here be monsters

Freelance illustrator, writer, & editor

About & Contact
Artwork
Commissions

About Me

⪧ Hi, I'm Michael. I'm a 25-year-old student currently working to earn my Masters in Popular Fiction Writing & Publishing from Emerson College (expected 2027). I got my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in May 2025.⪧ I am a writer of weird interior fiction about the uncanny and sublime. Usually this involves monsters that are sometimes even lovable, and never not sincere.⪧ I'm also a digital artist. My favorite subjects are dragons, dinosaurs, ghosts, and monsters. The creatures I illustrate often tie in to characters and themes from my written stories.

Contact

Current Handle: Beetlesaur
Past Handles: dweeblet, paenling, Vevshin
Business Email: [email protected]
Quick Contact: Beetlesaur on Discord.You can also find me & my artwork on these sites:

Art Commissions ⪧ Status: OPEN

Item	⪧Rough Sketch	⪧Flat Color	⪧Full Render
Bust	_{starts at} $15	_{starts at} $30	_{starts at} $60
Half-body	_{starts at} $25	_{starts at} $45	_{starts at} $85
Full Body	_{starts at} $35	_{starts at} $60.00	_{starts at} $115
Minimal BG	_{starts at} $10	_{starts at} +$15	_{starts at} +$20
Simple Scene	~starts at +$20	_{starts at} +$30	_{starts at} +$50
Full Scene	_N/A	_{starts at} +$80	_{starts at} +$140

Table prices are per-character._{Commercial use: +100% total invoice price. A one-time payment granting license for expanded usage rights that we'll agree on during the planning stage of a commission.}

⪧ Characters: Very complex designs (intricate patterns/tattoos, layered outfits/armor, multiple props, mechanical detail, etc.) will incur additional fees and/or longer turnaround times.⪧ Render Types: Rough renders are sketchy with visible construction lines and minor color bleed. Flat renders include clean lines & colors without any shading. Full rendered includes detailed character lighting to describe both form and texture.⪧ No Background: Transparent or non-environmental backdrop (flat colors, gradients, abstract shapes). Free.⪧ Minimal Background: Basic silhouettes, atmospheric effects, etc.⪧ Simple Scene: Character placed in a readable environment. May be partially obscured, roughly rendered, have simple lighting, etc.⪧ Full Scene: Character integrated into a full environment with high-detail rendering, complex lighting, atmospheric depth, and/or background character(s).⪧ Final Cost: depends on character complexity, props, cropping, render detail, etc. I will always confirm the final cost before sending an invoice._{If you're unsure about commissioning but still want to know the cost of what you're looking for, please feel free to reach out for a quote.}

2x rendered full body + full scene BG = $370.00
Rendered bust + full scene BG = $200.00
Rough bust + minimal background = $25.00
Flat bust + no BG = $30.00
Rendered half-body + minimal BG = $100.00
Flat full body + simple scene BG = $110.00
Rendered bust + no BG = $60.00
Rendered half body + full scene BG = $225.00
Rendered half body + full body + simple scene = $250.00

Click to view uncropped images!See my gallery for more examples of my most recent work.

Mailing List

Submit this form to be added to my mailing list. I'll notify you about:⪧ New slots opening (if previously full/closed)
⪧ Interest checks for special offers
⪧ Discount periods & promo codes for Ko-Fi
And that's it! No spam.

The Commission Process

1. Contact:

⪧ If you'd like to work with me, please reach out! My contact information can be found here, Discord or Bluesky strongly preferred.⪧ By commissioning me, you agree to my Terms of Service. They are displayed prominently on my commission page and can be reviewed at any time.⪧ Updates will be provided on request via Discord or passively via my public Trello board, which is updated weekly. If something looks incorrect, please reach out & I will clarify ASAP.⪧ Another way to track progress (and provide live feedback if you like): I also stream some of my work on Twitch. VODs remain public for 30 days; afterwards they can be accessed on Patreon for $3. If you want to opt out of this, please let me know during the planning stage to keep your commission private.

2. Payment:

⪧ I only accept payments in USD via PayPal or Ko-Fi. Invoice(s) will be sent per commission.⪧ For amounts under $100, the full payment is expected upfront.⪧ For amounts greater than $100, payment will be made in two parts; 50% after roughs are approved, and the remainder after the art is completed.⪧ I'm willing to negotiate custom payment plans; just ask and we can discuss it.⪧ I will not start the sketch before the first payment, and I will not send the final files before the final payment is received.

3. Workflow:

⪧ First, we’ll chat a bit so I can understand what you’re looking for (references, pose/composition, budget, etc).⪧ If you have any questions/concerns, this is the best time to ask.⪧ Once we agree on a plan, I will send the first invoice.⪧ After receiving payment, work on your commission begins. I’ll send 1-3 rough sketches: we can discuss and make any desired changes until you’re satisfied with the basic composition.⪧ After this point, smaller changes can still be requested, but the overall composition is locked in.⪧ Using the final sketch, I will lay down rough colors and send them for approval. You can request broad color changes here.⪧ Once the rough colors are approved, I will send the second invoice.⪧ After receiving payment, I will begin work on the painting process. You’re free to request additional adjustments at this stage, but larger changes will become impossible once detailed rendering has begun.⪧ The rendering process can take a long time, so updates will primarily be via Trello unless requested.⪧ Once the artwork is complete, I will send you the final high-resolution file(s) hosted on Google Drive.

