How to Commission artwork from a real human artist

 This is Maxx Feral writing this and most posts here.  My buddy who does the "Mature" stuff is a bit bitter because juggling the "Orange Sun" / "Far Tomorrows" project art commissions became a bit of a burn out. 

https://fartomorrows.blogspot.com/  - for main TTRPG project

He handled the illustration commissions so I could focus on the stories, lore and rules.  He had more problems getting artwork done for the RPG than he had getting some starter fan art for his Grindhouse Gonzo and extreme works...  According to him there's some kind of network keeping artists away from "Indie" projects.  Comics but especially the TTRPG (Table-Top Role-Playing Game) genre when it comes to independents.  It seems that many of them get approached and advised or threatened - that they will face violence, cancelling or at least some kind of soft blacklist if they work for companies outside the main "Traditional Publishing" venue and especially the TTRPG.  A good professional artist wanting to be the next Elmore or Otus could create a brand identity a new company could get and that would be competition.  Something the "Free Market Capitalists" want to CRUSH.

So the purpose of this is for some background and guides on working with should you need a real human artist - my buddy's got some sour grapes but we've also worked with some nice ones and wish to give things a go

After about a year of going through a virtual day-care of adult babies insulting him or turning down good work he'd PAY for when he thought it was started he's bitter.  He's making "Artist Tears" custom cups with some of my Midjourney artworks...even training an AI to match some styles to directly hurt a few existing ones...  Ouch.  He didn't come on as a writer of erotic fiction but a rep of a new "Indie TTRPG project" with polite enquiries and ready to spend money...  For played down (to him) content that was low R rated at worst.

I have been lucky and have had a better relationship with illustrators getting commissions for my works and those that are published in either we do give a thumbs up to.

So this article is to precede all the "AI Art advice" and is from MY experience getting work done for my stories.  It's my working knowledge to try to streamline the communications from a writer to an illustrator for commissioned work to try to help both parties, save time and avoid future headache.

AI Artwork is a wonderful tool, but I do not wish any specific artist to lose clients because of it.  It can actually enhance their artwork and speed up their productivity.  Let me add that Corel Painter and the latest Adobe Photoshop have AI art tools.  The former has since 1998...  And let's go back to things like the "Camera Obscura" which was like "Layers Painting" a few centuries before modern computers.

http://maxxferal.com/articles-commart.htm

This is an outside link to my own website (excuse the dust) and on how to commission artwork for your book or TTRPG or other project.  Just some quick advice on how to approach, deal with, be responsible to avoid troubles sooner or later.

To any "Artists" or rather "Professional Illustrators" reading this - I will make NO apologies for using or advising on AI artwork but to those who have real skill and a professional attitude I do not wish ill of you.  The link should help people deal with you in ways that do not waste anyone's time nor lead to headaches and problems later.

My comments are open (save to harassment, insults, spam...) and I wish to be helpful.  AI art is going right now to steal only stuff most of you would NOT be able to do (detailed forest paintings) or charge an arm and a leg for and use your own AI tools if asked.  (the Painter Clone brush over a 3D landscape?)  For detailed drawings of people's characters, exact scenes from a novel, collections of RPG types...you still have an advantage.  Use it and be courteous and professional.  It is a JOB and it should matter nothing if you do illustration for a children's book one week or ... a magazine published by a Southern Gentleman now deceased by the name of Larry Flynt the next.  It would be a Job and not something you'd rather do or it wouldn't be called "Work".  You might want to do "Work" drawing, digitally painting versus "Would you like to buy one of our store's cards?" 100+ times a day, but that doesn't mean you should ONLY draw what you'd do on your own time.

Right now AI is both doing stuff most are too scared to ask unless you are a full time employee - and it will start chasing the fakers out quick.  If you stay, get professional and work with it it should only remove tedious work from you and help you establish yourself.

Serious - what if you were asked to do anything like this?  How much would you charge?  COULD you do this?  Me or O.Maxx could eventually but we'd use 3D and/or stock photos and paint over it with Corel Painter's clone brushes.  And not sure we'd get so good a 'catch the eye' effect...

I won't say my buddy's allegations - of artists being harassed/threatened by 'big publishing' to disrupt or not work with TTRPGs are true or not but he's never lied to me.  If you are in that category I do have some credit as a journalist (articles published, yes by 3rd parties for money) and would protect my source and dig deeper.  But please just be professional and work with clients who might contact you.  Again, link above, I'm for people hiring artists if they'll find someone to work with them.

So - writers looking into midjourney read on but consider seeing my advice if you still might hire an illustrator for what you can't get it to put out or help.  Illustrators, not going to cheapen you but please be professionals if you want to have an "Open for Commissions" and deal with people willing to give you money in exchange for time/skill.  Angsty Emo "Illustrators" who trace over a Christopher Hart image in 2 weeks but make it a "Gay Furry Wulf" get OUT.

-----Maxx Feral----