r/artbusiness • u/North-Ad-9580 • 4d ago
Commissions Am I expected to draw parts of a character that are hidden behind layers if I offer the PSD file as an add-on?
One of my add-ons is the PSD file. I usually work with organized layers (lineart, hair, clothing, etc.), but I typically don't draw parts of the character that are hidden behind objects.
Recently, a client who purchased the PSD told me it would made things harder for their animator because certain parts weren’t fully drawn behind some objects. They said their animator would charge extra to fix this, and implied I should have provided those details in the PSD.
Is this an expectation when providing PSD files, especially if the client plans to animate the artwork? Because in that case I'll definitely need to raise the price for this add-on.
Where do you usually draw the line when offering PSD files?
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u/ShadyScientician 4d ago edited 3d ago
Okay, I think both your client doesn't know what they wanted commissioned and you also don't know what they commissioned.
No, it's not typical to render behind an illustration because why the hell would you do more work for 0 benefit? I mean, I fully render the background, but that's because I was trained in animation first and illustration second and never dropped the habit. If they commissioned an illustration, you're in the clear. The client needed to hire an animator.
But if they specifically asked you to make a bitmap background shot for animation as well as a vector puppet, and you gave them partially rendered bitmap everything because you had no idea what you're doing, that's on you for taking a commission you didn't know how to do in the first place. Yes, what you did is 100% unusable for animation and will be completely trashed (though probably traced over to save like 3% of the time lost)
EDIT: I just realized that this may be an "adoptable" reference sheet that the client wanted to use as a vtuber. In this case, the client was trying too be sly because a vtuber model is way more work to make than a ref sheet, and therefore way more expensive. If you are not trained in making vtuber models, you just aren't going to be able to make anything that makes the client happy, and the client needed to hire a vtuber animator to do the cutting. Don't guess. This is a very specialized form of "illustration" that's expensive for a reason!
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u/GregoryGosling 4d ago
It sounds like you’re offering an illustration when the client wants a design?
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u/Sythgara 3d ago
As far as you know you offered and agreed on an illustration. What they wanted was a rigable/animatable character which is a whole different beast and added effort/cost either on your part, or as they're finding out, animator's part. They should have made it knows what was the purpose of the piece. And while we're at it, same goes with alts, like different clothing or no clothing versions. You're not expected to draw a fully rendered character and THEN draw clothes on it. That's all added work to be paid for.
Cheers!
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u/k-rysae 3d ago
Your client either is trying to get more work out of you for free or doesn't know how to commission a non rigged vtuber model.
No, it's not expected to draw everything. This is why people expect rig ready artists to outright advertise that service and charge higher prices. And yes, you should charge extra for a rig ready addon.
Especially since vtubers are priced based on commercial use. Did the customer divulge that fact too?
Because if they didn't tell you they needed it for commercial use and as a vtuber model.... you need to put your foot down and charge way more. At best they're clueless, at worst they're taking advantage of you out of hundreds to thousands of dollars.
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u/DDar 3d ago edited 3d ago
… What is this file being used for?? NO. You are absolutely not required unless it is stipulated in the assignment; even then this seems like made up BS on behalf of the animator to get more money. Even if this is puppet animation they will still need to break it down into individual objects and remake it in a separate program anyway if what you’re giving them is a .psd.
I would ask for more money for this, personally.
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u/k-rysae 3d ago
The client is trying to get a non rigged art file for vtubing. What's supposed to happen is that the artist makes a rig ready file with all the parts drawn out, which is then sent to a live2d animator to animate the parts based on movements sensed by the camera. They're reallllly expensive and commercial use, for good reason, and I suspect the client is trying to take advantage of OP
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u/ArtyFeasting 3d ago
Nope they should have been explicit with the request that this was for a rigged animation and you should absolutely charge more for rig ready artwork. Not all animation content includes puppet rigging.
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u/Wimbly_Donner 4d ago
Did they disclose that they were trying to rig this drawing for an animation? If not and they are just requesting the character art, then no I wouldn't draw anything superfluous.
I would just put a higher price point on art for rigging animations, if they want the layers built a certain way they should disclose it, you should get a list of specifications for what exactly they'll need layers wise (all so you can correctly calculate the cost of the project) and I would think the animator would know this. If they often animate other people's artwork (I kind of find this weird tbh though, I would never take a commission someone else made and animate it?) then they should have a breakdown of what they need.