Live2d Artists Won't Tell You This (so I will) 

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As an artist, I like to make it a point not to spend the money received until I have delivered the commission. This brings me peace of mind while working on a commission.

No, no, I'm an artist and I believe it's incredibly scummy not to refund you. If they aren't going to give you what you paid for, then you paid for disappointment, and that's a scam. I'm really sorry that keeps happening to you.

A friend of mine won a L2D rigging contest and asked me to do the L2D art for it. I didn’t want to overcharge and I knew she was on a tight budget, so I said I’d do the art for the lowest rate I could find, which was $400 at the time. That was in OCTOBER 2023. I worked almost every day on that piece and gave her many, MANY review periods to ensure the final piece was perfect. I coordinated with the client AND rigger to make sure both of them were getting what they needed/wanted. It is currently almost MAY. I have sunk over 120 hours into the piece. Even IF the client pays me the agreed $400, that boils down to less than $4/hr for the art. People see the big ticket price but not the amount of work involved. L2D art is insanely hard and I would NOT recommend it to people just starting out or with little experience.

This is why I found ONE artist with a regular SCHEDULE that STICKS to it and I have not commissioned from anyone else. When you order, she tells you on what specific day she will get back to you with a sketch, and that within 2-3 days of that she'll get you flats and then once that's confirmed by you, the finished shaded picture. And she STICKS to this!! It's amazing. 10/10 work ethic. I hate when artists take on commissions because they want/need the money, but they don't have the time/headspace to actually do them.

Ive been scammed 3 times trying to get a model. First time was my fault, I have never commissioned before so didn't know how to discern artists. The next couple times they stopped giving updates a year ago, I have written those off at this point. I am still looking for an actual artist.

from an artist perspective, a lot of it has to do with this economy. My landlord raised my rent by $300 I can't afford daycare for my son because it's the same price as rent and food is inflated out of the ass. I can't even remember the last time I spent money on myself.. That is to say sometimes I feel like I have to take on more and more commissions just to get by and I make more money from art than if I was working at a store or restaurant. I always keep my clients updated and I try my best to not delay commissions if I can, I should also mention that I do mostly emote commissions so if I need to delay I'm still able to deliver emotes one by one and I haven't had an issue with clients being upset about it.

I think things will settle eventually, but right now we have two extremes: way-too-cheap models from people just trying to attract any clients and way-too-complicated on the other extreme end of the spectrum. Which while it makes for a great portfolio piece, it's likely still very under priced for the amount of work that it put in.. It's still such a new industry, and hopefully a happy and healthier medium can be found.

One way I build trust and confidence with my commissioners is _frequent_ communication. I work on their stuff almost daily and update them on progress almost daily. If there are any delays/things that come up/etc., I let them know ASAP. I also keep things running like a hospital: it doesn't matter who you are, there is a waitlist and it's first come first serve. Commissions take a long time for me, but having those frequent updates helps a lot. I also record timelapses of the process, so they can check up on it anytime if they ask

As an artist and a rigger I feel this a lot! I personally like to combat the issues of wait lists in 1 simple way I open up a certain number of slots for commissions range of 5-7 at a time. Once these are full I close them this then becomes my "wait list" and I get through them all in about 4 months. For a model it takes me approximately 2.5 to 4 months to complete depending on details and if there is rigging involved. Oh and most important, none of my clients pay any down payments to hold a spot in the waitlist (which is public for all to see) they only pay when I start their commission.

ok its been like 4 videos in a row since mari has had the glasses, maybe a tease at the redesign? mari glasses arc?

As a non-artist, I really don't know how long it takes to complete full model or background art, but it seems like a ton of work to me. I just assume it'll take longer than I think it will... >_> I agree that trust is the more important thing right now in part because of the scammers, but also because of how famous some artists are in the community. Is there a Mari curse for you commissioning things? Most of this just sounds like an interesting version of capitalism with cost/price issues but still with prices determined by what people are willing to pay. Great video though! Hope everything goes well with Mochi.

Honestly, my approach for big commissions like this (that aren't sponsorship related / with companies / have a contract) would be to do installments. Still paid up front, but in small amounts proportional to each step. It's the same I'd use for animation commissions if I were taking them. You can establish a rule to adjust the rates a bit for later steps if the design winds up being more complicated than expected. There's a reason a lot of rigs hire someone for the art then someone else for the rigging as well. Part of why it takes so long is just a lot of people are unfamiliar with rigging itself, which is one of the age old conundrums of "if you're more skilled, you're faster, you should technically charge more" that conflicts with hourly rates.

