Someone asked me to give them my model for free

Gallamanji

I just posted a model up on a facebook group for critique and a guy asked me if he could have the model for free. I'm not sure how to approach it, whats peoples stance on giving away models? Should I say no, upload it on turbosquid and say he can find it there? 

Fuiosg

don't give your work away unless your intention is to make it publicly available; otherwise there's nothing stopping them from using it. You want to avoid situations where the question is asked: who made it and who stole it?

Gallamanji

Thanks, I thought so, not wise to put portfolio pieces on Turbosquid either right? just common sense I guess

Kevin Albers

Giving away models for free reinforces the belief that some people have that artists and other creative types don't deserve to be paid a living wage. This is pretty bad. I doubt the upside of giving your model away is more important than the downside.

CrackRockSteady

Unfortunately this sort of thing is fairly common.  If you're comfortable selling your work let the person know that you don't work for free but you would be willing to negotiate a price.

That being said, prepare for the inevitable "lol I'm not going to *pay you* for it", which is what has happened to me in 100% of these situations.

Eric Chadwick

It really depends on your comfort level.

Plenty have given models away for free, as a way to give back to the community, or as a method for improving their visibility in the marketplace, or for educational purposes, or just for fun.

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Character#Character_Examples

If you're already making a comfortable living, then I see no harm in this. Also if you want to be compensated, I see no harm in that either. It's up to you, you made it!

garcellano

Yeah, I'd say as long as you're comfortable with it.
For me, I rarely gave my models out for free until maybe last year, for the Unity Asset Store.

lotet

why do you feel like you need to give it away just because someone asks you? you have agency over your own life, dont make choices depending on what others think and feel xD

Amsterdam Hilton Hotel

Kevin Albers said:

Giving away models for free reinforces the belief that some people have that artists and other creative types don't deserve to be paid a living wage. 

lol, please.

this site used to be a quake modding repo. know how much those mods cost?

 countless game art careers were launched on freely shared and collaborative work. 

OP: if you can get paid for your work, do so, but don't spend even one second worrying about "reinforcing beliefs" or whatever abstract ideas other people come up with to justify what you ought to do with your own assets 

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