...I would create stock artwork. Now I know this is not real revelation but here is what I would do different. I would give publishers options if they wanted to use my art. The first option would be instead of paying me for my artwork, I would take a percentage of the total sales amount of the product (at least 10% to make it worth my wild) and I would be able to sell the artwork as stock art. The publisher basically gets FREE artwork (They only pay for it AFTER they make a sale); you get two steady sources of income (The product sales and the stock art sales) that you don't have to do any additional work for. It is a "Win - Win". I don't know any publisher who would not take this deal. If you want to offer me this one, email me right now at havengod@lpjdesign.com!!!
Another thing I would do is spilt the artwork by color or grayscale and B&W. I would sell a publisher the rights to the color versions, while I would keep and the rights and sell the grayscale and B&W version as stock art. Another “Win - Win".
Something else I would do would focus on cover or half page location and environments artwork only. Most stock artwork is single pieces that focus on character design work and not a lot of cover or environment work. Most people charge a HUGE amount for covers, like $400 and up. If you could undercut your competitors by 50% to 85% of the cost of doing a cover, you have a got chance of getting that money over some other artist. Plus it gets your name out there for other people to see the work you are doing. The more popular you become the more money you make. Simple and easy.
These are three good ideas that any artist could start using today and help place more money in their pockets. The sad part is most artists won't do this. The reason, I don’t know, maybe they are just lazy. But you could and best of all, you don't have to work harder to do this. Talk to you later...
There are a number of reasons why artists won't do any of this--or smart/experienced artists at least.
ReplyDeleteFor example, the first suggestion is too easily abused: unless you absolutely trust the person using your work to accurately report their profits AND pay you, you will lose out. Frankly, artists have learned that most companies/individuals, given the chance, will screw us over, delay payments, lose invoices, etc. This is a sad truth in the world of art and illustration. This is why many artists ask for half up-front: as a guarantee for both sides.
It is also a great idea if the product it is used in does well, but a bad idea if the product doesn't do so well. The artist puts the work in and...doesn't get paid? It's a huge risk.
If you're doing artwork purely as a hobby and not a source of income, then maybe you can afford to do that, especially if the buyer is a proven seller. And if more than one product is using the art, maybe the law of averages will work out, but more than one product has to use that art.
As for significantly undercutting other artists on established rates? Two issues: it can swiftly earn you hatred from other artists, who will start receiving questions about why their prices are so-much-higher comparatively. You'll be taking food out of their mouths and you will lose the ability to charge more later on, both for yourself and for other artists.
Second, most people look at prices as an indicator of quality and professionalism. Whether that is an accurate perception or not, people will judge you as an artist based on your prices, with a lower-than-standard price reflecting lower quality and/or less professionalism. And in a way, it is.
An artist who isn't being paid well for the work they are doing isn't going to be happy about doing the work (and, honestly, most of us aren't being paid even minimum wage for that $400 cover piece when time and materials are factored in--and if you're trying to make even part of your living from it: you're not selling cover pieces every day, that $400 has to go far).
Finally, I'm not sure how successful stock art is as a product. In my personal experience, most pieces sell once, for use in one product, and no one else purchases usage afterwards. Publishers don't like to use used art, they want their product to have its own memorable visual identity, which the product's art helps create.
Taken altogether, the risks of the above suggestions are not inconsiderable, though certain of them might have merit to a particular artist, depending on their situation.
Let me take these on at a time
ReplyDelete[[There are a number of reasons why artists won't do any of this--or smart/experienced artists at least.
For example, the first suggestion is too easily abused: unless you absolutely trust the person using your work to accurately report their profits AND pay you, you will lose out. Frankly, artists have learned that most companies/individuals, given the chance, will screw us over, delay payments, lose invoices, etc. This is a sad truth in the world of art and illustration. This is why many artists ask for half up-front: as a guarantee for both sides.]]
On a first time gig, yes you should ask for payment up front. But if you have been working with a company for a while I think this is an option that will be happy with.
[[It is also a great idea if the product it is used in does well, but a bad idea if the product doesn't do so well. The artist puts the work in and...doesn't get paid? It's a huge risk.]]
But if you work it right it could be a great boon for you. A smart artist would tell everyone they know or don’t know to come check out the artwork they did in this particular product. While marketing the product, you are also marketing yourself. The artist could help increase sales in the product by helping to promote it. If the artist has a fan base, they might pick up the product just to help support the artist which increases sales making them more money
[[If you're doing artwork purely as a hobby and not a source of income, then maybe you can afford to do that, especially if the buyer is a proven seller. And if more than one product is using the art, maybe the law of averages will work out, but more than one product has to use that art.]]
From a publisher’s point of view, I want to use art I paid for as often as I can. The more I use it, the cheaper the price I paid for it becomes. If I use a piece of art that cost me $50 four or five times, that helps me save money on product budget cost of other products. Saving money is a business is the best thing for me.
