Shannon Associates -- Premier representative of commercial illustrators.

Industry Info: The Business of Illustration

Harper Collins - "Wringer" by Cliff Nielsen

As a continuation to our on-line guide, "What to do the Day You Graduate", we thought the following general answers to frequently asked questions might be helpful.

What are some important points to look for in a contract or purchase order?

A clear understanding of contracts, agreements and purchase orders has become essential for today's illustrator. Here are some of the central concepts to understand before signing any document.

Rights/Usage - Understand exactly how the imagery will be used, that is:

Where What are the geographic limitations of use?
When How long will the art be in use?
What specific way your art will be used (Media, i.e. print, electronic), and number of uses.
Price Is there a predetermined budget or are you submitting an estimate of fees. Are advances and/or royalties involved?
Expenses Who is going to pay for shipping, resource materials, models, and other expenses related to this assignment.
Deadlines Determine both a sketch and finish due dates.
Kill Fees If the job is terminated in process, predetermine the payment schedule for the various stages.
Copyright Who will hold the copyright and authorship of the artwork?
Original Art Who owns the original? In most cases the original art should remain the property of the artist unless there is a payment of a separately agreed upon fee.

What other information should I gather on the initial call?

Where did they see your work or get your name? This allows you to track what marketing strategies are working for you. Was there a specific image of yours that the client is responding to?

Be sure to gather all of the essential client contact information such as company name, art buyer's name, address, phone/fax, website address and email address.

If possible try to get a shipping (FedEx, UPS, Airborne, etc) account number from the company for sending portfolios and finishes.

How do I price my work?

Often clients know what their budget for a project is but often defer to the artist for an estimate first. It is worth asking what they have in mind to spend but this isn’t always effective. There are industry standards that are outlined in several publications but it is always best to ask peers and colleagues who will be helpful in estimating the appropriate value for assignments.

Ultimately the negotiation process will bring you and the client to a point of agreement. Don’t undersell yourself. Your work and your skills have value and it will be up to you to establish a fair market value.

Here are some considerations in finding a price:

The complexity of the image.
The size to which it will be reproduced.
The rights and usage required by the client.
The amount of time until the project is due. Rush jobs generally command a premium price.
How many revisions does the client expect?

Where can I turn to for advice?

It is always good to have a mentor/advisor available for questions. Also consider utilizing illustrator support organizations (e.g. The Illustrator’s Partnership of America) or trade and industry publications which address important industry questions.

Do I start a project without a contract or written agreement?

This is not advisable but it is unfortunately very common. Often if you send an assignment confirmation while a contract is being drawn up, it can help misunderstandings be avoided at a later time. This can be done via email, but a written and signed document, even coming from you rather than the client, spelling out the agreement is helpful.

What is the typical "process" for accepting and executing a project?

Once the job is accepted you need to:

Get model approval if required and appropriate to the assignment.
Develop sketches for approval (several are usually expected).
Make minor revisions to sketch if required for approval.
Finish project for approval.
Make minor revisions to the final art if necessary.
If substantial revisions to the final art are requested by the client, they are generally billable with an additional fee.

How many sketches do I create?

It's always best to determine this at the negotiation stage. In editorial work (magazines, newspapers) several sketches might be expected, however in publishing, design and advertising projects, often one rough is the standard, two sketches with minor "tweaks" if needed.

What is good "reference"?

We are often surprised how many artists do not understand what proper reference is. Reference is resource materials (often photos, other documents or images) that you use to produce a piece of art. It is essential to be aware of copyright laws when using other materials in your work. This is true for printed or electronic materials. Individuals own the copyrights to most every photo you see unless it is marked "royalty free". There have been an increasing number of artists being sued for using scrap reference that was not their own.

What is the difference between "corrections" and "client requested changes"?

A correction is a change required because of a deviation made by the artist from the original instructions. A client requested change is an adjustment requested by the client after the assignment has been released or the final art has been finished. The later type requests are often a billable.

How do I deliver a finish?

Artists are now delivering most finishes via the internet today. Sending original art is still acceptable, although rare.

Is the collection of money difficult?

Most bills require payment within a 30-day period. Unfortunately, most clients don’t meet this deadline. It can often take 60-90 days to get paid and that is with some calls to encourage the process. As an illustrator and a small business owner, you really need to try and have a 3 to 6-month cushion for your cash flow to save yourself from accounts payable difficulties. Additionally, you must learn to be proactive in following up on overdue invoices.

Most reps and many artists employ collection agencies to collect in difficult cases. Bringing a client to court in order to collect payments is not unheard of.

What are some simple practical issues I should be aware of?

Obviously you need to be ready for that incoming call, so you need to have a phone line/answering service available around the clock. It is really best if you have a dedicated work line with a professional answering message (no kids/spouses/clever messages). You also need to return incoming calls as quickly as possible. Clients will often find replacements if you do not answer their need in a timely fashion. Reliable internet service has also become a requirement to do business. Availability of a fax machine is desirable as well.

It would be good to have a job tracking system in place before you begin getting work so that you can keep your creative and practical information organized and accessible at all times.

It might also be good to have separate bank account open to track your professional earnings and expenditures. Mixing up your personal and professional finances is not advisable.

A well-designed and smartly functional website is also strongly encouraged.
If you feel there are questions that would be helpful to add to this section, please email suggestions@shannonassociates.com.

If you have extensive need for some assistance, please feel free to visit our Artists Services section.