i (m16) take art very seriously, and although im not a professional yet, i am pretty advanced as i draw for pratically my entire life, i am recently getting into comissions because of that, and i find that my time is valuable, and most importantly, not free. especially now that i’m getting into a big art project that i pratically work the whole day on. today, my aunt asked me to draw a picture, it was a painting from her house that she finds nice. i asked her if she’d pay me, and she said no.
obviously, i refused. but my parents told me i was being selfish, and that since she takes care of me since birth, i "owe" her drawing whatever she asks. as a counterback, i told them that she didn’t even give me a gift on my birthday, why should i give her a gift, which would take so much effort, like that for free? i know i’m being petty, but it’s because if it was a family member that i really like, i would definitely do it for them for free, but my aunt barely has any presence in my life anymore, not to mention she doesn’t respect me for being LGBT. my parents said they were ashamed of me. so, AITA?
NTA. She should be encouraging your art, and paying you for it. And if you are taking commissions, you are professional. One of the lessons that I’ve learned is don’t give away your talent for free, even to friends and family. Unless it is a gift brought on by your desire, not by a request or a suggestion. If she loved you or respected you, she would be willing to at the least, be willing to pay 20% over supplies.
NTA. Homophobic relative who is barely in your life wants a freebie?? The audacity, lol!
NTA. You don’t owe anyone your time for free.
Does “she takes care of me since birth” mean she babysat you and such? That wasn’t a favor to you it was a favor to your parents and in that case it sounds like your parents should pay you to do the picture for her.