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. ------------------ 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. ------------------
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August 9, 2007
ARTICLES:
>>> August Luncheon Topic: No Luncheon in August >here
>>> Upcoming Events >here
>>> Dear Mark – Full Rights on Character Development >here
>>> Guild Teleclass Series >here
>>> Seattle’s Allied Arts Foundation 2007 Grants Cycle – Call for Artists >here
>>> Sites of Interest >here
>>> Link to Text Only Version if eNewlsetter >here
>>> Classifieds >here
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August Luncheon Topic: No Luncheon In August
There will be no Guild Luncheon meeting in August. Enjoy your summer vacation as we enjoy ours.
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August 14 - Board & Member Retreat
The Chapter board retreat will be held at Chapter President Sara Chapman’s home in Des Moines, south of Burien, on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 5:00pm. Any Guild member is welcome to attend, but please contact Sara at president@seattleguild.org with an RSVP. The board will meet for a while, break for some refreshments, and continue until 8 or 8:30 at the latest. All Guild members are welcome and encouraged to come to the retreat. Give your input or feedback on current issues, or get involved in the SPGA/Seattle Chapter's many ongoing projects and events. We're a fun group and you'll have a good time.
Sara Chapman
1726 S. 254th Place
Des Moines, WA 98198-9016
president@seattleguild.org
September Luncheon Topic: CS3: A Few Tasty Morsels
Adobe’s Creative Suite 3 has been called the largest product launch in Adobe’s history. So they’ve been busy giving presentations that give only the briefest tastes of the many new features. Unfortunately, no one has given us servings we can get our teeth into. So in this substantive and interactive presentation (questions aren’t just for the end!), Adobe Certified Instructor Steve Laskevitch will share some of his favorite features from Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator with a little sprinkling of Bridge. These morsels will be rich and hearty, so come hungry to learn!
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 June April 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 the 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.PARKING:
Parking is free in the parking lot that stretches along that block of Westlake in front of the restaurant.
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Can Designers Demand Royalties on CD Cover Art?
Dear Mark,
WW I will read tutorials, but can you tell me where I can get a ballpark figure to work from? Here is the assignment:
WW A friend of a friend is trying to get a book deal based on a novel that he has developed from his D&D game. He wants me to illustrate three of the main characters. He is unwilling to give up any ownership. His visual ideas are pretty run of the mill and when I ask him for some written description of what he sees in his mind’s eye, he just states some plot points. I am willing to do a work for hire job just to make a few bucks, but is that the right thing to do? What if this thing takes off? What is the fair market value price for character design, and what are my rights?
WWWW– Frank N. Ernest
Dear Wise Debbie,
WW The pricing on character development runs the gamut. I've personally been compensated as low as $300 to as high as $12,000. I know of other illustrators who have received much more. As you know from my online tutorials, value is determined by the amount of exposure the image is to receive. Thus, a full-rights buyout is an expensive proposition for a client. But full-rights buyouts are necessary when the end product has to change hands cleanly. An example would be software products, which are often created by smaller firms and then sold to larger firms with larger marketing capabilities.
WW Any time full rights are asked for you should ask for top dollar. Yet, some clients are not adequately familiar with the marketplace and do not adequately fund their budgets. And this is where it pays to be practical. Listen to your business instincts. If you feel little red flags popping up, chances are they are warning you. Say no to low budgets on full rights buyouts. If your crystal ball instincts are persuading you that this has the potential to be a profitable business transaction, then you might want to pick your battles for the immediate up front top dollar payment, and consider other options that will guarantee income.
WW The best source of guaranteed income is maintaining a long-term client relationship. The Achilles heel in any long-term business relationship is not achieving a high enough profit margin. A client who consistently gives you low budgets to work with is a deadwood client. They sap your limited resources of time and skill that would otherwise be engaged in more profitable pursuits for your bank account and career. So you want to enter into a relationship carefully, with your objective being constant growth in both projects and budgets.
WW If the client has no idea of what the exposure might be on the project and does not have the budget truly required for a full rights buy out, you might be able to arrive at a solution by thinking long term on your client relationship and provide the client with creative options like...
WW • Providing full rights, but you get first right of refusal on all related projects. This means they have to call you first each time a derivative is needed, or a new character is needed. You might turn down the work if the budget might not be there, or you are not available. But you have solidified yourself as their primary artist.
WW • Providing full rights with a retroactive payment of $X amount. The additional amount is triggered cover the real value of the work should the gross income of the project achieve $X amount. I've done many speculative projects this way. I’m adequately covered my time, kept the initial cost low for the client, and then received adequate compensation when the project sells big.
WW • Provide full rights with a buyout payment should another style of art be required on the character and you thus lose your position as primary artist.
WW These options come from the concept of looking at a long term, profitable client relationship rather that the one-off project payment. Look at your own situation and come up with a few option ideas to suit your needs.
WW Earlier I provided the figures of $12K and $300 from my personal work history. The $12K is an example of where I determined the client had an adequate budget for a full rights buy out. My crystal ball did not see the character growing beyond what both the client and I saw for the character. The $300 project had a long list of terms that would adequately compensate me for the character’s growth. As it is, that project might be in permanent hibernation.
WW One last note. Remember that your rights to any project cannot be given unless they are done so in writing. It is well within your rights to place any terms you desire to accomplish in the transaction, even in a full rights buy out. Negotiating these terms is made easier when the client’s budget is not suitable for the occasion.
WW I hope that helps.
WWWWWW – Mark Monlux
WWWWWWW Ethics Chair, SPGA Seattle Chapter, Graphic Artists Guild
If you have a question for the Ethics Chair, please email them with the Subject Line "Dear Mark" here.
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 email 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.
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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!>>>back to top
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Seattle's Allied Arts Foundation 2007 Grants Cycle - Call for Artists
King County artists and small arts groups are encouraged to submit applications for project funding during the current and annual granting cycle of the Allied Arts Foundation (AAF).
Since 1668, Allied Arts Foundation has awarded seed grants to emerging artists and small arts organizations for generative projects in the performing, literary and visual arts. Grants have been awarded to emerging area artists including Pat Graney, David Mahler, D-9 Dance, and Raven Chronicles.
This year, AAF will distribute $10,000 in grant awards ranging between $200 and $1,000. The deadline for submission of applications is October 1, 2007. Notification and awards to recipients will be made in November.
Applications and guidelines for submission are available by e-mail request to AAFgrants@q.com by mail to Allied Arts Foundation, 5109 Keystone Pl. N., Seattle, 98103, or by calling a foundation representative at 206-624-0432.>>>back to top
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RSS Explained In Plain English
Accent Codes for Macs
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eNewsletter Text Only Version Available
You can now access a text only version of this enewsletter . Just look for the download link icon in this and future editions of the Whitespace. We know that some of you have problems printing out the eNewsletter and this link should help.
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Your Ad Goes Here
A 50-word ad for $20 is a sweet deal. Members get 2 free ads a year. Check out ad and sponsorship rates. >>here
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WW