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Ask a Pro
Ask a Pro is a collection of illustration related questions answered by top art directors, designers, editors, artist representatives and other professionals in the commercial illustration industry.
If you have a suggestion for a question or know someone who might be a good candidate to answer a couple questions
Contributors
You have initiated a lot of your own illustration projects. How does this compare (pros/cons) to clients commissioning you to do work?
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Each project has its own set of parameters, I feel equally at home with initiating something or having an Art Director give me a brief. The pros/cons are really dependent on each job, I've found that no two jobs are ever the same! you have to be on your toes and deliver each time. You're only as good as your last drawing, or your last job. 'Reputation' is for the lazy. Innovation, growth and excellence is everything.
Jeremyville (more answers by this person)
Illustrator
Jeremyville
http://www.jeremyville.com
Do you think the vinyl toys trend is on the decline? or is it just another medium for artists to express themselves?
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Trends do have high points and cycles, But I think the designer toy medium is more than a trend, it is a legitimate new vehicle for artists to work with. Like the invention of silk screen technology. It is now with us, and it can't be un-invented or suddenly go away. It will morph into other strands, and take on new incarnations by innovative artists, but the basic premise of being able to work in 3D will remain constant. It's too big and varied a medium to just die off.
Also, toy companies can extend the demand for toys by keeping them innovative, exclusive, and having them sit along side other product categories such as apparel or homewares.
Jeremyville (more answers by this person)
Illustrator
Jeremyville
http://www.jeremyville.com
What is your favorite type of commercial project and why?
(more questions)
The one that you hold on to, like a book, or a product like a shoe. I think if I had to choose one, it would be books, because they have a certain permanence to them, they end up in a collection. Most creative people these days might not have a fine art collection, but they almost all certainly have a design book collection, or some who have a toy collection or shoe collection. Ending up in any 'design collection' is great.
There are people who collect my products, put them all together in a display, and send me a photo of their Jeremyville collection. That is the biggest reward for me.
Jeremyville (more answers by this person)
Illustrator
Jeremyville
http://www.jeremyville.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
Ok, let's say this: I have more that fifteen years of experience working as a
graphic designer and illustrator. To be honest mostly as designer, Indeed I consider
all these years were kind of a long training in the creation of images based on
several illustration techniques, learning the possibilities of diverse programs
and messing up everything doing and experimenting with new materials. This experience
has given me enough tools to offer a good creative service, with a variety of
image sense and what I consider an original product. Certainly my background doing
graphic design for many, many years allows me to use and take advantage of prime
design elements as the function and color theory, composition and balance management,
etc. which reflects an effective result in the illustrations to communicate the
idea.
Lately I had been trying to develop my own personal style, with lots of fun
characters and simple shapes; it’s very complex, but youthful with deep
and rich textures. These characteristics plus some ability to synthesize concepts
on a clear and direct image give me the opportunity to provide a unique illustration
service. Well, at least that is what I like to think!
Now, how much do I get paid by my work? Well... that is another story.
Alberto Cerriteno (more answers by this person)
Illustrator + Designer
Alberto Cerriteno
http://albertocerriteno.com/
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
This is an easy question and I am happy to answer it for you.
First, let me just say that I don’t get “paid” for the work
I do. When I take on a new artist I basically work for free until work comes in.
I am not on salary but work 100% on commission on jobs that we handle.
I basically run a company that represents illustrators and photographers.
We handle all aspects of business development, marketing of the artists, promoting
the artists, do public relations, accounts payable and receivables among many
other things that we do for Free. We also pay a percentage of our artist’s
participation in all contests that they choose to partake in. We offer expertise
in setting up our artist’s portfolios and work with them to best present
their work.
That said, I feel that our commission is well earned for the work that we do.
if we do nothing and no work comes in and we make no commission.
Having a reputable Agent can mean everything to some and nothing to others.
As I have said before, not everyone needs a rep and only artists that see the
full value can appreciate what we do and why we deserve to make a commission.
Anna Goodson (more answers by this person)
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
First, I'll say something about art in general: I think one interesting
thing about art is that many people think it is an unnecessary and
frivolous addition to the mechanical functioning of life and is
therefore devalued. The Bauhaus notion of "form following function"
is a perfect example of this attitude, which has become very pervasive in
much of our society, not only in design (and art), but also in people's
beliefs about life and themselves. Luckily, we have had many decades to
dismantle some of this ideology. Obviously form will always follow
function in the commercial world, especially in product and
architectural design, but beauty is something deeper than function. Or,
as it has been said before: Form is Function. It may not put food in
your belly or literally save your life. But it does feed the soul like
nothing else can. How many times have you been completely devastated
(in a good way) by a beautiful painting or an amazing piece of music?
