Hi,
does anyone get requests for custom illustrations or to freelance? What has your experience been?  I noticed that in the past some microstock artists would put in their profile that they accept custom work...But as time went by I noticed most of them took that out as their portfolios grew larger.
Maybe there is that point where you'd need to dedicate to one or another..

so where are you?  Growing your porftolio v. freelancing work? 

Yes, working on two projects at the moment, they usually find me through stock sites.
I think actually making stock would be more profitable for me than custom work, but I see it as a nice way to supplement microstock income and learn to deal with real people.
In my price I usually include unlimited changes until the client is satisfied, and always tell him/her to pay afterwards. So far I've only had positive experiences and no one has kept asking for changes beyond reason, but once that happens I might think of a new strategy. Still a novice at freelancing.

I think freelancing gives a bit of spice to the sometimes dull world of (micro)stock illustration. I usually get regular request for custom work. There's good and bad clients but I think if the project is laid out in detail as much as possible on what is required by both parties before kicking off, a lot of heartaches can be avoided. I normally limit the number of revisions and they pay extra afterwards. I also require a deposit and then full payment once the client signs off the concept sketch. I often find that concept sketches not used for the project provide inspiration for new series of microstock work (provided of course that you have agreed before hand that all sketches not used still belong to you).

It's been hit-or-miss for me. One of my best long-term clients (who I'm still working for now) found me through a stock agency. On the other hand, I also still get requests for custom work and people expect that because I sell images for a few bucks through microstock that I'll do custom work for similar prices.

Probably 9 out of 10 times that someone contacts me to quote on a custom project, I never hear from them again. But it's worth responding to custom requests because you never know when that good client will come along.

hope not! I hate clients
that's the main reason why I am doing microstock

The same here. I love microstock because I can do  what I want. I want to fell freel. If I'm free I can do beautiful works but if someone ask me about a subject....it's a drama!

Had a few ... do get some people asking for work, you reply to say yes and give a cost and never hear from them, I guess as was said above they expect to pay low prices for custom work. On the other hand some have been great, especially from overseas contacts which I'd not get otherwise, book illustration work, logos, mascots and so on. Made some contacts that have generated repeat work which is great so definitly worth being open to the idea.

I get a steady handful of requests for custom work through the microstock sites, but I hardly ever do it. Most of the time I never hear from them again once I quote a price.