It's all his fault for being an artist!

Chapter 13 Digital Plotting, Forum, Order Taking

After Mu Ziling left her home.

Cheng Wang did not immediately proceed to the routine joint examination practice.

Instead, they went to the room where the computer was located.

Now that the necessities have arrived ahead of time, why not give them a try?

He deftly connected the graphics tablet to the computer host.

Currently, tablet computer graphics are not widely used.

The method of connecting via graphics tablets is actually only just beginning to be standardized in the industry.

Many veteran artists who were accustomed to traditional hand-drawing and relied on scanning paper manuscripts into computers could not adapt to the feel of electronic painting and were unable to replicate their former glory. They had no choice but to leave the industry and be swept away by the tide of the times.

To those outside the industry, the difference in effect between two-dimensional and three-dimensional might not be that noticeable.

But behind the scenes, the competition for jobs is becoming increasingly fierce.

Every innovation in production tools, and the improvement in production efficiency, takes far greater priority than the experience provided to users watching the visual effects.

If you can't keep up with the major annual updates to the same software, you'll inevitably be left behind.

This applies to employees.

The same applies to companies.

Most of the work involves low-end, repetitive production, and the jobs that require a large volume of production tend to go to second- or third-tier companies.

A small portion of the high-end technology requirements are handled directly by top domestic and international manufacturers.

That's why.

In his previous life, Cheng Wang worked in the outsourcing sector for a long time and had extensive experience in front-line projects, but he was never able to break free from the constraints and cage.

The fast-paced, competitive environment leaves little opportunity to engage with cutting-edge production systems.

Even if you know the tricks of the trade, it's not easy to break free from the vicious cycle.

A high starting point and an excellent environment are therefore particularly important for the future development of art students, and the gap cannot be bridged simply by enrolling in training classes.

of course.

No matter what, it's 2013 now.

Those rising stars who keep emerging and whom we need to look up to are probably still preparing for the high school entrance exam.

Starting with the senior year of high school, the same applies to the next 10 or 15 years; everything is still uncertain.

Cheng Wang, familiar with the process, opened the forum and found an installation package called Sai.

Given the limited computer configuration, even a more professional version of Photoshop might not be able to run it smoothly.

Sai, launched by a Japanese company, features a lightweight design, small software size, and smooth operation.

Suitable for all beginners and users who just want to draw simply.

This perfectly aligns with Chengwang's desire to test the waters and initially validate market demand.

"It still has to be a digital pen; it's more comfortable to use."

He twirled the digital pen in his hand and casually tried it out on the board a couple of times.

The computer screen sensitively displays the corresponding handwriting.

With perfect hand-eye coordination and direct, precise delivery, Cheng Wang couldn't help but exclaim, "Awesome! Is it because the most expensive thing I've ever used before was so cheap that I couldn't feel the difference?"

"The delay and tactile feel are practically indistinguishable from drawing on paper."

He was very satisfied with the hardware he borrowed from Mu Ziling.

Only by using electronic devices to create graphics can one truly enter Chengwang's advantageous zone.

after all.

I used to make a living from this stuff.

How much is a sketch worth?

It's just basic skills. Do you really have to become a traditional artist and wait until you die to become famous?

Sorry.

My buddy is a reformer.

After completing all necessary preparations, Cheng Wang directly used the digital pen as a mouse and opened the browser using the touchscreen.

I'm not in a rush to make money today.

Besides the irresistible urge to try it out, another major reason was that Cheng Wang wanted to get a feel for the market situation first.

In my past life, I ate at the company cafeteria, and although I knew about the art world and had some connections with many big names in the industry.

However, lacking hands-on experience and with so much information to accumulate, he was also worried about the possibility of making mistakes.

As for payment and other factors, the Alipay app had already launched related functions by the end of 2013. He had his own account, just without any savings, and could use it normally.

"First, you need to find a platform with a high demand for commissioned articles, where the clients have relatively high-quality funds and are willing to accept this approach."

Cheng Wang stared at the search bar for a while, then a flash of inspiration struck him.

Got it!

He didn't open mainstream social media platforms like Weibo, but typed out a few words using the input method.

[Green River Forum.]

Green River is a very famous online novel platform for female readers.

Compared to the current fierce competition among male-oriented websites, the female-oriented website ecosystem is less competitive, with GreenJiang having long held a dominant position.

however.

