Fiverr? Really?

Okay, it’s time for me to be that guy again. All over Facebook I’m seeing these ads for Fiverr, the site that encourages people to perform services for the paltry sum of five dollars. They’re trying to get me to like their fan page, check them out and maybe jump on the band wagon. Sorry, it ain’t gonna happen.

The upside of Fiverr is if you’re looking for cheap labor this is your dream. This is the next best thing to opening a warehouse in China. What I’m having trouble understanding is what’s the motivation for the people offering the services. Perhaps they are desperate because of being unemployed and are unable to find income elsewhere which is understandable. Or maybe they just don’t value their work very much.

You have people offering everything from 45 minute financial advice videos, doing personalized original artwork, writing short stories based on your hopes & dreams, you name it. I’m sure someone’s probably going to offer to come to your house and clean your toilet.

I’m not trying to tell people what they should or shouldn’t do, that’s up to them. But you should really be careful when it comes to something like this. One of the worst things that could happen is you become successful, you’re swamped with cheap orders and now you’re trapped in a sweatshop of your own making (this happens on Etsy a lot!). A successful artist once told me,” Don’t sell your work so cheap that you are doing yourself a disservice. Once you’re known as the cheap artist that’s what you’ll always be.”

Happy 1st day of spring!

beagle getting belly rub
Odie's 1st belly rub in spring 2012

Spring is finally here!  I figured what better way to show joy for spring than to show our dog Odie getting a belly rub from me in our back yard.  The grass is finally a vibrant lush green color, after months and months of a wintery dormant tan color.   This is his first belly rub this spring, the first of many I’m sure!  Here’s to many belly laughs, many deep breaths, many times with loving friends and animals, many peaceful walks, & many restful nights of sleep.  Last but not least, here’s to many peaceful mornings where you wake up knowing who you are a little more than the day before.  Yay spring!!!!

More original art ACEOs added to Etsy store

I’ve added four new ACEOs to the Psychic Unicorns Etsy store. All one of a kind original art pieces. Now that Awesome 5! number one is wrapping up soon, I can focus on doing more stand alone works for the store. One of these days I’ll be able to do both. Still working on getting my speed up. Speaking of speed, one of my heroes from the art world passed away this weekend. Jean Giraud also known as Moebius died Sunday in Paris at 73. If you don’t know who he was do yourself a favor and look at some of his work. Also online are some videos of him working. The man could crank out pages like there was no tomorrow.

Hope to have more stuff soon. Maybe someday I’ll be as quick as Moebius.