While art is something many people do just in the margins of their math notes or with the occasional boost of motivation, some are able to use their creative skills and passions to make some extra income. Art commissioners can be found all over the internet, especially on Instagram, showcasing their unique styles and approaches to drawing things, especially people or characters.

For artists such as Maggie Jewell ’23 (@popykai), commissions are a fun way for her to branch out of her comfort zone and play around with new styles.

“I like making cute stuff, something that I like to do is experiment with my art style and see what I can do with it,” Jewell said. “I think it’s fun when I get to experiment and go out of my comfort zone a little bit.”

For commissioner Isabel Groustra ’25 (@stupidlilbuckethat), creating an individual’s style is often an accumulation of inspiration from others.

“I’m experimenting with a lot of different styles, because I don’t have a set one for myself, so I usually do a lot of research on other peoples’ styles and do color palettes and stuff like that,” Groustra said.

Aside from having creative freedom, there are other freedoms that come with making things independently.
Commissioners are able to turn down creating things that they aren’t comfortable with making, they can charge their own rates, and they can take breaks whenever they feel the need to.

“You get to write your own terms of service, if there’s something you’re uncomfortable with people commissioning you, you [can say] ‘don’t make me draw this’” Jewell said. “Your prices can be whatever you want; you can make them as high as you want or as low as you want, where it might be a little different if you were selling it through a company.”

Art has always been something that has come naturally to Groustra, so even in the face of artist block, they find a way to motivate themself to continue to create.

“Sometimes I do feel an artist’s block where I know what to draw, but I just can’t, or I don’t know what to draw, even though I want to,” Groustra said. “For commissions, I get the motivation because I like doing things for people.”

Various times of the year also have an impact on the amount an artist produces, especially the holiday season.

“I do see a lot of other artists getting out there and making their sales [during the holiday season], and hopefully I can do that one day,” Groustra said.