How many times have you been completely devastated by a well
functioning product? I think, as humans, we crave beauty, and that is
why it is valued. To ignore this is to call ourselves machines, which
is a sad illusion.
Now, about illustration: Illustrators clarify and embellish the
messages of their clients. We make things beautiful, or funny, or
scary, etc. We help establish a mood. We are basically trying to get at
the essence of the message via visual language. This is considered
valuable to clients because it is valuable to their audiences, which is
supposedly why we get paid for what we do. But the other thing it does
is that it adds beauty to everyday things. It is an essentially human
desire that we fulfil. I think that may be the real reason we get paid
for what we do.
Kristian Olson (more answers by this person)
Freelance Art and Design
Kristian Olson Art and Design
http://www.kristianolson.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
I don't have to justify it. I come up with advertising and marketing ideas for
companies that help them to generate millions of dollars in income for themselves,
their workers and their shareholders. I've seen the results of my work in action.
When I met Steve Madden his company was about 3 million dollars. After my ad campaign
put him on the map, his company grew to 100 million. He has told me and my company
time and again that I bear a huge responsibility for his company's success. I
can name 5 other companies I've done the same thing for. In my business no one
gives you anything, you have to earn it. Every time a client needs a new campaign
or ad, everyone in the company works on it. It's called a gang bang. The work
that the client picks, wins. I've seen many creatives go for a long time producing
no work. The bosses of my last company for example. I did all the work; they pretended
they had something to do with it. I happened to be a person who almost constant
won those pitches. Therefore I concluded I must be pretty darn effective. At this
point in my career I feel I’m not being paid enough but I'm getting enough
to not feel cheated. In my business, actors, photographers and most illustrators
all have reps. They know what they should be paid per job, depending on the requirements
of the assignment. And believe me they get paid plenty AND deservedly so. So why
shouldn't I. It comes down to experience and confidence too. Some people have
this starving artist mentality. when you go around feeling this way, you leave
yourself vulnerable to be taken advantage of. the images created by painters,
illustrators, photographers, directors are selling lots of products and magazines
and newspapers. So don't fool yourself into some old thinking that artist shouldn't
sell out or earn their fare share. It ain't easy living in a big metropolis like
Manhattan. If you’re talented they should have to pay big coin to keep me
here.
Tommy Kane (more answers by this person)
Art Director
Samsung
http://www.tommykane.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
I think this question is possible to bring a lot of lawyers and socialists involved.
It’s interesting. Maybe we can ask why anyone of the working people gets
paid. In the very early days workers got paid by food and cloth. A very simply
reason, so they could fulfill their basic human needs and live. Nowadays we are
paid by a substitute item called “money”. No matter we make millions
a year or only hundreds a year, the very basic purpose of owning money is to survive.
Apart from all other “needs” we are having these days. People work
and get paid. It’s conmen logic.
Now, why illustrators get paid?
I work part-time as a barista in a café. Customers buy our coffee; they
consume our beans, milk, water, machine, electricity and human labor. After
they getting a cup of coffee they give us what has cost us and plus some profit.
Making coffee is a recognized service, so people are paying this service.
People have hundreds of reason to buy a piece of art. Maybe just want to decorate
their house, maybe it’s for a CD cover to help them to sell albums. Artists
spend paints, paper, pencils, and hours in front of computers, their creativity,
passion and skills to produce artwork. The purpose is to serve the person who
buys the work. And that a person pays the artists for what has cost them plus
some profit. Will you go to a café saying to them “You guys make
the best coffee in town and I really appreciate it. But I don’t think
there’s any reason I should pay you for your work.”
Let me quote a verse from the bible “Now when a man works, his wages
are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” Romans 4:4
It’s the creative service we provide. We produce products, not just fancy
illusions in the air. That’s why I’m very proud to say I’m
getting paid by illustrating. Unless someone still thinks artists are not working.
Dennis Juan Ma (more answers by this person)
Freelance Illustrator
Dennis Juan Ma
http://www.whoisjuan.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
"Hopefully, I get paid for what I do because I am able to communicate ideas
in a visual way that is uniquely my own as a freelance illustrator. Therefore,
my talents are sought out from time to time in order contribute a unique vision
to whatever the particular assignment calls for. Great illustrators, as is the
case with any great artist/communicator, have the ability to teach, inspire, and
impart knowledge to the viewer in a way which at it's best evokes an emotional
response and at it's least should cause the viewer to think. This particular talent
and discipline, like any other discipline, takes years of hard work to hone and
become good at. Obviously, the better and more experienced illustrators are paid
more for their services and rightly so. I would say that my work as an illustrator
fits modestly well into that pay structure. Illustration contests are held every
year to determine who is that year's "cream of the crop" with regard
to illustration talent. Awards are given to the top talent, as is the case with
almost every profession today, and those individual talents are usually regarded
as unique and are widely sought out for their services which hopefully justify
the pay he or she receives for aforementioned services."
