PixelBoy Studio

Creative Biz Note #14

2009-11-11T13:12:00.016-06:00

A "Non-Digital" Portfolio

Next week I'll talk about deductions...I need more time on that post. But I thought I'd toss out the topic of the artist's "book".

Where can someone buy a decent book? Try these two sites--- http://store.pzdirect.com/scbi.html http://www.case-envy.com/ I bought a book with screw posts--not a 3-ring binder type. The 3-ring is annoying and art directors hate it--but 3-ring does lay flat. But a screwpost book allows the two pages of a spread to stay flush (without a big gap). Buy extra pages (of course). I bought 8.5 x 11" pages--easy for printout inserting and a smaller size helps not cover the art director's entire desk!!

Currently, I'm putting together a book request for a potential client. It seems these days that it's rare that you'll need an actual portfolio, but it may come up and pushing your book around to agency art buyers is still a good thing. I purchased two books in case one is stuck in an agency or lost somewhere. I once had a portfolio lost at a big agency for over a month--no one could find it!!!

I also purchased an inexpensive laptop carrying case to put my portfolio into--it's cheaper, lighter and less cumbersome--and the interior is soft. Attach an ID tag to your case. Also, I purchased CLEAR mailing labels (with my name/address/info) mainly for postcards,etc. I placed a label onto the back of the portfolio. Everything should have an ID on it in case things get separated. http://www.superiorlabels.com/RollLabelsText.html

Branding is important--not sure about all the embossing, etc.--in all my years of directing I rarely saw a book come in with the fancy extras. Books get beat-up and become old real quick. Always have a clean presentation. It's what's inside that counts and have plenty of tear sheets/prints/postcards/business cards for leave-behinds. I use small all-silver mini clips from Staples(the retail store) to hold all these together.

I also made stickers of my logo and put one on the front cover of the portfolio. http://www.psprint.com/stickers-labels or http://www.stickerobot.com/pricing/ (never used SR.com but inexpensive). I also use these stickers for envelopes, etc.

I use an old Epson Photo R1800 for printouts and it works beautifully!! Glossy photo paper and the images are full of rich color.

A Quick Story: Once, I was on an interview for a freelance gig and as I showed up the boss was leaving (had forgotten about our meeting). So, I literally showed her my book on the way down in the elevator (no joke) with two other puzzled commuters! Thank goodness it was in the Sears Tower and on a high floor--I needed the time!! I ended up getting the gig! Small is sometimes necessary.

The Idea: Keep it small, clean and leave an impression. Oh, and be ready to do an elevator presentation!

Next Creative Biz Note #15---Deductions: Being Smart with Your Money
(Feel free to comment)

Sketch Pad 04

2009-11-02T13:13:00.004-06:00

(Click to Enlarge Image)

Project: HMH Educational Science Book
A few of the sketches for an educational book. In the middle, the splashing frog displays 3 stages...how I place the sketch on the top layer and MULTIPLY it at 50% over the art--working underneath. I work under the sketch for the base vector work sometimes turning the sketch layer on and off to see my results. Once I'm happy with the quick base work, I usually move the sketch to the side (keeping it out of the way) but using it for reference.

Creative Biz Note #13

2009-10-17T11:57:00.020-05:00

The Missing Tear Sheet Link

The "PixelBoys" (that's what our rep calls us) feel "it's" one of the most important elements to have on your portfolio website...very few artist sites have it and art directors love it...it's called a downloadable PDF tear sheet or a "virtual tear sheet".

Some of you that are just starting out may be saying,"What the heck is a tear sheet?" Well, a tear sheet is used in the advertising world--it's a page from a publication to prove to a client that an advertisement was published. An example, illustrators will receive about 500-1000 tear sheet pages from publishers for ads they place in source books. These ad pages can be handed out or placed in the back of a portfolio or even mailed for promotional purposes.

So, as an illustrator, you would want to have on your website/blog a downloadable PDF page (or two) displaying your best pieces. Everyone can view a PDF--Acrobat Reader is standard on most machines.

