The artist who did this work did this work did it for $50 US in 2004. Now it is 2009, this same artist wants $350 to do this type of work again. WTF???? 700% price increase!!! Now I know I got a great deal, but $350?!?!?!?!?! WTF?!?!?!?! Must be nice to have that kind of increase. Hell do 2 of these a week you could take home $36,400 a year. Did I mention that he livies in Manila, Philippines. So figure this out:
Him: Housing - Rent, House/2-bedroom (monthly/1.500 sqft) in Manila, Philippines: $512.82 US
Me: Housing - Rent, House/3-bedroom (monthly/1.500 sqft) in Miami, FL: $907 US
Basically put he pays 56% of what I pay to live. The accepted average of you total salary that you spend on rent is 30%. So if you do the math, he should be making at least $20,512.80 US a year. Two of these a week, $36,400 a year. TWO. You think it takes him 40 hours to do two of them?
Then I have this guy:
He does art, and wants a WHOLE LOT LESS then the first guy. Like 75% less. I wonder which one I am going to pick. Talk to you later...
Hmm, I don't know. I'm a software developer for a hospital and make just shy of six figures. I know I could go somewhere else and make more, but this job is relatively low pressure (I may have two or three weeks of real crunch time a year). I live in Houston, so my cost of living is likely lower than yours, although my mortgage is marginally higher than your rent for a larger house. We do pretty well. Does this make me overpaid?
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, does he really have enough art to keep him busy forty hours a week? Alternately, if he does, then he can probably charge more, get less work and have more free time on the same income.
I guess it's all industry-based.
It's a supply-and-demand and worth issue. If you're unknown, you charge less because the demand is less and people won't be willing to pay more for you. Once you become known, you can charge more because the demand for your work is higher and people are more willing to pay to have you do their work for them.
ReplyDeleteOnce you have the experience, you tend to realize charging less isn't going to earn you enough of an income (which I suspect is what occurred here).
Also, two a week steady? I wouldn't count on it. Freelance art gigs aren't generally a steady thing. There are often long dry spells between gigs; it's even worse than the freelance tech industry (sometimes I went a week or longer without a call).
I will say that I am **stunned** you paid only $50 for a full color half-page piece! It's good you know you were the recipient of an incredible deal. OTOH, $350 for a half-page(?) piece, even a full-color piece, is definitely higher than the standards I'm familiar with (I'd expect around $175-$225).
You got a *STEAL* the first time and getting gouged the second. $350 is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteUltimately it ends up being a matter of charging what you can get away with for most artists. Most of these end up drying up on work and shifting out of the tabletop rpg industry in to other areas...a few are able to become "names" and attract a high price. Meh.
You end up with two types of artists: Artiste's who are very proud of their work and will charge you top dollar and dicker with you every step of the way through the project (pain in the ass, hired for one-shot illys and likely never hired again) and professionals who moderate their prices and give no guff. (a breeze to work with and often re-hired repeatedly...making up any price shortages in bulk and in steady work).