Rules for Engaging an Artist
If you are/considering becoming an artist/graphic designer, or if you're considering hiring some1 for their artistic abilities, you've gotta read...
"Every day, there are more and more Craigs List posts seeking "artists" for everything from auto graphics to comic books to corporate logo designs. More people are finding themselves in need of some form of illustrative service.
But what they're NOT doing, unfortunately, is realizing how rare someone with these particular talents can be.
To those who are "seeking artists", let me ask you; How many people do you know, personally, with the talent and skill to perform the services you need? A dozen? Five? One? …none?
More than likely, you don't know any. Otherwise, you wouldn't be posting on craigslist to find them.
And this is not really a surprise.
In this country, there are almost twice as many neurosurgeons as there are professional illustrators. There are eleven times as many certified mechanics. There are SEVENTY times as many people in the IT field.
So, given that they are less rare, and therefore less in demand, would it make sense to ask your mechanic to work on your car for free? Would you look him in the eye, with a straight face, and tell him that his compensation would be the ability to have his work shown to others as you drive down the street?
Would you offer a neurosurgeon the "opportunity" to add your name to his resume as payment for removing that pesky tumor? (Maybe you could offer him "a few bucks" for "materials". What a deal!)
Would you be able to seriously even CONSIDER offering your web hosting service the chance to have people see their work, by viewing your website, as their payment for hosting you?
If you answered "yes" to ANY of the above, you're obviously insane. If you answered "no", then kudos to you for living in the real world.
But then tell me… why would you think it is okay to live out the same, delusional, ridiculous fantasy when seeking someone whose abilities are even less in supply than these folks?
Graphic artists, illustrators, painters, etc., are skilled tradesmen. As such, to consider them as, or deal with them as, anything less than professionals fully deserving of your respect is both insulting and a bad reflection on you as a sane, reasonable person. In short, it makes you look like a twit.
A few things you need to know;
1. It is not a "great opportunity" for an artist to have his work seen on your car/'zine/website/bedroom wall, etc. It IS a "great opportunity" for YOU to have their work there.
2. It is not clever to seek a "student" or "beginner" in an attempt to get work for free. It's ignorant and insulting. They may be "students", but that does not mean they don't deserve to be paid for their hard work. You were a "student" once, too. Would you have taken that job at McDonalds with no pay, because you were learning essential job skills for the real world? Yes, your proposition it JUST as stupid.
3. The chance to have their name on something that is going to be seen by other people, whether it's one or one million, is NOT a valid enticement. Neither is the right to add that work to their "portfolio". They get to do those things ANYWAY, after being paid as they should. It's not compensation. It's their right, and it's a given.
4. Stop thinking that you're giving them some great chance to work. Once they skip over your silly ad, as they should, the next ad is usually for someone who lives in the real world, and as such, will pay them. There are far more jobs needing these skills than there are people who possess these skills.
5. Students DO need "experience". But they do NOT need to get it by giving their work away. In fact, this does not even offer them the experience they need. Anyone who will not/can not pay them is obviously the type of person or business they should be ashamed to have on their resume anyway. Do you think professional contractors list the "experience" they got while nailing down a loose step at their grandmother's house when they were seventeen?
If you your company or gig was worth listing as desired experience, it would be able to pay for the services it received. The only experience they will get doing free work for you is a lesson learned in what kinds of scrubs they should not lower themselves to deal with.
6. (This one is FOR the artists out there, please pay attention.) Some will ask you to "submit work for consideration". They may even be posing as some sort of "contest". These are almost always scams. They will take the work submitted by many artists seeking to win the "contest", or be "chosen" for the gig, and find what they like most. They will then usually have someone who works for them, or someone who works incredibly cheap because they have no originality or talent of their own, reproduce that same work, or even just make slight modifications to it, and claim it as their own. You will NOT be paid, you will NOT win the contest. The only people who win, here, are the underhanded folks who run these ads. This is speculative, or "spec", work. It's risky at best, and a complete scam at worst. I urge you to avoid it, completely. For more information on this subject, please visit [link].
