that you have the right to decline a commission! <3



    Last but not least...
    This guide is far from perfect, and mainly based on my own experiences! If anything's missing, feel free to leave a comment with suggestions <3 If anyone requests more detailed information about anything presented here (for example, sample screenshots with explanations), I will try to add them as well!

    I hope this was useful in some way! Happy Commissioning!


    F.A.Q. (Always under construction)
    • When I try to make a Business account, Paypal asks me to select a Product Category for my business in "Product or Service Keywords". What should I insert?
      Your business type would probably be "Individual". 
      When you do digital art or writing for people (that doesn't require physical shipping), choose Digital Goods - Applications (excludes games).  
      When you do art for commercial purposes (like creating book covers, book illustrations) choose Commercial Photography, Art, and Graphics.
      When you create art traditionally/digitally that you physically ship to the customer, I'm honestly not sure which category to choose... perhaps Miscellaneous Personal Services. According to this website  stuff like "quilting for individuals" falls under this category, so I don't see why art prints do not!


    • What's the difference between a Personal and Business Paypal account?
      Personal accounts are mostly for paying for goods online, or for receiving/sending money to friends and family. They are also often used by people who only do a couple of commissions a year/month, so for people who do commissions as a "hobby" or "little extra cash". A personal account will show your real name to the person sending you money, and does not give you the option to use a business name or a logo. You CAN send invoices using a personal account! Also, only one person can maintain a personal account, whereas a business account gives you the option for multiple people to use it.
      Business accounts are for people who really use commissions as a part-time or full-time job. They give you the option to show your customers your business name rather than your real name, and to add a logo. They also let you create invoices, where the customer receives an email that they can click on to pay for the artwork, rather than them having to log on to their account and pay you manually. This gives you full control over the price they pay, because you set the price for them, whereas when customers pay to a personal account THEY have to type in the payable amount. (And no worries, you can still give customers the option to add a tip using an invoice!) Using an invoice, make sure you use a disclaimer like "Reminder that you're buying a DIGITAL product, no physical goods will be shipped!", because if you do only digital artwork of course no physical goods will be shipped! You can also add the "Terms of Service" to the invoice, which helps if you stumble upon a fraud customer who charges back the paid amount later and you try to get your money back from Paypal. Business accounts also give you the option for multiple people to use it.
      And don't forget, you can have both a Personal AND Business account!



    Tags: #tutorial #how #commission #commissions #guide #to #set #up #setup #handle #and #start #begin #business #professional #payment #paypal #points #pay #do #work #deviantart #refund

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    Comments: 1036

    HopelessPeaches In reply to ??? [2019-08-12 09:59:26 +0000 UTC]

    Oh sweet thanks! I have a business account i just don't really understand how to change the settings lol

    👍: 0 ⏩: 0

    Angelo-Zeppeli In reply to ??? [2019-08-05 16:21:38 +0000 UTC]

    Can you help me setup a PayPal? I am doing it for personal reasons, but to make some money on the side, while I am doing my full-time job.

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Vixenkiba In reply to Angelo-Zeppeli [2019-08-05 17:04:46 +0000 UTC]

    Just set up a personal PayPal account I don't have time to write a "How to make a paypal account" tutorial, but I'm sure you can find those elsewhere online, or on YouTube!

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Angelo-Zeppeli In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-08-05 17:05:41 +0000 UTC]

    already did

    thanks for responding

    👍: 0 ⏩: 0

    T-Bunnyxx In reply to ??? [2019-07-14 17:02:32 +0000 UTC]

    So I was browsing for a way for 16 year olds (who have a bank account.) since PayPal requires you to be 18 since that’s the legal age to get into binding contracts. So after browsing I was successful in finding a app called CashApp a secure system that links directly to your bank account. It’s a pretty easy system you have a cashapp name you give it to your client (and if I remember they too need to have the application.) then they can send the money your way. I don’t see a lot of people use this app for this purpose (I mostly see it between friends and family.) but I feel like it would be a good way for young artist that want to jump in there but can’t do to their age. (Of course make sure to get your parents permission! It was actually my Dad who recommended this app.) of course the fee is $5 per exchange so make sure to include that when marking your prices (if you want $15 you do +5 which will be $20 basic math.) I thought I’d share this as it helped be on my way till I’m able to get my own PayPal.