A Quick Story: From an art director's perspective, when I flip through a 400-page source book and find that one perfect illustrator--I eventually look on his or her website. I want to see more. At this point I will need to probably color copy the ad out of the cumbersome book and may even need a job number to make a damn color copy (if I work at a large agency)!!! Then I can take my color copy to the creative director's meeting to push the artist as a possibility for the project. I may be sticking this copied page on the wall as a reminder for a project that isn't scheduled to start until two months from now. Either path, a downloadable PDF would instantly place your art on the art director's machine allowing he or she to show other team players and print it out with ease. This is a very helpful tool.

The Idea: Make it easy for art directors and art buyers to sell your artwork.

Sites I've read on this subject: http://www.adbase.com/Insight

Next Creative Biz Note #14---Deductions: Keeping More of Your Money
(Feel free to comment)

Sketch Pad 03

2009-10-16T13:56:00.010-05:00

(Click to Enlarge Image)

Project: McGraw Educational Book
These sketches were character concepts for an educational children's book. We spent little time on the sketch phase due to the schedule. Making the client happy and keeping the work within budget is our goal. A few of the characters had multiple options. I also added a rough for one of the twelve illustrations. We develop the characters in "detail" on a separate page and then the interior illustrations can be down and dirty--focusing only on layout. This way pencil alterations are no hassle. Of course, we would approach a picture book differently. See the some of the finals on our website.

Creative Biz Note #12

2009-10-12T13:42:00.020-05:00

Keeping Momentum During Hard Times

I see it in the forums and have heard it on podcasts...the world has changed during these difficult times. Jobless friends, companies going under and clients not paying as quickly--everyone has a story. But there is work out there...the world has not stopped. A few of my colleagues even believe it's starting to pick-up!

What I do during slow times:
1. Focus on marketing (blog posts, improve the blog, prepare postcards, make a goal to find 20 more new contacts, create more promo pieces)
2. Working on personal projects like a comic book or sketch everyday until my hands hurt
3. Freak out and get it over with...now enjoy the time off
4. Revisit my budget and update it--keep overhead low
5. Revisit our branding...we're currently doing more with the PB logo
6. Reorganizing my PSD brushes and color pallettes in Ai.
7. Read books on my updated software
8. Workout at the healthclub (no excuse now)

Just know that if it seems like things aren't going your way...quitting is not an option. I find listening to the podcasts on http://illustrationparty.blogspot.com/ really helps. These two dudes discuss everything--including being in a slump and having no work. Not all the discussions pertain to every listening artist but there's always something to learn. Podcasts are a great way to discover that you're not alone!

Now is the time to take action when you have no work!!!! There is always something to do when it comes to promoting yourself. Make more promotional pieces...out-do-yourself!! You always need more work for your book. Scour sites for a rep? Go to the bookstore and hunt for art director names in the front of magazines...even if their email addresses aren't in there...you can still figure it out. Do you have an actual website? Get started on that--if you don't. Do some research on possible advertising or what works and doesn't. Make a budget for yourself. Create t-shirts. Push yourself! You're running a business as a freelancer...you should be reading books all the time. Knowledge is power. Bill Gates used to set aside every (entire) Sunday just for reading. Another thing...keep a positive attitude.

A second source of cash flow helps. My brother and I have plans for doing an app for the iphone--if we can actually fit it in. Think "art" but outside the box.

A Quick Story: When I first thought of trying out freelancing--I had that fear of making the jump. I took on a full-time night-shift gig as a production artist to bring in the money while I looked for work during the day. I didn't sleep much LOL. I started receiving jobs through a freelance placement agency and got comfortable with the way things worked. There were times that I was downtown freelancing during the day(already near my night job) and just slept in my car in the parking lot!! I'd get 3 or 4 hrs and then go to my production job. I did this for 2 months--during this time making a nest egg of 3 months worth of downtime--preparing to take the jump. I kept running and never looked back. Eventually, I started receiving clients of my own through connections and left the placement agency.

The Idea: It's not easy and not always fun. Be prepared, money smart, create art and don't ever stop--that's what counts.

Check out FreelanceSwitch for more.