As a professional freelance artist for over a decade, communication is THE most important. Delays, changes, everything are usually ok for client or artist, as long as it's communicated clearly, and expectations are set. If something doesn't work out, communicating means there are ways to negotiate or solve the problems, and at the very least, not leave the client feeling like they wasted their time and money.

Gosh, how happy I am to having learned Live2d! Honestly, I didn't find it THAT difficult, especially if you are not aiming for a waouh-amzing-over-the-top-super-detailed rigging. The beginners guide and YT videos are doing a super decent month, and I managed to rig my model in a week QAQ But this video is super explanatory, I understand better now, thank you so much! ✨️

Modeling a model for vtubing is a lot more complicated that drawing. Takes like 50+ layers to make an eye, imagine adding the layers of the entire body

I've been waiting... I htink close to a year since my final payment went through for my model. However, I knew going in it would be a while. My 'momma' has health issues that get in the way at times and I know myself. I'm not the kind of guy to press too hard. I prefer keeping the relationship unstressed.Having this in mind and having all the information in front of me definitely helped with managing my expectations and dealing with the wait.

i had a problem with my newer live 2d model with finding a PSD artist. I applied and applied to anyone who's art I liked for a year and close to 2 dozens applications. I would hear back now and then with a "oh she's so cute" and then that would be it. Then I'd see big time indie and corporate models would get a line of stuff by those people. Money isn't good enough its also your name/popularity. I lucked out with my art mama not being popular at the time and love her style and appreciate her for taking me and my remodel is already planned to be done by her.

If a business can't deliver the product their customer paid for it should be a full refund. Full stop, no bs. I want to get a model but I don't want to lose money to someone who won't/can't complete the work and will hide behind life problems as an excuse. I got life problems too and I still have to work so get it done or give me my money back in full.

Back when I did commissions (I don't any more) I made sure my clients were getting updates at least every 2 weeks and I made sure never to get more models than I could take in a month. The Whole point was to get new clients so I didn't get more until the Q was cleared. Then again, I was doing a lot of illustration and character art before hand so I knew how to budget my time or at the very least make sure the client was happy with updates

Thanks for bringing attention to this, Mari! Since I'm new to Vtubing, I decided to go down the PNGTuber route, and I drew my own model just to see if this was something I'd enjoy doing. It's been at least a year now, so I've been considering upgrading to an actual Live2D model, but because I'm struggling in balancing my time, I considered paying a rigger to do it for me. I'm prepared for it to be expensive, but I didn't realize how often people were getting scammed, so this video is a good reminder to think twice before spending any amount of money

This is why i'm gonna be saving up the money for a ref sheet, emotes, Model an rigging, plus transition layouts from the same creator. These creators deserve the money for all their work. But i will only commission one thing at a time, i don't wanna overwork them ^^'

I'm still waiting on my model after a year. I am the artist. (I'm trying to learn live 2d cause I can't afford to commission a model) 😅

As someone looking to become a vtuber it is a real challenge finding people I feel are trustworthy enough to consider commissioning. A model and rigging is a major investment for an indie vtuber. Likewise, the proliferation of scammers in this space is so damaging for the new legit artists trying to make a reputation and living from this work because so few people want to take the risk. This is the single most challenging step I've been facing so far in my journey to become a vtuber.

not vtuber models but I've commissioned a few artists who have ended up having health issues, or family issues, or even technical issues and just.. not said anything, so I've waited for months without hearing of any progress and sent multiple messages until they told me but because I'm so passive I just.. let them away with it :P

this current model i am using took a little over a year to get the art for. I posted about it on my Twitter and everything to call her out since she continued to open slots for more commissions and would tell me "oh it will be done X month" I paid for it Nov (2021) for it to be finished by March (2022) I didn't get it till Nov (2022) after pretty much bothering her every week for it. and I KNOW she could have done it quicker because she forgot about my 2nd outfit that I asked for and pumped that out in 2 weeks. I had to go through our DMs and provide SS proof that I even asked for a 2nd model because she didn't remember... There are things with it that she never did for me that I asked. as well as things about my model I don't like but she took SO long I was just happy to have it. its left such a bad taste in my mouth that honestly... I'm currently getting a new model made because the one I have now, although super pretty... it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. however, even the artist I have now doesn't give me as many updates as I would like... she was paid for at the beginning of March and I was told it should take her about 1.5 months to finish her. Ive only seen the sketch/partially rendered of one outfit and hair (Im getting 3 outfits, 5 hairs, and 4 arm poses) Im fine if it takes longer since I don't have a slot for the rig till July. but I just wish she would at least send me a message once a week saying "started X this week" I feel like as a customer I shouldn't have to be the one messaging asking for an update :/

