Painting for ca$h....

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AlexDaKid

New member
Ok so here was the plan...

I was gonna start posting models on here, improve my skills get everyones feedback and eventually start doing some comission work for people (other than people I know!).

I intended to start doing comissions when I got my first 8 rating, so I was kinda expecting a nice steady climb from the low 7\'s to 8 from my work. However you people have been gracious enough to give me an 8 straight of the bat with my first submission!:eek: First of all thankyou, secondly this has sped up my painting career somewhat!

What I now need to know from the Dragonsreach\'s, Tammy\'s etc etc etc among you is how do you start doing comission work?

Any advice would be lovely thankyou all.

DaKid
 
Dragonsreach

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
Originally posted by AlexDaKid
What I now need to know from the Dragonsreach\'s, Tammy\'s etc etc etc among you is how do you start doing comission work?

Any advice would be lovely thankyou all.

DaKid
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Best advice I can give you is advertise. Either via your website or in mags like GW\'s Journal, Harbinger, Wargamer Illustrated. If you are selling on EBay make sure that your auction details also include the fact that you will do commissions.
Other than that it\'s word of mouth and enter as many competitions as you can. The old fashioned \"Card in the window\" of you local model shop (Not GW of course) helps as well.
 
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AlexDaKid

New member
Well like I said, I already do a few things for friends.

So your saying super exposure yeah? Better start Christina then!

Does anyone know how to set up a website for this stuff? I can see that being a pain in the buttocks for me.
 
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mini-goddess

Guest
Dragonsreach is right, exposure is everything...sort of like \"location, location, location\". Treat it like a business and be professional and courteous, with good communications and customer service.


Online Galleries are a must and join a few webrings, contests as D mentioned, use ebay as your window, not your shelves, (meaning use it wisely to draw people in). You can also join a service and paint for them. Get in good with the local shops and see if they need anything painted or will put your work in their showcase with a biz card, go to the pertinent forums and get your name listed under painting services.

If you are coming to Gen Con Indy, we\'re having a free seminar about painting for money.

All I can think of off the top of my head right now...good luck to you!
 
T

Trevor

Brushlicker and Freak!
Does anyone know how to set up a website for this stuff? I can see that being a pain in the buttocks for me.
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Well we were talking about trying to get somewhere together so people can showcase their stuff and offer painting services, in another thread (people like Klute).

I\'m willling to setup a section on my webpage for this as a start to see if it will work, I have no web skills to speak of, but I can use a template to make a basic page.

I can do it this weekend, I just need prodding to get off my arse. Let me know if you are interested.
 
Chrispy

Chrispy

Active member
Okay, recently I\'ve developed two ways:
1. I get models I want to paint (but not really keep) and sell them on eBay. This option gets money and practice (e.i, paint a model, sel a model, use money to buy another model to paint, and so on and so forth..) but it\'s not really \"commission\" work per se.. Which leads us to:
2. I recently got contacted from a Cmon\'er to do several peices. I gave them the prices my stuff would usually go for and I made a contract on eBay... That insures I do the work, and it also is a good way to get payed via Paypal. I know you could probably set something up with the person, but he just wanted to be safe because this was the first time negotiating a contract for both of us.

Sme terms for both of these that are a must are:

Buyer supplies mini and/or pays for thier cost. Even if you had one sittin around, they still have to pay you because you bought that one.

Buyer will not use mini in any competition. This should be a no brainer, what with little kids buying Slaanesh Marines on ebay from Cmon and taking the base of and putting a crumy one back on saying it\'s their own and winning Gold in Youngbloods at Canadian Golden Daemons!! Huh huh uh... haaaaa.... (forgot to breath there..) The best way Istate this is the person is paying for me to paint the mini, not the paintjob on the mini. It\'s like buying Ricky Rouse toy: you pay for the item, but you can\'t go around saying the character is yours and you can liscense him out to people...

And shipping costs. They must pay shipping, especially if they live quite a ways from you. (Or gas money if they live on the other side of town :p ) This not only covers the actual cost of shipping, but any costs to you, such as boxes, wrapping paper and peanuts.

