Sta.sh
About 10 days into the new year I hit a pretty big low for myself. 19 years old, single, didn't re-enroll for classes in college, sat inside all day eating Taco Bell and playing video games. I didn't like myself, or my roommates, or my friends, or anyone else and even started to make excuses to not go into work on any particular day. I was a mess. I won't say I was on the brink of anything self-destructive, but to say the least, I was pretty upset with my lifestyle.
I was browsing reddit one day (as I do every day), and I saw this post. I'm a bit too embarrassed to admit anything specific, but it was a screenshot of a game (or rather, a visual novel). Depending on who you are, and the groups of people you hang out with, you may or may not know of this visual novel. It has to do with this guy, and a school full of crippled people, and some things happen... Anyway, it looked kind of interesting so I downloaded the small file and spent the next three nights making my way through this incredibly in depth, amazing, inspiring story. It kick-started my ambitions, so I decided that 2013 would be the year I pulled my life together.
First I decided that I would start jogging at the park before lunch at work for 30 minutes every weekday. I bought some running shoes, running clothes, and I bought a little whiteboard calendar I would use to keep track of what I would be doing on any particular day. As time went on, I added weekly events to that calendar, so I had more hobbies after work than just drawing mindless doodles and playing video games. On Mondays, I complete a lesson of Japanese on Rosetta's Stone. On Tuesdays, I would practice drawing technique. On Wednesdays, I do yoga and meditate for an hour. And so on. Its crazy how much my life has turned around in the last five months. I re-enrolled for college classes in the fall. I'm moving out of my current crappy apartment, to this wonderful house with some friends I haven't seen since like high school. I quit drinking carbonated beverages and moved on to water, and tea. I opened up a savings account, and started a nice, solid budget. I'm working full 40 hour weeks at my job to pay for all this stuff. I look great, and more importantly, I feel great.
However, the level of organization to keep everything in tact is really overwhelming. Sometimes things don't go according to plan, or something comes up. Occasionally, I'll underestimate an expense. I run a pretty tight budget, so that money comes out of the funds I use to buy food. I've skipped meals on more than a few occasions, and its wearing me out. I hate to play the sympathy card, as it feels manipulative, but I wouldn't ask if I didn't need it. Starving artist is a real thing! Who knew?
---
This is where you and I doing business come in! I wasn't going to start another round of commissions this early, but the situation demands it. I learned a lot from my experience last time, so I'll be doing things a bit different. Instead of offering a flat rate of $25 per image, I'm going with a new plan.
I'll be doing commissions in mini-rounds. I'll handle five commissions at a time, and then give a deadline. After that deadline, I'll start another mini-round of five commissions. Rinse and repeat.
You can buy a "sketch". These are $10, and relatively easy for me to put out. It will be a single character, roughed out on a white background. Check out this journal of mine for an idea of what I'm talking about.
Doodle Dump #2Next up we've got a set of three poses I practiced with a couple weeks ago. For all three of these, I have to thank *SenshiStock http://senshistock.deviantart.com/ for. I've always been pretty bad with poses. They always seem stiff, or lame. I had fun drawing these, because it challenged my ability. You can see by the third one I was trying to get away from your normally proportioned, standing upright pose. Still trying to refine my ability to create posture and movement through pose!
You can buy a "portrait". These are $20. I had a lot of OC ponies in my inbox from last round of commissions, so I'm offering these for cheaper as a unique option. It will be a full (head to toe) character (pony or otherwise) on a transparent background, I'll do a rough sketch, show it to you, ask you if you like it, clean it up, color it, and give it to you.
You can buy a "print". These are $30. This will include 1-2 characters on a full color background. Same process as the portrait. Sketch. Revision. Final. Pay me. Keep in mind that this option (as well as the rest) are NOT physical prints that I will mail you in the real world. I keep everything strictly digital.
---
Here's a copypaste of the process from last time, with some revisions:
1.) Fill out the request form below.
2.) Send me the request in my inbox on DeviantART OR shoot me an email at niklos@derpymail.org
3.) I will get back to you as soon as I can, saying if your request has been ACCEPTED or DENIED.
5.) I'll start up the general sketches, posing, etc. I'll show each of my commissioners these rough sketches, then I'll ask for half the payment up front. I use Paypal (you don't need PayPal, you just need a credit/debit card) [link]. If you want to make the full payment up front I'll prioritize your commission above the others. Also feel free to make suggestions about the sketch at this point.
6.) I'll draw up the rest of the request. This WILL take some time, but I will be corresponding with you until it's finished.
7.) I'll show you your commission with a big ol' ugly watermark slapped over it. Now you can pay me the remainder (unless you paid full at the start). Please don't ask me to change anything at this point. If it's something minor, like color alterations, then fine. If it's major, like a posing change, I'll refuse the edit. You had a chance to do that when I gave you the sketch.
8.) After you pay me I'll give you the full resolution file, and ask you if I can post it to my DeviantART. You will be credited as the commissioner.
---
Commission Request Form
Email:
Commission Type: (sketch, portrait, or print)
Detailed Description of Request:
References:
And that's it! I hope to draw for some of you guys, it would be much appreciated!
Distressed 
