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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dannyalcatraz" data-source="post: 7439763" data-attributes="member: 19675">Based on what I know from RW transactions with artisans...Unless they’re dumb, a craftsman not on someone’s staff collecting a salary will usually demand at least enough up front to cover costs of starting up, if not payment in full.  Some will take an installment plan, broken up to cover the stages of production, with the final payment mostly being the amount of profit.And just like those RW artisans, the piece will be sold to someone else if the original buyer doesn’t follow through, for a price somewhere between the unpaid remainder to full price.(On occasion, they’ll keep the piece as an example of their work.)The process is more important than the size of the commission.A Somogyi or Ryan guitar costs $20k minimum, but they never work on only one at a time.  There’s gaps when the instrument being constructed simply has to wait while glue dries; while newly bent wood becomes permanently set in the desired shape.  There is no shortcut, no way to rush this.  Instead of sitting idle, the’ll work on other projects, regardless of the price of the commission.  It’s one reason why California Guitar Trio was able to get 3 identical ones at the same time.I was unclear in my post, and that’s my fault.  Sorry!What you described is precisely the business model I was talking about when I said:...but did not clearly apply that to a fantasy artisan.  When I talked about freelance magicrafting being unsustainable, I was thinking in terms of guys just specializing in high-cost items (staves, armors, rings, swords, etc.), without dealing in production of lesser- even mundane- items.Now, after you make and sell a big-ticket item, you may have enough to last a lifetime*.  But you know, Kings demand taxes and entropy will claim it’s due.  And an unfortunate aspect of human** psychology is a tendency to squander windfalls.  Until State Lottery Comissions passed certain laws requiring jackpot winners take a crash course in financial management, the average recipient blew though their winnings in 5 years.  The 5 year average is still pretty much accurate for windfalls that don’t include such a course.* maybe not elvish or dwarven ** maybe not elvish or dwarven</blockquote>

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