Is it really necesary for a good start?

[greenlz]

I have been scrolling through this forum for quite a bit of time. We all know why are we here, someone is trying to get their unwanted work to be done while other’s try to do it for them. I read about posts that explained how to get your first gig to be sold. Many people are recommending to lower the price of the first gig to 5$ but in my opinion it is nonsense. My gig will quickly drown in the lowest quality area. I think that if my prices are reasonable, then my gigs will slowly climb to a better viewing position. There are less gigs in the 10$-20$ range rather than 5$ area. I have just started off so maybe I am wrong, what do you think? What was your starting strategy?

[nimi_art]

I am here for a month. Had no sales, made one offer for 5euros and a day later i had my first review. (i got 4 the customer had to pay something like 6,70 or so) Here in germany 5 euros for a painting is way to less money. It is one cheap meal. That one review on my profile, however, might be a lot more than that…maybe i am wrong. I will see about that, but i certainly can’t afford to basically work for free like that many times before i dry up.

[greenlz]

I am here for a month. Had no sales, made one offer for 5euros and a day later i had my first review. (i got 4 the customer had to pay something like 6,70 or so) Here in germany 5 euros for a painting is way to less money. It is one cheap meal. That one review on my profile, however, might be a lot more than that…maybe i am wrong. I will see about that, but i certainly can’t afford to basically work for free like that many times before i dry up.

Maybe people are not looking for cheap drawings since they don’t expect high standards. I’ve seen total garbage being sold to people for $60. Maybe try creating a different gig with varying the price a small bit?

[nimi_art]

Maybe people are not looking for cheap drawings since they don’t expect high standards. I’ve seen total garbage being sold to people for $60. Maybe try creating a different gig with varying the price a small bit?

I did that. In the beginning i priced my work so that i could in theory live from that then gradually i reduced my price to around 25 euros and i started using the optional extras as a possible way to get more money from my work but honestly not one buyer did accept any offers i made. Then i got a request from a buyer and i thought “fk it!” and made a 5 euro offer and that was the only thing i sold on fiver so far. Maybe i am just not good enough i don’t know.

[nimi_art]

Maybe people are not looking for cheap drawings since they don’t expect high standards. I’ve seen total garbage being sold to people for $60. Maybe try creating a different gig with varying the price a small bit?

The problem for people from countries like germany or maybe also ireland is that there are good cheap artists and groups of specialists, who even share fiver accounts to boost sales and they also live where living expenses are low. I would do them no justice if i would say their work is bad and they can also dump the prices if they get no sales and get away with it. I don’t blame them. I would do the same. It is just how things work on earth right now. Just checked your profile. It is an interesting gig that you have there and a cool set of skills. I would maybe not take the photos of your papers on a visible brown blanket though. Destroys the whole professional touch of 3d modeling, if you would ask me xD

[greenlz]

The problem for people from countries like germany or maybe also ireland is that there are good cheap artists and groups of specialists, who even share fiver accounts to boost sales and they also live where living expenses are low. I would do them no justice if i would say their work is bad and they can also dump the prices if they get no sales and get away with it. I don’t blame them. I would do the same. It is just how things work on earth right now. Just checked your profile. It is an interesting gig that you have there and a cool set of skills. I would maybe not take the photos of your papers on a visible brown blanket though. Destroys the whole professional touch of 3d modeling, if you would ask me xD

Thank you nimi_art, I decided to make it rough so that no one could reuse it and that it would be more credible. I still need to check out your profile though. Sorry I misread your first reply, did you try maybe making your art more specific? Like have one gig specifically for drawing animals, then create a gig for drawing only cars, another gig for drawing house design. Try to maybe create many gigs out of one subject art. That could potentially increase the amount of views and make it more specific for other people. What do you think?

[nimi_art]

Thank you nimi_art, I decided to make it rough so that no one could reuse it and that it would be more credible. I still need to check out your profile though. Sorry I misread your first reply, did you try maybe making your art more specific? Like have one gig specifically for drawing animals, then create a gig for drawing only cars, another gig for drawing house design. Try to maybe create many gigs out of one subject art. That could potentially increase the amount of views and make it more specific for other people. What do you think?

