SPGA/Seattle Chapter - Graphic Artists Guild - Whitespace eNewsletter
2007 JUNE - Text Only Version

- June Luncheon Topic: "Modern Dog: 20 Years of Poster Art"
- Upcoming Events - July Picnic
- We Have a New Chapter Administrator
- Dear Mark, Can Designers Demand Royalties on CD Cover Art?
- Guild Teleclass Series
- SCCC's 15th Annual Student Invitational Exhibition
- WA Lawyers for the Arts Brown Bag Seminar for June
- Link to Text Only Version of eNewsletter
- Classifieds (none this month)


June Luncheon Topic: Modern Dog: 20 Years of Poster Art
Robynne Raye and Michael Strassburger are the principals of Modern Dog Design Co., a Seattle design and illustration studio based out of a house in North Seattle. Most recently they have worked with Coca-Cola, the NBA, Nordstrom, adidas, Hasbro and the Seattle Aquarium, doing everything from new product development to flash animation to logo identity work. But perhaps their most visible work is their posters which are collected in museums around the world. Come and hear Mike and Robynne discuss their latest project, a 20-year poster retrospective book project to be published in early 2008 through Chronicle Books. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll wonder why.

WHERE: Rock Salt Steaks and Seafood, 1232 Westlake Ave North, Seattle, WA 98109, 206-284-1047 http://www.rocksaltlakeunion.com/index.html
Map: http://www.rocksaltlakeunion.com/map.html
PARKING: Parking is free in the parking lot that stretches along the block of Westlake in front of the restaurant.
WHEN: The last Wednesday of the month: Wednesday, June 27th, 2007
11:30am-2:00pm (program starts at noon)
RESERVATIONS: Must RSVP before NOON on June 22 for reduced admission. After NOON June 22 it's pay at-the-door prices. Reserve your place and meal choice. http://www.seattleguild.org/meetingPaypal.html
RSVP for Members and Students: Only $25, a new reduced price (students must show current, full-time student ID at the door)
RSVP for Non-Members: $30 
At-the-Door Members and Students (students must show current, full-time ID): $30
At the Door Non-Members: $35
At-the-door payments may now be made with CREDIT CARDS.
Join the Guild at the luncheon and your meeting cost is FREE (prepaid will be refunded), plus you will receive a copy of "Pricing and Ethical Guidelines" (over $35 value) to take home with you.
MEAL CHOICES: Meat Dish or Vegetarian. Please note your preference on RSVP. Choose meat or vegetarian in PayPal comment window. The default is Meat Dish. At-the-door choice might be limited, so RSVP.
DRESS CODE: Our new venue does not require a dress code, so feel free to wear your denim. Business attire is always welcomed.
Header: [Upcoming Events and Luncheon Topics]
Upcoming Event: July Picnic in the Park- RSVP
Saturday, July 28th, 2007
Join Guild members and other creatives and their families  and friends at the Annual Guild Picnic and Barbeque, held this year at beautiful Carkeek Park, at tables 35 and 36, near Piper's Creek. http://www.seattle.gov/parks/_images/maps/picnics/Carkeek.jpg

We'll have barbequed yummy food including vegetarian options, side dishes, beverages, games, prizes, and a chance to relax with others in the group. Just bring yourself and your family and come prepared to have a good time. 

Cost for adults: only $10 if RSVP before Tuesday, July 24, $12 day of event, with students (must show ID) only $5 if RSVP before Tuesday, July 24 ($7 at the event) and children under 12 attend free! Sorry, no credit cards at event.

Parking will be challenging that Saturday, but not impossible. Carpooling will make parking easier.

Driving directions:
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/CarkeekPark/directions.htm 
See you there!

Header: [We Have a New Chapter Administrator]
Our Chapter of the Graphic Artists Guild is a very active chapter. Our members are regular speakers at other organizations, colleges and schools. We keep in touch with the changes in local and federal law to help safeguard artists' rights. We are so busy, in fact, that we decided that it was time to get a chapter administrator to help us out.
Please meet Kim Bateman, a writer and painter working in oils and acrylics living in Shoreline. Kim will be helping publicize our activities, answering queries, and keeping things running smoothly. Welcome, Kim!
[Insert Dear Mark Graphic here]
Header: [Can Designers Demand Royalties On CD Cover Art?]

Dear Wise Debbie,

You will find the Graphic Artists Guild's Pricing and Ethical Guideline Handbook (eleventh edition) has on page 187 comments on Package Illustration, and comparative fees on page 190. The comparative fees are based on a survey sent out to designers and illustrators who had the time or the inclination to report back on actual fees received. And as commented on page 187, fees have gone higher than $10K, which you will note is higher than those recorded on page 190.