I do all my own stuff, model, emotes, banners etc cause of costs. (And art practice..) but I have actually picked up Live 2d because of the prices and knew I would be unable to pay an artist their worth for the work even if I got the model rig ready for them. It also comes down to just doing myself because of wait times, I already struggle with getting my own stuff done and am trying really hard to do better and get better at it,I don't want to have to worry about someone getting in the way of me staying on schedule for whatever I want or need done. Which is a sad thing to say, I will never fault an artist for real life stuff getting in the way and having to put things on the back burner, but communicating is key for sure, just a quick "Real life shit sorry" would be fine too,no need for details. Any understanding person would get it cause life happens and shit gets messed up. It's kinda sad to see the scamming practices becoming more common.

I was lucky, my artist I met through RP streams, and we played on the same servers so we some what knew each other and she did the rigging I was expecting to be starting streaming by the beginning of but she ended up busting it all out in a few months. I've heard do many horror stories about people being scammed.

I’m also a Vtuber artist, and I live in a underdeveloped country, my fee it’s nothing above 150 USD because of the same reason the video exposes, most of the people that know my work, is people around that same country, we live in a very low paycheck and I can confirm that it’s so hard to have like one commission at most just because people think it’s way too much money, when in reality it’s a lot of animation, rigging and design job, all at once, thank you for bringing this topic to light!

When I was experimenting with trying to learn Live2D modles and rigging I realized real quick how much harder it was (I was also not in a good headspace at the time as I was just recently getting back into art after a bout of depression). So it wasn't going to be commissions while I practiced because I didn't feel up to snuff. I felt weirdly happier with my weird ass PNGtuber modle I made for myself and a former friend's than I did with my actual 2D vtuber model attempt. The Fromer Friend's ended up being more of a quick chibi thing I did just so they had something at the time so they had time to shop around (it was free, it wasn't going to be a perma thing origonally as it was their design that I worked on with them). I finally gotten to where I'm happier with my art in it's flawed way and I'm even working on adding stuff for my own streams, eventually actually redoing my PNGtuber model where it reflects my art now. Making Live2d Models are *hard*, No matter how you "simplfy it" and I can only imagine the difficualty to rigging when you're new at it because there for a while I was starting to feel discouraged even when I was saying "I want to do that! I want to make things like that!" When I would see these extreamly beautifully fluid vtuber models, like there was one that was a zombie and I was like "they almost could turn their head like a 3D model! Yo!" PNGtubers are far more accessiable for me to hone my craft and you can do animated PNGs to get a little extra movement if you want with Vedeomini I came to realize. (My model moves it's mermaid's tail and when I talk, it moves it's mouth on a loop, though a bit too fast to my liking, while it blinks, Just an example for those who may want to consider doing an PNGtuber instead of a Live2d Model right out of the gate). But even then, I don't think I'm "good enough" to commission doing these PNGtuber models yet as I'm still rehoning my craft. So I came to a conclusion: I may not start off doing PNGtuber model commissions, but instead I'm going to put on Ko-fi instead a few "container" assets for Vtubers and normie streamers alike so they can use when they have low energy vs high energy or whatever they need it for. More "generic" things like empty and full battieries (for the more Cyberpunk themes), low and high jars of honey (I've seen a lot of bee themes on etsy so I think it's safe to say they're used a lot), Maybe a empty and full bucket of shells? (the more oceany themes I see) and the like. I figured showing the audiance the mental health through a simple, low-key way is *way* more important than that of perfect models right away. I had done the full and empty spoon bucket before, and I kinda did the full and empty chest for myself, and also did two more for friends as gift. Figured it would be a nice, cheap way to start off and people could download and use right away without any issue to fit with the more generic themes when they're starting off.

I’m VERY new to the VTubing community lol I’m still trying to figure out models and rigging and how all this stuff works - so for people like me, this was very helpful! Thank you ^w^!!! I hope your dog gets better, they seem very sweet

I had to wait for almost a full year with 0 updates until the colored sketch was posted on Twitter. I even got pushed back a few times because "rush fees". I'm glad I received it and I love my l2d model but I do wish I got feedback or updates more than just "here's the model".

This is such a great topic for a video because it's hard to talk about on social media because most of us don't want to start drama but sometimes accidentally being scammed happens. I actually lost 6k NZD back in 2022 on a lewd model that never got done. I still don't have the files even though the artist claims to have finished it and posted my ref sheet on social media, but I didn't talk about it because I was so afraid of being the drama of the day. So absolutely 100% agree with you when you say communication here is key.

