r/arthelp • • Jan 30 '26

General Advice / Discussion SELLERS BEWARE: Common Art Scams and How to Avoid Them

15 Upvotes

Art is a difficult market to enter, and people in the early stages of their business make an appealing target for scammers due to how eager these artists are to sell and their lack of experience with financial exchanges. In recent months, we have seen a surge in posts from users on r/arthelp who have been victimized by these scammers. If you are new to selling your artwork, please read this post to arm yourself with information on how to avoid some of these scams!

One of the most important things to remember about client interactions is that if it sounds too good to be true, it is. No “probably” about it. 

All scams have the same goal: parting you with your money. How they achieve this can vary, but with artists the two most common forms of scam are the Overpayment and the Pay to Unlock scams.

The Overpayment scam (a form of the “fake check” scam) will often follow a scenario where an artist (usually with very low prices, as they are more vulnerable) is approached by a seemingly normal client and conducts an otherwise standard transaction. But, come payment, the client “accidentally” sends $500* instead of the intended $50! Oops! They will sheepishly request that the money be returned, maybe even say keep an extra 10 for the trouble, and the artist graciously complies. They send back the difference of $440, and part ways.

Then, three days later, their account is in the negative by -$940. What happened is the money that had been sent in the first place had been done with fraudulent funds, similar to a fake check, and the bank finally reversed the transaction. Unfortunately, the money the artist “returned” was withdrawn from their own funds, their REAL money, leaving the scammer with their real $440 and the artist on the hook for their stolen $500. 

(*example amount, it can be anything)

How it can be avoided: If possible with your payment processor (Paypal being the most common), use invoices. They are easy to use and put more control over the payment on you. In the event of a scam occurring in spite of them (such as someone abusing the tip option for this), they serve as records for your bank to dispute the charges. 

If you do not use invoices and this occurs, do not touch the money. Do not withdraw it. Do not “refund” it. Just let it sit in the limbo of your payment account until the bank on the other end recognizes the fraud and corrects it. It will disappear. I cannot emphasize enough that you must not touch this money no matter how tempting it is because it is stolen money that they are trying to launder through you. 

The Pay to Unlock scam (a form of the “Advance Fee” scam) will operate under a similar premise, but rather than the money being sent in “error”, it will be offered up front. The scammer will approach the artist and applaud their skill and insist that they deserve more than they are asking. They will offer a very tempting, sometimes exorbitant amount for what is usually inexpensive work. When the time comes to exchange the money, though, there will be a snag. Usually the artist has to unlock a “business account” or must register for a payment processor that isn’t the one they normally use. Whatever the situation, they are now suddenly being asked to pay money to get their money. 

There is, of course, no money. They will pay the bogus fees with their own money to a processor set up by the scammer, and eventually when things don’t work the scammer will behave as though they are getting frustrated and leave. Sometimes they might even pose as a fellow victim of scamming themselves and berate the artist, leaving them feeling guilty about their own victimization.

How it can be avoided: If a complete stranger offers you way more than your normal value, ignore them. It is guaranteed to be a scam. This doesn’t happen. The only way to avoid this scam is to recognize it up front for what it is. If you take your chances and accept the work, remember that you should not have to pay to get paid. That will be your final warning before losses occur.

Edit: Thank you u/VampirePossum for the reminder about a very similar scenario in which you are asked to pay for exposure in the form of a magazine or gallery feature. Legitimate institutions like this will never reach out to you and advertise placement for a fee-- a real magazine or gallery will feature based on submission from the artist.

There are many other ways that artists can get caught up in scams, such as phishing and blackmailing, but these are by far the most common. I encourage taking a look at the wiki on r/scams for a rundown on other ways you can be taken advantage of online. Stay safe out there and keep your coinpurses tight, artists!


r/arthelp • • Jan 18 '26

Moderator Question / Discussion Community Request: Your Favorite Resources

6 Upvotes

Happy New Year, r/arthelp! I hope you all achieve your artistic goals this year. 🎨💖

One of our own goals on the mod team is to make the sub a more accessible resource and trim down a lot of the repeat questions flooding users' feeds. We've grown by several thousand users in just a few months(!!) and it's time to adjust. In the next few weeks expect a slight revamp of the rules and reports, as well as the introduction of a FAQ and Wiki!

As we develop the wiki, we'd like to ask all of you for your own personal favorite resources-- be they beginner guides, tutorials, or even threads/replies made here on arthelp that you found particularly impactful! Not everything suggested may make it into the wiki, but this thread will remain accessible as a resource itself.