It might be helpful for you to understand, and hopefully negotiate an agreement for the licensing of the art, if you were to take a quick online tutorial I've made on pricing principles. It can be found at http://198.173.235.195/estimatetutorial.html 

Basically, the more exposure the art is scheduled to receive the more valuable it is. In the past it was fairly common for art to be licensed for the quantity print run of an album. The original contract would be only for the album. On occasion it might also cover poster licensing. Separate licensing would be arranged for each use of image in merchandise (t-shirts, buttons, hats), and through advertising (posters, ads, television, web). Often, foreseeing the value, the record companies would buy full album rights, and while this would be a heavier initial cost, it would pay out in that they would then not be subjected to re-use fees on successful products.

With the advent of the individual being able to create and market albums themselves, creative professions have recently learned to use agreements, which allow for a lower upfront cost with returns down the road. These licensing arrangements are diverse and clever and not necessarily limited to your basic royalty agreement. An example would be an upfront cost, and then an advance payment based on quantity of item, say $x = x# of albums, with the same fee repeating when another quantity goes on order. (This model was adapted from one used for greeting cards.) And it is the one I often recommend as the artist sees more of an immediate reward and is reassured that the agreement in being honored.

As you know, copyright law says that the only rights of license granted are those that are in writing. Too often, clients do not become aware of the specific nature of an agreement, or neglect to take the time to write any form of agreement, before instructing the artist to get to work. And while a client might think this will benefit them by allowing for a perceived faster turn around, it does in fact prove a true hindrance.

When you contract with a designer, always keep in mind that they often contract other creative professionals such as calligraphers, illustrators, photographers, webmasters, and production specialists. Be sure that they are using contracts with their contractors and that they make you aware ahead of time of the type of licensing agreements you might be facing.

I'm confident that you can resolve this matter. It boils down to money. Either full compensation is paid immediately so that later checks are not a necessity, or a simple schedule of delayed compensation needs to be established that meets the comfort level of the artist. 

If your designer is dealing with a photographer, you might also consider as a source for trade practices the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP). While use of an image might be similar, illustration and photography have often formed different price structures. The comparative fees quoted in the PEGs (Pricing and Ethical Guidelines) cover illustration.

I hope that helps.

DISCLAIMER: Mark Monlux's advice is a self-indulgent pontification which may or may not cover general principles of law in response to issues of concern to the illustration community. Nothing in this article should be construed to be a substitute for advice of counsel regarding the specific facts and circumstances of an individual case. Laws and their interpretation  differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Legal advice addressing a specific situation should be sought from an attorney duly licensed in the appropriate jurisdiction.


[Header]  Guild Teleclass Series

The Graphic Artists Guild has a new professional education series using teleclasses! These classes are easy to attend and are designed to help you learn more about your industry and how to promote and protect your economic interests. 

Each class takes place over the phone on the last Thursday of the month at 2:00pm EST, so you can attend in the comfort of your own home or studio. The fee is $15 for Guild members and $25 for non-members. When you register you will be sent information about how to dial in, as well as any applicable handouts from our speakers. And, as a special bonus, all registrants will receive an audio file of the class. 

For those unable to attend and who want to learn what was covered, classes will be available as downloadable audio files for the same price. More information on these files will be posted on the Guild's web site as the files become available.

Class topics range from marketing and licensing to contracts and special teleclasses for graduating students. 

Registration forms will be posted monthly for each upcoming class at www.gag.org/teleclasses.php. For more information about our teleclass series please contact the Guild office at 212.791.3400 x 15, or email admin@gag.org.

Don't forget, your paid registration includes a copy of the audio file, so register today to secure your place on the call!


Header: [SCCC's 15th Annual Student Invitational Exhibition]

Seattle Central Community College's 15th Annual Student Invitational Exhibition is May 29 to June 15, 2007

M. Rosetta Hunter Gallery is pleased to present the 2007 Student Invitational,  a juried exhibit of student work. This campus-wide celebration of the visual arts salutes the energy, creativity and wide range of talent of Seattle Central's students. Included in the exhibit are drawings in ink, pencil and pastel; oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings; prints, sculpture, photography and mixed media works. Join us for this exuberant end-of-the-year celebration!
 
M. Rosetta Hunter Gallery is located at the north end of Seattle Central Community College's Atrium Cafeteria, ground floor of the main building on Broadway and Pine. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 5 to 7. This exhibit will close at noon on June 15. Admission is free. Funding assistance for M. Rosetta Hunter Gallery is provided by the Associated Student Council.
 
