How to! (Early Access)
Added 2024-11-01 21:01:37 +0000 UTCI have no idea if other designers have experienced my same frustrations but boy howdy...have I had some rough spots over the years doing freelance (and have been stiffed on payments many times). But I'm forever grateful for the sweet, kind and patient clients I've had, especially those who gave me a shot when I first started designing! I feel like this comic is more of a 'How to be a financially struggling freelancer', so hopefully people learn from my past missteps lol
I'll be launching this one next week some time!
Comments
I was once the "12 year old nephew" in this scenario. I told my brother to pay a real artist. :/
Myani
2024-11-11 09:37:39 +0000 UTCThe look on your face in panel 2!
Sean Kozma
2024-11-10 22:45:41 +0000 UTCI get this. ANY kind of custom/bespoke work runs into this I think. And then at the payment phase they try to cut the agreed price down. So you need a tight contract, a good size deposit, and agreed progress payments!
Michael Szeller
2024-11-03 09:51:57 +0000 UTCOutside of customer deciding to go another route this is the same as working on high end cars
Anthony Lucarelli
2024-11-02 22:56:14 +0000 UTCSome people just don't understand the work that goes into things
Orange_Cuda74
2024-11-02 16:20:13 +0000 UTCYou forgot the "say screw it and embrace adult work" panel?
Stefan
2024-11-02 07:35:46 +0000 UTCπππ
Reggie Stout
2024-11-02 03:21:04 +0000 UTCAdam Savage has a great bit about this that I'll just leave here... https://youtu.be/5Gie-cdO__U?si=9ao4T88ZivtSJmIr
Wyred
2024-11-02 01:39:48 +0000 UTCI was actually kind of disappointed because I rarely get the chance to make things like that
Coffee Run
2024-11-02 01:27:29 +0000 UTCI did some freelance/commissioned art in and after college for a time. It wasn't that terrible because I didn't get a lot of clients, but opening up commissions on deviant art back in the early 2010's just led to a lot of horny furries asking me for fetish work lol.
Zulium
2024-11-02 01:12:26 +0000 UTCThe solution for clients like that comes from Mike Monteiro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVkLVRt6c1U
Tim Starliper
2024-11-02 01:09:47 +0000 UTCIf there's one thing I wish I'd learned earlier in life is that it's okay to say "no" even to people who seem like they have good intentions. Sometimes people just want to see how much free labour they can get out of you
Kurdt
2024-11-02 00:36:17 +0000 UTCI feel your pain. I create custom enterprise programs (think database programs that track manufacturing) and I missed putting in upgrades and such were extra, lost six figures in income on that one
Andrew Levin
2024-11-02 00:11:16 +0000 UTCStand strong!
William Harris
2024-11-01 23:53:53 +0000 UTCI'm sure it could have gone that router if I'd stayed longer. I think was a case of "well you're a relatively young person, you can just use computer magic for free right?"
Coffee Run
2024-11-01 23:24:24 +0000 UTC...you okay, Ellen?
Just Bob
2024-11-01 23:23:13 +0000 UTCAh, okay lol. Feels like you were being used a bit then. "Oh hey, I've got some dishes that need to be washed at my house do you think you could do that too?"
Kurdt
2024-11-01 23:20:37 +0000 UTCI was volunteering so it was already free lol. I was actually there to walk dogs and stuff so the fact I was being asked for graphic design help was a little strange.
Coffee Run
2024-11-01 23:17:34 +0000 UTCI think that translates to "I'll just find something shitty for free instead of paying for something that will actually look good"
Kurdt
2024-11-01 23:07:46 +0000 UTCI was volunteering at an animal shelter satellite when the lady in charge asked me to make a sign for a pet accessory sale. So I got to work but told her I'd need time to finish it up. She said not to worry about it because she'll just find something on Google. That was the last I head from that project.
Coffee Run
2024-11-01 23:06:20 +0000 UTCOof yeah, it's even worse now with AI tearing through the whole industry and stealing people's content
Pizzacake Comics
2024-11-01 22:53:53 +0000 UTCI used to make info graphics at my old job, that would be pretty fun actually!
Pizzacake Comics
2024-11-01 22:53:17 +0000 UTCI've read so many horror stories from artists dealing with clients, so if I'm asking for a commission I'm usually very understanding lol. I try and give the artist a lot of room to be creative
Kurdt
2024-11-01 22:50:07 +0000 UTCFeels like you could do a bunch of comics like this, doubling as advice for new comic people. Actually kind of surprised that nobody has done this before.
James Antill
2024-11-01 22:18:36 +0000 UTCActually... I could use help with designing business cards. If that's something you able about to do?
Aaron Pearson
2024-11-01 22:15:45 +0000 UTCYou may enjoy (hate) this: https://notalwaysright.com/tag/clients-from-hell/
Philip
2024-11-01 22:10:22 +0000 UTCHahaa they never wanna pick your favorite designs!
Pizzacake Comics
2024-11-01 22:04:26 +0000 UTCI said this somewhere else yesterday, but art is a freakin' bloodbath. Much respect.
William Harris
2024-11-01 22:02:50 +0000 UTCOuch! I've been there in terms of needing a response and the person seems to forget how to pick up the phone or send an e-mail. Yet, when they want a response, they want it immediately.
Jeremiah Avery
2024-11-01 22:01:02 +0000 UTCone of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVkLVRt6c1U seems like the issue is pretty universal if both you and they seem to agree.
EnjoyerOfAll
2024-11-01 21:52:00 +0000 UTCWork in tech, specifically data science, and many a time I will spend days working on a project only to have the client tell me that they just found someone who will do it for half the price and get "mostly the same" results. Yea, bullshit, just remember it'll be twice the price when you come back.
Patrick Schulze
2024-11-01 21:49:08 +0000 UTCHaha this is hysterical π€£
Ted
2024-11-01 21:46:19 +0000 UTCNow... uh... are you still taking commissions? π
CanDude
2024-11-01 21:41:20 +0000 UTCI almost hate to say it, but I see a lot of myself in the first 3 client panels π I'm always bugging my artists with stupid changes, but I feel bad about it and try to tip them at the end.
CanDude
2024-11-01 21:40:24 +0000 UTCOmg... This triggered me. After I completed my graphic design course, I couldn't find a job, so I tried to create a profile by doing free design work. Literally every step you did happened to me. It was such a waste. My first logo for them was damn good. I was proud of it. Thank you for reopening old wounds. π
Aaron Pearson
2024-11-01 21:36:57 +0000 UTCNow you know why demons insist on getting the contract signed first. In blood.
Jon Barker
2024-11-01 21:35:11 +0000 UTCUgh that's frustrating
Pizzacake Comics
2024-11-01 21:34:18 +0000 UTCOmg yes the ghosting lol
Pizzacake Comics
2024-11-01 21:34:08 +0000 UTCWe can laugh and cry at the same time! Efficiency
Pizzacake Comics
2024-11-01 21:33:54 +0000 UTCPhotographer here. Iβve had like 5 clients ghost me after I ask them to select a day for their shoot. Bugs me each time
The_Modyman
2024-11-01 21:29:42 +0000 UTCThat is fantastic. And I feel that in my bones from my days working on app/interface design.
Jordan Brown
2024-11-01 21:26:51 +0000 UTCI'd probably find this more funny if it wasn't 100% true. Hey if we don't laugh we'll cry though right
Sheldon Pink
2024-11-01 21:11:23 +0000 UTCNot a freelance graphic designer, but I have built lesson plans and PowerPoints only for the higher ups to just buy a pre-made lesson from a company
Kyle Maxwell
2024-11-01 21:07:14 +0000 UTC
