The real problem is, vvalkingman, that artists generally think they're very good and that they're worth a lot more than anyone cares to pay. Artists are pretentious. Every great artist from Picasso to Schubert to Joyce, artists within every medium, think they're exceptionally brilliant and this attitude has become much more popular among the elitist youth movements which demand that people both pay for and appreciate their art. Art has become a market, rather than an expression. Fortunately, they aren't all hard to find and most of them can be convinced into under selling themselves, while some even will offer to do cheap jobs willingly because they love their craft and treat it as a courtesy for the credit they receive for doing it. Whether or not they feel this way is irrelevant though, as you only need to find the cheapest artist within your skill range. Artists who intend to do art for a living will charge you more, but I'd avoid them altogether. Anyone who tries to do art for a living, and would be in a position to listen to your request, without a secure financial backing isn't someone I'd associate with.