By: Tatjana Mai-Wyss,
on 11/20/2014
By: Kathy Temean,
on 3/31/2014
You may know Joann Miller over at the Directory of Illustration. Well, she asked Friend + Johnson (illustration representation agency) if she could share the best advice they had about pricing that they would give an illustrator. I thought I would share the part about how to come up with a price for a potential client. It is quite good.
Here is a list of questions to ask your potential client to help create an accurate estimate that fulfills both their expectations and your needs.
Introduction
1. How did you find out about me? Is there something in your portfolio that inspired them to think of you for this project? Make sure you understand exactly what they’re referencing so you can make sure you’re comfortable executing it, and are clear on what they’re hiring you to do. This will also help you determine the level of complexity of the illustration they’re looking for.
Project Description
2. Do you have a layout? How complex are the illustrations? Are they single-spot illustrations or more complex scenarios? Are they providing any references for you to use? Are they looking for you to concept illustration ideas with the creatives, or are you working from a pre-approved layout that will not allow for much change? Is this black-and-white or a four-color piece? Are you working in layers?
3. What is the timing for the initial pencils and the final illustration? Usually, you should have three to four days for the initial pencils, and after client approval, another five to seven days to deliver the final. Two rounds of pencils are standard; anything more should have an additional charge.
Usage, Licensing and Copyright
4. Usage is very important in helping you price your project. Note that consumer advertising will be priced much higher than illustrations for a children’s book or direct mail.
Does the client want national, regional, international, web or worldwide uses? How long is the usage? What is the media use: consumer ad, trade ad, packaging, direct mail, billboards, brochures?
5. If clients say they want unlimited use, you should explore if this is really what they need and offer alternative licensing to match their budget. Often times, clients are not “educated” in this area of rights-based pricing; they will be much more understanding if you take the time to outline that they will ultimately save money by purchasing just the usage they need. For example, if they see the difference in cost for a two-, three- or five-year use, this may be more in-line with what they really need vs. unlimited use/time.
Most clients aren’t planning on a consumer magazine campaign or any out of home use, they may just want unlimited collateral (direct mail and consumer or trade brochures and inserts) use. Find out specifically what they’ll use the artwork for and tailor your pricing to match.
6. If at all possible, never do “work for hire,” give buyouts or sell your copyright. You’re essentially giving away all of your rights as the creator of the artwork and giving ownership to your client. They in turn can reuse and resell the artwork in any way they want.
You can still retain your copyright even if it’s unlimited use, worldwide for an unlimited time and exclusive to them. If they feel they may need the artwork for other uses down the road or for a longer period of time, these extended uses can be renegotiated or factored into the original contract as well.
Remember, they want to use you and you want to work with them. This is a negotiation to give them what they need and pay you fairly for the creation and use of the work. You’re working together to create a fair contract for both parties.
7. Will this image have resale potential in stock or other markets? Does your licensing give you this option?
Keep Budgets & Other Paperwork in Mind
8. Editorial and book clients usually have a predetermined budget. Sometimes you can renegotiate if you feel it’s too low for the amount of work they’re requesting. You should always get a credit line for editorial or pro-bono work.
9. Do they have an allotted budget already in mind? If not, when do they need numbers?
10. Is there a contract? You should have your own contract in addition to anything they supply.
Hang Up
11. Never give an estimate while you’re on the phone with your client. It’s best to hang up and think about what you’re comfortable with.
12. Review your estimate before submitting it. A great source for guidelines for estimating various projects is the “Graphic Artists Guild Handbook” at www.graphicartistsguild.org/handbook/.
Post-Submittal
13. After you have submitted your estimate and it’s approved, make sure to have it signed and sent back to you.
14. After the project is confirmed, you should bill 50% of the job. This is important for cash flow since illustration projects can stretch over a number of weeks with the back-and-forth for approvals. This is also important with a new client that you don’t have a payment history with.
15. In addition to billing upon confirmation AND having a new client sign your contract, you may want to get a purchase order from you client as it is a contract to purchase your services from your buyer.
To read all the other helpful information use this link: http://joannsartadvice.blogspot.com/2014/03/take-charge-of-pricing-your.html
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
By: Mark G. Mitchell,
on 12/15/2009
For some children’s artists, this interview might be a little hard to hear and to bear. For others it could offer new hope.
Jo Ann Miller of Serbin Communication’s Directory of Illustration suggests that illustrators and would-be illustrators think a little bit outside the book.
Jo Ann Miller of Sebin Communications’ Directory of Illustration greets a Transformer at this year’s San Diego Comic ConYou’ve seen artists’ directories – the big glossy annuals where artists or their reps buy display ads. There were more of them around in the days before the Internet. The ones that are make sure to also provide their content online.
A couple, Picturebook and the UK-based ChildrensIllustrators restrict their focus to children’s artists.
But the Directory of Illustration is the dreadnought battleship of illustration directories, aiming its marketing guns at not just children’s publishing but the waterfront of graphic arts. That means children’s products, fashion and cosmetics merchandising, corporate and retail promotion, medical illustration, the animation industry and, well, even landscape design.
With the Toy Industry Association as a partner, the Santa Barbara, Ca. based publisher also turns out Play! (“Illustration for Toys and Interactive Games — Your primary source for hiring toy and interactive game artists.” ) Serbin Communications’ other publications include the Best of Photography Annual, the Medical Illustration Sourcebook , and Designer Jewelry Showcase — to name just a few.
It’s not cheap being in the Directory of Illustration. $2,500-$2,600 gets you a full page with 30 portfolio images. Artists sometimes share pages with others who have the same agent or art rep, for example. Artists re-up year after year. Program benefits include national advertising, distribution to 30,000 illustration buyers, free website design and cross promotion with Contact (described as the leading talent directory in Europe and the UK.)
If you’re like me and some other freelancers who keep a death grip on their wallets, you question trading your hard earned cash or IRA nestegg for a paid showcase.
Why do it when you can upload images for free to your Flickr page, WordPress.com blog, SCBWI portfolio, or favorite art web ring?
Why do it when you can mail out your own Christmas postcards to the small ranks of children’s
Great post Kathy!
Fabulous information, Kathy. Thank you!