One more time...for the cheap seats! Options

[wwi3313]

I know we've tread this subject time and again, often with both sides seeming to reach a mutual point of understanding, with only a few collapses here and there, but...this payment of artists thing has taken a new twist!

So, I'm in the midst of a HUGE (and possibly outrageous) campaign to get 33 projects produced this year. Obviously, I'm not going to be able to illustrate all those myself, so I'll need to hire a few esteemed artists to help me out! I just contacted one for a particular job and offered him the following: $150-200 cash, 20 copies of a sketchbook (with sketchcover for him to use at shows) and 20-50 prints. Oh...and the job is 7pgs. ONLY. 7. PAGES. And the guy turned it down, politely saying that his page rate is at least $85 a page for pencils. Now, you guys might be saying, "Vic -- you just didn't offer enough and he passed -- LET IT GO!" But, I'm here to suggest that that's not true -- I actually offered more than that and he just didn't see it!

First off I offered, at minimum, $150 -- that's an initial rate of just over $21 per page...QUITE low in comparison, I agree...but let's keep going. Then it's 20 copies of a sketchbook -- most of those are $15-20 a pop with the artist doing commission pieces on them, but I'm only factoring at the ripe rate of $10 -- that adds an additional $200 to the pot, for a new page rate of...$50 per page! More than twice the initial fee and merely $35 off of his "regular rate." And then I went for the prints. Again, staking at the min, that's 20 prints -- which I wasn't gonna demand be of OUR project, but of what ever pieces he wanted (I'm trying to show I'm investing in him as an artist and not just what he'll do for me!) -- we all know that prints at shows have a range of up to $10ea and can snatch a group fee of 3 for $20 EASILY! That's another $140 added to the pot, which kicks up his page rate to...$70. Just $15 shy of what he claimed was his page rate. Would YOU pass on a job for a shortage of $15?

"But wait Vic, that's a loss of $15 seven times! That's like a whole 'nother hundred bucks!" When you're right, you're right...that would short him about $105. But...that was just at the minimum amounts. If he got the max, it'd factor to $105 A PAGE (weird how that amount just popped again, no?)! Heck, he could've been savvy and said, give me 35 prints and we'll call it good...because at 35 prints, it adds to...about $85. I feel like the bitter husband whose trying to make compromise, but the wife just won't budge! What are your thoughts, my fellows? Am I barking up the wrong tree trying to pad my offers, or did I just stumble on to someone who had the wrong Vantage point of consideration?

[Mutant_Cactus]

I think that the issue is that you contacted an artist to commission them to do work. Though it may be disappointing, there was nothing wrong with his response. It all depends on his priorities and goals. He obviously wants to do his end of the work, be paid for it and move on to the next commissioned project.

I agree with you that the artist in question could gain more in the long run. Your agreement with Mutant Cactus is based off that understanding. We sell 8 Bit buttons, at pay out time you can make a quick buck, or flip your "payment" into a much larger monetary gain. It's smart. The catch is that you have to do extra work to make that additional profit. Not many people are willing to do the extra work to make the extra cash. It's too easy to just get paid and move on.

Having known you for 20+ years, I can confidently say that this artist is someone that you personally do not want to work with. I'd say you were simply barking up the wrong tree. There are tons of artists out there. I'd recommend finding someone that is "hungry" and willing to put in the extra work to be more than just a commissioned artist. You can find someone that is willing to take an interest in helping grow the product, market their name as well as your name and build a relationship with you and V:IP that is beyond the Artist for Hire relationship.



This post has been edited by Mutant_Cactus: Jan 7 2012, 08:25 AM

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