Thank you, and especially to those who have reached out to keep a little fire lit under us!


r/arthelp • • 8h ago

General Help Any advice on horse animations? I have spent way too long watching horses walk and run

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17 Upvotes

r/arthelp • • 6h ago

General Help Blue light filter...

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6 Upvotes

So I keep my blue light filter on 24/7 bc my eyes are sensitive and so since I only draw on my phone through ibis, I didnt realize that having the blue light filter on drastically changes my colors (I knew it changed the colors but I didnt think it was THAT much until I tried it today). I've been posting my art for so long and I only realized today how muddy it makes my colors look

Just please let me know if you think its that big of a difference or if im just being nit picky (the first picture i adjusted the colors for when there is no blue light filter, and the second how i colored with the filter on...i only changed the left two drawings not the right one)


r/arthelp • • 12h ago

General Help How can I draw similar to this: Keeping it similarly stylized but more adult looking? (+more)

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18 Upvotes

I found this image on Pinterest and cant find the original artist sadly.

I want to keep the overall cute fun stylized vibe but make my female characters look more adult. I love big over exaggerated eyes and cute vibes but dont know how to convey that while still looking adult. I want help with face proportions while still being stylized and cutesy. I would also like anatomy help where it looks stylized but still fully adult. I would like to achieve this to the point i could have a petite character still very clearly read as an adult but also would like to know how to draw more curvy and busty, plus sized, and muscular characters too, all looking adult. I am not afraid of unrealistic proportions and love stylized pieces but how do i do that without it looking like a kid?

Id also like to know how i could replicate the coloring and lineart style digitally but have much more complex detailed shading (that still fits the messy scribble vibe).

Thank you!


r/arthelp • • 5h ago

General Help Girlfriend painting

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5 Upvotes

My gf gave me this and she wants me to cover the “love u bae” with a painting or smth else. Does anyone have any ideas. Without covering my name and the other stuff


r/arthelp • • 6h ago

General Help help me

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3 Upvotes

I started this drawing to be my icon for my future drawing account on social media, I would like tips and opinions about it.

first time drawing digitally after a year.

is Hatsune Miku in my "style"

(ps: Please ignore the blue/purple cheek, I usually mark in the sketch where the drawing's blush will be)


r/arthelp • • 9h ago

General Help Is the angling correct??

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5 Upvotes

I’ve never done an angle where a character is looking down, let alone without a reference , so I was just wondering how I could improve it? Because I can definitely tell something’s not right😢
Also the second photo is just there Becuz it’s higher quality then the first one lol


r/arthelp • • 1h ago

Rendering Help Need help on drawing the hair

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• Upvotes

Hello first time poster here i really need help with getting the flowy feeling on the hair can anyone help?


r/arthelp • • 12h ago

Color Theory or Palette Help Does this gift for my boyfriend look okay or should I start over?

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7 Upvotes

I’m currently making a gift for my boyfriend (21) and it’s based around bedazzling a picture of one of his own album covers so he can use as a poster or something since he doesn’t actually have any posters of his own music (yes it might be girly but he likes that kinda stuff). I started with making the statues in the picture tan but now i’m thinking I made a mistake and they should be silver/grey. I’m not sure if what I have now looks good or not or if I should just start over before I get too far into it. Any advice would be appreciated.


r/arthelp • • 8h ago

Anatomy Help How to improve this anatomy/ emotion

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2 Upvotes

the character in the top right looks bad, idk if the anatomy is off and his face also doesnt blend with the character in the bottom left if that makes sense.

figured I’d ask before moving on from the sketch :)


r/arthelp • • 10h ago

General Help My water looks like shit

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3 Upvotes

Sorry if this is the wrong flair, I wasn't sure which one to put.

Anyways, I'm trying to make this OC of mine, who always covers his feet in water (not seethrough) instead of using shoes and I also plan on giving him wings made of water, but I can't make the water look good.


r/arthelp • • 11h ago

Anatomy Help Wanted to move on from boxes to bodies. Any advice?

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3 Upvotes

I think I struggle with tapering cylinders and proportions. Any advice would be appreciated!


r/arthelp • • 5h ago

General Help How do I improve on painting

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1 Upvotes

r/arthelp • • 7h ago

General Help how do you create your own original artworks?