Books I've read on this subject: "Awaken the Giant Within" by Anthony Robbins or 'My So-Called Freelance Life''

Next Creative Biz Note #13---The Missing Tear Sheet Link
(Feel free to comment)

Creative Biz Note #11

2009-10-12T11:23:00.008-05:00

Best Format for Clients

I noticed a simple question on the IM forum that received a ton of readers--"What is the best format that illustrators find to send to clients?" So, I decided to post my lengthy response.

I go back and forth. JPEGs are typically viewable through a browser window. If I have a more than two images to send to a client, then I use a PDF and gang them into one file--make sure the images open up so they can view the entire image within their window (command D in Acrobat) and have the page panel open for them so they see that there are the other pages to view. We did this all the time in the advertising world. Make it easy for the client.

For hi-res files I send out a TIFF file (not JPEG--no compression). Stuff-it and/or put on a server for easy downloading. I try to make the process of receiving hi-res files easy and flawless. No passwords and user names to input to get to a ftp server. I copy my properties of the file on our server and the make a hyper-link on an email for the client to click. One click and it downloads to their desktop. Check out SendSpace Pro for an easy set-up.

Also, if I'm sending out a blast of emails (blindly) to unknown art directors sometimes their servers block random emails with attachments. Virus protection. It has happened to me before and I've read about it online with my e-mailing service. Embed images into the email giving it a better chance of making it through.

My experiences with cross-platform...file format doesn't matter so much. BUT most of the art industry is on Macs..if you work on a PC, remember that even with a Pantone Huey Pro correcting colors on your screen--an image on the PC will display slightly darker on the Mac. Adjust the image on the Mac with a PSD curve before you send it out.

Another point---Adobe Illustrator can be fussy when saving as a PDF format. A more involved process that holds all the raster effects that sometimes get messed up is to literally drag the art over to Photoshop--save it as a JPG or EPS and then output as a PDF from there or drag it over to Acrobat. Also, make sure you are using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Pro...the software has improved ten fold over the last few years.

: ) Just how I do it.

Next Creative Biz Note #12---Keeping Momentum During Hard Times
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Bright Idea Pumpkin

2009-10-01T09:10:00.006-05:00

Our rep in the U.K. recently held a pumpkin direct mail contest among the artists--this was our submission. This was a quick one!!

Creative Biz Note #10

2009-09-22T20:35:00.031-05:00

Getting a Good Rep

Due to our busy schedule, I haven't posted a Biz Note in quite awhile. Sorry about that! Let's start with the basics...an artist representative is an individual who solicits prospective clients on the behalf of a freelancer. They usually negotiate pricing and help with contracts. They will have relationships with certain clients or a personal list of contacts. It's been estimated that most artist workloads derived from reps are less than 50%. So, don't expect a consistent flow of projects coming in--keep promoting yourself. Some reps may require a contract--some don't--hire a lawyer to look a contract over. Typically, they get paid by the client, then you get paid. Commission is usually 25-30%. "Wow!" you say. Actually, that number is well worth it when you consider that the project you just received from your rep is an "extra" job with little effort.

Keep in mind that you should list all your "house accounts" with your rep--all the clients that you have had in the past year or two. Most reps will need promotional materials too. Some will pay their commission percentage to help out on an advertisement or source book. Reps will want to place your art on their website and direct potential clients to your work. Keeping your work updated on their site is important. A good rep will be organized, respond to emails quickly and communicate a project with clarity and ease. Upfront, most of your questions should be answered when you start a project. At some point you may have to talk to the art director for details.

What to expect from a rep? One would hope that a rep would have a business savvy personality with a strong understanding of your art. You will need to listen to their expertise and also realize that not every move he or she makes will work for you. They may need to listen too. There needs to be a connection of personalities, good communication and no ego. You are essentially business partners.