    👍: 0 ⏩: 2

    Ayywa In reply to T-Bunnyxx [2019-07-23 18:11:49 +0000 UTC]

    You don't need to be 18 to use paypal, nobody really cares. 

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    T-Bunnyxx In reply to Ayywa [2019-07-29 18:32:48 +0000 UTC]

    Yes you can use pay pal at 16 but without proper identification that you’re 18 or older to receive money for your pay pal they’ll freeze it and you won’t be able to withdraw any money from it. At least from my experience, now it’s different if you get your parents to set it up but generally speaking by yourself you aren’t able to.

    👍: 0 ⏩: 2

    Vixenkiba In reply to T-Bunnyxx [2019-08-12 11:30:05 +0000 UTC]

    I think what you said is true, it looks like they actually check with your bank to see how old you are. If you're underage, your account is frozen until you're 18, and the bank account can't be used anymore even if you use it on a different Paypal account. 

    👍: 0 ⏩: 0

    Ayywa In reply to T-Bunnyxx [2019-07-30 01:36:06 +0000 UTC]

    They never check it d; 

    👍: 0 ⏩: 0

    Vixenkiba In reply to T-Bunnyxx [2019-07-17 19:16:19 +0000 UTC]

    Thanks for the detailed information on CashApp! I had never heard about it. Once I have a bit more time on my hands I'll do some research into it myself, and I'll add it to the journal

    👍: 0 ⏩: 0

    AlexaDoodles In reply to ??? [2019-07-12 05:16:22 +0000 UTC]

    I have a question ;w; So I'm a young artist and I want to get paid instead of using points and I already have a PayPal account set up. Do I I have to use a credit card/debit card or link a bank ? 

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    Vixenkiba In reply to AlexaDoodles [2019-07-12 07:21:10 +0000 UTC]

    Well you can receive money on PayPal without linking a bank, but of course then you can't actually use the money in a shop! The money will stay on your PayPal account, and you can pay other people (artist commissions, etsy purchases) using that money. But if you want to help pay the rent and buy food at the shop, then linking a bank account is a must

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    AlexaDoodles In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-07-14 05:03:24 +0000 UTC]

    Aaaa thank for the answer uwu I was hella confused lol, that rlly clarified lol 

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    SubjectRK800 In reply to ??? [2019-06-27 16:23:27 +0000 UTC]

    so the bussiness account doesn't reveal the real name?

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    Vixenkiba In reply to SubjectRK800 [2019-06-27 17:18:36 +0000 UTC]

    Only if you choose to show your business name instead of real name!

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    SnickerDoodlezStudio In reply to ??? [2019-06-08 00:23:29 +0000 UTC]

    Thank you so much for this! I've been considering doing some commissions for actual profit for quite some time, but I wanted some proper advice on how to go about it. So yeah, I found these tips quite helpful ^^

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    Vixenkiba In reply to SnickerDoodlezStudio [2019-08-12 11:25:38 +0000 UTC]

    Really late reply, but you're much welcome! Glad it was helpful!

    👍: 1 ⏩: 0

    ArtsySpaceBunny In reply to ??? [2019-05-19 01:04:22 +0000 UTC]

    This is really helpful thank you so much for making this!! 

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Vixenkiba In reply to ArtsySpaceBunny [2019-08-12 11:25:17 +0000 UTC]

    Super late reply, but you're much welcome!!

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    Niqua10023 In reply to ??? [2019-05-18 23:00:58 +0000 UTC]

    Thank You!!!! I'm in a lot of crap here and been wanting to do this. I did points but, not money before. This is vrry helpful. I want to start doing this so bad. It will help pay bills and share my work more to the world. Thank you kindly!!!! 

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    Vixenkiba In reply to Niqua10023 [2019-08-12 11:25:06 +0000 UTC]

    Waaaay late reply, but you're welcome!! I'm glad this tutorial is so helpful!

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    Niqua10023 In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-08-14 20:14:46 +0000 UTC]

    Your alright. Thank you.

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    AlmostAGinger In reply to ??? [2019-05-05 07:11:59 +0000 UTC]

    soo fricken helpfull! thank you Vixenkiba

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Vixenkiba In reply to AlmostAGinger [2019-05-08 12:15:30 +0000 UTC]

    You're much welcome!

