Artist Responds With A Drawing Worth Exactly 3 Dollars After Disrespectful Guy Offers Her That Much For A Detailed Painting
Interview With Artist
Often artists and their work are underappreciated. Many people out there still think that being an artist is very easy and doesn’t require hard work, dedication, and years of studies. Especially when talking about digital art. People don’t understand how hard it is to learn perspective, coloring, seeing what works, coming up with concepts and designs. They probably imagine that it’s just a few brush strokes or that a computer does it for them. Which is not at all true.
A professional painter from Malaysia named Kazel Lim had this experience firsthand recently. She shared screenshots to her Facebook page of a guy asking her to draw a picture of his girlfriend. He wanted a big, detailed piece for 20 yuan… That’s about 3 dollars. Kazel politely declined this very “generous” offer. But when the guy started threatening her with a bad review, she surprised him with a drawing worth the money he was offering. Kazel even gave it to him for free!
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This is the artist named Kazel Lim
Image credits: kazelgreen
A guy wrote her asking her to draw a picture for his girlfriend’s birthday, which was happening the very next day (read the translations below the pictures)
Image credits: kazelgreen
The guy messaged Kazel saying: I’m looking for someone who paints, my girlfriend’s birthday is coming up, I want to surprise her.
Kazel answered: Hello, what kind of painting would it be?
Guy: A picture from our trip.
Kazel: OK, could you give me a photo?
Guy: There are many on my Facebook, you can choose it yourself.
Kazel: Good, but maybe you have a preference
Guy: It’s a lot of trouble to choose. How do you choose the size of it?
Kazel: It depends on the photo or you can specify it. Most people pick A4 or A5 because it’s easier to match the frame
Guy: I don’t know, you can choose the biggest one, but it can’t be too expensive, I don’t have a lot of money and I also will have to give her other gifts.
Kazel: Sorry, the prices depend on the size, the larger the canvas and the amount of color used, the higher the price will be
He wanted it as fast, cheap, and large as possible
Image credits: kazelgreen
Guy: I want the biggest one, and the photo can be of us from our trip by the sea. At the beach, under the sun, you can find it yourself, I won’t pick it today.
Kazel: I think customers with a budget should choose a small size, it’s delicate and economical. The painting process usually takes up to several days, so I don’t want to choose it myself.
Guy: I can name the amount, you could choose it for me.
Kazel: How big is your budget, please? I could you help pick it.
Guy: Initially it was 10 yuan, but I could add 10 more. I want a bigger one.
Kazel: Haha, are you serious?
Guy: ??
Kazel: I cannot take this order, I’m sorry, you’ll need to find someone else.
The worst part was that he offered Kazel only 20 yuan, which is about 3 dollars. The artist decided to give him artwork worth exactly that sum
Image credits: kazelgreen
Of course, the guy became upset at this response: What do you mean? Is this a joke? We talked for such a long time and now you refuse to do it. I could’ve found someone else, now you must paint it.
Kazel: I can’t do it for this price, I put my time and energy + my experience into finishing something. The time spent and the money paid is proportional.
Guy: Now what is this, you can earn some money and you give me this attitude? Most people want to earn money, you think many people need paintings? I have both your IG and your online shop links, so if you don’t paint it, I’ll leave you a bad review.
Kazel: OK, it’s done, I’ll give it to you for free. Happy birthday to your girlfriend!
Kazel didn’t show what and if the guy responded to her last message, but the answer was probably enough for him to get the message.
Here is the masterpiece
Image credits: kazelgreen
Kazel creates amazing artwork and has studied to become an artist for a very long time
Image credits: kazelgreen
We asked Kazeil if this rude behavior happens to her often: “It does happen frequently, which is why as an artist, I try my best to communicate with them and let them slowly understand the value and effort it takes in art.”
Image credits: kazelgreen
Kazel told us what her reaction was when the guy offered her 3 dollars: “I find it funny. There are quite a lot of them who act like this, so I try not to be bothered by them and humorously reply to them. It’s important to not undervalue yourself and don’t work for free.”