I know a rep that makes a promotional calendar every year and then has a big party for art directors! Some reps actually meet with agencies and contacts to push an actual portfolio. When I worked in the ad agencies, the reps would bring their portfolios with donuts and bagels in the morning to the conference room for all the art directors to wander through on their own time. It's good exposure and builds an old-fashioned one-on-one connection. Listening to a sales pitch while eating donuts is well worth it. LOL

Do you need a rep? The answer really depends on YOU. If you get nervous talking to clients or have no clue what to charge or have no desire to promote yourself, then "yes" look into it. But remember, there are a ton of professional artists doing it on their own and not starving.

How do I get a rep? You'll need a consistent style with 10-20 pieces. And look over their website for rules on applying. Check out source books or the web to see what type of work is being pushed by which reps. Check http://www.spar.org and http://altpick.com (do a search for 'artist reps'). There's a entire list of artist representatives here. Find a rep that sells work within your realm. Odds are a rep with mostly digital techie artists won't be able to sell a childrens book style of art. Reps tend to have particular groups of connections. Sell yourself in your emails (and presentation)--they expect it because they're sales people! Give the rep reasons as to why your art would work for them. Remember, reps get bombarded everyday with inquiries--so keep your email short. Be prepared, do your research AND you'll get through. The rep may be testing you right up front...Are there errors in your email? (This shows your attention to detail). Do you follow instruction well? Do you ask questions? (They may ask you to change or create a few pieces). When we approached our rep for the first time, her response to our email was, "Well, now that was an interesting email." We sold ourselves. : )

A myth on forums--an artist needs to have a fairly published portfolio in order to get a rep. Not true. We're proof of this answer. Most reps never stop looking for good, professional talent. They may want to keep their roster of artists to a certain size. But sellable art means money. If you get a door in the face, then ask why? Most good reps will give a response and don't take it to heart. Learn and move on!!

A quick story---I once had a rep interested in me. I told him I liked his approach but wanted to keep looking for a bit more. I waited later that day to call him at 5:30 pm to see if he'd answer the phone...(I could be a client with a great project)...no answer. I kept looking...months later, I called him back. He didn't remember me! LOL One time, I actually had a project for an illustrator and left a message with the rep to never get a call back. Too many artists in the rep's book and you may get ignored.

There are good and bad reps. Test out a rep as much as they are trying you on for size.

Books I've read on this subject: "The Business Side of Creativity" by Cameron Foote

Next Creative Biz Note #11---Keeping Momentum During Hard Times
(Feel free to comment)

Sketch Pad 02

2009-09-21T09:02:00.007-05:00

(Click to Enlarge Image)

Project: Cat and the Fiddle (Promotional)
Awhile back, we created a sample spread for a childrens book and went with a cat playing the fiddle on a rooftop. These are some of the preliminary sketches created for the project. We dug on the internet for old world city visuals and attire for the cat. I'm slowly practicing on drawing more detailed sketches and multiple views when it comes to our 3D art. These images were my first and only attempts for the actual character concept. I just had the visual in my mind from the beginning and the concept worked for us. The sketches were placed into the background of the 3D software and "traced over". See the final on our website.

More Sports Illustrated Kids Work...

2009-09-15T19:36:00.007-05:00

We decided to show the spread from our last project with Sports Illustrated Kids. We had two weeks to do five illustrations and then the images were going to press the next day. I knew it would be tight since we already had a heavy deadline on us for a book project. The client gladly received sketches four days later because of our time constraints and that left us with a week and a half! That's tight for 3D--five illustrations with caricatures and player uniforms--but we did it--and there were minor changes that only took us an hour to complete. Lee's quick fingers and our teamwork got us through this one! Mission was accomplished!! Click to enlarge.

Spec Work is for Stupid Artists--Don't Be Stupid

2009-09-14T10:32:00.011-05:00

This video puts "spec work" in perSPECtive!

The definition of the word "professional"--someone who gets paid for their craft or service. The definition of "spec work"--when a potential client asks a person to work for free. A true artist DOES NOT do spec work--even if you are just starting out! It devalues the industry as a whole. I made this mistake only once in my career and learned from it. People do want quality artwork but they have to pay for it. Don't be fooled by their sales pitches or promises. If you're going to do artwork for free, then do a piece that you enjoy doing--that rocks and will get you future work that pays!

