Over the past few days, I submitted what I genuinely believe are some of my better works to several commercial commission platforms again. The result was the same: verification failed.

If I still refuse to believe the problem lies with me, then I’m just being stupid.

So—is it because my technical skills aren’t good enough?
No. I know I’m not top-tier, but I’m confident in my judgment that many storefronts already online—and even selling well—do not have higher technical quality than my work. On that point, I trust my eye.

So where exactly is the problem?

After reviewing everything, I reached the following conclusions in this first phase:

1. After multiple failed reviews on platforms like MiHuashi, I have to completely rethink how I position my work and what “finished” actually means.

- Drawing well ≠ people will buy it

- What you think is good ≠ what everyone thinks is good

- Complexity in your work ≠ others can perceive that complexity

- Understanding the platform’s taste and logic is crucial

2. If I want to make money, I have to meet standards

- The nature must be obvious at first glance
What exactly am I selling?
It has to clearly fit into an existing product category.
The clearer, the better. Personal expression comes later.

- Put down the “artist” pride and put on the “merchant” mindset
Control costs (time)
Do I really need to design everything from scratch every time?
Can I create templates and SOPs?

- Repeatable sales
Does each artwork end after one sale?
Can it become a calendar, framed print, or another reproducible product?

- Bundling
Can my works be linked together?
For example, when I sell a popular product A, can I include a sample of new work B?

- Scaling up
Do I have to package and ship everything myself?
Can I “industrialize” the process?

- Brand collaboration
Can my art drive traffic or value for other brands?

Next, even if I don’t like it, I have to start thinking like a businessperson.
Because if I don’t adapt, I’ll die very badly.

That said, when I think of this as a puzzle to solve rather than a compromise,
I do feel a bit of motivation coming back.

This time I deliberately broke away from more conventions, which I found very interesting.

I spent more time than usual thinking about decorative patterns, but that process gave me new ideas.

Going forward, I’d like to approach decoration more from a graphic composition perspective.

Decorative elements themselves could also draw inspiration from nature or generative art patterns, helping me expand my visual knowledge base.

I’m not completely satisfied with the pose this time, but I decided to finish it at this stage.