For a fair amount of time I have been thinking about starting commissions to help with my personal practice and portfolio towards getting a career in the games industry. However, I have some thoughts I would like to share.
The debate of whether I want to go into a studio or work as a freelancer is a difficult one, and there are pros and cons to both. I believe I would prefer to initially start small at a games company first. Then comes the question of indie or AAA companies, which also have pros and cons. I find it difficult to think about what I also wish to offer as commissions and what others would be interested in from me.
This thought arose because although I prefer to create character art, I have been told that people prefer my environments. This could come from the fact that my knowledge of colour theory is stronger than of anatomy although I regularly practice both. In this case, to find a balance, logically I would think to provide both?
However, I spoke to Concept Artist Aidan Wilson, and he provided me with a few tips, most particularly on the spoken topic of freelancing. He told me that to get out of my comfort zone and practice the things I struggle in, offer everything. Make mistakes, and learn from them. Draw and concept ideas from different genres. An example he gave me was something along the lines of, "Imagine Skyrim in the style of Cyberpunk 2077." And then I understood better. So I will have to think more about this - but another thing is fair pricing.
I do not wish to undersell myself, but at the same time not to go mad on prices, I wish to be fair. The value is only what people are hereby willing to pay for my work - which is where the whole debate of styles of pricing to go for emerges. Should I put a set price on something like a full-body character painting, for example, or should I charge by the hour and however long it takes to paint? I wish to get out of my comfort zone, but I find it rather difficult to know what to do at the moment.
The good thing though is seemingly a few people are interested, which is great! I just need to figure out what I will offer and how I should sell myself. In the mean time...
Have a lucky bush I painted as practice. Have a good day!
Commentaires