For more on this subject listen to Big Illustration Party Time!

Sports Illustrated Kids Illustration

2009-09-07T19:24:00.004-05:00

We just finished doing five illustrations for Sports Illustrated Kids magazine and had a complete blast creating all kinds of video game characters! This sample was of John Madden yelling,"Boom!" to Nascar driver, Joey Logano. Created with Mudbox, Modo 301 and Photoshop.

Sketch Pad 01

2009-09-05T12:15:00.023-05:00

(Click to Enlarge Image)

Project: Pastry Creme Faces & Logo (Kroger Foods)
I've decided to start showing some of my sketches created for projects. I really dig seeing other artist's sketchbooks--it's a way to see the thought process behind the project. My sketches tend to be somewhat rough as to not waste too much time on specifics and more on giving the client a multitude of concepts. These are some samples for Kroger that I did awhile back. The client wanted a cartoon grandma for a logo mark in their bakery department. In the final, she had a rolling pin in her hand.

Hungry Bear Illustration

2009-09-04T14:59:00.010-05:00

Another vector job for Highlights PuzzleMania Magazine. There was a title in the yellow area and copy in the strawberry. I went a couple of rounds on the pencils--discovering that the bear's nose and thick mane are the focal features. The client liked the end result and I had fun doing it! This one took me a long afternoon to complete.

The Wacky Wild West

2009-08-12T19:00:00.011-05:00

"Outlaw McGraw's odd approach to gettin' rid of flies buzzing around his horse..."

Creative Biz Note #9

2009-08-10T11:54:00.013-05:00

Pulling Creative Ideas from Your Brain

I recently pulled out some old books about coming up with ideas...so, I'm jotting down some notes.

Some quick ways to condition your mind: 1) Have fun and think like a child; 2) Be confident--know you'll find the answer; 3) Combine ideas--I'll explain below; 4) Don't brainstorm alone if you can help it. These steps will help out.

There are five-steps to creating an idea and even though this seems simple--try it out:
1) Define the problem (simple enough)
2) Gather info (go to the bookstore, search the web, etc., ask questions)
3) Hunt for the idea (brainstorm time--break rules--be enthusiastic)
4) Take a break (walk away from your desk or work on another project)
5) Let it Flow (the magical idea should come to life)

It's almost impossible to have creativity without humor. If you enjoy what you're doing, then you'll do it better. Also, as you attempt to come up with an idea believe that what you're doing is easy and the answer will come to you. It's all in the mind. And realize that there's always a solution to your problem...and once you find it...know that there is another solution!

In college, my art communications teacher would have us to come up with ten of our best solutions for a problem (e.g. a logo design). I would work hard that night and bring my ten concepts in to the next class. We would begin the class by wadding up our sketches--tossing them into the trash can and starting over. There's always another solution and sometimes I would find it to be my first idea of my original ten--but slightly adjusted. I had to take that longer journey to get to my adjustment that I never visualized. At first, I hated logo design but once I came to the realization that logos were my "ultimate challenge", then I embraced them. I have a process I use and now, I love doing logos!

As you brainstorm visualize the problem. Don't just say it or write it down--think with pictures. e.g. I need to draw an interesting bathtub--now, visualize what objects could fit in the bathtub? While thinking with pictures jump around like crazy with insane purpose. Now these element obviously need to have a correlation to your problem but push outside the box while visualizing.

If this isn't so easy for you, then words may be the way to go. Try making up lists of words that relate to your project and then match two or more together to create an unusual idea. I do this even for logo design. Check out Nate William's blog for a great way of creating these "word" ideas...this is a similar technique that I was taught. It is a great approach to making incredible imagery. Click the title "Biz Note #9" or go to http://www.n8w.com/wp/1937

An additional technique is to ask yourself a ton of questions. Different questions create different answers and solutions. Ask yourself,"What if...?" "What if it were smaller? Or larger? Or an animal? Or human? Or lighter or heavier?", etc. This question game creates very unusual answers.

