fauxboy:

• “Thank you for the quote, I’ll keep it in mind and get back to you sometime when I’m able to commission you!”
• “That’s a little out of my budget for the time being, but thank you for your time. I’ll contact you again if/when I am able to pay!”
• “I appreciate the quote, but i’ve decided to wait on the commission, thank you!”
• “I understand your prices and that they are fair, but I am unable to afford this for the time being! Good luck on the rest of your commissions.”

What NOT to say when an artist quotes your commission higher than you expected:

• “WAHHHHHHHHHHH”
• “@-@ Holy crap that’s expensive!!”
• “Could you maybe give me a tumblr follower discount? :3”
• “Your prices are too high!!!!”
• “Really?? Just for a sketch? I could draw it for half that!!”

Treat artists like human beings. We gotta eat too. Commissioning an artist is not different from any other contract work. You’re not going to ask your dentist for a discounted root canal or tell your contractor his cabinets are too expensive, don’t ask artists to change their prices because you perceive them as too high. More than likely, an artist taking commissions from the internet are drastically under charging themselves already. Please be respectful and understanding that art is a skill and not a favour.