Her portraits are magical and whimsical
Image credits: kazelgreen
“There are a lot of them who try to undermine artists and make them draw for a cheap price. So I drew a stickman figure, which only took a few mins and was about the amount and effort he was willing to pay for.” Kazel also said that the guy blocked her immediately after.
Kazel captures the likeness of the person she’s drawing perfectly, while still keeping her unique style
Image credits: kazelgreen
“I have loved drawing since I was very young, and decided to pursue it as my dream. For me, the hardest part is locking down on a concept. The concept changes very easily depending on the elements in a piece. So getting it right does takes the most time.” Kazel mostly does watercolor art and describes her style as “depressing yet colorful.”
Image credits: kazelgreen
“I started creating illustrations right after I graduated from college, been drawing for events and handling my online stores ever since, and will continue doing so until as long as I can.”
Image credits: kazelgreen
Kazel tells us more about what inspires her: “There was once an ‘ang mo’ father and his daughter that I met when I was drawing for an event. She stood there watching me draw live for a while, then turn to her father while holding his hand and said she wanted to be an artist just like me when she grows up. I think the fact that art can affect people, or even society, even in the smallest amount, already makes it very valuable, and that inspires me to continue what I do. Practice makes perfect. Don’t give up easily, even if it’s not fruitful and you do not see any progress yet.”
Image credits: kazelgreen
Image credits: kazelgreen
“After I graduated, most of my friends around me were afraid of not being able to get a job and were in a hurry to get one. I dislike the idea of having fixed working hours, so I tried to go on my own. I joined event gigs myself, printed my merchandise, handling social media, and was surprised that people liked my art. And so I decided to continue down this path.”
Kazel goes to all kinds of events where she does live portraiture and sells her work and merchandise
Image credits: kazelgreen
Image credits: kazelgreen
“Don’t be afraid to go after your dream, even if it does not work out in the end. At least you know that you have tried and won’t regret not doing so in life.”
Asking an artist to draw something for almost nothing is quite insulting to their hard work and dedication
Image credits: kazelgreen
Support the artist’s around you and know that art is not easy to do for a living! What do you think of this story? Do you think Kazel did the right thing? Tell us in the comments down below and don’t forget to go show Kazel love and support on her social media accounts!
Please respect the artists out there and understand that they put their life into their art
Image credits: kazelgreen
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Agreed - it almost makes me think of something out of a storybook.
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It seems to be a common fallacy: someone who obviously loves what they do will of course do it for free, from the POV of the average person who doesn't like their job and begrudges every penny they earn.
If artists do these for free Are they supposed to take from their budget to buy the papers and paint How do they make up for their time Its crazy to tink any one should do art for free
Load More Replies...
Why do people think that artists work for free? Or for "exposure"? Ugh!
From the perspective of a musician, I think the reason people think that is because they think we can just sit down(or stand up), play/do something, then walk out and be happy since we got to perform for the general public(or a private party). Like, no. Pay us decently, and we'll be more than happy to perform.
Load More Replies...
I love how she gave him exactly what he wanted to pay for lol. Her work is amazing. I tell my friends for my artisan goods. "My price is based on my talent, supplies, and time. Not your budget,"
Gosh... What did the guy expect for so cheap. Her artwork is beautiful btw💜
Her art is amazing, and she's beautiful. Good for her for dealing with the guy that way.
Children, I don't know who needs to hear this, but please hear this. You never need to dignify an insulting offer with a response of any kind. If the insulting request/demand is made in writing, simply ignore it, or raise your price every time they contact you, or whatever amuses you. If it's in person, laugh in their face, literally, and say absolutely nothing. If they continue to bother you, ask them to leave one time, and then pull out your phone, call security, or the police, and report that you are being harassed, and need assistance. Do not tolerate this nonsense. Respect yourself.
Unfortunately, as an artist I have experienced those who don't understand that not everybody takes requests. Luckily not too often, but I did once get a private message from someone that was along the lines of "plz plz plz draw my character" with some compliments thrown in, and decided to just tell them that I didn't take requests since I just thought they didn't know better. Though, I later found out that they engaged in art theft, so I almost wish I drew a low-quality picture of their character just because of that...
