Please, don't be a Dick

Most people I interact with as an artist are wonderful, and I appreciate every sale. But occasionally, I run into a different kind of customer—one who’s upset that they didn’t get exactly what they expected, despite all the details being provided upfront.

Let’s be clear: If you don’t read what you’re buying, and you’re unhappy with what you receive, that’s not the artist’s fault. However, I still do my best to make things right. But mutual respect is key—I’m happy to go the extra mile, but I appreciate the same courtesy in return.

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: pricing. Many people assume that because digital art (including AI-assisted art) is sold cheaply, it must be easy and effortless to make. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

In reality, selling art—especially AI-generated art—barely covers costs. Between software, hardware, subscriptions, and sheer time spent creating, pricing work at a few dollars per piece isn’t some generous discount—it’s a necessity to attract buyers in an oversaturated market. Even at these prices, many images never sell. The ones that do might get a single sale. If I charged based on time and effort, each image would cost at least $50, not $3.

This issue isn’t unique to AI art. It applies to musicians, knitters, independent game developers, and countless other creative fields. People tend to underpay for passion-driven work because they know someone, somewhere, will do it for less. And that’s why many artists (myself included) don’t rely on this for full-time income. The economics simply don’t add up.

Anthropologist David Graeber explored this in Bullshit Jobs, where he pointed out a paradox: society often underpays the most beneficial, meaningful jobs because people want to do them. Meanwhile, jobs with little social value—sometimes outright harmful ones—pay much more because no one would take them otherwise.

This is why artists, teachers, caregivers, and even game developers often work grueling hours for low pay. The demand is there, but the industry assumes passion will make up for the lack of financial reward.

So, if you value art, music, or any other creative field, here’s something to consider: respect the time, effort, and skill that goes into it. If an artist is courteous and helpful to you, offer the same in return. And if you ever feel like a $20 commission is “too much,” ask yourself—how much would you charge for several hours of skilled work?

Most of you reading this already understand this, and I appreciate that. But for those who don’t, I hope this provides some perspective.