So to artists/designers/illustrators looking for work, do everyone a favor, ESPECIALLY yourselves, and avoid people who do not intend to pay you. Whether they are "spec" gigs, or just some guy who wants a free mural on his living room walls. They need you. You do NOT need them.
And for those who are looking for someone to do work for free… please wake up and join the real world. The only thing you're accomplishing is to insult those with the skills you need. Get a clue.
If you do need portfolio padding, use your skills for a good cause - design a poster for a non-profit organization. Make a website for your local community theater. There are so many opportunities for pro bono work that will actually benefit someone.
Pass this on to every artistically-inclined person you know! Copy the text or just send them the link to the original post."
"Every day, there are more and more Craigs List posts seeking "artists" for everything from auto graphics to comic books to corporate logo designs. More people are finding themselves in need of some form of illustrative service.
But what they're NOT doing, unfortunately, is realizing how rare someone with these particular talents can be.
To those who are "seeking artists", let me ask you; How many people do you know, personally, with the talent and skill to perform the services you need? A dozen? Five? One? …none?
More than likely, you don't know any. Otherwise, you wouldn't be posting on craigslist to find them.
And this is not really a surprise.
In this country, there are almost twice as many neurosurgeons as there are professional illustrators. There are eleven times as many certified mechanics. There are SEVENTY times as many people in the IT field.
So, given that they are less rare, and therefore less in demand, would it make sense to ask your mechanic to work on your car for free? Would you look him in the eye, with a straight face, and tell him that his compensation would be the ability to have his work shown to others as you drive down the street?
Would you offer a neurosurgeon the "opportunity" to add your name to his resume as payment for removing that pesky tumor? (Maybe you could offer him "a few bucks" for "materials". What a deal!)
Would you be able to seriously even CONSIDER offering your web hosting service the chance to have people see their work, by viewing your website, as their payment for hosting you?
If you answered "yes" to ANY of the above, you're obviously insane. If you answered "no", then kudos to you for living in the real world.
But then tell me… why would you think it is okay to live out the same, delusional, ridiculous fantasy when seeking someone whose abilities are even less in supply than these folks?
Graphic artists, illustrators, painters, etc., are skilled tradesmen. As such, to consider them as, or deal with them as, anything less than professionals fully deserving of your respect is both insulting and a bad reflection on you as a sane, reasonable person. In short, it makes you look like a twit.
A few things you need to know;
1. It is not a "great opportunity" for an artist to have his work seen on your car/'zine/website/bedroom wall, etc. It IS a "great opportunity" for YOU to have their work there.
2. It is not clever to seek a "student" or "beginner" in an attempt to get work for free. It's ignorant and insulting. They may be "students", but that does not mean they don't deserve to be paid for their hard work. You were a "student" once, too. Would you have taken that job at McDonalds with no pay, because you were learning essential job skills for the real world? Yes, your proposition it JUST as stupid.
3. The chance to have their name on something that is going to be seen by other people, whether it's one or one million, is NOT a valid enticement. Neither is the right to add that work to their "portfolio". They get to do those things ANYWAY, after being paid as they should. It's not compensation. It's their right, and it's a given.
4. Stop thinking that you're giving them some great chance to work. Once they skip over your silly ad, as they should, the next ad is usually for someone who lives in the real world, and as such, will pay them. There are far more jobs needing these skills than there are people who possess these skills.
5. Students DO need "experience". But they do NOT need to get it by giving their work away. In fact, this does not even offer them the experience they need. Anyone who will not/can not pay them is obviously the type of person or business they should be ashamed to have on their resume anyway. Do you think professional contractors list the "experience" they got while nailing down a loose step at their grandmother's house when they were seventeen?
