Things You Must Never Say To An Artist

To be an artist is already a very hard path, but there is someone who seems have fun to ruins your day.
I listed some things personally i hate listening.  I do not want offence anyone, but, of course, you want the same thing i want too: Respect.

  Art is also a job. If you think drawing and painting is something of fantastic, you're right! But every worker who loves his work thinking in the same way! If you ask to your idraulic to do a free work "so can be visible and promotional to my friends", probably he will throws you one of his tools. The same for as artists. Artist alive with this job, no FREE works, so, go to second point.

  I learned it from my other job: a "client" came to me and ask to restorer in style he want that antique furniture. I make it, and when finished his response was: "Ohhh, i like but i admit i think it was less dark", and the sale is failed. This is my experience, and this is the reason when i process as commission (half payment before sketch, and completed payment after accepted sketch) those type of requests.
Don't ask me as "possible buyer" to make that drawing in that color. First, you crossed artistic ispiration and you give to artist a big discomfort, because colors are manage from artist's mood and after this type of request, that's the risk painting never finished, or to be force making in another style.

  Like every artist, i'm so tired listening something like "i use too same brand tools but don't make same effect. Why?" or "what you do for that effect?".
Guys, i'm self-taught artist, and i continue learning with books, tutorial or most better: experiments!
So, please, stop try to have tips from me. The first lesson for "make that effect" is try! If you're too much lazy for spend your time in experimenting because you do not want wake up from that chair, you started with the wrong step!

  "I love your Horror Art, your women, your landscapes, your flowers... Please, drawing a cute dog!"
Please, don't say it! It's like ask to a black metal musician to write a latin song, WTF?!
Every artist has own genre and style. Stop.

  "You're too much expensive than [name artist]!" Surely, and other artists are most expensive than me. Prices are different in EVERY job. An artist must no justified his work, in my opinion.
So, if you are not happy, please, keep it in your mind and stop discourage artist.
And also words like "can you drawing less lines/put less colors so i can get it cheaper" are very irritating.
Do you want to know a "funny thing"? If for you is too much expensive that price, keep in mind at finished payment, artist can earned often half or less than he spent for that artwork: tools, time, mind-blowing due to drawing what you want... Yes, a sketch doesn't born in a finger snap, but needs hours to find reference, study the character/object you request, find right tools and more.

Don't tell to an artist: "Ohhh, your works reminds me the art of [name]". This phrase give discourage and embarrassment, seriously. Every artist has own style and genre, and if ispired from others, there are not your affairs. Especially if an artist try to grow and searching own style. And in according with this point, i tell also:

Never say: "I made too this drawing, we have all the same ideas!". Bad, that's bad. If you think this of an artist, please, take those words in your mind, and not share in pubblic. The risk is to do a fool for you who seems you copy that artist, and for that artist seems you want to umiliate with those words. Remember you: the world is big, but is your education respect the artist (musician or more), especially if is not an "art-thief" (copy/paste same work).

"You're so fast to draw that work! Why you tell me that value?!"
If i doing that commission in one day, is because i WORK ONE DAY for to do it. Of course, a little size like an ACEO (6,4x8,9cm - 2,5x3,5inches) is fast to do, but remember you a drawing, from sketch to finished work surely will not made in less than eight hours. And a day is not composed in eight hours, so yep, it's sure i worked also for 14/16 hours, like more artists, like more workers.
But... Oh, what the hell, an artist is not obligate to justified the job, because is a job service like others, and of course you would never ask to your idraulic (oh, poor him, i always nominate he) how he do his work!


There are so many things every artist do not want to heard... I know there are already more "list" around web, but i write it for personal reasons. For now, i listed them, but feel free to add what phrase you get bored, i'm so happy to heard your opinion!