Yeah, I saw few entries about this, so thought about writing my own too.
In a nutshell, I think this sentence is showing quite much disrespect for creative people/artists and can certainly be experienced as some insult. It kind of has this hidden message, which can be like
"I don't appreciate/respect your skills/free-time/education enough to pay of an individual work for me". Of course this depends of the artist how they react, but it's highly attached to questions
why or how much they need to produce art for some reasons.
Creating art is less appreciated thing than, uh, let's say customer service of any kind (like a salesperson, a hairdresser, a nurse) because it belongs to culture, not example to business economics, but it needs at least this trait to be creative and skills to produce it - just like you need to have a trait to serve people and learn skills to face different kind of customers + specialising to your business area for a good service.
Sure,
it IS optional to choose do you value culture-like stuff like artwork instead of indispensable shopping on a grocery store or so - but if you want some qualified, unique artwork from an artist whos style etc enchants you,
SUPPORT IT! Be ready to reward the effort! Remember that also art schools exists, and it also is a real job for some people who may try to get their
whole living out of it! Sure, some people just don't need art schools to be asskicking talented with mad skills, but some things just can't be taught - even more reasons to give some respect for such a talent.
If you can't afford it supporting by money, think about other abilites of rewarding. Do you have extra tools an artist might need? Can you advertise the artist somehow so it's guaranteed to get commissioned by some other person? Can you do some favor as a trade what is out of artists interest and skills, but may need/inevitably needs anyway?
Give this some serious thought before asking and suggesting this kind of thing. Or simply, just wait or save until you have enough money. Nothing comes easily or free on these days.
- Why I don't usually take requests? Simply, the feeling of disrespect like explained above. Personally I've been taught at school through bullying from other kids AND from teachers that I am nothing, and will never be anything more. That I'm no good at anything. Still I've been used, partly that I've been taught to accept that opinion and let that happen, but it needs to be cut away. It affects on many things; like having the ability to trust and believe in myself, as much the overall self-respect at everything. By experience, I hate to be used and I want to learn self-respecting and get at least some use out of the thing I'm good at in my own personal way (because I dislike to compare artist, especially if they have very different styles/techniques, education or not, etc)
- Why I may sometimes draw requests/gift arts? To maintain "the touch" after some long break, art block or some other reason. Sometimes I just want something to do but I'm out of ideas or too lazy to concentrate on my own stuff. Occasionally I want to cause positive vibes for nice people, and get pleasure of that for myself as well.
As a gift, it may be "thank you" of something or a birthday/Christmas/etc gift.
- Drawing commissions helps me to afford more or less necessary things, or just nurtures my materialistic happiness. It also gives me the feeling of appreciation, which in my case has been quite a rare thing from a very young age and I don't think it's too selfish to want it nowadays. Also the pleasure of positive vibes comes with this as well.
Regardless that I don't have a particular education centered to creating art, my degrees are audiovisual communication and graphic design - both are related to creativity and supportively meaningful to artistic development (more focused on digital art). Even though my reasons and motives were everything else than.. preferably acceptable to study, it doesn't vanish the meaning or value of actually earned education/degree.
- (Art) trades are a good way to "pay back" between artists, who most likely can appreciate others artwork for "being in the same boat". It is also a good way get to know other people who shares some similar interests and passion. I'm not really a social type anymore for many reasons, but I'm always thrilled to get some art as a trade if I'm open at such thing!
I have also made exceptions what are also beneficial for me, and will continue it. For example through graphic designing (advertisements, business cards, logos, etc) I have now few good contacts to trade with and do return services;
- My last years thesis was to create a visual look/graphic guidance for uncles transport business and I got paid well on top of that it raised my points doing an actual customer work
- I tried my luck to contact this nearby reflexologist who had started her own business beside of being an employant on a different business area, and I actually got paid of logo design with a promise to recommend me for (business) friends. Later, not too long ago, I got a free zone therapy session (instead of a payment because I refused of such a small task, eh) for mother and she really enjoyed and got help for her pains and aches (so much that she reserved another session and will continue going there! Helps me to see mom painless and a bit less stressful)
- I accidentally got to know this lady through Facebook asking in one group is there any place at my town where to buy tattoo inks and stuff directly instead of ordering from Internet IF I happen to run out of something necessary in a critical moment or so, then she PMed me by offering to buy her unused inks or in exchange for fixing her existing leg tattoo, then one thing just lead to other. So now I have made logo design and different kinds of graphic stuff from advertisements to price lists etc, one customer tattoo at her barber-hairdresser salon (and will do in the future as well, by her suggestion, heh) and got my hair done for free by this professional, and on summer planning getting teached to do gel nail polishing (as a new, creative area I'm willing to experience)
- Just on these last couple days I got free help from a fresh, soon-graduated ICT-businessman to get my old PC running again. This guy remembered me for doing out of nowhere and for free an advertisement for him and his co-workers school-related business experience, and their sells raised three times higher after it, so he wanted me to do logo design and advertisements this time as well offering in exchange of free computer/phone/tablet/etc maintenance and problem solving
This shows how even very different kind of areas can be beneficial to work with even if it doesn't pay back in a form of money, and at least I am totally fine and happy about it!
Well, I have talked. Amen
