And it continues.. what is wrong with people?
"54 simple illustrations needed.
Small files for web use only, either 300 x 300px square or 460 x 300px rectangle.Will provide font, sample finished product and detailed instruction sheet.
Paying $0.50 per .JPG "
yeah that's 50 cents!! I saw another one yesterday from New York area that is paying $4 per hour, isn't that illegal in this country, guess not..
I don't understand, a couple days ago I was approached to do someone's book. I gave him a fair price, meaning I quotes less than a day's wage per page and he replied back with insults saying he knows for a fact that illustrators get $5 per page, yes 5 bucks.. he is insane. What is worse is that he wanted fully rendered like hand painted work that would take more than a day.
This happens all the time. I don't understand why the value of an artist isn't valued anymore.
Look we can draw and you can't so pay us a fair wage!! I don't know too many illustrators that gouge people for money. most of us just want to survive at a livable wage. Less than $1 per hour is NOT livable-not in this country.
If you look at the Graphic Artist Guilds handbook you can see what we are supposed to be paid. I have been illustrating kid's books for 7 years now and I can say that I never seen anywhere close to 10,000+ for a book, which yeah, if you want us to spend the time and do a great job is about right. Not $200 per book, or $5 per page. It's beyond ridiculous and yet it keeps happening.
UGH! ARTISTS stop taking these jobs!!! Would a mechanic work for $5 a day? Would a doctor? Would a teacher? The lady who you see at the check out lane? Airport baggage claim? NO!!! They wouldn't. Artists need to stand together and stop being treated like this.
"54 simple illustrations needed.
Small files for web use only, either 300 x 300px square or 460 x 300px rectangle.Will provide font, sample finished product and detailed instruction sheet.
Paying $0.50 per .JPG "
yeah that's 50 cents!! I saw another one yesterday from New York area that is paying $4 per hour, isn't that illegal in this country, guess not..
I don't understand, a couple days ago I was approached to do someone's book. I gave him a fair price, meaning I quotes less than a day's wage per page and he replied back with insults saying he knows for a fact that illustrators get $5 per page, yes 5 bucks.. he is insane. What is worse is that he wanted fully rendered like hand painted work that would take more than a day.
This happens all the time. I don't understand why the value of an artist isn't valued anymore.
Look we can draw and you can't so pay us a fair wage!! I don't know too many illustrators that gouge people for money. most of us just want to survive at a livable wage. Less than $1 per hour is NOT livable-not in this country.
If you look at the Graphic Artist Guilds handbook you can see what we are supposed to be paid. I have been illustrating kid's books for 7 years now and I can say that I never seen anywhere close to 10,000+ for a book, which yeah, if you want us to spend the time and do a great job is about right. Not $200 per book, or $5 per page. It's beyond ridiculous and yet it keeps happening.
UGH! ARTISTS stop taking these jobs!!! Would a mechanic work for $5 a day? Would a doctor? Would a teacher? The lady who you see at the check out lane? Airport baggage claim? NO!!! They wouldn't. Artists need to stand together and stop being treated like this.
You're absolutely right!
ReplyDeleteThis have to stop, I was once insulted for a prospect "client" who wants free samples (where have I heard that?) I politely tell them that I don't do free samples, just paid samples (that are sooooo cheap, but its a small compensation for my time working in the sample for them) and he insult me, and say its was "silly" not to make a free sample for them... for me it is more foolish to waste my time with someone who does not value my work and gets angry at a fee request.
It further whacks at the knees a group of people whose self esteem is continually demeaned. I actually had a nice thing happen recently. Someone at a conference this summer suggested that I might like to contribute (for free) to their newsletter, that it is good exposure, etc. I smiled and said, thank you, I'll take a look at it (the newsletter). She rushed up to me the next day, retracted her 'offer,' apologizing all over herself, said she googled me, and saw I was 'way out of their league.' So, sometimes people get it... take heart. For every 2 that want our work for free, there are 50 who never ask us because they appreciate they probably cannot afford us.
ReplyDeleteWendy, that is so true isn't it? I just don't like seeing new artists being taken advantage of. I take lower pay than some for things I am newer at, but I would never work for free or super low. My hope is that new artists realize what they do is still worth something even if they don't have the credits you and me have behind us. Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteStephanie,
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled on your blog while I was doing some research.
Thank you for fighting the good fight and posting this! There's way too much of this going on. I can't count how many times I've been asked to work for free. I've been working as a professional illustrator for about 3 years now and thankfully I've been encountering more and more clients who take our work seriously. More positive precedents need to be set!
Again, it's awesome of you to bring these things to light! Stuff like this grinds my gears!
Cheers,
- Gabe
Thanks Gabe!! As a professional illustrator myself, it's hard to take this kind of thing, but mostly I want to make sure that new artists don't work for free because they think they aren't worth more. Have a great day and thanks for commenting and reading.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is appalling that this continues to happen. You'll really have a field day if you look at the job offers forum on deviantArt. I don't know how this continues to happen, but the illustration industry is ill and in urgent need of a doctor. Do you know of any organizations that are in place to raise awareness on the issue?
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle sorry I just saw this, yeah I know, it happens everywhere, I just don't bid or apply for jobs that pay too low. :)
ReplyDelete