If you your company or gig was worth listing as desired experience, it would be able to pay for the services it received. The only experience they will get doing free work for you is a lesson learned in what kinds of scrubs they should not lower themselves to deal with.
6. (This one is FOR the artists out there, please pay attention.) Some will ask you to "submit work for consideration". They may even be posing as some sort of "contest". These are almost always scams. They will take the work submitted by many artists seeking to win the "contest", or be "chosen" for the gig, and find what they like most. They will then usually have someone who works for them, or someone who works incredibly cheap because they have no originality or talent of their own, reproduce that same work, or even just make slight modifications to it, and claim it as their own. You will NOT be paid, you will NOT win the contest. The only people who win, here, are the underhanded folks who run these ads. This is speculative, or "spec", work. It's risky at best, and a complete scam at worst. I urge you to avoid it, completely. For more information on this subject, please visit [link].
So to artists/designers/illustrators looking for work, do everyone a favor, ESPECIALLY yourselves, and avoid people who do not intend to pay you. Whether they are "spec" gigs, or just some guy who wants a free mural on his living room walls. They need you. You do NOT need them.
And for those who are looking for someone to do work for free… please wake up and join the real world. The only thing you're accomplishing is to insult those with the skills you need. Get a clue.
If you do need portfolio padding, use your skills for a good cause - design a poster for a non-profit organization. Make a website for your local community theater. There are so many opportunities for pro bono work that will actually benefit someone.
Pass this on to every artistically-inclined person you know! Copy the text or just send them the link to the original post."
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Marc Lapierre on -
Amen to that!
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Permalink Reply by Jessie-Lynn Jones on -
Preaching to the choir, much? ;P
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Permalink Reply by Craig Munro on -
Absolutely bloody spot on! How often have you had a friend say "at least you're getting your work seen" to which you just look at them in disgust. I now have a weapon in my arsenal to combat this...other than my look of disgust that is.
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Permalink Reply by Maeve on
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Interesting....
I've been in graphics now for longer than many - both professionally and doing projects on my own. I wholeheartedly agree with you - YET - I'm also a big believer in this economy where hardly anyone has two nickels to rub together, in barter. Yeah, I realize that barter will not fill your fridge or pay your bills, but you may be able to get your car fixed, your house cleaned, something custom sewed or whatever.
I did answer an ad here for an artist without pay. However, I'm getting some promotion, which is what the writer is good at. He's hawking an RPG I worked on for the last two years. He does a pod cast and includes commercials for the books - which to me that is worth quite a bit. He also did a mass mailing to over 800 contacts, most of them gamers - which is also invaluable. So we are helping each other in that respect.
So when someone approached you about 'getting your name out there' - ask them in honesty - that is well and good, but how about something a bit more tangible in which to trade?
Keep that in mind as well.
Maeve
www.tearsandpain.com
http://tashastale.zymurgea.com
www.gaterunner.com
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Permalink Reply by Liz D. on -
"For more information on this subject, please visit [link]." needs correction with an actual link, please? No link shown (I'm on Firefox if that matters.)
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Permalink Reply by Tina Anderson on -
This is going to be long... :) I had sort of the opposite experience last year, but I've encountered it more than once, especially in the "manga style" field.
I write comics, "manga" style as some would say. A very popular artist emailed me out of the blue and asked me if I'd develop a plot for her two original characters. I said sure, but then I asked her which publisher had contacted her about her work [I assumed she wanted writer-help because she'd been scouted.] She told me she'd planned to submit once I got the script done. :/ I told her my page rate, but because she was someone I knew of [and I was a fan of her art as were many others in the genre I write for] that I'd only charge her $5 a page for the script. That's pretty damn cheap. She replied back asking me why I would think of charging her, because my name on her book would be great for me - since she obviously had more fans out there than I did. I told her that I couldn't do it for free. She then set about calling me a jealous jerk and all sorts of lovely names to her fans in her journals. :(
Um... yeah. There's lots of manga illustrators out there who think writing is so easy that ANYONE can do it - when they find they can't, and are forced to lowering themselves to seek out a writer, there's this attitude that a writer is by default so desperate to get artist attention, it's a given that the writer will work for free. =_=; I dislike the fact that so many artists out there operate on this assumption - but at the same time I look around and see these 'artist needed/wanted' ads and I see why it happens.
