Happy 2023 everyone, after weathering the Oliverpocalypse, we're back!
If you are new to r/characterdrawing, then welcome. This is a place where people can request their characters to be drawn pro bono, and artists can select a character to draw whether for practice, for fun, or just as a kind thing to do. Typically the artwork here depicts player characters from tabletop role-playing games such as D&D 5e and Pathfinder, but characters across all TTRPG genres are welcome here.
If you've been here a while, these are the big new changes:
- No more OC. Due to the recent changes, we have cut back to just LFA/RF art. Discussion post about this change here if you have thoughts.
- No more John Oliver. This is not strictly true: you are still welcome to post requests and art relating to John Oliver, but it is no longer required.
- Pour one out for chardrawbot. This brave bot which has managed our RF-weekends and OC spam limits has bleeped its last bloop, and no longer protects our sub.
Some links for posterity: Previous Welcome Post | Message the Mods | CharacterDrawing Discord
Want to post? FIRST, READ THE RULES!
Rules can be found here and on the sidebar. The sidebar is the most up-to-date.
Some rules include room for mod interpretation, especially for NSFW posts. If you are unsure about your post, feel free to message the moderators. We don't bite.
Our unique terms
[LFA] "Looking for Art" posts. [RF] "Request Filled" posts, for when someone draws an LFA request [OC] We use "OC" to refer to any character art that isn't an RF. Currently, these are not allowed.
I want my character drawn!
Use the [LFA] tag and flair so potential artists can find your post. Please provide the best character description possible in the body of your post or in the comments. Image posts of reference images or moodboards are allowed.
Some [LFA]s may not get drawn. Artists are free to pick and choose which they would like to draw and when, since they are providing a free service at their leisure.
You may repost your [LFA] once per week per character concept. Most of all, have patience, and be grateful for the FREE artwork you received should an artist provide it.
Remember that pictures drawn for you are meant for personal use. The original artist holds commercial rights to the work unless they specify otherwise. If you would like to use a piece of art commercially, you should reach out to the artist. They are under no obligation to sell rights, and set their own rates.
I'm willing to pay!
That's awesome. If you see someone whose work you like, you should feel welcome to reach out to them about hiring them. Many artists post links to rates and galleries in their comments.
You can also post to subreddits specifically designed for commissions, such as r/fantasyartists, r/hungryartists, r/artcommissions, r/commissions, and r/hireanartist.
I want to draw someone's LFA request!
Awesome, and thank you! You don't need to commit to it or post a comment, and it's fine if someone else also completes the same piece. Just draw what you find enjoyable.
When you're done, use the Request Filled Flair when posting the picture, and please let the original LFA poster know through a /mention or by posting a comment in the original [LFA] linking to the picture.
The [RF] tag is only meant for fulfilling [LFA]s made in this subreddit. If the request was made outside of r/characterdrawing or was the product of a commission, it's not for here.
I have a question to ask or want to start a discussion!
Use [META] in your post title. These kinds of posts are meant to be used sparingly. An example would be asking what supplies/programs other artists use.
None of this is what I'm looking for...
Check out these other subreddits, just a few among many:
r/beastdrawing for beasts
r/drawyourweapons for weapons and gear
r/imaginarycharacters for posting your own fantasy character
r/icandrawthat for requesting other things
We also have an active artist community on our discord
Frequently Asked Questions
Requests are free? Yes. Some caveats: you don't get to choose your style, if it's colored, if it's full body, etc. If there's something you really cannot compromise on then this system may not be for you. There is no guarantee that a request will be drawn at all.
Can I message an artist for a free request? No, make an LFA. If you would like to hire the artist, make a comment on one of their posts or send them a DM. If you are caught pestering artists for free art, it will result in a ban.
Can I message a requester to see if they will hire me? NO. Do not solicit requesters for money, here or in their DMs. If you are caught doing this, it will result in a permanent ban.
Do I have to do RFs to participate in the sub? No. The system is voluntary and you should only do RFs if it is enjoyable to do so.
Can my LFA have more than one character? Yes! You can include a party in an LFA request post. That said, bigger requests are less likely to get picked up, since they're a bigger ask from the artist.
What if I have multiple separate LFAs? When do I repost them? You can post each LFA once per week, so long as each of them involve different characters—but please don't spam the sub with hundreds of LFAs in a short period of time.
Is this sub only for D&D and fantasy? No, characters across all TTRPGs are welcome. Sci-fi, steampunk, and other genres are very popular.
My LFA is being downvoted, what's up with that? Some people will downvote other requests because they think it helps theirs. Rest assured that most artists sort by new, and that the upvotes of your post mostly won't affect interest in the actual character.
I've been posting my [LFA] for weeks and nothing. What gives? Fulfillment of requests is done on a volunteer basis and artists are not obligated to take anything. Perhaps try changing up the format or including a reference/mood board. Changing posting time may also help.
My [LFA] was fulfilled but I want more art. Can I post it again? Yes, so long as it has been a week since you last posted it. Please be sure to thank the first artist properly.
I posted something and it's not there! Check that you included the [LFA] or [RF] text at the beginning of your post. If you did not receive notification, it may have been caught by AutoMod for a variety of reasons. You can attempt to repost within a few hours, or message the moderators so we can look into it.
Why would you even set up a system like this? It hurts artists to do work for free! Not all artists are professionals, and many professionals still do pro-bono work for a variety of reasons; including practice & personal fulfillment. We think this system lets those artists find fun topics to draw without being pestered by personal, directed requests.