GreenJiang is not just about reading.

In fact, in its early years, it developed a dedicated forum to provide a social space for netizens from all over the country. It was a mixed bag, no different from other places.

Many veteran netizens may still have some recollection of posting on a certain youth forum when they were young, but they can't find it later.

This was the predecessor of the Green River Forum.

Later, because the user base became relatively fixed and increasingly focused on discussions about female-oriented novels, the forum did not become as popular as the male users on Tieba. Otherwise, it would have been comparable to the female users on the forum.

Cheng Wang logged onto the webpage and registered an account.

The first scene that comes into view.

They were even quite overjoyed.

Among the various sections of the forum, one area called "Help" stands out.

Clicking the link leads to a secondary page with a wide variety of content, from how to raise kittens and puppies to what to do if you have a crush on someone.

Among them were many requests for help in commissioning articles, including profile pictures, novel covers, and character designs.

Looking at the requests for help with writing, roughly four out of ten requests are for help with writing.

40%.

At first glance, it doesn't seem very tall.

But even in such a densely packed forum, this proportion is clearly enough to catch Cheng Wang's attention.

Good guy.

I thought it would take a while to find it.

This quantity...

How did it become that I have the right to demand "a different batch"?

"It's always the client choosing the contractor, but it feels like the situation is reversed when it comes to commissioning articles?"

"Damn, if I had known about unorthodox methods earlier in my past life, I might not even have needed to be reborn!"

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs".

Then again.

If I hadn't accumulated a lot of experience before my rebirth, would I be able to handle all kinds of art needs with such ease now?

Cheng Wang stopped dwelling on it and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "If I study these posts, maybe I'll find a big spender!"

It turns out.

Before the centralized platform was launched, the level of chaotic pricing in the market was comparable to supernatural phenomena, far exceeding his initial estimates.

I wonder how many of the commissioned writers here are minors who have absolutely no concept of money.

I've saved up my allowance for a year and want to get a unique profile picture made. I can pay 300 yuan.

[Help! I'm currently in school and want to serialize my novel when I get home, so I need a cover made. I'm a bit broke right now, I only have 500 yuan. Can I wait until I get my New Year's money to pay?]

"You call this being a little poor? Dude, I don't even have a penny left in my pocket."

Cheng Wang felt ashamed.

Unfortunately, this part of the post simply cannot withstand scrutiny.

You must consider the other party's ability to pay.

It's much easier to talk about it now.

When it comes time to collect the final payment, the other party might call and start acting like a hysterical shrew:

"What kind of network is this? You're really doing a lot of harm! My daughter's grades are below average in every subject. She's in the second year of junior high school. What am I supposed to do with her?"

Or perhaps it's the deep voice of a middle-aged man:

"Young man, I hope you realize your mistake and stop committing these kinds of scams. Otherwise, once I call the police, you'll be in big trouble."

Cheng Wang didn't want to invite trouble upon himself.

My account was suspended for a month, I lost several hundred yuan, and didn't make any money at all.

Careful consideration and identification of a high-quality customer base is undoubtedly an extremely important step.

He continued flipping through the pages.

The search didn't take long.

Soon, a "first" partner appeared who satisfied him in every way.

[I need an illustration of an anime character I like, in a specific art style. The fee is 300 RMB, negotiable, and a deposit is required upfront.]

Check it out!

It's hard not to feel happy when doing business with such clear requirements.

Cheng Wang opened the post and clicked on the poster's profile.

It was discovered that the other party was a highly active user on the forum who had created many posts and received positive reviews from casual artists.

Furthermore, the ID verification suggests that the person in question is an author on the GreenJian platform.

His performance is average, but he updates regularly, and many people on the forum know him.

Judging from the reference image provided and the post content clearly stating the requirements, it's not hard to see that the person had at least had a similar experience.

An unrecognizable character, plus a shoujo manga style.

Ok……

It's pretty simple.

No one has accepted this request for help yet.

The replies below the post were all:

[Squat down.]

[Same request.]

【…】

In short, it's not very nutritious.

Cheng Wang switched back to the drawing software Sai, randomly selected materials accumulated in his mind, quickly completed a highly finished line drawing, and saved it to the desktop.

Then he dragged the image of the unfinished product into the webpage and captioned it:

[The artwork shown is for reference only. I can finish it today. Feel free to message me if you're interested.]