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    Himeiro In reply to ??? [2019-05-04 12:23:01 +0000 UTC]

    Hello! I'm new to this commission stuffs and this is really helpful! Thank you so much! Though I'm still have a few questions, what's the difference of using personal account and business account? Will it affect the payment process? I'm also very confused in pricing, I don't know how much my art worth ;;u; I hope you'll answer to this since I'm very confused!! Thanks before♡

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    Vixenkiba In reply to Himeiro [2019-05-08 12:31:31 +0000 UTC]

    Hello, sorry for the late reply! I now added your question under the FAQ at the bottom of the journal since so many people ask me this question ;D

    As for how much your art is worth; I usually charge "X per hour", so for example if I want $10 per hour and I know that a halfbody with simple background will take me 2.5 hours, I charge $25 for that commission. Hope that helps! Don't undercharge yourself please <3 You can TOTALLY charge the minimum wage or higher per hour!!

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    QuietBEGalaxy In reply to ??? [2019-04-19 22:57:30 +0000 UTC]

    Thank you for making this! I had no idea what to include or even about the ToS. I'm still not comfortable with my style to start asking people to pay for it, but it doesn't hurt to have everything already written up! <3

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    Vixenkiba In reply to QuietBEGalaxy [2019-04-19 23:11:06 +0000 UTC]

    No worries, just do it whenever you feel comfortable! I waited for many years as well before I started doing commissions. I'm glad the ToS document turns out to be handy!

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    joshneku In reply to ??? [2019-04-17 18:05:04 +0000 UTC]

    hello, im having trouble with the section that says "Business information"?? it asks me to select something from the dropdown list but none of them seem to suit digital art and it wont accept anything custom

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    Vixenkiba In reply to joshneku [2019-04-18 21:07:49 +0000 UTC]

    I think you're talking about the category and sub-category? I would go for "individual" for the business type, then "art's, craft's, and collectibles" for category, maybe "art dealer and gallery" for sub-category. 

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    JaaliDraws In reply to ??? [2019-04-10 16:12:54 +0000 UTC]

    Hello I just found this and I have a question, someone bought an adopt from me a while ago and now I see that they requested on paypal that they want their money back and I don't know what to do since I already sent them the file and stuff, am I protected against this kind of stuff? And how can I prove that I fulfilled my part?

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    Vixenkiba In reply to JaaliDraws [2019-04-10 16:26:14 +0000 UTC]

    I'm sorry that happened to you!

    First of all, save all conversations that you have with this person: the notes/emails/comments where they bought the adopt, the note/email you sent them with the full-view of the adopt, your Paypal emails, and any comments they made about the chargeback. 

    Second, always keep a good attitude to them, even if their attitude is shit. It helps on your side, because Paypal is more likely to help you if your attitude was good. 

    Have you tried contacting them and asking why they are filing a chargeback? 

    I also found a journal that might be useful for you, on how to protect for this in the future:
    Protecting yourself from Paypal chargebacksI decided I'd write something on this since it seems to be affecting a lot of my friends and artists I'm close to. I'll start with a few disclaimers.
    Disclaimer 1:
    I am not a finance expert. I have never filed a chargeback nor have I been in a chargeback dispute (fortunately). I have done some research out of both curiosity and out of desire to help out the community a bit. This is going to be quick(ish) and summarized. I'm also going to be changing some things to the way I sell as well (obviously).
    Disclaimer 2:
    This journal isn't about what to do in a chargeback dispute but rather, how to set up your sales so that you'll have the upper hand when having to deal with a dispute. I've included some useful links at the bottom for further information!
    Regular Payments / ABs
    Some believe that Paypal does not help in disputes over digital goods but a policy

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    JaaliDraws In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-04-10 16:32:14 +0000 UTC]

    Thank you for your fast reply, this person is probably 11 years old but i didn't know that when she bought the adopt, I think she used her parents paypal. I am not sure tho, she doesn't text me back now.  I asked politely why she wants her money back and what the problem is. I saw on her Instagram story that she took back the money from everyone and that she made a mistake and stuff.

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    Vixenkiba In reply to JaaliDraws [2019-04-10 16:39:42 +0000 UTC]

    At least the adopt can now be resold again, even if she has all the files. It's not her property if she issued a chargeback for it, so ownership went back to you.

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    JaaliDraws In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-04-10 16:56:56 +0000 UTC]

    I will probably just resell it, thank you for your help and the replies, I now try to prevent this kind of stuff with the tips from the journals

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    Vixenkiba In reply to JaaliDraws [2019-04-10 17:08:11 +0000 UTC]

    Best of luck with future commissions and adopts, hope this doesn't happen to you again!

