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Ok, first off, my name is Jason, and I have been playing 40k for the past 11 years. I started off playing Eldar, then progressed through many armies. My painting quality has grown much through the years(honestly, just about everyone who paints their own miniatures started with absolutely no skills, techniques, tricks, etc. They just develop with time, practice and lots of patience). My Galleries can show the progression through some of my more recent armies, and I would have to say that my best "works" would have to be the DV Interrogator Chaplain Seraphicus, the Riptide, and the Moloch Carnifex. I know that I left many, if not all, mould lines on the Carnifex, but as my personal figure, I was not too concerned with it. The Riptide was done for a friend in my local gaming group, and that had started out as him asking me if I would be willing to paint it for him, and in return, he would give me a NOS squad of fire warriors and a devilfish APC. Now, I know the difference between Tabletop, Tabletop +(or ++) and professional, and I also understand my own abilities as they are right now. Maybe in another 11 years, I could pull of one or two "professional" standard figures, but even I know that that is a bit of a reach, in terms of expectations. I understand the need for a light box, but I just cant seem to get myself in a situation to get a proper setup. Luckily for me, the Carnifex actually had decent natural light. It was a nice day. I would like some comments, suggestions, and critiques... The good, bad and the ugly.

Oh, and a side note-

I tend to not base my personal figures, as there are only certain materials that I care to use, but they are rather difficult to get a hold of... i use a basic yellowish sand that is found at Dumont Dunes, west of Baker, California. It is so fine, yet is not a "dust" like what would be found at, say, Glamis, CA. As I live in the desert area of Southern California, I tend to lean towards the desert themed bases. But that is just personal preference.

The Riptide is VERY nice. Love the OSL

thank you, Feasible, it actually didn't take that long to do, as i was using my airbrush. a coat of a sky blue, then 50/50 sky blue and white, then white.

From what i can tell. its ok. not much blending on the riptide but the OSL is nice and stuff. i think you should first start by improving your picture taking skills as all the other Commission threads suggest.

well, for right now, all I have, in terms of cameras, is my wife's cell phone, and there is a smudge of superglue on the bottom of the lens. if I were to have something even remotely close to "proper" for a camera, I know I would be able to take much better pictures, even if I don't use a light box. As for the actual Riptide... my buddy gave me a crisis suit that he had purchased(probably on here), and said to match the paint scheme, but make the Riptide stand out in more than just size. all of my colors on this model are custom blended to be a near match to the other model (no clue what paints or names of the colors) they are just a little bolder. to match the look of the crisis suit all he wanted was the edging.... and that was a lot of edging... every single green plate, tan plate, grey plate, etc. but I completed it within one week. I LOVE INSOMNIA!!! same goes for the Carnifex.

Your work is a good solid tabletop standard, and has some nice effects. The carnifex shows good use of feathering and pleasant colour pallette choice. The chaplain looks like he could use a sepia wash to recess the rather flat metal at present. And the cloak seems to be all one colour, unless it's the camera/lighting's fault. Take a lighter shade and highlight the raised parts of the cloak and you'll get a nice effect.

A bit more presentation and you might be able to bring in a few commissions. Your technique is there, just needs a little refinement.

Thank you, RNP. I took the picture of the chaplain as it was starting to get dark, so, Mini Mag Light in one hand, phone in the other, I tried to take a picture. As for the cloak's colors, I tend to start off (from a black primer) with a burgundy and then progress up through 4 different reds, then an extreme highlight with orange, then i go back over and do the details like the knives, ropes, chains, and sensors, before I wash the whole thing down with an espresso dark wash. As the wash I use does NOT dry, I put a tack coat of matte clear over it, then do the brightest details- skulls, purity seals, etc.

What makes the difference between profit and loss in a painting service is the amount of time it takes for you to paint the minis.

I was considering doing the same thing for a while. Did a little local market surveying, asking local gamers how much they'd pay for minis painted to my usual standards. Problem is, at the speed I paint I'd make more money at the local fast food joint than I would painting. (I paint at a pace best described as 'glacial'. I get good results... but not for the time invested. Sigh.)

Its up to you at the end of the day and whether you value your time or not.
Some people I know do it for fun and dont really make much out of it and another chap makes quite a lot but he paints them really quickly and will only take on certain jobs.
If you think you can get work and you think its worth it then go for it, if it doesn't work out then at least you tried.

It is all about the market really. If people near you, or on the internet are willing to buy what your offering, then go for it

I for one would love to get into commission painitng, but the time to do it is one problem,Im so slow at painting my own stuff, I'd hate to have someone nagging at me to get their stufff done because im too slow. And the other is that my work is hit and miss right now; some are looking good, some are not so much
Maybe when I've got through the countless mini's I have lay around waiting for paint, and can put together a decent portfolio of decent looking mini's

One thing that comes up time and time and time again on the should i do commission threads, is photography quality.
Remeber that you're trying to sell a product, and need to show it off as best you can.
I find so many good paint jobs are let down by the photo's, if you're serious about doing some commissions through internet advertising, then this is vital as no one can see the true level of your work without a good image to go from.

Its totally worth investing in a basic light box set up and a cheap camera (if theres really no better one around to use).
Digital cameras are kinda dirt cheap now, you dont exactly NEED a DSLR professional one to get an okay result.
Even my mobile phone can take a crisp, well focused image of a model, where the phone gets let down is white balancing, which could be tinkered with on the computer with some editing software if nothing else.

Put some real effort into learning how to photograph your work, and let it speak for itself

Thats the best bit of advice I can think of for someone trying to get into commissions through the internet where people cannot eyeball a mini 'in the flesh' under natural lighting.

Should you? I don't know. Why do you want to? Is it to become rich and famous like the rest of us commission painters?

I am more or less retired,living off my VA disability. I sit at home bored out of my mind, and painting keeps me occupied, and allows me to work on technique. I love painting 40k, and am starting to get into dystopian wars. I haven't found much in way of WFB that I like, and can afford atm.

Then you have the time, and it'll be a reasonable supplemental income if you develop it. I suggest a site, either through weebly, or blogger. A nice reserve of photos, and a modest pricing range that rewards you reasonably for your time.

Getting the pricing right is the tricky part. I actually just reduced my prices since the recession/christmas aren't exactly wonderful for the commission business in my experience. But yeah, take a look around what other people charge for what they can do, compare it to yours (realistically), and go from there.