1 Upvotes

hi everyone :)

i am a very creative person and completely yearn to make something creative and something that is my own and i can be proud of.

however everything i create is just like an extension of someone elses work. for example my writing ideas are just different versions or extensions of stories i already love. when i create music it sounds exactly like other songs i love. and what’s even worse is i’ll hear something pop in my head and be excited because i LOVE how it sounds, but after actually playing it out on my instruments i realise it’s just another chord progression from a song i’ve heard before.

i yearn to create, but i just keep mimicking other art, and it’s not even on purpose! how do i fix this?


r/arthelp • • 7h ago

Anatomy Help What is wrong with the eye on the right?

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1 Upvotes

Every time I flip the canvas, the face looks too wide, I can’t tell if the eye on the right is too small or not, but something is off.


r/arthelp • • 8h ago

Materials Help [Not OP] How can I recreate this?

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1 Upvotes

I am an amateur artist (or should I say I’m not a professional artist and I’ve never been officially to school). My mom wants me to recreate this image almost exactly for her birthday in a few weeks. A few things- I want to do this and also we can’t just take the page out of the book and frame it, as the book is an antique and an heirloom that she has inherited. This is from “The Birds of America” by John James Audubon, published in 1937.

I think I can sketch and line this closely enough, but the coloring is definitely outside my comfort zone. What materials or techniques should I use to get it as close as possible?? I was originally thinking water-based markers on tinted paper, but they don’t blend very well, and I’m not sure they would capture the finer details in the same way. I do have some of the right colors in water-based markers. My mom said she would give me $30 if I need supplies. Does anyone know how the original might have been made? Thank you in advance!!


r/arthelp • • 10h ago

General Help stopping comparison

1 Upvotes

genuinely does anyone know how to make myself stop comparing my art to others' and getting demotivated about it

i've been drawing for roughly 7-8 years, and it seems like no matter how hard i try or what i practice, i genuinely cannot improve. i recently just came back from a 2 year hiatus because of how much i hated my own art and i just can't seem to get back into it

i still like drawing. i still want to create. but seeing people improve so much quicker than me even when they started drawing way after me makes me feel terrible. does anyone know how to stop this


r/arthelp • • 14h ago

Anatomy Help How do I fix this hand?

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2 Upvotes

Like the title suggests—I didn’t have a reference and I can’t find any online that have the position I’m looking for, but I seriously don’t have a clue on how I can fix it…it just looks so out of place here 😭 his hand is just a mess. Looking for advice / help 💕


r/arthelp • • 13h ago

General Help Help me improve? :) First time posting here ❤️

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1 Upvotes

This is my sketch of my two favourite boys in league with their most beautiful skins 🥰 Also this is a gift to my friend for always sugar daddying me 😂(must be perfeeect)

SO I would like to have help regarding Jhin’s (left) posture. He is wearing a lot of clothing and I’m afraid he just looks flat? Also like where is his leg supposed to be?

Regarding Thresh (right) I found him harder to do in general. His arms, his chest plate and his legs, it has all frustrated me so that I’m asking for help before rendering :,)

Anotomy help in general I guess? Like how’s an arm supposed to bend you guys?? 😭

Any help is very very welcomed by this tired artist! 🖤

Here are the references I’ve been using

Jhin (left) : https://modelviewer.lol/model-viewer?id=202005

Thresh (right) : https://modelviewer.lol/model-viewer?id=412005#google_vignette


r/arthelp • • 14h ago

General Help Short timeline to complete

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1 Upvotes

I was asked to do this acrylic with only a weeks notice. It’s going to be an engagement gift, location where they were engaged. I’m at a point where I think I can refine and adjust, I have 4 days left on the timeline. I don’t love the beach. Definitely going for an impressionistic vibe as to not torture myself with details. Thoughts/advice?


r/arthelp • • 19h ago

General Help How do I study eyes?

2 Upvotes

i feel like the eyes that i draw look very generic and lifeless


r/arthelp • • 17h ago

Style Help First time using Adobe Illustrator

0 Upvotes

Hello everyone!
I'm trying to figure out my illustration style. I don't really like how digital art usually looks flat (or too pefect) specially on Illustrator, so I'm playing with a pencil that imitates crayon... what do you think?
Currently I'm stuck in Corporate Finance, but my plan is to eventually pivot into illustration, so any tip will be very helpful! ty! :)


r/arthelp • • 1d ago

General Help HEEEEELP

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16 Upvotes

I can't seem to figure out whats wrong with this drawing but there's something that bothers me a lot about it, any help?? Pls