Ugh! I hate people who do that! I've heard that's why you should never say you want something on a tee. People will rip it off and sell it.
Load More Replies...
I used to get this all the time, I knit and people would want free items all the time. Never considering the price of wool OR how much time it takes to knit even a small item.
I had a friend who did caricature drawings in a touristy park in town. He didnt have a vendor license for the public space so by law he had to do it for free, but would say tips were welcome. He said most people would give him 5 to 10 bucks afterwards. But still, some people took his drawing without offering anything, though it took him 10+ min to do a drawing, and he was very good at it. I know he did say it was free, but c'mon stingy people. Show a little generosity
I love the way she seems to capture people's very essence simply from a picture, and still manages to incorporate her own style into it. I love it.
I literally could not afford one of her incredible paintings. They are wonderful!
You took the high road - good for you! Inspiring that you can keep your sense of humor with an insulting $3 art bid. You have my admiration, Kazel. Your art is uniquely beautiful. 💗
She did! Artists need to stand up for themselves! Value their work. And all the effort it takes to do it. Offer a pittance, getting what you deserve!
Fully support paying artists fairly, and this should apply to musicians too - some people will ask you to write a song or music for them for your own enjoyment rather than for payment, and they always seem to expect music to be free for them to use for whatever they like.
Yeah this conversation seems very fake. The fact he asks her to pick a photo is just too silly and is likely for the artists exposure
My niece is a graphic artist. Her pet peeve is contests that ask people to design a new logo..not for money...but for "exposure." As she put it..."exposure" don't pay the rent! Pay artists properly for their work!
As an artist, all you have to say is this: No.When someone makes a ridiculous request like this, it's all I say. Don't waste time or energy on people like this. It isn't where the money lies. You don't owe someone a whole song and dance. Nope, is all you need to say.
Here response is perfect and her work is excellent. I don't know how she kept that calm with such a vile and obnoxious person barking demands at her. All of the arts are so under appreciated (I say this as a professional musician and the son of a professional fine art painter), people just think because you create it yourself that it's not worth anything other than exposure and it makes me sick! Anyone in any of the arts has spent years perfecting their skills and developing their own style, let alone to costs of buying the tools and materials of the trade and any lessons/classes you had to attend to learn the skill. I mean, you wouldn't expect a plumber to fix your kitchen sink for nothing (or exposure) so stop asking people in the arts industry to do so.
Her art is incredibly wonderful, so colorful, whimsical and precise. I love it! She was too kind to him and he got more than he deserved. Had it been me I wouldn't have given him the time of day after his low ball offer of money. He was a complete jerk!
Not only is he a cheapskate, he can't even be bothered to pick a photo for the portrait to be based on. He's had the idea - a portrait would be nice - and he wants the artist to make every decision for him. He can't even be bothered to narrow it down to a few pictures he likes. Just 'meh, there's pics on Facebook, you do all the thinking."
I enjoyed the art but Ms. Kazel Lim needs to be more accurate in portraying the mouths of those individuals. She seems to do all mouths the same, not as is shown in the photos. I liked how she did the nose of one photo but I'm curious if the person liked the way her nose was done?
You must be one of those people then. This absolutely does happen and a lot more than you think.
Load More Replies... Agreed - it almost makes me think of something out of a storybook.
Load More Replies... It seems to be a common fallacy: someone who obviously loves what they do will of course do it for free, from the POV of the average person who doesn't like their job and begrudges every penny they earn.
If artists do these for free Are they supposed to take from their budget to buy the papers and paint How do they make up for their time Its crazy to tink any one should do art for free
Load More Replies... Why do people think that artists work for free? Or for "exposure"? Ugh!
From the perspective of a musician, I think the reason people think that is because they think we can just sit down(or stand up), play/do something, then walk out and be happy since we got to perform for the general public(or a private party). Like, no. Pay us decently, and we'll be more than happy to perform.
Load More Replies... I love how she gave him exactly what he wanted to pay for lol. Her work is amazing. I tell my friends for my artisan goods. "My price is based on my talent, supplies, and time. Not your budget,"
Gosh... What did the guy expect for so cheap. Her artwork is beautiful btw💜
Her art is amazing, and she's beautiful. Good for her for dealing with the guy that way.
