Flexible Employment: Commercial Illustrator
Flexible employment is just another name for side hustles and part-time gigs.
As a commercial illustrator, a single commission usually runs anywhere from $50 to $500, depending on the scope. Simple pieces might take two hours and fetch around $50, while more demanding projects spanning several days could pay a few hundred dollars. Most illustrators calculate an hourly rate and decide whether it’s worth it. Cheaper jobs tend to involve less back-and-forth, but with pricier commissions, the work isn’t done until the client is satisfied—meaning more potential headaches.
The easiest places to pick up orders are Xianyu and other yellow shopping platforms, plus various social media and content platforms. If you can develop a distinctive style and build a solid following, earning over a million a year is well within reach. (One person I know went completely unknown to highly successful—lost7, who started out on Lofter, is a good example.)
So, pricing your time into a per-hour rate is generally the simplest way to set prices for a side hustle.