I think your idea is very viable. If i had 3 recent (which means good enough) paintings of animals, houses, cars etc. then i would certainly make a shitload of gigs with them but i don’t have that much stuff that i deem worthy to show…maybe the older works might even scare of possible clients if i reused them. I once heard from an illustrator, if you have 50 paintings and only 4 good ones then, by the gods, hide the 46 others! xD

[nimi_art]

Thank you nimi_art, I decided to make it rough so that no one could reuse it and that it would be more credible. I still need to check out your profile though. Sorry I misread your first reply, did you try maybe making your art more specific? Like have one gig specifically for drawing animals, then create a gig for drawing only cars, another gig for drawing house design. Try to maybe create many gigs out of one subject art. That could potentially increase the amount of views and make it more specific for other people. What do you think?

the comic and lineart gig of mine is already borderline as well as the albumcover gig…these are some very old drawings but i thought maybe they pull in customers by keywords like albumcover or comic.

[greenlz]

the comic and lineart gig of mine is already borderline as well as the albumcover gig…these are some very old drawings but i thought maybe they pull in customers by keywords like albumcover or comic.

Try maybe using some more fancy words like “I will paint your life” or I will put your dream on a canvas. For an extra gig, do you offer people to deliver them to their home the original drawing?

[greenlz]

Try maybe using some more fancy words like “I will paint your life” or I will put your dream on a canvas. For an extra gig, do you offer people to deliver them to their home the original drawing?

Maybe as an extra gig offer to print and deliver the picture?

[nimi_art]

Try maybe using some more fancy words like “I will paint your life” or I will put your dream on a canvas. For an extra gig, do you offer people to deliver them to their home the original drawing?

Good idea. I will draw 3 more paintings in my sparetime and will make those dreampaintings or so…i could reuse the one from my only customer as a nightmare painting haha. No i dont ship originals, in fact i have put away all my brushes pens and wooden boards on which i used to paint and i plan to just stay digital. if i print a digital painting here where i live, the printing alone (usually 300dpi full colour and around 50x50cm on a special kind of art/photography paper) is around 20 euros and then i guess shipping them is even more expensive, since they are very sensitive once printed out. It is cheaper, saver and more environmentally sane if the client prints them himself to be honest with you.

[greenlz]

Good idea. I will draw 3 more paintings in my sparetime and will make those dreampaintings or so…i could reuse the one from my only customer as a nightmare painting haha. No i dont ship originals, in fact i have put away all my brushes pens and wooden boards on which i used to paint and i plan to just stay digital. if i print a digital painting here where i live, the printing alone (usually 300dpi full colour and around 50x50cm on a special kind of art/photography paper) is around 20 euros and then i guess shipping them is even more expensive, since they are very sensitive once printed out. It is cheaper, saver and more environmentally sane if the client prints them himself to be honest with you.

Maybe try using the library’s printer, put it in a fancy frame bought from a garage sale and request 60 euros extra for it with shipping, I mean there has to be someone there who would love to have your beautiful art in their home. Maybe it would get some more customers. Offering an extra gig is no harm and who knows, you might gain some extra money.

[nimi_art]

Maybe try using the library’s printer, put it in a fancy frame bought from a garage sale and request 60 euros extra for it with shipping, I mean there has to be someone there who would love to have your beautiful art in their home. Maybe it would get some more customers. Offering an extra gig is no harm and who knows, you might gain some extra money.

Alright greenlz. Next step dreampaintings for the dreamgig and then i ll do the thing with the frames. Just because you believe in it 🙂 I’ll be drawing now or there won’t be progress. Take care and best of luck for your gigs mate!

[greenlz]

Alright greenlz. Next step dreampaintings for the dreamgig and then i ll do the thing with the frames. Just because you believe in it 🙂 I’ll be drawing now or there won’t be progress. Take care and best of luck for your gigs mate!

Thanks for the chat, you too goodluck with your work 👍 ps don’t forget to sleep it’s kinda late heheh

[lisamusser]

I don’t know much about your style of painting or even how to price your type of work, but my suggestion is to research other sellers who do what you do and see how they price their work. Find 5 sellers and average their prices and come up with something in the middle that is not too high or too low. Many sellers here start out at $5 but could charge more. Find an amount that you feel comfortable with and use that for your base price. Then add gig extras to make a little more. Try raising your prices just a little and see what type of response you get.