Children, I don't know who needs to hear this, but please hear this. You never need to dignify an insulting offer with a response of any kind. If the insulting request/demand is made in writing, simply ignore it, or raise your price every time they contact you, or whatever amuses you. If it's in person, laugh in their face, literally, and say absolutely nothing. If they continue to bother you, ask them to leave one time, and then pull out your phone, call security, or the police, and report that you are being harassed, and need assistance. Do not tolerate this nonsense. Respect yourself.
Unfortunately, as an artist I have experienced those who don't understand that not everybody takes requests. Luckily not too often, but I did once get a private message from someone that was along the lines of "plz plz plz draw my character" with some compliments thrown in, and decided to just tell them that I didn't take requests since I just thought they didn't know better. Though, I later found out that they engaged in art theft, so I almost wish I drew a low-quality picture of their character just because of that...
Ugh! I hate people who do that! I've heard that's why you should never say you want something on a tee. People will rip it off and sell it.
Load More Replies... I used to get this all the time, I knit and people would want free items all the time. Never considering the price of wool OR how much time it takes to knit even a small item.
I had a friend who did caricature drawings in a touristy park in town. He didnt have a vendor license for the public space so by law he had to do it for free, but would say tips were welcome. He said most people would give him 5 to 10 bucks afterwards. But still, some people took his drawing without offering anything, though it took him 10+ min to do a drawing, and he was very good at it. I know he did say it was free, but c'mon stingy people. Show a little generosity
I love the way she seems to capture people's very essence simply from a picture, and still manages to incorporate her own style into it. I love it.
I literally could not afford one of her incredible paintings. They are wonderful!
You took the high road - good for you! Inspiring that you can keep your sense of humor with an insulting $3 art bid. You have my admiration, Kazel. Your art is uniquely beautiful. 💗
She did! Artists need to stand up for themselves! Value their work. And all the effort it takes to do it. Offer a pittance, getting what you deserve!
Fully support paying artists fairly, and this should apply to musicians too - some people will ask you to write a song or music for them for your own enjoyment rather than for payment, and they always seem to expect music to be free for them to use for whatever they like.
Yeah this conversation seems very fake. The fact he asks her to pick a photo is just too silly and is likely for the artists exposure
My niece is a graphic artist. Her pet peeve is contests that ask people to design a new logo..not for money...but for "exposure." As she put it..."exposure" don't pay the rent! Pay artists properly for their work!
As an artist, all you have to say is this: No.When someone makes a ridiculous request like this, it's all I say. Don't waste time or energy on people like this. It isn't where the money lies. You don't owe someone a whole song and dance. Nope, is all you need to say.
Here response is perfect and her work is excellent. I don't know how she kept that calm with such a vile and obnoxious person barking demands at her. All of the arts are so under appreciated (I say this as a professional musician and the son of a professional fine art painter), people just think because you create it yourself that it's not worth anything other than exposure and it makes me sick! Anyone in any of the arts has spent years perfecting their skills and developing their own style, let alone to costs of buying the tools and materials of the trade and any lessons/classes you had to attend to learn the skill. I mean, you wouldn't expect a plumber to fix your kitchen sink for nothing (or exposure) so stop asking people in the arts industry to do so.
Her art is incredibly wonderful, so colorful, whimsical and precise. I love it! She was too kind to him and he got more than he deserved. Had it been me I wouldn't have given him the time of day after his low ball offer of money. He was a complete jerk!
Not only is he a cheapskate, he can't even be bothered to pick a photo for the portrait to be based on. He's had the idea - a portrait would be nice - and he wants the artist to make every decision for him. He can't even be bothered to narrow it down to a few pictures he likes. Just 'meh, there's pics on Facebook, you do all the thinking."
I enjoyed the art but Ms. Kazel Lim needs to be more accurate in portraying the mouths of those individuals. She seems to do all mouths the same, not as is shown in the photos. I liked how she did the nose of one photo but I'm curious if the person liked the way her nose was done?
You must be one of those people then. This absolutely does happen and a lot more than you think.
Load More Replies...
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