The only times I've asked an artist to work gratis on anything [and it's been 3 times thankyou] is when I know they have a history of 'flake' [not staying with a project and quitting]. Each time I got lucky and they quit after a month - but then I suspected they would. Rather then come out and say 'I heard you're a flake, no way' I just say-- let's do 15 pages as a trial and if nothing happens - you get some writing-from-script experience; in all cases where I seek an artist, there's always a kill fee. I pay a kill fee upon delivery of art--but never with an artist who has an established history of flake.
I have a web comic out right now - I don't pay much, but I pay. I can't imagine telling some artist I need a page a week, and not paying her until some publisher takes interest or some ads pay off. That's ignorant. You can justify cheap payment with the exposure argument - but never NO payment.
If you're a writer out there who needs 15 pages of pencils to submit something, find an artist you like and check out their commission prices. If you beleive in your work enough to submit it, then beleive in it enough to invest in it - pay the artist for character designs and pencils - even if it is just a small sum, you'd be shocked at how reasonable artists can be with their pricing when times are lean. Artists - don't assume that all writers who write for you should just be paid with a byline. :/
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Permalink Reply by Matt on
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As a huge fan of webcomics and someone who has tried to commission art at a fair price (artist was just too busy), I am very, very sympathetic to this article. But this is just wrong:
"In this country, there are almost twice as many neurosurgeons as there are professional illustrators. There are eleven times as many certified mechanics. There are SEVENTY times as many people in the IT field.
So, given that they are less rare, and therefore less in demand, would it make sense to ask your mechanic to work on your car for free?"
Just because there are more people doing a job doesn't mean there is less demand for that job. If we were comparing apples to apples, it would actually suggest the opposite - mechanics would be vastly much more in demand than illustrators, which is why so many people can make a living at it (after all, how many people have cars? Now, how many people need illustration?). But these aren't apples - an illustrator's work is easily reproduced, so one illustrator can satisfy the needs of thousands (this is webcomicsinc.com, right?). Conversely, mechanics and neurosurgeons do work that, by definition, benefits just about one person.
Eh. I'm nitpicking, but it does weaken your overall argument. The point is sound without trying to imply that neurosurgeons are less in demand than illustrators. ;p
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Permalink Reply by Rob Sanville on
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So why is it that visual artists are always trying to get my band to play at their parties/openings/orgies for free? "Geez, man, we're artists, we've got no budget, but it's great exposure for your band...". /sigh.
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Permalink Reply by Donna Barr on -
A symptom of an over-all bad attitude: somehow all us creative types are dilettantes. Musicians work hard. We all need to support one another. If we're going to ask a band to be at a gig -- we should at LEAST design an album cover for them! Geeze. Let's not be perpetrators of this abuse.
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Permalink Reply by Donna Barr on
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And I've about had it with every damn publisher who wants to do a "charity" book. "Look at me! I've roped in all these artists for free work and shows for what's important to me!"
I will, every time, send art or $$ for artists with health-care issues. This ain't Canada. But these guys who expect us to carry the whole project for FREE -- what is their problem?
I'd like to know how far they'd get if they expected UPS and Morgan Printing to do their little project for free?
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Permalink Reply by Joe Chiappetta on -
Very thoughtful article. A must read for people who want to be in the business but don't know when to charge for work.
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Permalink Reply by Virgo d on
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There are lots of good web hosting company but it depends on what kind of hosting you requires generally Cloud Hosting are the best to go with for making good website.
regards
Virgo
Wild Blue Internet Provider
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