I made my 3D model using VRoid Studio. Even though it didn’t cost me any money, it took nearly 250 hours of drawing, adding clothes and hair, and rigging. I completely understand why artist’s prices are what they are.

I used to watch a Vtuber who also did Live2D and art. I believe she was a Vtuber mama and papa when she graduated. The subject came up several times and she actually did a few rigging streams. It's insane how much attention to detail and patience you need to make a model look good when it's animated. It was a good look behind the curtain and was still fun to watch, especially when she would miss a node, test it and everything moved except that node.

Luke: 10 thousand! We could make our own model for that much Han: But who's gonna rig it kid, you?

im making a model now (thanks for your tuts by the way!) because im deeply impatient but GOODNESS i really couldnt imagine being paid less than minimum wage for all this work

youre so on your grind rn i hope you turn a profit this year! ...and hopefully the taxes will still go ok haha

As an 3D Artist i usually take, half upfront and the other half when its finished. But yeah there are many scammer out there i get like 3 new ppl a day that are "artist" asking if i want to commission them. A good i can give is, ask them for a portfolio or screens of their previous work. Many scammer either have nothing or just mix of completely different styles and qualities.

😅 ive been on my current artists waitlist for 2 years, and she's going to be opening commissions very soon and I'm so very excited ♡

I'm both an artist and rigger. It breaks my heart how many people straight up scam in this space. As I'm newer to the commission side of things my prices are lower and I don't get hired too often. People are scared to try newer artists out and seeing how many scams there are, I understand that fear wholeheartedly. These are big projects and as Vtuber models are often a representation of the buyer, you, in some way, they want to be done well and handled with care. I feel for your situation and even though time has passed I hope you can find a resolution of some kind!

i made my own vtuber, i used 5 days to learn-rush about rigging the easiest and fastest way posible making it look "decent". also im drawing my own emotes + making my first emote comission, so i understand that the way you spend your time is the own thing that will depend if your on time on your things or not. Im debuting in may 5 and i still have 7 emotes left to do + point channel desing + alert design + channel point toggles. So yeah. the most expensive thing on every art stuff, its the time you spend on it! So i understand the frustration of dont having anything on the time youre supposed to have it because of life-changing situations

i paid for a model (no rigging, just art) back in september and the artist told me it would take 3 months, but it's almost may and i've never seen more than a few sketches. everytime i ask for an update it takes them a couple weeks to even respond and i totally don't mind waiting as long as the work gets done, but when i'm trying to plan out rigging as well with another person it's really stressful to be so behind schedule 😮‍💨

Sorry to hear about what you've been through, Mari. It's heartbreaking to see people getting ghosted like that. If it would interest you, I'd like to offer you a free illustration. It's not much, but I hope it'll make up for some of what you've gone through.

I try to get a new model every year while looking for new riggers & artists. It's always a wild ride! My advice is to be patient and considerate since it takes a huge amount of work! The last thing you want is for them to freak out and rush. Once you get it, that's pretty much how it will be forever!

something else that kinda rubs me with commissioning is when artist will contact you and show you their art and in a way guilt you into commissioning them afterwards then when you realize you wont be able to afford their prices and try to convince you over and over again and even bring up why they need the money, it doesnt make me feel like i can trust that they'll actually finish it or even half-ass it if i spend 350 and its even worse when 1 artist does this and 5 more artist use the same tactics

Great video! Ngl ive been shopping around for awhile now since ive been wanting to not only get into streaming but content creation as a whole. Just through fivver seeing the cost for a full body, i thought it was cheap in comparison not realizing that they have been undercutting themselves. There are some really amazing artists and just trying to do my own 3d model to start out with, can definitely be a toll. For me, i would rather pay more and let it take more time to allow the artist to create their best product, and even to i would ABSOLUTELY give them free publicity and shoutouts just because it truly is hard to stick out in a market that is super saturated. I hope more people endorse this idea and see more live2d artists shine more!

Stories like this (and similar ones from other online fields) just reinforce my flaw of just trying to do everything on my own.

That's why I personally rig people's models for free. It usually doesn't take me long to rig models (2-3 days, sometimes a week if I'm feeling unmotivated). I rig for fun, it's something I like to do. That and there's some things I'm not good at yet (mouth rigging). I don't want to charge someone for a rig that only has simple mouth movements.

