If, during an unsolicited conversation with someone, they mention "I'm a professional artist", it can be said with absolute certainty, they're not.
The Internet is great.
The ubiquity of freely available or low cost tools for creating, is great.
Meeting, chatting, helping other artists/creators is great.
Being direct message spammed by self-proclaimed "professional artists", not so much.
These folks have a habit of drifting from community to community posting little of any substance, all in an effort to draw attention to their products and services. They don't contribute
to the community, but they're more than happy to be
part of it if only to sell their wares.
When asked for clarity on what they're doing they will often retort that they're a "professional artist". When pressed further they might link to a 'portfolio', typically just be a collection of images posted to Instagram or PasteBin collection, or a 'page' on ArtStation or other 'art' site, with gmail listed as a contact address.
This isn't a portfolio (no matter what might be said about it).
If you're earning money from your creative efforts, and consider that a 'profession', get your act together, spend a few bucks and sort out a dedicated website. Use a freebie service if you must. But at the very least treat what you're doing
as a profession and
not just a label you're (mis)applying to your
undeclared, barely legal,
side-hustle.
When you contact someone with the intent to chase commissions, don't engage in disingenuous small talk, claim you "want to be friends", just get to the point, post your derivative artwork, and then move on if there's no interest.