4. Licensing:

⪧ By default, the client receives a personal use license (or commercial use license if purchased), but redistribution, remixing, or adaptation by third parties is not permitted without written consent.⪧ If a commercial use fee is negotiated and paid, the client will receive a custom commercial license that grants them permission to use the artwork for profit (e.g., merchandise, branding, monetized content), but redistribution or reuse by third parties is still prohibited without additional written permission.

5. Refunds & Cancellation:

⪧ Before you approve the final sketch, you can cancel the commission and I will refund 100% of your money, no questions asked.⪧ Once rough colors have been approved, you can request a cancellation and I will return 50% of your money (amount of second invoice).⪧ Once rendering has begun, you are still free to cancel the commission, but no money will be refunded. I will always contact you to let you know when we’ve reached this threshold.⪧ I want you to be pleased with the final product, so I’ll do what I can to solve the problem if possible. However, because of opportunities for revision or cancellation, being unhappy with the final artwork is not grounds for a refund.Important Note: In the event of a refund for any reason, you will not have any rights to the unfinished artwork; I may discard or repurpose parts of the illustration at my discretion (not your characters or their designs).

Terms of Service
(Art)

⪧ By commissioning me, you agree to my Terms of Service (you are here). They are displayed prominently on my commission page and can be reviewed at any time.⪧ Updates will be provided via Discord or my Trello board. If something looks incorrect, please don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.Additionally, each party is entitled to the following:

Artist Rights:

⪧ To use commissioned artworks for self-promotional purposes, including display in my portfolio, social media, & Patreon.⪧ To be appropriately credited (a mention of my screen name or a link to this website) for the artwork wherever it is shared.⪧ To refuse to undertake a commission at my discretion, even if its violation of the Guidelines (see below) is not immediately obvious.⪧ To cancel and refund a commission should I be unable to complete it or otherwise compensate for delays.⪧ To work on queued commissions in any order I choose. I do not do hard deadlines.⪧ To require payment of a commercial use fee and/or negotiation of royalties before permitting reproduction of my artwork for commercial purposes.⪧ To maintain copyright of the original artwork, as well as sole access to the working file(s) (.PSD, .CLIP, etc.)

Client Rights:

⪧ To freely use commissioned artwork for non-commercial purposes. This includes reposting on social media, using it as a profile picture, etc. as long as credit is given in the post or profile featuring my art.⪧ To freely edit, filter, or otherwise manipulate a commissioned artwork for non-commercial use, so long as credit is given to the original artwork (see above).⪧ To cancel an in-progress commission for any reason and receive a full or partial refund in accordance with the Refund Policy (detailed here).⪧ To request updates on my work schedule and/or work-in-progress previews of your commission as often as you want, at any time while it is underway.⪧ To receive additional copies of final image files, including copies in alternate formats (.PNG, .JPG, .TIFF, .BMP, etc.), for up to one year* after the artwork's completion._{*You are still welcome to request them, but I can no longer guarantee access to the archived files after that point!}

You may not:

X Repost my artwork without credit, or claim it as your own.
X Remove my signature and/or watermark from the final image (it will always be placed unobtrusively).
X Use paywalls to restrict access to the final artwork on sites like Patreon or Ko-fi.
X Sell physical or digital merchandise (such as commissions, adoptables, T-shirts, prints, books, NFTs, etc.) featuring or based on the commissioned artwork without prior negotiation.
X Use any part of the commissioned artwork to train or instruct generative AI for any purpose.
X Manipulate the final artwork (or enlist another artist to do so) with intent and/or effect to circumvent the Guidelines.

I Will Draw	I Will Not Draw
✔ couple art including original characters, characters from media, etc.	X depictions of underage or other nonconsensual relationships
✔ figures of any shape, gender, age, ability, or species, including fandom & OCs	X stereotypes, discrimination or hate speech against any real-world group(s)
✔ violence, blood & gore, body horror, monsters, and related topics	X targeted threats, glorification of real-world violence, or sexual violence
✔ romantic or intimate situations & non-sexual artistic nudity	X explicitly & graphically sexual, pornographic or fetish-related content

If you want me to draw something, but you're not sure whether or not it violates these rules, please feel free to ask me directly so that I can continue to clarify them. :)

Terms of Service
(Premades)

⪧ By purchasing a design or base from me, you agree to follow my core Terms of Service (see above re: credit, self-promotion, commercial use, editing, image formats, etc).

Adoptable Designs

⪧ Once purchased, total ownership of the design & associated character/likeness is transferred to the purchaser.⪧ The rights to the original artwork, however, remain as given in the above ToS section. Ownership of the design confers the included usage permissions.⪧ You have the right to alter or modify the design as desired; changing colors, adding/removing elements, etc. is all at your discretion.⪧ The owner is also free to resell, trade, gift, or otherwise transfer ownership of the design for non-commercial use.

Premade Bases

⪧ You may freely use my base lineart for your own character designs, reference sheets, or other personal projects.⪧ The purchaser can use a purchased base lineart for adoptable characters or designs, so long as credit is given to me as the original artist.⪧ NOTE: the above is the sole exception to the commercial use clause; it is included in bases.⪧ You may NOT resell or redistribute the paid base to other individuals who have not purchased it.

Please note: these terms of service may be periodically updated for clarity & relevance. Last update: 24 August, 2026