I am a beginner with the vtubing models because I felt it was art that fit me. I personally tell them before hand "Please remember I am younger and I dont always have time in my day to do a whole bunch" I do put all of my effort I can in it. I usually let them commission first, finish the model, I show them the model first before they pay so they can change things if need be, I usually give updates every 2-4 days I usually try my best and I hate the people who are "starting" and then end up just being scammers because it makes it so much harder for us beginners to get commissions

As an artist who does art and live2D commissions, the best advice I can give is to do your best to not fall to desperation when you are in complicated financial situation, it's best in the long run to take smaller comms you know you can finish in a good amount of time, yes big comms are amazing when you are in need of money but the stress of multiple big pending works is something I don't wish on anyone, specially when the commissions are the kind you need to take time with them, it's not worth it. You bring good points on both sides Mari, it's nice to see others speak about these kind of things, not much I can add besides life being hard on all us, not as a negative thing but to find solace in understanding each other, of course this doesn't excuse the bad actors, I would love for everyone to get their art in time, failing that, that the work continues until you get what you commission for as a work principle as they keep communication solid.

I've been debating on a design, I think I have one in mind. Then I just need to get my practice a bit. Which I have plenty of time, on forced work leave.

I'm currently learning live2d and I'm lucky to be learning really fast, but damn the first time I opened the program, it REALLY felt overwhelming, the amount of stuff there was on my screen that I had no idea what it did x)

I'm so glad I learnt to make my own :')

This is why, as industries develop, commissioners and contractors start forming contracts to ensure that expectations are met. The paperwork and legal overhead can bog down the process, but it guarantees that you don't get scammed.

As an artist, I stay true to my TAT as much as possible and communicate with the commissioner constantly on updates and potential delays.

Well I will most certainly wait for my fav model artist thats for sure.....😊

I'm just imagining all the A.I. tech bro's watching this with dollar signs in their eyes and immediately setting out to make a 2d/3d ai model maker.

I have someone I know IRL who offered to make me a Live2D model for Christmas and yeah, I'm really grateful for it... It has been nearly 5 months and they're still working on it... Was super happy when they offered because it's like probably worth 10x what the usualy gift would be lol... It also made me feel a bit bad anytime I gave them feedback about changes but they were pretty clear they wanted me to really like the model and a lot of art adjustments aren't much of a problem for them... They even worked with me in preparing some toggles... They are really talented at art, they've been doing it for a long time, though this is like their second time making a model (their own being their first) and so it doubles as a way for them to learn the software and get practice rigging... Regardless they did a really nice job with their first model so I'm really excited, only reason I won't credit them in this comment is since I don't want it to seem like a promo... But yeah, I guess that's the secret to having affordable Live2D models... Have a real life person who is very talented and willing to make one for you at little to no cost... Really hope they also get good commissions in the future...

I actually went to school for animation, so the process of making the different eyes and mouths and the cutting process are familiar to me. I am working on my own model that I hope to debut next year at the latest. I also have a 8am to 5pm full-time and am currently in the process of moving out while also maintaining a social life. When I take a commission, I only charge for the hours I am working on the commission and I am up front about being first come, first serve. This is my first time doing a V-Tuber model so I can see how time consuming it can be. I believe that riggers and artist should charge based on their needs and demand.

This is why I usually only let friends I trust commission me for bigger projects. Life happens and sometimes things get delayed and no matter how many times you tell a client, they might not have empathy for you or your situation and just want their work done now even if there is a queue. I had two of my family dogs pass away within a month of each other and I let my clients know things would be delayed because it was hard working on art when they were the ones always keeping me company during my work. Most of my clients were kind and understanding (most were friends or friends of friends) but one chose to be really rude about it and spam messages to me everyday about the delay and how “unprofessional” it was to take some time to mourn. I ended up just scraping all the hard work I did on that model and refunding them their deposit because the stress that person caused was not worth the cost.

Every time I hear a story like this I am baffled. I cannot in good conscious not work on something I've been commissioned for, because of how much I hear about these stories, I make commissions my top priority in order to ease the mind of the client. Even if someone has passed, or I am sick, I will at least try to make some progress to send over. I typically get most commissions done in a week but if it takes longer (like a vtuber model) I provide updates weekly or bi-weekly. The longest I've taken on a model was 4 months because they allowed me time to experiment with new things, every model I've made for myself I've made within a week or two. No matter how big the piece, I don't think I could ever dare to allow someone to wait an entire year.