Also, going with above, you should let the person know these figures are fragile and despite good packaging, going over long distances can be fatal to minis. (I remember getting my order from Rackham and seeing one sides bent in.. Lucky thing they were all in blisters..)
And the top two rules I love to quote Kal Jerico on:
\"No reneging on a bounty commission once you\'ve accepted the job\"
\"Once you\'ve been paid, all loyalty to your former employers gets flushed straight down into the sumphole\"
:p
 
B

Beelzebrush

Active member
Hi Alex

If you have a website... I\'m happy to feature you on our freelance painter links page. We get loads of hits per day, so hopefully a few will find you too.

Good luck :)
 
S

supervike

Super Moderator
prolific helps

Not being one of the folks that sells (or even has the skills for it) I would say just getting a bunch of minis painted and keeping them high quality is an important aspect.

Most of the mini painters that seem to do well for themselves are starting and finishing projects at an astounding rate.
 
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Mungo Zen

New member
Always remember to call yourself a \"PRO\" painter. This garners much repsect and immediatly increases your sale value by at least 20%. It may also lead to fame and fortune online as a \"PRO\" painter, so use it wisely, you may be inundated with requests to paint peoples minis and not have time to go out for pop and chips!

JK, you call yourself a \"PRO\" painter and likely you will be selling to Joe Dicewhore at below retail value.
 
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t_haye2

Guest
lollollol!

Hmmm, i was made aware of the \'don\'t use pro painter in the auction header because pro\'s never do!\' thing for Ebay only recently...

my top three tips for selling models succesfully:

Use a coloured band to make your auction stand out.

Have multiple angles of your model

make sure you brag about all the prizes you won or cool stuff you\'re known for ;)
 
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Mungo Zen

New member
Dang, I went to see the Slannesh Marines and they were pulled from the GW site. Anyone got a link to the madness?

Oh, another good idea for selling your painted mini\'s is sell the mini\'s for cheap, sell the packaging for lots!!! Trim the corner off a cardboard box and it is now a \"Custom\" box, and we all know how valuable \"custom\" is!!!
 
A

AlexDaKid

New member
Originally posted by Trevor

Does anyone know how to set up a website for this stuff? I can see that being a pain in the buttocks for me.
Click to expand...

Well we were talking about trying to get somewhere together so people can showcase their stuff and offer painting services, in another thread (people like Klute).

I\'m willling to setup a section on my webpage for this as a start to see if it will work, I have no web skills to speak of, but I can use a template to make a basic page.

I can do it this weekend, I just need prodding to get off my arse. Let me know if you are interested.
Click to expand...

Definately would be interested, I also have to get my arse in gear I think though!
 
A

AlexDaKid

New member
Originally posted by Beelzebrush
Hi Alex

If you have a website... I\'m happy to feature you on our freelance painter links page. We get loads of hits per day, so hopefully a few will find you too.

Good luck :)
Click to expand...

I have NO website or, lets face it computer knowledge! I have no body of work I have nothing as such yet! I am desparately trying to put some sort of portfolio together. I think a plan would be to wait until after Golden Daemon this year.

I\'m just itching to show people my entries because I can\'t keep any sort of secret:rolleyes: and I really think the entries I have finished so far are my best work yet but I cannot post them anywhere without giving up the gaff! Its so annoying!
 
A

AlexDaKid

New member
Everyone said to me \"Concetrate on entering one!\"

Screw them says I and started really early so I could do one of each!:D

I\'ve finished my duel, I am half way on my 40k unit, half way on my open/inquisitor entry (I\'m not quite sure which catergory it falls into!) and I\'ve started doing the concept sketches for my fantasy unit and single mini this week.
 
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Nelson

New member
Christ, you lucky duck. I live way too far away from the only Canadian Golden Demon, and being poor, it\'s hard to convince my mom to fly over to Toronto. Couldn\'t there be a Golden Demon in Vancouver? :(

Anyways, I\'m wanting to start selling stuff too, and I\'m hoping Steve will send me stuff to paint.*cough* Steve!!*cough* Now that I\'m piggybacking on James\'s site, I\'m hoping I can have some sorta base of operations.
 
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AlexDaKid

New member
@Nelson....

I think with the new ork nob you\'ve posted you are definately generating interest! Its a rather yummy piece of painting Nelson so you piggyback who you like!

BTW a quick point to all you New World painters out there... I feel so sorry for you not having a Gamesday within like 6 hours of you. That is so lame!
 
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