For more information, contact interim curator Debbie Louie at (206) 344-4379, dlouie@sccd.ctc.edu, or visit online: www.seattlecentral.edu/artgallery


[Insert WA Lawyers for the Arts Banner Here]
Header: [Washington Lawyer for the Arts Brown Bag Seminar for June]

FAIR USE OF NAMES & FACES: EXCEPTIONS TO THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY
Thursday, June 14, 2007, 11:45 am - 2:00 pm
Attorney Bob Cumbow will take artists and attorneys who advise artists through the maze of state laws governing the rights of both celebrities and nobodies in the use of their names and faces, looking at when it's okay to use an identifiable person (living or dead) in a work of written or visual art, and, on the other side, when it's best to get permission. Bob will look at how Washington's Personality Rights Act addresses these issues, recent important developments in this area of law, and how these issues have been dealt with in other jurisdictions. Cases have involved The Three Stooges, Dustin Hoffman, Tiger Woods, Rosa Parks, Yogi Berra, Bettie Page, and other pop culture personae, even those appearing in robotic form.
Robert Cumbow is a shareholder with the Seattle firm of Graham & Dunn, where he heads the firm's Intellectual Property practice. His practice focuses on trademark, copyright and legal issues as applied to technology, advertising, arts and entertainment, as well as general commercial clients. A writer, Mr. Cumbow holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English, as well as a law degree from Seattle University. He teaches Trademark Law and Advertising Law at the Seattle University School of Law, serves on the board of Washington Lawyers for the Arts, and is a past president and member of the Executive Committee of the Washington State Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section.
DATE: Thursday, June 14, 2007
TIME: 11:45 am - 2:00 pm (program begins at noon, lunches welcome)
LOCATION: 911 Media Arts Center, 402 9th Avenue N, Seattle Washington 98109
FEE: In advance: $25 Attorneys and Paralegals; $10 Artists and Students. At the door: $30 Attorneys and Paralegals; $15 Artists and Students
2 CLE Credits pending
REGISTRATION: To register, visit Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/3042, or phone 24/7 at (800) 838-3006. To pay at the door, RSVP to Washington Lawyers for the Arts at (206) 328-7053. Please note that the event is subject to cancellation; call for more information.

The SPGA/Seattle Guild Vision Statement
To advance our industry by focusing on and extending membership to all content creators in the communication arts community by conducting inspiring, creative and nurturing events, with a focus on business education, ethics, advocacy and making connections.

Subscribing to The White Space eNewsletter 
Anyone can subscribe to The White Space by going to the chapter's website homepage and adding in their email address. Updates and deletions can be made by scrolling to the bottom of this email and looking for the eRoi box. http://www.seattleguild.org

Chapter Contacts
president@seattleguild.org
info@seattleguild.org
reserve@seattleguild.org
http://seattleguild.org/pages/members.html

The SPGA/Seattle Guild Chapter Address
Graphic Artists Guild
PO Box 4306
Seattle,  WA  98104-0306

Luncheon Dates
Guild Luncheons are on the last Wednesday of most months.
Wed. June 27
Picnic! Saturday, July 29
Wed. September 26
Wed. October 31

Board Meetings
Chapter Board meetings are generally held the first Wednesday of the Month and all members are welcomed to participate. Time and location change, so inquire with the president.
president@seattleguild.org


Thank You to our Chapter Sponsors

Olympus Press, Inc.
Full-service, quality printing 2300 South 150th Street, Seattle, Washington 98199 (206) 242-2700
http://www.olypress.com

eRoi, Inc.
Email marking / Lead Generation
 (503) 221-6200
http://www.eroi.com

Peachpit User Group Program
Essential books for the creative community
http://www.peachpit.com

Other Organizations
Learn about other organizations, their local chapters and events.
http://seattleguild.org/resources.html

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Disclaimer
Subscriptions to this eNewsletter are only used for events and announcements by the SPGA/Seattle Chapter of the Graphic Artists Guild and are NOT used for any other list. 

This eNewsletter is a compilation of postings received often second, and even third hand. Thus, the provided information is bound to be fuzzy at times, as postings are not painfully researched for their accuracy. Also, postings are bound to be full of grammatical and spelling errors as this is a completely voluntary service done by overworked, tired and often confused artists who are trying to pound this thing out before their favorite television show airs. Feel free to leave postings, comments, questions and requests for removal.
info@seattleguild.org

(c) 2007 SPGA/Seattle Chapter of the Graphic Artists Guild