Colin Johnson (more answers by this person)
Freelance Illustrator
Colin Johnson illustration
http://www.colinjohnsonillustration.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
Being an illustrator is about much more than making beautiful images, it's
also about communication. Artists portray their own feelings and visions in
their work, as it's a very personal labour. But illustrators in most cases
are intermediaries in a communication process. Party A wants to tell Party B
something using pictures; that's where the illustrator comes in.
Illustration has its own set of syntagms and paradigms which make it an
unique communication tool, and just like any other kind of language its
structure is constantly evolving. It takes years to master this kind of
visual communication and that's why we're needed. We interpret current
cultural values into a set of 'visual words' which is what we get to know as
one illustrator's 'personal style'.
Alex Amelines (more answers by this person)
Senior Animator
Now Wash Your Hands
http://www.amelines.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
This is an excellent question because we live in a time where we are becoming
more globalized and connected by technology. It is also a very turbulent time.
Many people are finding their jobs pay less or vanish because the world is a different
place. If an automated computer can do your job or if your job can be done by
someone cheaper in another country, you are in big trouble. What seems safe today
can vanish tomorrow.
Skills that are becoming more valuable are those that cannot be done by a computer.
Creativity, vision, and the ability to execute that vision ARE becoming more
valuable. Last time I checked, computers still SUCK at these things. If a client
calls you, this is what they want:
1) Work that is unique.
2) Work that is well done.
3) Work that is on time.
4) They want to work with someone who will make their life easier.
I would pay for that. Wouldn't you?
James Yang (more answers by this person)
Freelance Illustrator
James Yang
http://www.jamesyang.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
The short answer is that I provide a service just like any other businessperson from the hot dog vendor on the corner to the super fine nuclear technician in some 007 flick. Like that hot dog vendor or nuclear technician, I work hard at my job and also happen to love doing it. I always have the hope that when my art graces the cover of a magazine, illustrates an article or appears on some other product, that the image I create helps to sell that item or attract a reader to it. After all, as an illustrator, that is the goal. Hopefully my art helps my client to make a profit. In turn, I should have a piece of the pie for my efforts. Albeit a very small piece.
Jeff Miracola (more answers by this person)
Freelance Illustrator
Jeff Miracola
http://www.jeffmiracola.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
Great question. Obviously what we do as illustrators is not in the same
league as a Doctor saving lives for a cool 150,000 per year. I can't judge
it on an essential service basis. But I do believe we as illustrators
provide unique solutions for clients. In our case quality of work and name
and style recognition can help a magazine, campaign or publisher achieve
financial success. If a person buys a children's book because they like the
art or read a magazine article because the spot illustration piqued their
interest then we have done our job. It may be entertainment and look like
fun ( and most of the time it is fun!) but it does include hours of sitting
at a computer or drawing table coming up with professional concepts unique
to each illustrators style and problem solving skills. In the end we are
selling ideas and style through images. If the client can be successful by
hiring the right illustrator to represent them visually and we can all make
a few pennies in the process that justifies the fees.
Steve Mack (more answers by this person)
Freelance Illustrator
Steve Mack
http://illustrationfarm.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
It's mainly justified by the fact the one calling me to do the work cannot do
it themselves otherwise I wouldn't be receiving a call. That and my specific skill
sets increase my client’s creative potential so they have no problem compensating
me for the two areas I charge for in any given project. The first area of compensation
is to cover my time to do the work needed and the second area of compensation
is to cover the usage of the art I created during the fore mentioned time. Rarely
is what we do the end all in terms of the creative process, instead it's part
of a larger overall marketing solution so our justification is based in the realm
of how well we fit into that bigger picture.
And the more creatively appealing and appropriate your work can be the easier
it will be to justify the cost to your clients.
Von R. Glitschka (more answers by this person)
illustrative Designer
Glitschka Studios™
http://www.glitschka.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
I don't feel anyone should have to justify what fees they charge for their services,
nor justify getting paid those fees once the services have been rendered. It's
pretty much the system we live in; do work, get paid. It's an open, free-market;
we're each free to choose our rates and fees, as well as refusing work if the
payment they offer doesn't reflect the value of the work.
