hello! if this applies to you, may I ask how you handle the art style + skill shifts caused by dissociation wrt doing commissions and such? I've been pondering trying to do some, but that aspect has always seemed so daunting...
Hi anon, thank you for the ask :> We do have skill and art style shifts, as you can see with our doodles. But if you were to look at our commissions, they're pretty consistent, save for some slight style changes here and there. This is partially because we've been spending the last ten years refining my commission style and communication between parts.
And I should point out, we don't have the best communication. We're always struggling with this bc we're polyfragmented and our system is shifting all the time. The best thing to do about this is to have consistent rules to follow and a clear idea of what your goals are. So here is how I handle this:
Clearly define what a commission is. Break it down to simple steps that everyone can follow or refer to someone else's(in the system's) work. Make loose style rules that can be adapted to between all parts. For me, I have set scaling for each commission type, certain brushes used for lineart, and clear expectations on what certain details of the commission will always entail (for us, its the eye sparkles and how the hair is rendered)
I would really advise against basing your commission style off a style only one part can do. It may be a neat style, but if everyone can't replicate it, don't do it. You might think that part is around forever, but anything can happen to change that. Make room for part fluidity. Placing expectations on switching will make switching a lot harder! (You might also unknowingly be putting that part in a box that inhibits their healing
keeping some examples of what you offer not only helps you sell what you're selling, but it also gives you and all your parts a reference of what is expected. If you don't have a backlog of pieces you've made for clients, making art pieces for yourself or your friends in the style you want to be selling will be helpful to look back at!
Having partitions between steps or types of commissions give you leeway for the days that you're not able to do it all. Our littles have been able to do everything from sketch to finish to advertising and selling, because we've been able to tell them to just focus on this one part of it, then you're done for the day. Having eachother's back is paramount for making this work, as well as clear stopping and starting places for each day.
Your client is expecting one full person to do their commission. There may be some novelty in 'my alter did this for you' but I really advise against thinking and selling this way. It's best for everyone to be on the same team to act as one, and to be as professional as you can manage. This may be a really harsh take, but with any other job you can't really make excuses for 'my alter did this sorry'. With dissociation you possibly will need lots of days off, but its your job as a system to stay accountable and protect eachother by not signaling eachother out to someone who shouldn't be handling your parts.
Make sure your commissions and the dates they were taken on are written down somewhere!!! Use trello or a notes app or a notebook, or any other organizational thing that all of you are able to access. And personally, I would advise against making these things public. Just update commissioners directly through conversation. It's nobody's business how many commissions you have and how long they take. I never expose what I have going on, because it has to be fluid for me.
And lastly, there is a possibility that you are not the type of artist that can do commissions. This is a completely morally neutral thing! Personally, my dissociation makes it so I can separate 'work' from 'art' (my doodles). I block out a certain amount of personal feelings and creativity, and I also don't allow commissions to be effected by art block. Because to me, they're not art. If you find yourself having to refund commissions because you're not able to do them, I would reconsider commissions and try doing something else.
These are the things I keep in mind for myself to do commissions, so they may work with you or may not. I've found it personally helpful to have set aside art-for-myself time so my parts can have all the insecurities, skill and style shifts and down days as they need. You just have to plan for this stuff when you're dissociative, cuz it's not going anywhere. But you can work with it if you know what you're doing.
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