Where dreams begin...

so... I figure that this blog is my little place to rant to the universe.  Out of the few folks who actually are linked to it, I don't know that any will even SEE it...but I feel better getting to let my voice free, so to speak...

A few years ago, I was heavily involved with DeviantArt, the artist's community online.  I found it a distressing place however, in that the artists there, mostly hobbyists and young people, do not fully understand pricing their artwork and allow themselves to be taken advantage of.  A hobbyist who charges $30 for a digital painting, fully rendered, that may have taken 3-5 full time days to produce is undercutting professional artists by a LOT. Enough that I had to take a law firm to small claims court two years ago due to their refusing to pay for contracted work on the excuse that "they thought I was just a hobbyist).  For the nearly $1K worth of print quality work I'd produced for them, they wanted to pay me a paltry $100.  Upon blogging about this travesty in the dA community, I was informed by FoA (those in the know know to whom I am referring) told me that not only was I full of shit, but that my work wasn't worth what hobbyists charge, let alone standard illustration rates.

yeah...well guess what asshats?  This little gal who's work wasn't WORTH anything now works professionally as both product photographer AND lead graphic artist for a wonderful little gourmet food company AND...

...just landed a contract to product an album cover.

mmmhmm.  My work is indeed worth something, and I'm proud of it.