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“It’s just a quick sketch.” “You love what you do—you can do it for free.” “What do you mean, I have to pay for art?” If artists had a nickel for every time they heard somebody ask them to work for free, well… We wouldn’t be talking about ‘starving artists’ at all, would we?

Everyone should be paid for the work and services they provide, no matter if they’re a painter, sculptor, dancer, or musician. Unfortunately, the world is full of choosing beggars that want to take advantage of the artistically inclined. That’s how they end up on the 2-million-strong ‘Choosing Beggars’ subreddit.

Scroll down and check out how some people try to get art for free. Don’t forget to upvote the pics that infuriated you the most and share if anyone tried to get you to work for free in the comment section, dear Pandas.

#1 The Disrespect To Makeup Artists

Image credits: reddit.com

#2 Can You Draw Me?

Image credits: jonarton

#3 “Your Art Is Mediocre At Best So Please Design Me A Free Tattoo”

Image credits: reddit.com

In an earlier interview, Bored Panda spoke to The Freelancer Club team that aims to eradicate exploitative unpaid work.

“Many see freelancers, particularly in the creative sector, as hobbyists and believe they can get away with ‘paying’ in exposure. They leverage their audience size, their brand name, or the allure of gaining recognition. This is why services in exchange for exposure is commonplace in glamorous sectors such as fashion, music, and film,” a representative of The Freelancer Club went into detail about the culture of work-for-exposure.

“From a freelancer point of view, they are often told that working for exposure is a rite of passage or an essential part of building a portfolio by their teachers, college professors, and peers. This has created a culture of exploitation that we must address at both ends.”

#4 I Can’t Belive These People… They Don’t Understand Nail Techs, Escorts, Artists, Ect. Actually Make A Living Off Of This

Image credits: reddit.com

#5 Life As A Nail Artist

Image credits: reddit.com

#6 Found On My Tattoo Artists Instagram

Image credits: reddit.com

According to them, working for exposure or for free damages not only freelance artists’ career prospects but also affects the industry as a whole—in a negative way.

“In the UK, unpaid work costs every freelancer £5,394 per year and the figure is very similar in the States. If you give up your work for exposure thinking you will get paid work from it in the future, the statistics show this is rarely the case, besides, shouldn’t additional work be a consequence of a paid job anyway? If someone is willing to promote your work, they must value it so why not pay them! It’s easy to get into a cycle of working for exposure and never get paid.”

#7 Person Beg For Free Art And Ends Blocked. Then Creates Another Account To Threat The Artist

Image credits: TunaXI

#8 “Friend” Begs Artist For Free Art

Image credits: reddit.com

#9 I Charge 20-50 Dollars For A Realistic Portrait And One Of My Followers Just Said I’m Overcharging (I Never Made An Advertisement, I Just Say Yes When People Ask Since I’m Just A Hobbyist)

Image credits: kommityeet

The main reasons why people work for exposure are because they hope that they’ll get paid work in the future, that they’ll add to their portfolio, or that they’ll use the name of the company that promotes their work. Not only that, it feels good to know that your creative work gets to be seen by a lot of people.

“Many creative people are told to ‘get a real job’ when they express their desire to do something artistic. Seeing their work in print, online, or gaining recognition somehow validates their decision and, in a twisted way, proves the doubters wrong. The irony is that they have given up their value to do so,” The Freelancer Club’s rep said.

“Work out your day rate. Once you know your value, get comfortable talking about money, and stick to your guns. We’ve proven that working for exposure rarely results in paid work, collaborate with other creatives or set a self-project to build your portfolio and keep in mind that the culture of working for exposure is very damaging to you and to your industry. You are talented—value yourself and others will value you too.”