I know my skills and acquired knowledge in my field have value in many areas
(advertising, publishing, etc..); I accept my role of tiny cog inside the huge
socio-industrial-capitalist machine of contributors, content providers, producers,
distributors, and consumers, and charge according to the general market-value.
Some illustration projects pay big, some pay crap; but you're doing the same
work each time, and if you agreed to the terms, then you've entered into a transaction.
Thus the payment at the end.
I think a better question might be: "Do you feel you always get paid what
you feel you're worth?"
Luc Latulippe (more answers by this person)
Freelance Illustrator
Luc Latulippe
http://www.luclatulippe.com/
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
I think that I should be paid for what I do as an artist has a set of
skills that not everybody has. Artists can produce work that changes
the way that people see or feel about things, which is very important.
I was recently commissioned to produce a mural in an area of my city
that is seen as being a bit run down, which has a negative effect on
the people who live there. The response from the local people passing
by as I worked was great. To have someone working on a bright vibrant
piece of artwork in an area which people would normally hurry through
made people feel more positive in their surroundings and gave them a
sense of well being. To have made people feel better about their area
and them selves through the production of a piece of art is just as
valid as a treatment that a doctor can offer.
Of course it's not just murals that are valid in this way, any piece
of work that someone can relate to or that can explain something more
clearly or provoke a reaction should be valued and their creators
awarded financially for. It is worth mentioning that the money that
most artists receive for their work isn't that great!
Andy Council (more answers by this person)
Freelance Illustrator
Andy Council
http://www.andycouncil.co.uk
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
That’s a pretty loaded question. Illustration and animation is a product
like anything else. And I suppose I have enough talent, work ethic, sense of humor,
interpersonal skills, personal hygiene, and business sense to make it a viable
career option for me. Some of what I do is art directed, which makes me just a
pair of hands. And some of it is up to me to bring what I can to the project,
be it innovative character design, storyline, color, design and font choices.
And all that takes skill, thinking, time and effort. All of those are valuable
commodities.
The graphic arts is one of the few fields I can think of where people consistently
ask you to work for free. “I can’t pay you, but this will look totally
killer in your portfolio,” has been thrown my way all too often. Same
goes for “I can’t pay you, but it’s totally easy.” I
usually respond to that by replying, as politely as possible, “if it’s
so easy, you should be able to do it yourself.” Generally, I won’t
work for free or on a project that pays too little; I can work on my own projects
for free.
I do feel fortunate to be able to get paid for what I do.
Dave Savage (more answers by this person)
Creative Developer
American Greetings
http://www.savagemonsters.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
I feel it’s my job as an illustrator to create a visually pleasing and eye
catching picture that will grab the viewer’s attention and draw them into
the article/product/etc... Kind of like the catalyst between the viewer and the
article. A page full of text torture to read, illustrations break it up so psychologically
you feel more at ease reading chunks of text offset by interesting illustrations.
Illustration can pull readers or consumers in and get them to take notice or get
into articles or products that they might otherwise have skipped over. This interest
eventually converts into purchases/subscriptions/ad revenue/money for the client.
Illustrators create custom tailored concepts and translate them into a tangible
form on paper. So with that we illustrators earn our keep.
Jason Raish (more answers by this person)
Illustrator
Jason Raish
http://www.JasonRaish.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
It would seem unnatural to need justify being paid for creating. I really cannot judge whether working in a creative industry is below or above any other occupation, though.. I suppose just as any other occupation it takes a certain amount effort to sustain. It seems that art is an essential element in life, whether it takes it's form on a canvas or an advertisement or architecture. I wonder how the world might look if artists should suddenly not deserve compensation! As for myself, I feel truly grateful when a person or organization appreciates my work and is not reluctant to trade for my time and energy.
Amy Sol (more answers by this person)
Freelance artist
Amy Sol
http://www.amysol.com
How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
(more questions)
I think doing a creative work takes a lot of energy. It is much easier to enjoy
looking at creative work.
For example, when you watch a movie, it takes about 2 hours and you can just sit
and enjoy it. You don't need to use a lot of energy.
But to make a 2 hours movie, there are a lot of people working for a long time.
That's a lot of energy involves.
Illustration is a smaller scale. But it takes a lot of effort and energy to create
one image even though it only takes a second to look at it for an audience.
Giving birth (in this case, a visual form) is a lot of work and we, illustrators
are not a message receiver but a message giver.
I think that's why we get paid.
Junichi Tsuneoka (more answers by this person)
Illustrator
Stubborn Sideburn
http://stubbornsideburn.com
