We know what the process of buying shoes, bread, or cinema tickets looks like. We buy illustrations less often, so the process itself can multiply question marks. Today we will crack down on them!
From idea to implementation in 4 points
Every illustrator has his own methods of work, although I think that in most cases they look similar. Properly organizing them makes working on an assignment much easier. It is worth knowing them if you are considering working with an illustrator or are beginning your adventure with illustration. It will allow you to prepare for it better and save a lot of time. And time is a desirable currency!
In this post I will try to discuss all the stages briefly. I hope to expand on them in future articles.
Here are the most important stages of working with an illustrator:
- Brief (guidelines)
- The right person for the right job
- Pricing and contract
- Implementation
Brief
“How much for an illustration?”
This is the most common question that appears in my email inbox. Asked this way, it can be compared to asking the price of a house. The seller won’t answer you precisely if he doesn’t know how many rooms you want the house to have, what neighborhood it’s going to be located in, whether it’s going to have a basement, how it’s going to be heated, etc. Fortunately, in the case of illustrations, there will be far fewer questions and technical issues. You can also expect lower prices 😉
Without enough information about your needs, the illustrator won’t be able to give you a precise answer. Them will certainly give you a massed series of questions. That’s why it’s a good idea to strike with a pre-prepared description of the assignment – that is, a brief.
What to include in such guidelines?
- purpose and usage (will they be illustrations for a book sold domestically/European/worldly? Icons for a game? A design for a T-shirt? An original painting? A portrait for a family’s senior nameday?) The type of use will determine the issue of property rights to the work and affect the pricing.
- the subject matter – what do you want the illustration to depict? Do you have a specific vision or just a vague idea? In either case, you can rely on the illustrator, but the more precisely you describe the effect you are aiming for, the better they will do their job.
- technique and style – if you like a particular style (realistic, fairy tale, cartoon, etc.) or technique (digital painting, watercolor, oil, dry pastels, etc.) be sure to write about it. Of course, you don’t need to know either styles in painting or techniques. It is enough that you point out similar works that fit your idea (preferably in the illustrator’s portfolio, but they can also be images from the web). This will help the illustrator understand your idea and assess whether he is capable of completing the commission.
- quantity – is it a single order or a series of illustrations?
- the completion date is one of the crucial pieces of information and often the primary one. It allows a potential contractor to judge whether he can fulfill the task. If it is very short, there is a good chance that the graphic designer’s schedule is already full. This may involve an inability to take on the work or a higher rate for services, in case the draftsman is forced to work “after hours” or reschedule another assignment.
Other useful information:
- planned budget. If you already know what amount you can spend on the work of an illustrator it is worth sharing this knowledge. This way they can immediately estimate whether the scope of work is within your budget. If it goes beyond the proposed amount, the illustrator will be able to provide a quote tailored to your needs and budget.
- the number of people involved in the decision-making process. The more, the greater the likelihood of making a large number of comments/corrections.
- stages and number of revisions
A lot of this information, right? But it’s worth answering these questions before you send a request for collaboration. Not only will it save you and the illustrator time (you’ll be able to talk about specifics right away), but it will also allow you to systematize and describe your expectations.
The right person for the job
Knowing the answers (or at least part of them), there is no point in sending requests for cooperation to random people. There is a high probability that the result of such cooperation will also be random.
Take another moment to find the person whose style will serve the planned effect best. Most illustrators have their portfolios on the Internet, where you can see past works and, based on them, judge whether the person is competent enough, covers similar topics, uses the style you are looking for.
The portfolio is the best sample of the illustrator’s capabilities.
An illustrator of children’s stories will do better in children’s themes. An illustrator with a portfolio full of works made with photographic accuracy will more easily and quickly prepare botanical illustrations for scientific publications.
This is not a rule. I have taken on subjects very different from my interests, which turned out to be surprisingly satisfying and successful. If the skill of an illustrator impresses you, but you don’t see any works of interest in their portfolio, you can always send an ask as to how they judge their abilities or order a sample illustration.
The more comfortable they are with a particular theme and style, the better they will do the job and the less commitment on your part the project will require. Choosing an illustrator wisely will once again save you time.
Pricing and contract
Illustrator selected, brief written. We send the inquiry! Based on it, the illustrator will determine whether he or she can take on the job and prepare a quote, or ask a few questions to clarify the topic. Many factors affect the quote. I have listed the most important ones in the brief subsection.
If the illustrator is in business, it will be a gross price (tax payment on the part of the illustrator), if, like me, he works on a contract for work most often he will quote a net price (tax payment on the part of the ordering company or illustrator if an individual orders).
After reaching agreement on pricing and deadlines, it is necessary to sign a contract. In the case of commercial use of the resulting work, the contract must include a provision on the transfer of economic copyright for use in certain fields or a temporary license for the use of the graphic work.
The stages of creating illustrations for a children’s book.
Down payment or payment in advance.
You have to expect that the illustrator will ask you to enter one of the above fees into the contract. I have been applying this rule for a long time. It allows me to eliminate at the beginning clients looking for any illustrator, as long as it is cheap, and those with not entirely honest intentions (unfortunately, such people also happen). Thanks to this, I can guarantee the client that I will take care of the realization of his order at the agreed time. If I reserve time for a particular project, it often means giving up other projects.
It is also worth including in the contract a description of the cooperation: the moment of handing over the materials needed for the work, the number of corrections that the quote covers, the frequency of corrections, the stages at which they are reported and the time for communicating and implementing them.
The clearer the contract, the fewer problems in cooperation and later use of the work.
Implementation
The subject of the order discussed, pricing approved, deadlines set! The coolest phase follows: execution!
It is good to have an overview of the stages of creation on a regular basis, so that you can correct the results and share your comments with the illustrator. At the same time, it’s worth trusting the illustrator’s creativity. Too many corrections can limit it, reducing its role to that of a tool, which rarely serves the project.
That’s why it’s so important to prepare the brief as well as possible and choose a person with the right skills to work with.
Finished illustration, sketch and black and white drawing – each of these phases was consulted with the ordering person.
I hope that the mist of mystery has lifted a little! I will try to expand on this topic in the future, using my experience in this matter. Is there anything that still remains unclear? I will be happy to answer questions!
If you illustrate and have experience working with clients – drop your patents for successful implementations. If you are just starting out and want to ask something – go ahead!