I HATE!

I found this listing on Guru, I see this stuff all the time, sometimes with an even worse set of specifics. Comic art,(the most time consuming and difficult of the styles I use), gets this worse than any other. But anything related to art feilds I look into has these people posting in it. 

>>Hello,
I am looking for a graphic artist to work with to design and illustrate 100 page graphic novel.  I am looking to spend below $15 per page.  The best sample of the style I would like:  http://artemis-fowl.com/images/misc_images/graphicnovel_example_large.jpg

I would have a deadline of September 1, 2010 to finish all 100 pages.

You are bidding per page, NOT per illustration, one page can have anywhere between 1 and 6 panels.

**A lot of the bids I have been seeing have included samples very far away in style from my sample.  Please include a sample SIMILAR in style to what I have posted.  I will focus on quality of line art, (no sketchy lines please), as well as color and lighting usage**>>

I sent this to him/her as  a reply. I know they probably won’t care, might not even read it, and it won’t change a dame thing, but it made me feel a little better. 

To clarify your job listing; you posted this June 30 and need 100 pages of full color detailed comic art done by sept 1. Assuming someone got assigned the job the same day you posted it, that would allow 60 days, (counting weekends and holidays), for the artist to finish. OK cool, so assuming you would not have any revisions or feedback at all when the work is done, That means the artist will need to do an average of just over 1 and a half pages of pencils inks and color, (you did not specifiy if lettering was needed as well), everyday for 60 days strait with no break. For an average professional comic artist that would be way more than an 8 hour work day for each of these 60 days as well. As far as rates your highside rate price would be 15 dollars a page.
 So, for 1 and a half pages a day you would pay 22.50. If the artist gets done in 10 hours, (a conservative estimate) thats’s 2.25 an hour,(less than minimun wage in evey state). What does the artist get? No sleep, social life, or downtime of any sort really for a full two months. Also The artist gets the vague promise, of “exposure” if and when the project is produced and “hits it big”. What do you get? 100 pages of art for a story you didnt believe in enough to spend a decent amount of money on. Either by tricking someone skilled into doing it, or getting someone inexperienced/unprofessional to do it. So, you are left with inferior presentation on something you supposedly shold care a great deal about. Also you should get guilt and or bad reputaion over ripping someone off that produced work for you.
 What If I offered you a the art for free if you did 2 months of break-neck speed writing with out a break in return? Oh, and you have to write about what I want. No? But, you like to write don’t you? Wouldn’t you be doing it anyway? When I concider these arguments towards my work from a potential client, I think  I DO like to draw, I do draw for free almost everyday. But, for myself! No pressure, no time line, I choose the subject matter, I choose if it needs revisions, and I don’t have to spend part of that time with anyone else on the phone, or e-mail, ect. Also I own it forever when I am done. If you have a vision, If you belive in it, get a partner who shares the vision and split it 50/50 work load and profit. If you want to hire an artist to work for you, set a budject invest in your self and your idea. Treat it like any other job you might offer like landscaping or accounting. Pay a decent wage, respect the time and effort it will take, and you will be rewarded with great work done for your dream project. Some people just don’t ever do the math on how ridiculous it is on what they are asking, Some people are delusional enough to think that that with little to no money investment,(and sometimes little to no quality to their idea itself), somehow their idea will be the next big thing, and everyone is fool for not begging to be a part of it. Some people don’t care, and are happy to use others for their own benefit. I don’t know which catagory you fall into, but I hope you have learned soemthing by reading this.

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2 Comments

  1. A very well-put rant. In my opinion, I just don’t think this person actually spent much time and energy on thinking (or doing any research) about the project at all! Kyra sees a lot of this type of stuff for web design jobs — selling out to the lowest bidder. Lowest bidder, unless you get extremely lucky, will do the crappiest job!

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