- Being with an agency has its benefits
- Promotion of your own work
- Contacts
- 30%/40% goes to the agent - ICandy agency - other agencies demand much higher fees
- Job to visually engage the reader but also have a image to support text - author, writer, company - must find a balance
- Spot or full page illustrations
- Given a layup with text and where the image would be inserted
- Art directors give indications for colour and context.
- Not a regular income - part time job/other work a long side to make it work.
- Always find a way to squeeze it in.
Stages of working
- Given brief and requirements
- Research
- Initial Sketches
- Send off roughs and email client
- Await feedback
- Reflect on comments and make changes
- Send back finalised/roughs (back and forth)
- Send final art
- Sign off email from client
- Visual referencing - be careful of copyright, take own images of friends to work from to 100% avoid this
- Pixabay - Copyright free images
Pricing
- Smaller illustrations pay less - book covers pay more but take a lot longer
- Harry Potter cover - £300,000
- Magazine and newspapers are hard to price - very varied
- CD or DVD covers - £500 - £1000 depending on popularity of the band
- Inside illustration - £150 - £400
- Full page - £400 - £800
- Educational books - £300 - £500 per double spread
- Children's books - £3000 - £5000
- Paid in instalments and won't earn royalty until you have earnt more than the price you were agreed to be paid for the work.
- Greetings cards - £180 - £250 per design
- Packaging - £200 small, £1000 complicated full
- Test piece £200
- Rejection fees - 20% roughs, 50% finals
The Illustrators Guide to Law and Business practice A0I
14 rules to keep yourself out of trouble p8 - 11
1.1 Give yourself time
- Don't be rushed
- Ask questions before committing
- Be prepared to say no
1.2 Use A01 terms and conditions
- Terms to under take commissions
- Legal binding - copy should be saved
1.3 Confirm verbal agreements in writing
- Make notes and keep a recorded and confirm this in a email
1.4 Keep old briefs and notes
- Keep for a reasonable period of time
- Dispute arises - good documentation evidence
- Jot down verbal agreements
1.5 Always read clients contracts
- Read if you're sent one
- Sometimes demand ownership of artwork
- Get sorted if something is wrong before the commission is completed
1.6 Get advice if you need it
- Get from anywhere you can
1.7 Use AO1 artwork of stickers
- Make own version, stick on coversheet or artwork
- Doesn't have to be hidden on the back
1.8 Don't copy other people's images
- Could be sued for infringement or copyright
1.9 Deadlines are sacred
- If you agree you must try and keep to it
- If you need more time inform the client straight away
1.10 Always get advice or royalty contracts and never begin substantive work on a picture or books until the control is agreed
- Long and complex
1.11 Treat amateur clients with care
- New and might not understand ground rules
- Discuss basics like copyright and rejection fees
1.12 Beware of agents with contracts
- Most don't have formal contracts
- Read carefully and get advice
1.13 Never 'cheat' on your agent
- Some illustration accept jobs alongside to avoid agency fees
- Unethical and breach of some contracts
1.14 Never assign copyright (or hardly ever) why?
- Loss of control - nothing to stop it being sold on. Competitive environment and potentially could be under cut by own work
- No right to reproduce your own work
- Loss of future earnings - cannot claim if no longer owner.
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