@cam-royce I'm in the same boat. For me however, there are 3 added layers.. Author, animator, and web designer...... So I feel your words with deep empathy!

sighs I'd love to know too, what I should do. ^.^ Right now, I've just given up having "just" an illustrator's website. Or "just" a web designer's website. My Behance portfolio shows only a tiny sample of the things I've done.

I just want to create. I've not found something I'm GOOD at so much that I get "known" for it. On top of all that I had a 7 year relationship where I was basically bound to the house, stay at home mom, in a toxic relationship. I couldn't get time to draw much, even when I put my foot down. 7 YEARS is a long time where I could have found my "thing", developed a fan base, gotten my art into the marketplace.... etc.

I'm in my early 40's now, having done a variety of jobs, and currently career wise in the tech sector as a UX/UI designer. This is not the art career I envisioned. >.>

I echo the sentiment that not a lot of people can handle the commission process at that stage in their life. The fact that you had done commissions since earlier on gave you a foot up. Your personal experience was significantly different from many of your peers.

I think it's this experience that makes a big difference.

Also, remember too, that everyone has walked a different path in life, have had different experiences, and thus their "filter" of "how to do things" and "what to do versus what not to do" is based on this. All said, this is true for everything in life.

I don't like blanket statements, as it utterly ignores the outliers, the random bits of life that do not fit into any box.

That said, my sentiments come from my own college experience. In, of all things, an Art History class, a teacher had us do a poster project. He wasn't grading us on the art, per say - but the process. 1 out of about 20 students in the class got the "A", and that art piece violated certain rules he had in regards to the project (like no printed out font, it had to be drawn). The piece was no where NEAR the quality of the others.

The best individual piece in the class, got a D.

There is a fine line between bowing to a client's whims, and doing what you know in your heart works best. It's a dance. Not a lot of people understand this dance, and either ego or fear ruins it. Most college artists don't have that experience, that insight, or that understanding. Those who do side commissions (like fan art work, or convention table work) will learn it eventually (or maybe not). Everyone is different.

That's what he was testing us on, our ability to interact with a client. 1 out of 20, in ONE Art History class Mixed bag class of various majors, mixed genders, mixed backgrounds. He told me later that he only had two people get A's in the four Art History classes he taught that quarter, and he'd only had a handful in the last two years. Think about those statistics.

My personal advice in regards to such things as taking freelance work is simple: If you know how to do it, and it's not too much on your plate, do it. If you have to choose, weight your options carefully base don your priorities.

I had two fellow classmates who quit school as a freelance gig turned professional-long-term on them. shrugs One eventually came back and finished their degree, the other kept going with the company that hired them.

@misteralexdavid I don't know about what they show, to be honest. Life happens. The more you have on your plate, sure, the less time you have to devote to anything else that takes time and attention. However, these are called "challenges" for a reason. They are not "reasonable" in terms to time or constraints, if they were, they wouldn't be a challenge to complete.

However, it depends on the "rules" of whatever challenge it is you are trying to do. Or what additional rules you are applying/assuming to the challenge you are attempting.

I see people doing full-blown graphite drawings, or fully detailed pieces and calling them "sketches" for "Sketchtember" while others are doing two minute quick doodles. The term "sketch" varies from person to person, in this example.

Same for Smaugust - I've seen fully painted and done pieces, while others just sketch out their drawings. shrugs The only rules I know of for this one is - draw dragons, 1 per day at least, every day of August. That's it.

Time, discipline, or overburdening oneself might be an issue - or it might not. I think people get too hard on themselves sometimes - as these are supposed to be fun and as a way to give us something to do. Honestly, at the end of the day, priorities have to be made, and these don't tend to be a high priority - unless the artist in general makes it a priority.

@Joen-Söderholm Yes I have. Though the first major challenge I did was the NaNoWriMo and I try to dedicate time to that every year.

I've done Smagust and Inktober. This year I tried the other months, even got a few unicorn sketches done. However a full fleshed illustrative piece has been beyond me. Working full time, and being a single mom, has been a struggle. So I try to at least get something out, even if it's only a doodle.

When I saw this I wondered if maybe it could be a two-page spread. The words of a story set between the kids and the dad. I could totally see him off to one side, so the focus is still on the kids.

A friend of mine, who knew my artwork, wanted to do a series of children's books. However the style she wanted was nothing like what I could do, and a bit outside my skill zone. (I do well with pastels, but not realistic human faces).

I tried a few sketches to see where my abilities lay, and just couldn't do it. The project fell through.

Nice. That face. Reminds me of my daughter's when she doesn't get her way. XD

I can tell you've used a lot of references. Realistic anatomy is a tough one to capture inward and closed off expressions without turning them cartoony. I'm impressed with the over all body language.

Have you tried the silhouette trick? Blacking it all out to see where you could maybe push it a little more without over doing it?

Looking at it longer, I wonder if the facial features could be pushed a tiny smidge more. Like pushing the bottom lip out a bit or showing a little more eyelid/cheeck scrunch? Maybe some tiny worry lines at the corners of her eyes or between them? (shadows, not actual lines)

I wish I could offer more suggestions, but you've done such a nice job I'm not sure what else to offer.

@JohnMK The cringe factor is so great right now.... XD

Love it!

Good to know! Thank you.

There is one more item then, that I would suggest - BUT - I don't want you to get into trouble with any company you are working for currently.

To help draw it paying clients, you need a way for them to see what you charge, or to request a quote. A professional online portfolio works well for showing off your work, but like a museum with no gift shop, a majority of folks will just look and then walk away.

To get that conversion from visitor to interested party, there needs to be a way for the visitor to get a sample of your prices.

However, I go back to my initial point of "not wanting to get you into trouble". Some companies may have issue with their employees freelancing on the side in the same general realm as they are currently working. (ex. freelancing illustrations when you also do illustrations for a company).

If this won't be an issue for you, that would be my other suggestion up front. To perhaps put a "get a quote" or something like that near your "contact" link.