The friends-and-family price that became a five-year problem
Back when I was still doing a lot of fabrication work for other artists, a friend asked me to weld a gate for his backyard. Nice guy, helped me move a block of granite once. I quoted him basically materials plus a couple hundred for my time. He was happy, I felt good about it.
Five years later he wanted a matching gate for the front. Expected the same price. Then his brother heard about it. Then a neighbor. Then I'm the guy who does cheap custom ironwork for an entire neighborhood and every one of them thinks I'm gouging when I finally say no.
That was the last time I did a friends-and-family price on anything. Cost me more in aggravation than I ever saved in goodwill.
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Oh I felt this one. It's not even about the money really, it's how one kind gesture turns into this whole expectation you didn't agree to. You help someone once and suddenly you're their guy forever, and they don't see all the other work you're turning down or how your skills have grown since then.
I get something similar with portraits, someone asks for a quick sketch of their kid, I do it cheap because they're a friend, and then three more people from their office want the same deal. And I'm supposed to just... keep doing it? At that price? It's so uncomfortable.
The gate must be beautiful though. Five years and they wanted a match, you must have done something right. But that doesn't mean you owe the whole neighbourhood the same price forever.
Exactly. It's the assumption that kills you. They don't see the years between the first favor and the next ask. You're not the same welder you were five years ago, but they still want 2019 prices.
The sketch thing sounds worse honestly. At least with a gate there's material costs they can see. A drawing looks simple to them so they think you're just being difficult. I know a painter who quit doing portraits of people he knew entirely. Said it saved his friendships.