[[As for significantly undercutting other artists on established rates? Two issues: it can swiftly earn you hatred from other artists, who will start receiving questions about why their prices are so-much-higher comparatively. You'll be taking food out of their mouths and you will lose the ability to charge more later on, both for yourself and for other artists.]]
I am sorry but I hear this all the time and I never believe it. McDonalds Big Mac cast $2 while a sub at Subway cost $5. Should Subway lower the cost of their subs so people who don’t have the $5 can afford it? No one tells Subway to do that because it would sound silly. It seems to me that you want people to pay you want you want, NOT what they can afford. If I see two artists of equal skill and one wants $10 an image and the other wants $100, who do you think I am going to pick?
[[Second, most people look at prices as an indicator of quality and professionalism. Whether that is an accurate perception or not, people will judge you as an artist based on your prices, with a lower-than-standard price reflecting lower quality and/or less professionalism. And in a way, it is.]]
If price is an indicator of quality, then why do people buy things on sale? Or on clearance? With your reasoning, if a shirt cost $20 and is on sale for $15, then the shirt has lost quality. Price is an indicator of what the value of the item is at that current moment in the market. I think we both can agree sometimes things are overpriced in a market. Look at the US housing market for a start.
[[An artist who isn't being paid well for the work they are doing isn't going to be happy about doing the work (and, honestly, most of us aren't being paid even minimum wage for that $400 cover piece when time and materials are factored in--and if you're trying to make even part of your living from it: you're not selling cover pieces every day, that $400 has to go far).]]
OK let’s just break that one down shall we. The average minimum wage for Florida is $7.21 per hour. To earn $400 would take you nearly 55.5 hours. Now I believe that it should not take you seven 8-hour days to complete one cover. Let’s just say it takes 8 hours to get the basic design of the image correct and 24 to do the creation of the art, with 23.5 hours left over. So based on my figures I just used, your hourly rate is $12.50 for those 32 hours. Plus if you are using a computer to work from, you don’t have to “buy supplies” each time you use it. That looks like a little bit more than minimum wage to me.
[[Finally, I'm not sure how successful stock art is as a product. In my personal experience, most pieces sell once, for use in one product, and no one else purchases usage afterwards. Publishers don't like to use used art, they want their product to have its own memorable visual identity, which the product's art helps create.]]
My Image Portfolio 1.03 Superhero PDF stock art has sold well over 300 with an average cost of 4.94 over the 6 years it has been selling. That means we have sold a minimum of $1,482. It is one of the best sellers of my stock art. Best of all, this one like the other 30 plus Image Portfolio PDF sell 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If I am sick, well sleepy or tired. Passive income at its best and that is what this post is all about.
I hope you don’t feel there is anger in this reply. There isn’t. I am just stating my opinion on this topic. Thanks for your comment.
Heya Louis, apologies on the delay in reply, I was very ill recently.
ReplyDeleteAs to perceiving anger in it: nah, not at all. I take criticism and disagreement for what it is; I respect your position, I just don't agree.
On that note I will say some of your numbers look, to me, pulled out of the air rather than from experience (specifically the time taken to complete an illustration and assumptions about the number of illustration gigs one can be expected to gain per week), but I did have one question.
As I mentioned, I have no experience with stock art products, and I was wondering if you knew how many images from the product you mentioned have been used in a product? Or are most of the buyers folks using the illos privately (as character portraits or elsewise)?
Good post.
ReplyDeleteIdea #1. I'd never do it unless I was able to monitor sales directly. Been burned too many times and depending on someone else to remember to pay you or decide whether they should pay you...no way.
Idea #2 and #3 are definitely solid. I may try these out.
As far as price as some kind of status symbol...I wholly reject that. There are a ton of artistic guys out there and most are primma-donnas who have a very high opinion of themselves and their work.
I work on a very basic scale and rely on my reputation as being dependable, communicative and fair priced to stay in business. Never forget that this is a business. Can I do those $300-$2000 covers? Sure. I have the ability to do it. More often than not though I do hundreds of $25-$100 interior pieces. I give less than a damn if Todd Lockwood* makes $4k on a cover. *A friend. I'll undercut any competition and let my rep as a solid performer speak for itself. I work for publishers, art directors and editors...they write my checks. Other artists? If they don't like it, then maybe they should do a reality check about their prices.
I'm far more interested in long term relations with my publishers who work with me because they get a break on bulk and I'm dependable. Making a quick buck on one expensive piece does me no favors professionally.
Raven does make one good point: While I may score a $400 cover gig on occasion, and I may get it done in maybe 16-24 hours...I don't get those every day. more like every few months I score something like that. More often than not I'm doing a dozen quarter-page spots at $25 a pop...and the time going in to each of those ranges from 4-8 hours a pop depending on complexity. The goal is to get it all to balance out...most of the time it doesn't. That's why in essence I work for "minimum wage".