What is a Custom Adoptable?
It's an adoptable commission that is created using a pre-set lineart or base and the colours/patterns of the adopter's choice.


How do I start making Customs?
Starting is easy enough, you just have to decide that you have the time to do them and be willing to work with another person to produce something together. A custom is not unlike a collaboration after all, you'll just be doing all the "arm-work".


How do I make it easy for myself?

First: Be prepared!
(Only works with programs that support layers)
The fastest way to "make it easy" is to prepare beforehand. This means having some kind of layered base ready to be coloured. It doesn't matter if it's your own lineart or someone elses, but having to do all the colour outlines *every single time* is just boring and time consuming. And if you want to offer lower prices, you can't spend hours on the outlines.

Adoptables Matrix Tutorial

This is a tutorial I made to explain how I make my own bases. Shading is not a requirement, but it adds a nice touch to any adoptable. (Remember that what looks nicer, sells for more, even if the design is on the 'simple' side.)

Second: Be organized!
Starting a project is a nice thing, but if you don't have a minimum of organization it's either going to fail or get messy really quickly. If your adoptables are nicely designed, chances are that you have been asked about customs so, to avoid writing all the info every single time, you should have a Journal explaining everything.

Such Journal would contain:
- Custom Example + Price (Try to make examples of all the customs you're offering so the buyer doesn't need to browse through your gallery aimlessly)
- Custom Form (Type of Custom/Colours/Patterns, anything you need to make the custom)
- Rules (How to order, when to pay, how many re-designs are you willing to make for a custom, special offers for custom sets)

Also, it would be great to have a list of the Customs you need to make, either on a custom box on your mainpage or on another Journal. This way you won't forget anyone and every buyer will see where they stand in the line.

Third: Advertise!
Only after you're prepared and organized to tackle commissions, start advertising.

Advertising ideas:
- Write on your pre-set sheets that you're open for customs
- Add the link to your Custom Journal in your signature
- Submit to Groups an example of Custom saying that you're open to take more
- Partecipate to contests and write on the entry that customs similar to that one are open
- Post on the "Projects" Forum
- If you can spare some points, there are groups that advertise your account and adoptables for you


What are the main problems in making customs and how do I avoid/solve them?

No one wants my customs.
(1) Your adoptables are not known. Remember to submit your pre-sets to adoptables groups, advertise more maybe hand out a limited amount of customs at a sale price.
(2) The quality is too low/the design too simple for the price you put. You can either lower the price (I do not really suggest doing this) or you can practice more, check out some better free art programs and look at a lot of adoptables to see what kind of designs look good and try to imitate (do *not* steal) them.

I have too many customs requests and not enough time for everything.
Put a limit to the Custom Slots, occasionally close them until you're done. Don't bite more than you can chew.

My customer is impossible, I have changed design 5 times and they're not happy.
Either say that there's a limit on the designs you're willing to make for one custom (max 3-4 designs and they have to pick one) or don't whine. Not everybody can be happy at your first try but do not expect people to follow rules that are not written.

I posted the custom, but the buyer is unhappy with it.
Unless you're posting all the WIPs on dA, do *not* post a custom if the buyer has not approved of the design. It falls to the artists to be sure that what they make is what the customer wants, he's paying you for a reason, not to see random stuff.

I finished my custom but the customer is not paying me.
(1) Ask payment in advance or half-half. Try to be honest about it and don't take a payment if you don't think you'll be able to do the custom. People appreciate honesty and if you tell them they might have to wait one or two weeks and you'll contact them when you have time, many of them are going to accept.
(2) Write on the rules that you'll sell the custom as a pre-set (but not to them) if the payment is not sent within a definite timeframe. Send them a reminder the day before and them delete the custom and re-post it as a pre-set.

If you want to ask about a problem you've had with customs, just comment and I'll reply and update the Journal with the question.

Adoptables Journals Series:
Adoptables, Basics for Adopters
Adoptables, Basics for Adoptables Artists
Adoptables Tutorial
Adoptables, Writing an Artist's Description
Adoptables, Customs
Adoptables, Design Tutorial
Adoptables, Buying Adoptables
Adoptables, Pricing
Original Species Tutorial
Adoptables, Auctions