For many years, coming from both illustration and graphic design, I’ve heard different discussions about what people charge to do their work. Sometimes it even sounds like a big, secret mystery, as if you aren’t supposed to talk about it in front of anyone.
Which, as all of you who are consumers would be quick to see, makes it difficult to know what it costs to do the business that you need to. From the side of the artist or designer, I’ve been told not to post rates as it’s simply not done, that you want to start that conversation and not lose them with costs.
But recently I’ve thought more and more about it, and I’ve been in a few situations where I do need to tell someone what I charge to do art or design. Sometimes I tell them what I might charge, and they run off screaming into the night, never to be heard from again. Other times I mention it, and they say, “great!”, and off we go to building things together.
So I’ve decided to post my rates, at least as ranges in most cases. In fact, that’s them at the top of this site.
Having my rates posted seems to be a good way to let everyone know exactly where we stand right off the bat. It lets those folks who are really interested in having me create art what their costs should be, and keeps those folks who are unwilling to pay more than pennies from asking about it.
On the good side of things, we now have a place to start the conversation. It’s not over yet, since I don’t know what they would want, but it’s a start. From here, if there’s something more detailed, or more precise or unique, we can go on and talk about it.
On the bad side of things, I imagine there are plenty of people who will see the rates, balk at them, and then run off and never come back. They might even go post on their walls and such about how stupidly expensive I am, and how now they hate me for daring to want to feed the family on my art commissions.
More power to them.
All of the rates have been compared with lots of places. Local art galleries, local designers and local artists giving feedback, comparing my rates to those of others online, in different fields sometimes as well. It’s something I do all the time, to make sure they are somewhere in the middle of reasonable.
There will be plenty of people who find my prices too low, and others too high. But I’ll do as I always do, see how my paid jobs are going, or sales from art, and decide how they should fluctuate. I think too, that they should fluctuate some. If I get more popular, or as demand might grow for more work, I should be able to adjust those rates accordingly. At that, I’m far cheaper in rates than nearly all of the listings in the various books and sites of popular guild rates.
So after comparing the market, I’ve decided that I hit somewhere nicely in the middle. Being published for twelve years now, listed in Spectrum, working with places like Cemetery Dance and authors like Ray Garton and Brian Keene, I think I’m about where I should be.
All I can ask is that you go take a look, and consider commissioning for some work. It’s a career I love, one that I hope I can continue to produce for over many years to come.