[misscrystal]

I spent years only doing $5 jobs. Of course I was not trying to live off the income during that time.

[jonbaas]

@greenlz and @nimi_art, every seller starts somewhere – usually at the bottom, and then works their way up over time. They build a reputation in their skill set, and establish a customer base that needs what they have to offer. As they impress their customer base, they slowly raise their prices to match their skills. I started out on Fiverr – six years ago – selling everything at $5. Today I have popular packages priced at $100 and above, with many clients adding additional services on top of that. I have worked hard to earn my reputation as a top Fiverr seller, and I have repeat clients who won’t work with anyone but me.

Success takes time. You start with low-priced services to build interest, and you’ll earn the ability and reputation to charge higher prices later on. Be patient. Don’t expect all of the great benefits, income, and success at the start of your selling career. That’s not how this freelance thing works.

[mariashtelle1]

I have been scrolling through this forum for quite a bit of time. We all know why are we here, someone is trying to get their unwanted work to be done while other’s try to do it for them. I read about posts that explained how to get your first gig to be sold. Many people are recommending to lower the price of the first gig to 5$ but in my opinion it is nonsense. My gig will quickly drown in the lowest quality area. I think that if my prices are reasonable, then my gigs will slowly climb to a better viewing position. There are less gigs in the 10$-20$ range rather than 5$ area. I have just started off so maybe I am wrong, what do you think? What was your starting strategy?

I have just started off so maybe I am wrong

I don’t think that you are wrong. I am totally against of anyone working for 5$. you should price yourself as per market price.

However no one here can tell you if it’s right or wrong because you need to find your own formula of what works for you.

[modesoflydia]

I price myself starting from $10, because I have the portfolio, specific skills, and (also not needing a billion projects) to back the cost. I do think every seller starts somewhere, and it may depend on your past experience and other qualifications - how much you can price and how much your work is ‘worth’ to buyers.

[timir69]

what I think you need to follow " Be yourself" but from starting you need to get some buyer which make your gig in ranking and if your service deserve more then $5, $10 then you will defiantly get that price .

[greenlz]

what I think you need to follow " Be yourself" but from starting you need to get some buyer which make your gig in ranking and if your service deserve more then $5, $10 then you will defiantly get that price .

I guess everything takes a bit of time and we just need to wait for the right person to find our gig.

[catwriter]

Good idea. I will draw 3 more paintings in my sparetime and will make those dreampaintings or so…i could reuse the one from my only customer as a nightmare painting haha. No i dont ship originals, in fact i have put away all my brushes pens and wooden boards on which i used to paint and i plan to just stay digital. if i print a digital painting here where i live, the printing alone (usually 300dpi full colour and around 50x50cm on a special kind of art/photography paper) is around 20 euros and then i guess shipping them is even more expensive, since they are very sensitive once printed out. It is cheaper, saver and more environmentally sane if the client prints them himself to be honest with you.

i plan to just stay digital.

Have you tried selling your digital art on Etsy? You can sell the same art multiple times.

[michal247]

I did that. In the beginning i priced my work so that i could in theory live from that then gradually i reduced my price to around 25 euros and i started using the optional extras as a possible way to get more money from my work but honestly not one buyer did accept any offers i made. Then i got a request from a buyer and i thought “fk it!” and made a 5 euro offer and that was the only thing i sold on fiver so far. Maybe i am just not good enough i don’t know.

Im no artist but your art looks really good. Im actually frustrated too because the only 2 orders that I had got cancelled as I’ve encountered “hell clients”, and there’s no way that this orders would work. It’s frustrating because I worked around 20-30h on each one and they both was $5 …

[silveni]

My starting strategy from years to years is just to be myself, because the more I followed what people reccomended, suggested or saying the more I can’t do anything, maybe $5 gig with high quality result works for them but not for me but of course I also offering $5 gig but only if the service’s worthy for $5.

[silveni]

i plan to just stay digital.

Have you tried selling your digital art on Etsy? You can sell the same art multiple times.

ahh yes, about etsy, I watched the videos on youtube and also read the comment, mostly can’t pay the monthly subcription, maybe, please share to us if you know the alternative place to sell the digital file.