Platinum
That awkward moment when someone PMs you out of nowhere to ask if you'd like to commission them.
Platinum
Like
Platinum
Zero previous interaction
Platinum
Not even, as far as you know, a friend of a friend
Platinum
Just out of nowhere 
asuka brain
oh yeah ive had that before
asuka brain
just cold call
asuka brain
and it's like uhhh no
thaneon
Talk to them about their car's extended warranty
Platinum
I'm trying to figure out how to politely phrase it, but. Yeah.
Platinum
It looks like they're ESL.
Platinum
So I just want to be clear and inoffensive.
Zita
No, thank you should do it
Platinum
Yeah, I said I go by budget and the right feeling style, and that I was happy with the artists I was currently in contact with.
Celizabeth Hood
i wouldnt trust it not to be a scambot tbqh so yep, no thx
Platinum
Scams. Or just. Like. I appreciate that getting commissions can be difficult at times, but reaching out to someone who you know just dropped a load of cash on some art... Like. I'm not rich?
Platinum
I save up. I splurge. I'm finding buying things I can look at and throw at people brings me more joy than spending a bunch of money on video games that I'm gonna beat myself up for not having the energy or brainpower to play later
Christmas Shard
I get that on Discord sometimes because I'm in a few streamer Discords.
Christmas Shard
So they join and randomly message people if they want stream assets, that sort of thing.
Platinum
I've never had it on Discord, but I'm not really a big part of any Discords where artists hang out. This was just on tumblr.
Platinum
Which means that they were trawling through another artist's tumblr, saw my username linked, and then decided to ask based on the strength of that.
ruh rho
Awkward cold call at best, scam at worst
ruh rho
Good idea just turning them down politely
tinybro
god i just got this recently
Platinum
I thought it sounded vaguely familiar. Did you talk about it here?
tinybro
i don't think so
Platinum
Huh
tinybro
also they didn't even lead with the commission part, they just messaged me shortly after i'd posted art of my OCs saying "i love your OCs, can i draw them?" like they just wanted to do it because they liked the design or smth
tinybro
and when i was like OH ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU they were like "oh i can offer you a discount"
Platinum
Oof
tinybro
i'd think it was some weird attempt at entrapment of people too afraid of confrontation to say "oh nvm" if they didn't back down without issue when i said no lol
tinybro
the wording does seem like they might just be ESL or smth so i'm giving them the benefit of the doubt
the wording does seem like they might just be ESL or smth so i'm giving them the benefit of the doubt
Platinum
thankfully
Platinum
this doesn't seem to be the same person
Platinum
When I turned them down, all I got was 
tinybro
the most ominous heart
Zita
lmao
Zita
i also read it that way
tinybro
apparently this is becoming a trend, i was just hit up twice in the span of an hour after an artist i commissioned posted their work and tagged me
tinybro
ok four hours lol, didn't even look at the timestamp when i first woke up and saw it but my point stands
ok four hours lol, didn't even look at the timestamp when i first woke up and saw it but my point stands
tinybro
it feels like these people just see that someone has been willing to pay for art before and decide to shoot their shot
Platinum
guys, please
Platinum
we only have so much money
tinybro
and not to be mean, but it's never someone i'd be particularly interested in commissioning anyway
Platinum
I mean, to be fair, like
tinybro
i'm at a stage in my life where i'd rather drop big money on an amazing artist i really love than just shotgun cheaper commissions from anyone available
Platinum
When I look at folks for commissions, I also nose at how many other commissions they've done and how those turn out.
Platinum
It's a quality check and a compatibility check on top of seeing if they actually deliver.
Platinum
So when I approach an artist, it's someone I know would cover the kind of thing I'd like them to draw (though sometimes I'll stretch things a bit) and someone who has enough business anyway that they don't have to go out asking people for jobs to do.
tinybro
yeah exactly
Platinum
(Unless they're just amazingly good.)
tinybro
i sympathize with the struggles of a small time artist who doesn't get many commission requests, but this is not the way
Platinum
(But new.)
Platinum
Yeah. There's a few ways to drum up business, but this ain't it.