Thread by @seananmcguire

The current D&D explosion has got to be a great boon to independent artists. Much like the furry community, gamers are creating their own content, and if you want to see that content realized, you need to pay someone to draw it. That's amazing!

But let us remember to emulate the furry community in how we treat our artists:

Don't attempt to haggle on price. "But $90 for a single figure is expensive!" True. And art is hard. It's a luxury item. You won't die for lack of a character commission.

Be clear and upfront about what you're asking them to draw. Don't add massive new details and changes to the figure in the revision round, especially not when those things might have increased the base price.

Don't argue about availability! There are artists who I DESPERATELY want a commission from, but haven't managed to catch during a window of availability. I don't yell at them for managing their workloads.

Once you have a personal relationship, you can ask whether they're REALLY closed to commissions, as long as you're polite about it. "Because it's you, I can fit you in" is a legit answer. "Yes, I really am" is also a legit answer.

But me going "hey, we have an established relationship, I have given you money before, can I give you money again?" is very different from "hey, you don't know me at all, be my dancing art monkey!"

When artists have policies that seem weird to you (all payment up front, no NSFW, whatever), your confusion doesn't matter. Boundaries form for a reason. Respect boundaries.

Don't be afraid to both tip and brag loudly about the work artists have done for you! People seeing their work will encourage more commissions to go their way, and means they're more likely to still be arting for money next time you need them.

Some of the best artists will eventually stop taking single-person commissions and move on to doing art for big companies that can pay them much more. It's okay to be sad for yourself while still being happy for them. You're not a selfish jerk unless you act like one.

Addition from @Riversdaughter: if an artist says they don't do commissions, don't ask them to make an exception for you. Many people don't do commissions for both personal and professional reasons, and you're not the unicorn that will change their lives.

The very few times I've received a commission I was less than over the moon about, I was able to trace my discontent to my communications--if I say "just draw Emma Frost doing whatever," and really, I want Emma in her Academy X outfit, making a cocktail...

...it's not going to be the artist's fault when I'm unhappy! Artists are not telepathic! So in those rare cases, I have shared the commission and praised the artist, because to punish them professionally for my mistakes would be unkind and unreasonable.