I'm an artist and I've been thinking about getting into designing and rigging vtuber models for a couple years now, but it's such a steep learning curve. I'm fine on the design front, no issues with that, but the rigging... people really underestimate how difficult it is and especially how time consuming it is. like, you have to be very detailed if you want it to look right. it's a lot of repetitive work, but at the same time you can't really zone out because you have to pay a lot of attention because it's very easy to mess up. learning how to properly use the program is a job in itself and I don't think many people think of that. while you're learning and can't take commissions, you have to have another job to pay the bills, which means less time to learn, which means more time before you can take commissions, etc. the prices on many models can look outrageous from the outside, but if you take everything into account, they're really not unreasonable. (also to clarify, you can totally learn how to rig in less than 2 years, I'm just chronically ill and been dealing with a worsening of my illnesses, so I haven't been able to draw or.. well, do anything, really, which is why my progress has stalled. hopefully my issues will ease up a bit so i can get back to it and also to work in general lol) edit bc I forgot to say this: I feel really bad for the people that get scammed. it's on the artists to be transparent about difficulties and offer solutions, whether total refunds or partial ones along with the partially finished work. the scammers just make it harder for everyone, both clients and artists. they create distrust within the community. I also feel bad for the people that want to get into vtubing and can't afford a model. like yeah, anyone can be a png-tuber, but it's not the same and to me it's always felt a bit dismissive when people say that. but at the end of the day, artists need to be able to make a living, so even though I feel bad for the people that can't afford it, I don't know that there's a solution to this issue other than the sites that have a few free generic models.

I'm really glad you mentioned artists with health/life complications, I also wonder about others in my boat here. I don't do VTube models, But I do full character refs! Unfortunately, I've had a good few where they have been on hiatus an unfair amount of time, simply because my health fails me out of nowhere a lot, and that would be why I use the slot system on top of not usually taking *any* money before at least sketch is done, and I prefer to have them pay as things get completed. I unfortunately have one client right now who has been waiting like half a year, admittedly on a very complex character sheet and design, strictly because I am having to play chase with health concerns. I always feel so so bad when this happens, and she's been stellar, but I still feel so bad.

been attempting to learn Live2D as a digital artist for a personal game project, it really takes a lot of time, even more than when you just draw for the sake of drawing.

as an artist that struggles to get commissions its infuriating to see these people get handed money and then they run off with it. Like wtf? You get this opportunity and a clients trust and yet you don't deliver the product and on top of that your customer service is shit too?! I don't care I think these people should be called out because it's unacceptable, you end up with Vtubers like Kirsche and other clients that get burned by these scammers. On the flip side I think at least new clients should respect an honest artist time, there's a disconnect with many non-artists who just don't realize the time it takes to make something, heck some of them think it's easy! To which i say, ok why don't you make it? and yeah the economy rn sucks and art is simply a luxury product at the end of the day, you don't need it. Great video!

I feel that Mari. There are so many of my other friends who have lost out on a ton of money after getting scammed. I'm actually going to be working with one of my friends who learned Live2D rigging in a month to see if I can make my own 2.0 model! Wish me luck! xD

Communication is really the key here >

I made one vtuber model myself, a little turtle. Couple days later I noticed I missed rigging in part of the eyes, but since everything else worked fine I just went with it. Working on that stuff was so much work I basically threw my hands up just glad the rest of it was working fine. Wasn't going to dismantle and rehash everything just because a light texture. This stuff ain't easy. I'd actually love to get an updated/better version made by someone with actual artistic talent and good rigging lol.

Oh, 100% yes. Life always gets in the way of commissions for other people. As a full-time college student, I always let my commissioners know I'll mainly be busy through the school semester and should work on their art over winter and summer break. I always let them know how things are going and when I'm free. If they ask for a refund, I refund them, end of story.

Paid for my rigging in december still waiting but my rigger for super sick for a while. I love my artist I always tell them there is no rush but I turn around and they have it finished and also looks amazing.

I've had a similar experience with an artist I commissioned. They made a sketch, then flaked. I was super nice and encouraging, and I even tipped them extra when they showed me the sketch, but sadly they never followed through. Thankfully I wasn't out that much money because they didn't ask for payment until after the art was complete.

I am still uncertain if I even want to do vtuber content creation, let alone try to commit to creation at this stage. If I did, the struggle isn't so much as the wait but who I can trust that is affordable and will not run away with my hard earned money that I have bleed my time and health for. Its different for everyone, but this video is definitely informative enough for any aspiring vtuber.

This is why the simpler design is often times the better ones as since it will cost way less time for the artist and rigger odds are hopefully it will get done first

I'm using a 3d model i made in vroid. I've thought about commissioning a model, but I want to make sure I'll actually use it.

This is why I just want to learn to do everything for myself by myself. Sure it may take a bit, but at least I won't be costing money and time. Just time and practice

Art is a luxury and people seem to forget that

I've been struggling to deliver fast commissions since when I started drawing full artworks. Now I also make VTuber models and the struggle is even worse! But now I added the fact that my work is slow into my terms of service and I recommend every artist to do the same! Please accept your struggles and share them to your clients so they are aware on who they are hiring and can't complain if they accepted your terms~ As long as you keep your client updated and have a fair refund policy you won't have any issues!