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    Vixenkiba In reply to JaaliDraws [2019-04-10 16:38:41 +0000 UTC]

    Ah, that makes it more difficult to get your money back I'm afraid. Technically, her parents should take responsibility and make sure that all the artists are paid, but in reality this hardly happened. Something similar happened to 10+ artists some years ago: 
    [PSA] Possible scam? [update]I've never had any issues like this before, but now this is sitting on my paypal page. It's a chargeback for two adopts that I already have sent to the buyer.
    The user in concern is xWittleeveegirlx whom I saw buying from many other artists, they seemed trustworthy, but well, I guess, something went wrong. I sent them a note regarding it and have been waiting 4 days now, the user hasn't even been on DA yet. If someone knows them and can contact quick, please do and ask what the hell is happening here.
    I'm planning on putting the two adopts they "bought" back on sale soon, if nothing resolves.
    Dealing with such kind of people is always unpleasant, but on top of that, I have my rent bill payday ahead and tbh I'm lacking that $30 :'D That feeling when you thought the money is here but it is NOT. Geez.
    UPDATE:
    On the user's profile, you can

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    Violetzzx In reply to ??? [2019-04-10 04:03:33 +0000 UTC]

    im currently 13 and thinking about doing commissions 
    but im not old enough to have a paypal account (i think??)
    how do i earn money in real life so i can support my family?

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    Vixenkiba In reply to Violetzzx [2019-04-10 06:51:26 +0000 UTC]

    Hi Violet, that's right, PayPal requires a minimum age of 18 When I was your age, I solved this by making an account on my mother's name (together with her!) and using my mother's card on it. This way the money went to her account and I just told her how much I earned

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    Violetzzx In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-04-10 09:05:34 +0000 UTC]

    thank you very much for sharing this with me!
    this helped me a lot uwu

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    Vixenkiba In reply to Violetzzx [2019-04-10 09:40:43 +0000 UTC]

    You're much welcome! 

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    XDXDD In reply to ??? [2019-03-23 05:16:59 +0000 UTC]

    very useful thanks!

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Vixenkiba In reply to XDXDD [2019-03-23 12:30:13 +0000 UTC]

    You're welcome!

    👍: 0 ⏩: 0

    Kiamsoda In reply to ??? [2019-03-15 03:05:19 +0000 UTC]

    Hello! I wanted to ask if i'm doing something wrong by using paypal button links. Thanks!

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Vixenkiba In reply to Kiamsoda [2019-03-18 06:32:30 +0000 UTC]

    I don't think there's anything wrong with it!

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Kiamsoda In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-03-18 06:34:01 +0000 UTC]

    Ah thanks for your input!

    👍: 0 ⏩: 0

    Mary-MS-Jay In reply to ??? [2019-03-03 00:15:22 +0000 UTC]

    Hello! I wanted to thank you! This was really helpful!
    I just wanted to ask what's the difference between a Paypal payment with and without an invoice. I don't really understand and can't find somewhere that explain this.

    👍: 0 ⏩: 1

    Vixenkiba In reply to Mary-MS-Jay [2019-03-18 06:35:47 +0000 UTC]

    Sorry for the late reply MaryJane! 

    Invoices can only be used by business accounts, and most artists with a professional art career use them for their commissions because it's just like sending a customer a bill. The customer can't change the price on that bill, only has to click pay, and the deal is done (sometimes the customer can add a tip to the price, if the artist allowed it). 

    With "normal" payments, the customer is the one who has to type in the amount of money to pay to the artist. Usually there's nothing wrong with that, invoices just are a bit more professional! ;D If you're just a casual artist, there's nothing wrong with doing "normal" paypal payments instead. 

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    Mary-MS-Jay In reply to Vixenkiba [2019-03-22 03:22:24 +0000 UTC]

    It's no problem!
    Thanks a lot for the explanation and the time! It helped a lot <3

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    Doodeedoodah In reply to ??? [2019-02-25 01:41:25 +0000 UTC]

    This tutorial is very helpful, I was just wondering if when setting up a business account adding a business address is optional? Or if I simply add my home address would other people be able to see this?

    I'm a little uncertain on when to draw the line between hobby and part time job so I'm leaning more towards a business account

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