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I have no idea if other designers have experienced my same frustrations but boy howdy...have I had some rough spots over the years doing freelance (and have been stiffed on payments many times). But I'm forever grateful for the sweet, kind and patient clients I've had, especially those who gave me a shot when I first started designing! I feel like this comic is more of a 'How to be a financially struggling freelancer', so hopefully people learn from my past missteps lol

I'll be launching this one next week some time!

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Kyle Maxwell

Not a freelance graphic designer, but I have built lesson plans and PowerPoints only for the higher ups to just buy a pre-made lesson from a company

Sheldon Pink

I'd probably find this more funny if it wasn't 100% true. Hey if we don't laugh we'll cry though right

Jordan Brown

That is fantastic. And I feel that in my bones from my days working on app/interface design.

The_Modyman

Photographer here. I’ve had like 5 clients ghost me after I ask them to select a day for their shoot. Bugs me each time

Jon Barker

Now you know why demons insist on getting the contract signed first. In blood.

Aaron Pearson

Omg... This triggered me. After I completed my graphic design course, I couldn't find a job, so I tried to create a profile by doing free design work. Literally every step you did happened to me. It was such a waste. My first logo for them was damn good. I was proud of it. Thank you for reopening old wounds. 😋

CanDude

I almost hate to say it, but I see a lot of myself in the first 3 client panels 😅 I'm always bugging my artists with stupid changes, but I feel bad about it and try to tip them at the end.

CanDude

Now... uh... are you still taking commissions? 😅

Ted

Haha this is hysterical 🤣

Patrick Schulze

Work in tech, specifically data science, and many a time I will spend days working on a project only to have the client tell me that they just found someone who will do it for half the price and get "mostly the same" results. Yea, bullshit, just remember it'll be twice the price when you come back.

EnjoyerOfAll

one of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVkLVRt6c1U seems like the issue is pretty universal if both you and they seem to agree.

Jeremiah Avery

Ouch! I've been there in terms of needing a response and the person seems to forget how to pick up the phone or send an e-mail. Yet, when they want a response, they want it immediately.

William Harris

I said this somewhere else yesterday, but art is a freakin' bloodbath. Much respect.

Philip

You may enjoy (hate) this: https://notalwaysright.com/tag/clients-from-hell/

Aaron Pearson

Actually... I could use help with designing business cards. If that's something you able about to do?

James Antill

Feels like you could do a bunch of comics like this, doubling as advice for new comic people. Actually kind of surprised that nobody has done this before.

Kurdt

I've read so many horror stories from artists dealing with clients, so if I'm asking for a commission I'm usually very understanding lol. I try and give the artist a lot of room to be creative

pizzacakecomic

Oof yeah, it's even worse now with AI tearing through the whole industry and stealing people's content

Coffee Run

I was volunteering at an animal shelter satellite when the lady in charge asked me to make a sign for a pet accessory sale. So I got to work but told her I'd need time to finish it up. She said not to worry about it because she'll just find something on Google. That was the last I head from that project.

Kurdt

I think that translates to "I'll just find something shitty for free instead of paying for something that will actually look good"

Coffee Run

I was volunteering so it was already free lol. I was actually there to walk dogs and stuff so the fact I was being asked for graphic design help was a little strange.

Kurdt

Ah, okay lol. Feels like you were being used a bit then. "Oh hey, I've got some dishes that need to be washed at my house do you think you could do that too?"

Just Bob

...you okay, Ellen?

Coffee Run

I'm sure it could have gone that router if I'd stayed longer. I think was a case of "well you're a relatively young person, you can just use computer magic for free right?"

Andrew Levin

I feel your pain. I create custom enterprise programs (think database programs that track manufacturing) and I missed putting in upgrades and such were extra, lost six figures in income on that one

Kurdt

If there's one thing I wish I'd learned earlier in life is that it's okay to say "no" even to people who seem like they have good intentions. Sometimes people just want to see how much free labour they can get out of you

Tim Starliper

The solution for clients like that comes from Mike Monteiro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVkLVRt6c1U

Zulium

I did some freelance/commissioned art in and after college for a time. It wasn't that terrible because I didn't get a lot of clients, but opening up commissions on deviant art back in the early 2010's just led to a lot of horny furries asking me for fetish work lol.

Coffee Run

I was actually kind of disappointed because I rarely get the chance to make things like that

Wyred

Adam Savage has a great bit about this that I'll just leave here... https://youtu.be/5Gie-cdO__U?si=9ao4T88ZivtSJmIr

Stefan

You forgot the "say screw it and embrace adult work" panel?

Orange_Cuda74

Some people just don't understand the work that goes into things

Anthony Lucarelli

Outside of customer deciding to go another route this is the same as working on high end cars

Michael Szeller

I get this. ANY kind of custom/bespoke work runs into this I think. And then at the payment phase they try to cut the agreed price down. So you need a tight contract, a good size deposit, and agreed progress payments!

Sean Kozma

The look on your face in panel 2!

Myani

I was once the "12 year old nephew" in this scenario. I told my brother to pay a real artist. :/