Im a vtuber artist and rigger I also do art commissions and stuff, and I had this typa experience where I had to prioritize a higher paying commission than others, not because it was a higher paying one but because it was a rush order. Because of this I would update the other clients little by little but not my usual, "full sketch, full lineart, full render" updates plus university crushing into my schedule... It's rly hard to manage and I would catch myself sleeping at 4 am because of commissions. I am just glad that my clients were patient with me, and they did say they were not in a rush but of course I did not want to take advantage of that!

Been waiting since january deadline is on may 6th and so far I "only" saw a sketch. (new model art) They promise to hit the deadline but communication only happened when I kind of begged and was very rare. It's extremely scary, I wonder if they understand the fear that comes with situations like this even if they feel like they are right on time and can do it easily in the time left? I don't want to be annoying, spamming them with messages and stuff like that and I try to trust that they can do it and am cheering them on currently. But it's often prices that could cover 1-2 months of rent and a lot of past trauma making people very nervous..

I got my vtuber model for under 80$ but only because I have a face mask on, eyepatch, and basic rigging, depending on the artist you can get a model for cheep, it's very important to respect the artist and their rules as well no matter the price

I've got a Professional subscription to live2d Cubism software and I need to use 100% of the money I spent on it for this year. I'm considering on doing stuff for clients after I get my use out of it personally. This video gave me some ideas on the current situation on the market.

this is intresting I never really thought about it I have a friend who does rigging commissions and she never really talks about this side of the job

I currently have a prepaid model because I couldn’t afford a full model just yet. I completely understand why they cost so much and hope artists can raise their prices for their well being.

Life definitly got in the way of my commissions. i made one commissioned Vtuber in total and i was surprised at myself how much i had to delay due to other priorities such as education. but even when i had to delay it i would constantly talk to my commissioner about it and explaining why it was being delayed. thankfully they were super duper kind about it and eventually i got it done after like a few months delay but now i make sure to tell my commissioners that there is the possibility of me delaying such big projects and really make sure they understand that im not delaying it just because of no reason. From then on its up to them if they want to commission me or someone who will probably get it done much faster and i respect either choice

In my time with vtubing, I've made 3 models for myself, art, rigging, and all (with 2 of them being entirely lost, sadly), and the expensiveness becomes understandable so quickly. I've gotten better with each attempt in both the art and rigging aspect, and started a fourth model yesterday.. and it's been a while between my third model and this one, so it feels daunting and I'm ONLY in the lineart phase. But I know I can't afford any assistance, not by a long shot.

as an artist who does this for a living, this is hard, like, barely reaching the end fo the month hard, it's better than an office job yeah I can work from home and be on my pc but I'm not playing videogames or watching anime I'm working since I wake up until I go to sleep and I STILL have a 2 to 3 month waiting list

I haven't commissioned any artists in regards to my VTubing stuff (I'm a broke college student with no income so I don't have that type of money) nor do I do commissions. But as an artist, life definitely can impact the time it takes to make art. For an example: I was planning on doing some work upgrading my assets last week because it was finals so I wasn't going to stream. But because I was busy studying, I didn't end up getting any work done on what I was planning to do. So now I'm behind on upgrading those assets.

I am extremely lucky to be a visual spatial “genius”, because for me it’s not hard to make VTuber models. Rather, it’s tedious and takes a lot of troubleshooting and foresight. The more models you make, the more you gain insight on how to do it more efficiently. I did my first commission a couple months back, I was about two days late for the due date. Even though it wasn’t a big deal and the due date was more of a suggestion, I still felt bad for being late. To be completely honest with you, I think a lot of the delays from some of these designers stems from depression, and the lack of communication is due to anxiety(especially when the days add up and it snowballs). Artists have more emotions to deal with, but truly successful artists learn to overcome that weakness. It’s honestly crazy that you didn’t get refunded though, I really can’t imagine ever doing that to someone. I haven’t publicly been in the VTuber commission space so I don’t know what it’s like. Hope you find some more diligent artists soon! Xoxoxoxo

I see everyone get theirs in like half a year or so, art and rigging, the whole package. It's been three years now for the art only. I'm thankful the artist actually communicates, but I'm still waiting.

And things like this is a major part of the reason I made my own model. Even though it took me over a year, and is still subpar, it's better than getting scammed out of thousands of dollars I have no way of getting back without the model...

