A month ago, I participated in  a "contest" for a card board game. No direct communication with the client, no information about a pay -  but hurry, because the rest already gave something. Communication with middle guy - a friendly person, /company who already claimed their prices with the client and now coming to hunt for guys who work with "low" pricing. / 

$ 5 for a sketch - usually for contest they don't pay (you know your final goal - the prize).
Requirements to draw sketches - no colors or further details / of the characters in game. 4 crew members and a creature.
Sadly and at the end - I found that there was no contest at all. Just replacable or expendable guys - who work for $5 / per piece. 

My thoughts: After I "won" the "contest" - I'm getting "the job" - and I will negotiate my pricing with them.
The facts: there was no contest, and every "contestants" were part of "team" - without knowing about that.

I "won" and they generously gave me the green light to draw the characters, announcing the same prices. The cool thing is that I didn't started work after sketches, after declining to proceed onward, the sketches were given to the other guy who was in line for further development and colorinzing. After that I was told that the copyrights payment / amount is not clear / would be paid after the client approves the final characters - not to me I'm out of the project, but to the guy who draws. 

There were requirements in terms. Do this in 2 days ( 4 different drawings in colors + cover art /logo/ for the game ) - total amount to be paid $35... this triggered me to go away. 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1667196403524041.1073741830.1529975793912770&type=3

Check the link on my "Mavis Draws" facebook page. Give a like on that if you wish. Let's speak about art and expressions - not how unfair the world is.