[cheney]

I have had for the longest time had friends, family, coworkers and the like ask me to create graphics for them. The majority of these people have absolutely no concept of how much time and effort goes into a finished product as though it was created with a magic wand at the flick of the wrist. While many individuals seem to understand if I tell them no I have made people angry before by refusing their requests. It is as though I told them to fuck off, in their eyes, instead of helping them with something so simple as their requests.

Have any of you guys experienced anything like this?

For me it was not that bad in college. Most of my peers were too busy being social and experimenting with alcohol, I suppose, while I was busy nerding away my time in Photoshop. But, since I have gotten here to Kuwait I have noticed this much more even though I have a far lesser access to Photoshop. What really gets me is that at many times I do not even feel I am all that good. Hell, I can hardly draw stick figures, yet some individuals would bend over backwards to ask for requests that they would consider to be like typing a memo while I would compare it to more like typing up an encyclopedia.

I am just curious if anybody else has ever experienced situations like this. Do people you know in real life ever ask you for your time and energy? I am sure if I worked doing this as a professional it would be different, because I would carry a contract on my person in my wallet as a legal protection for all these horrid invaders.
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http://prettydiff.com/

[Jin]

Cheney,

It happens to me every day, though not in the same way exactly.

For several years, I've been traveling the Painter community and beyond helping people with tips and techniques, solutions and workarounds... because I love seeing others enjoy the program. In addition, since late 1999, I've had a website that's packed full of tutorials written and illustrated by me, information I've provided and a few things contributed by friends, and custom brushes created by me and contributed by friends. All of the site is created, maintained, and paid for by me (with no advertising) and at last count, there were something like 200 pages, though I'd have to count again to be sure how many there are now. All of this is provided for free, for individual use, by anyone who visits PixelAlley.

Since Fall of 2002, I've also had a message board where I teach Painter classes part time in private forums for enrolled and paid up students, and also have open forums for all members to use and enjoy. Though I screen members carefully before approving registrations, and that alone keeps the numbers down, we have nearly 600 members.

The reasons I screen new registrations so carefully are that I'm not at all interested in providing my competitors with information they should be able to come up with on their own, if they're teaching Painter. I also do not want members who think nothing of violating copyrights including abuse of other artists and writers work, and using or promoting the use of pirated software. Nor do I want general trouble makers.

Again, the majority of what's provided at TutorAlley Forums is free, and it too is loaded with tips, tutorials, workarounds, and resources including more custom brushes created and contributed both by friends and by me. There's no advertising and teaching part time does not cover all my expenses, let alone bring in extra money. As with PixelAlley, I set up the message board on my own, maintain it, and pay for it. I have one moderator, bless his heart, who helps me and helps our members by checking in a few times each day and answering questions or contributing information and other resources.

And yet... people expect to log in and pick up whatever new tips, tutorials, and resources are available that day, without stopping long enough to post a thank you message or to even comment on something. Though it's made abundantly clear nothing on my message board may be copied and distributed elsewhere without prior written permission from the author/creator/copyright holder, it came to my attention one day that one of the members who had not posted a single time since joining many months earlier, asked a question to which I responded with a new tutorial written just for her which she promptly copied and pasted into a message on an e-mail list to share with one of my competitors and her Painter students.

All too often when someone has registered, filled out the registration form with meaningless words or a series of "N/A"'s in each required field, then learns they'll have to complete all of the required profile fields with appropriate and useful information (nothing that will invade their privacy) before their registration will be approved, I get a nasty, hostile, and insulting response from them. This is even after I've spent hours corresponding with them to make sure they understand what's needed (not to mention the fact that they are provided an explanation when they're registering at the bottom of which there's and "Agree" button they need to click to move to the next step.

(.... deep breath...)

The story goes on, and it's even tiresome for me to think about it, let alone for you to read it.

Suffice it to say, I do believe that the more we give the more people expect.. then demand.. and one begins to wonder if it's going to be any fun at all anymore or maybe the best thing to do is to toss in the towel and quit giving altogether.

What keeps me from doing that is all the really good people who do appreciate and do a lot of sharing themselves.

This stuff happens to most of us who have something to give, and give it, so you're not alone at all.


I love the old saying:

"'No is a complete sentence."

Fortunately, I learned a long time ago that not everyone will like me and better yet, I don't need everyone to like me.

Friends worth having don't abuse friendship.


Take it easy, and say no when you need to. It actually feels good.


Jinny Brown
Painter Classes at TutorAlley Forums
(new registrations and Painter Classes on hold due to family medical emergency)
Tutorials and Painter Info at PixelAlley

[balistic]

I've developed a trick I can use if someone starts begging me to do something for free, as if it's no big deal:

[cheney]

Jin, that was a great read. I suppose its all the people who ask an inch but take a mile.

Balistic, I will definately remember that for when I get back home. Over here while doing military work 12 hours a day it would be more diffecult to convince people I am doing freelance work. But, I suppose I should learn to tell people no and grow a backbone.
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http://prettydiff.com/

[Jimmyjimjim]

Cheney-

Real quick I just want to say that I appreciate what you guys are doing over there. I support the troops, and I hope you make it home safely.

About your post, what I would do is this-

If it is a buddy that just really likes what you do, tell him you'll do it for a six pack(or something) and be really cool about it. Add it to your portfolio.

When someone who is less than a buddy wants you to do something, set him a reasonable price for your work (around 40-ish an hour if it's not complicated) and tell him him you'll do it when you can get to it, blablahblah. Show him your portfolio if he questions your prices.

That's what I would probably do. Be nice to a bud, but don't do freebies for someone just because they ask.

[Testament]

This is real valuable info you guys are sharing here. Thanks.

[Anthony]

I usually start laughing, and if they persist I tell them my usual rate and say it's my friend rate.
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-Anthony
Carpe Carpem
http://www.anthonyfransella.com