As an artist who does commissions, this is why I charge on finished works, if I want my money I have to finish the work, in a appropriate timeline, not everyone does like this but this what works for me, but helps at least not charging full till you finish the work, second I made the mistake in the past to take too many works at once and was a disaster, limit the number of slots to a manageable number that can be finish in a reasonable time, easier to track and keep contact with the client, and do not open more slots till you finish the batch, again pressure yourself to go trough the works and helps organize better following those rules really helps organize yourself better and avoid the unending waiting lists and year long cycles that also affect the client who may have change opinions or be unable to afford the commission as things have changed

I’m someone who had to make my own VTuber model. When I was starting, I had minimal experience with drawing (drew here and there in my youth and was considered good “for a kid”), and literally no experience in Live2D. I wasn’t aiming to draw anything extravagant, just clean and sufficient enough to work when I get to rigging. And when I got to rigging, I was so lost. It took me roughly a week to get a decent workflow going and when I finished finally, I was simply happy to have it done. I was already pretty aware of how much time and money goes into a model before I started making mine. It was precisely why I made my own. So, my experience making my own model made me better understand and appreciate the process behind making a VTuber model. I did take solace in the fact that since I made everything myself, I could go back anytime to make additions and adjustments to the model I made. However, I’m a bit limited to my current skill when it comes to drawing and how far I can take ideas I want to apply while rigging. I want to learn how to draw better and improve my rigging, but I have no time for those things as of recent, which is unfortunate since making a model was actually fun to me, especially the rigging. So, I’d still love to be able to commission others to do art and rigging, but I need to save money for that and look for trusted artists and riggers that could better portray my idealized VTuber model than I ever could.

decided to do my own...finding it a mess since i started with other stuff but.. if i can do it well i can do it as a passtime on the side since i went 3d i can advert it on myself by walking in vr or wathever ill see)

I've been in the freelance commissioned art world for a long time, it's how I make my living. In my opinion the biggest reason you wind up with such a low completion rate for models among lesser known or newer artists is scope. You're essentially contracting them for what could be hundreds of hours of labor. I think almost everybody knows or has been the person who had a month to write a term paper and then had to squeeze it out in a day - that is what happens with these artists except there is no hard deadline to keep them accountable. Even if you try to set a deadline, your options for enforcing it are extremely limited because unlike a term paper you actually want/need what they're making and if they flake you have to go to someone else and you've wasted months waiting. The client is invested and that gives the artist more leverage to ask for extensions. Unless this person works on your model like a 9-5 job, it is either going to take a really long time or they are going to flake and it won't get done. The people who are doing this are by and large really young, ranging from teens to late 20s. Not to shit on young people, but I remember being young and even now taking on a project that large for a lump sum of money makes me sweat. it's a lot of pressure, there's a lot that could go wrong and with a Live2D model when stuff goes wrong it can force you to start over from zero or erase dozens of hours of work. I'm not surprised at all that this happens a lot, and frankly if you paid $150 for a Live2D model even if it's extremely simple and you're providing all the assets and just asking for rigging that could be as little as $3/hour for what you're asking and at that point I kinda feel like you get what you pay for. You're either gonna wind up with a rushed, bad model, or the artist will run with your money. That's like asking somebody to re-roof your house for $150 - and re-roofing a house takes less time.

Personally, as someone who does the art and the rigging myself and who is also disabled I don't give my clients a deadline to when I'll be finished and is very straight forward with this and hoping I'll get understanding for this. I give updates every 1 - 2 weeks no matter what and is honest if I haven't been able to work much that week. I only have 2 payment plans, either pay it all when I start the commission or pay half once I start the commission (both plans over paypal invoice) and half when I'm done (I honestly prefer option 2).

This video is spot on. I had thought to DIY my model and then started going down into the abyss that is Live2D character design, slicing, rigging, and animating. This video helped put things into perspective and is what convinced me to commission my avatar to be made. Thankfully, its been a smooth process... but definitely have to credit @mariyumech for giving lots of good information. This let me take the commission artists' estimates and such seriously. Still, definitely cost that needs to be considered.

I'm still in the really early stages of my vtuber concept art and is a bit new. But I'm personally a painter, and we have similar problems in the fine arts community too;-; I personally wanted to personalize my own model, I can do the fine lines, model, character design and all of that drawing wise but I think I just mainly needed help with rigging(but I'll see if I'm able to do it by myself first) Also, I wanted to get more comfortable with streaming first and build up my platform before making big money moves.

i start practicing live2d and omg !!!!! it takes forever to do and a lot of work to make it perfect

After learning to create and rig my own model, I can honestly say that you can't pay me enough to do it again for someone else.