KOL-Freak's personal sketch and oddball blog.

dreschler-deactivated20180202 asked:

Hi, I would like to start making hentai commissions, but I don't know where to post my stuff so people can find me. Do you have any tips? Thank you!

bbc-chan:

Hi.

(I will make this a public ask cause I think it might be interesting to a wider audience.)

I post my art on tumblr (main blog where I post most of the stuff I draw every day), twitter (tumblr reposts) and Hentai Foundry (here I post selected more polished/finished art).
Afaik these are the most relevant places on the internet where you can post explicit content. You can post on Deviantart, Facebook, Instagram etc. as well, but there you have to censor your art and be more selective about what you post. But if you have the right content and enough willpower to post there as well, just do it.

Rule of thumb is, to get noticed, people must see your work, and the more people see it, the bigger your chances are to get commissioned. Social media in this regard is the best. You don’t have to put any money into advertising, because your fans spread the word about you. As your following increases  your work gets spread around via reblogs/retweets, and this ends up increasing your following even more. Snowball effect.

In my opinion these are the most important factors that determine how much and how fast you can build your exposure (in order of importance):
- Be prolific
Pretty simple, more artworks posted means more exposure time. If you can post daily, that’s the best. Always try to have finished pieces posted, but sketches and quick artworks are good content as well.
- Be consistent
Have a consistent and recognizable style, so your potential clients know what they can expect. Of course you want to be able to draw a variety of subjects (potraits, action shots, backgrounds, chibi, etc.), but your style must be the foundation for that. Also, always sign or watermark your artworks. Putting contact info or a gallery/commissions link on it is even better, just try to be subtle and don’t butcher your art with it.
- Draw popular themes / fanart
This is a sharp double edged sword. Doing fanart will definitely place you on the map quicker, but don’t expect your fanbase to be a loyal one. Most of the people that will gather around you, will be there because of the subjects you draw, not because of you as an artist. Also, it’s always better to draw what you really like instead of forcing yourself into something uninteresting, or even displeasing, just for a quick buck. It’s a vicious circle, and this can make you very miserable down the line.
- Engage with your fans
Simply put, don’t be a dick. Always remember that they are people that like your art, not just numbers that translate into likes and reblogs.
- Have good art
Yes, I am putting this in last place. Probably it sounds weird, but most of the time skill doesn’t absolutely mean success. I’m still putting this on the list though, because your art quality and skill definitely play a role. Develop your skills and your art for yourself in the first place and don’t stress too much about it when it comes to promotion. Trust me on this one. :D

Sorry for the wall of text. I hope this will help you or other aspiring artists at least a bit.

Cheers,
BBCC