Another topic, boundaries. I've read that having limitations from the client is actually a good thing! Wow. Never thought I'd hear that! Sometimes, if you have too much freedom it can make your mind go nuts. This happens to me when I use a 3D program. If there is no rough sketch or an idea, then the possibilities are endless! I could be there all day pulling polygons to make all kinds of shapes. Guidelines actually help us come up with solutions. Embrace them.

Welcome your deadlines. Tight deadlines have forced me to create some of my best work. It builds momentum. If you don't have a deadline, then make one and meet it.

Books I've read: "How to Get Ideas?" by Jack Foster, "ThinkerToys" by Michael Michalko

Next Creative Biz Note #10---Getting a Good Rep
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Chicago Comic-Con!!! Finally!!!

2009-08-06T15:10:00.001-05:00

My brother and I have been waiting patiently and the time has finally arrived---Comic-Con. We're going this weekend and will be spending most of our time talking to the artists and checking out their sketch books. Geek heaven here we come!

Weekly Creative Biz Note #8

2009-08-03T12:58:00.008-05:00

Invoices, Bills & Taxes--But I Thought I was an Artist?!

All I can say is,"Uggghh!" Most artists despise even the thought of doing number crunching and taxes. But it must be done and completed accurately to survive as an individual artist or company.

It took me awhile to figure it out but a good accountant can save you a ton of money! I was advised to incorporate as opposed to being self-employed. You negate the self-employment tax and can simply lower your taxes. I wish I had known this many years ago. Also, for small companies with no employees (owners only) a 401k can be opened for as little as $180 per year. You can shelter up to $49,000. If you have one employee, the you can start a 401k this year and qualify for a $500 tax credit for each of the first three years--that's $1500! This pays for the set-up and administration costs. Plus shares in the market are down. Talk to Chuck at Schwab--currently they do not charge for consultation. Another point if you decide to incorporate, there can be inexpensive lawyer and business permit fees but it's all worth it.

Self-employed artists should try to set-up a retirement plan--an IRA, SEP or Keogh. A SEP-IRA helps you save for the future and also defers taxes. You can contribute up to 25% of your income.

As for invoicing and bookkeeping, I recently purchased QuickBooks. It's awesome and user-friendly. I had tried using Quicken and it was above my head and not intuitive to me. It has to be easy or I start pulling my hair out! You can even hire accountants that use QuickBooks to come to your office and teach you--nice! Not that you'll need it though. I watched a few tutorials and jumped right in. Credit card statements load right in from my bank and I now print checks from QBs. I altered the QB templates for estimates and invoices and now I'm more organized than ever. After all my research and swearing, I highly recommend QuickBooks for artists. Look for software discounts. Now, tax-time is a much happier situation--especially for my accountant!!

I'm keeping this short--if anyone has anything to add or has a question--please do so!

Next Creative Biz Note #9---Pulling Creative Ideas from Your Brain
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More than Life-Size!

2009-07-29T18:44:00.002-05:00

One of our 3D characters for an on-going project was molded into an 8-foot sculpture!

Children's Book Art

2009-07-27T16:17:00.006-05:00

Here's one of thirteen images we did for an educational children's book. These little guys were having fun bouncing around on the moon. Initially, the kids were to be all holding hands but we had to split-up the group due to the gutter. We decided to show the rough (very rough) sketch we did and some of the spacesuit concept work. Click the image to see it larger. We'll be placing more images on the website.

Logo Selected for LogoLounge Book

2009-07-23T22:55:00.006-05:00

Recently, I received notification that one of my logo designs was selected to be printed in the LogoLounge "Master Library" book series. Completely honored. Here's the mark I did for a series of palm games called "Aardvark Foundations".

Weekly Creative Biz Note #7

2009-07-17T14:40:00.016-05:00

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Side of Children's Books

First of all, we're not claiming to be the guru of children's books--and we never will. We've worked on a few books with publishers and feel we have more to learn. We experience something new every time!

Let's start with the GOOD. Children's books are fun to work on. They're creative and the reward of seeing your art in the bookstore can be exciting! During the process you meet your quick deadline for the sketches and it takes the client 3-6 weeks to give you an approval. For educational books, it seems to us that the sketches hardly ever get changed (which is good). So, sometimes we go ahead and start backgrounds and a few of the illustrations to get ahead of our deadline.

