Need help with pricing custom ref sheets!

[cocoabuns]

Hi all,

Sorry if this topic isn't allowed here, I wasn't sure as the forum description clearly says *Feel free to make prospective topics for insight on pricing and interest for your work.*, but then the Tutorials and Critique description says 'Don't ask for price evaluations because clearly, you're not ready for commissions then', which I think is odd. I don't know how others look at my art as I've never had a social media with my art on it, thus I don't know if there is any interest in it. So I would really appreciate people helping me with pricing!

I recently did this reference sheet; I'm kinda new to drawing furries, so sadly this is the only ref sheet I have at the moment. I was thinking of asking around 30$ for a ref sheet like this, is that too much, too little, just right? Thank you in advance! Sorry again if this isn't allowed!

 

[Punkedsolar]

How long does it take you to do a reference sheet?

A good thing to keep in mind is - what is minimum wage where you are? What resources do you use up - electricity, heating? Work out a percentage of that.

Number of hours x consumables x minimum wage should be the very start.

 

[sushy]

I think that is too low.
What I do for reference sheets is that I charge per view, so determine how much you charge for one pose (which you can do with the information in Punkedsolar's post).

 

[Ziggy Schlacht]

Punkedsolar gave one method, but another way to think about this is "how much would someone have to pay for you an hour of your time." That is - would you stop drawing your own stuff, watching a show, etc. that you wanted to do for min wage? For double? For triple? Then use their formula. Though something not mentioned is there's also the time spent understanding the character, asking questions, etc. It's rare that someone will give you enough to do a full reference without some investigation, so there's that to. It's not just time putting pen on paper.

I find artists tend to way undercharge for fear of not getting sales, but they also devalue their art accordingly... And by extension, everyone else's. Of course, artists also don't seem to understand what other freelance professions cost. Lawyers are $200 per hour... on the low end. I've heard law firms charging $2000 per hour. Business consultants can be $500. Tattoo artists worth a damn start at $100-$150/hour, at least by me. Other parts of the country I've heard $500/hour.

 

[Trevorbluesquirrel]

He's an adorable femboi, I do declare!