The BAD...they are time consuming and the pay isn't that great considering the amount of time spent. But sometimes that doesn't out-weight the creative juice that goes into it. Scheduling a book project of two weeks or two months can cause problems with other incoming projects--actually that can be a good thing. LOL The client schedule always seems rushed even though it takes them forever to approve the initial sketches. Also, you won't be able to display these pieces for promotional purposes until the book is published...that could be up to a year and a half away! Unless, you negotiate a deal. What type of deal? (you say) If the pricing seems low and the publisher won't budge, then negotiate the right to display the artwork for promotional purposes (your book--online only--no print). Lately, we've been creating an extra illo on our own with the intention to use it as a promo piece right away.

The UGLY side seems to be all the "wanna-be-the-next-Harry-Potter-sensation" entrepreneurs (self-publishers). And if you do cartoon work of any kind you know what I'm talking about! PixelBoy Studio averages about one email a week from numerous "digger" types (from mothers to uneducated business people) desiring an estimate without giving any details pertaining to the project. These people usually have no clue as to the process involved and how costly it can be. This can be frustrating for our rep (and ourselves). You never know if somebody has a potential idea or project. So, we ask our normal questions (that some can't answer) and try to decipher the riddle. Most of these "diggers" want the art for practically nothing or for free--in hopes of paying you with future revenue. Stay away from these people!!! Once they receive your estimate you probably won't hear back from them and multiple times my rep has told me that three other of her artists have received the exact same email! LOL Eventually, you will start to see them from a mile away and won't waste your time on unnecessary estimates.

My advice is to always get some compensation upfront unless you're working with a large publisher. There should be a contract of some sort. Get the answers to all your questions and briefly give the client a rundown of your typical "process" before you go into the estimate phase. It'll save time. Trusting a self-publishing stranger to give you future royalties or payment is nuts--don't do it! My brother and I plan on creating a downloadable PDF that explains the artist's and publisher's process and expected costs--that's coming soon.

Next Friday--Weekly Creative Biz Note #8---Invoices, Bills and Taxes--But I Thought I was an Artist?!
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Another Project to Munch On!

2009-07-07T19:11:00.004-05:00

Recently, I've been busy working on cartoon images for Highlights PuzzleMania Magazine. Here's a small sample.

Weekly Creative Biz Note #6

2009-07-03T12:54:00.010-05:00

Be Rid of Non-Paying Clients

I've read too many posts on artist forums concerning the evil client that would not pay-up. It's happened to most of us at least once. Grrrr! Some of those forum stories deal with an artist working on a project for a "friend". First off, don't work for friends or family. If you feel the need, then treat them as a normal client. And if they can't pay your usual fee then barter your skills for theirs.

Before you start a project provide a written statement or estimate--explaining how you work and acting as a letter of agreement.The larger the job--the more detailed it should be. If a client doesn't already have an agreement to sign, then we have them sign the bottom of our estimate. If they won't sign it--take caution!

The costs should be clear and if it changes during the project let the client know ASAP. It happens...that's why it's called an "estimate"--LOL! But be very upfront. Break down your fee into portions or milestone payments. If it's a large cost then third or quarter payments can be good...if it's a small project, then I usually receive half the money upfront and invoice the other half after they receive the files. This can be explained on your estimate. The invoice should be paid by the client within 30 days. Invoice ASAP.

If you've invoiced multiple times and you're not getting anywhere, then make a few phone calls. If that doesn't work, then small claims court may be the next step. It involves filling out forms and a small filing fee. But without a signed agreement your odds are slim. Email documents may help. As I've stated before... cut your losses, move on and take with you the wisdom of never making the same mistake in the future.

The moral to the story...get a portion of the project costs before you begin anything, push for a signature and build a good relationship with the client.

Next Friday--Weekly Creative Biz Note #7---The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Side of Children's Books
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2009-06-17T14:10:00.001-05:00

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