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. ------------------ Chapter Contacts president Complete List Here SPGA/Seattle Chapter ------------------ Schedule of Guild events are ------------------ Chapter Board Meetings Chaper Board meetings are generally ------------------
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February 9, 2008
ARTICLES:
>>> February Workship Meeting Topic: A Visit with Mr. Edwin Fotheringham, Illustrator>here
>>> Private Screening: Helvetica. The Film. >here
>>> Dear Mark - I want to start a greeting card company. >here
>>> Sites of Interest >here
>>> Link to Text Only Version if eNewlsetter >here
>>> Classifieds >here
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February 2008 Workshop Meeting:
A Visit with Mr. Edwin Fotheringham, Illustration
Where? Rock Salt Steaks and Seafood on Lake Union1232 Westlake Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109 206-284-1047
When? Wednesday, February 27th, 2008. Arrive for networking 11:30 a.m., meeting is noon to 1:30 p.m.
What? A Visit with Mr. Edwin Fotheringham, Illustrator
http://www.edfotheringham.com
We're pleased to host Mr. Fotheringham, long-time Seattle illustrator, at our February Workshop Meeting. His work covers subjects and markets as varied as punk rock and Nieman Marcus, The New Yorker and Ladies Home Journal, a Visa Card campaign and an elementary school auction. Please join us as we explore together the pursuit of solving visual problems!
How much?
Prepaid members and students: $30. Must RSVP using PayPal on the Guild website by Friday before the meeting for reserved price. Students must show current, full-time student ID at the door.
Prepaid non-members: $35. Must RSVP using PayPal on the Guild website by Friday before the workshop for reserved price.
Walk-in members and students: $35. Students must show current, full-time student ID.
Walk-in non-members: $40. Note: At-the-door payments by CREDIT CARDS are OK. Become a member of the Guild at the meeting, and your meeting admission is free!
Lunch with choice of entree' is included with workshop: When registering, select the meat entree or vegetarian entree in PayPal comments box. Meal choices for February workshop are Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry (meat option) or Ratatouille (vegetarian option).
Dress code? No. Business attire is always welcome.
Parking? Lots of it, and some of it free.
RESERVATIONS: Please RSVP before NOON on February 22.
http://www.seattleguild.org/meetingPaypal.html
CANCELLATIONS: The SPGA/Seattle Chapter is charged for all reservations and food. If you are unable to attend send an e-mail to Becky Lucas (beam@deainc.com), SPGA/Seattle Guild Treasurer by NOON on the Friday before the event, to avoid being charged for your meal.
Our new venue for meetings is the Rock Salt Steaks and Seafood on Lake Union.
Rock Salt Steaks and Seafood
1232 Westlake Ave North
Seattle, WA 98109
206-284-1047
http://www.rocksaltlakeunion.com/index.html
Reservation Questions? please email reserve@seattleguild.org
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Private Screening: Helvetica. The Film.
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Time: 7:00 pm PT - 9:30 pm PT
Location:
CreativeTechs Office
500 Aurora Ave North
3rd Floor - Room 305
Seattle, WA 98109
A special private screening of Gary Hustwit's film, Helvetica.
Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture.
Seating is limited. Please RSVP early. More information and RSVP by following this link:
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I want to start a greeting card company.
Dear Mark
WW I am an artist in the tropics and I have a complicated question for you. I have just gotten a huge commission from a hotel to do all of their artwork for all the rooms. Now I’m quite overwhelmed with the whole prospect and to be honest, I am excited, but it is a bit daunting. My question is this…
- Because of the amount of work, how do I price it? I figure I would just give them one price for everything instead of trying to price out each piece separately.
- My husband thinks I should break up the project into “groups,” say, do 20 or 30 pieces and then take a break and just charge for those. Otherwise, it will take me over a year to complete!
- I’m not sure how to do a contract for this either…how do I phrase it? I want the job because it’s a lot of money, but if I do it, it will take up all my time and preclude me from pretty much doing any other projects.
WW HELP!!!
WW I’m hoping that you can give me some sound advice!
WW Thank you in advance,
WW Katherine on the Island
Dear Katherine,
WW Regardless of the size of the project, you should always ask for an advance and for a kill fee.
WW The advance will deal with your issue of insecurity. The amount of the advance depends on how much security you require to feel comfortable engaging in the job. Your efficiency will be hampered if your mind is distracted by thoughts of lost income, or by trying to survive on a low bank account during the process of a long job. An advance will alleviate those concerns. While advances of 25-50% are fairly common, each situation is unique and since you can dictate your own terms, the amount is up to you.
WW A kill fee is the amount the client will pay you in case they are not satisfied with your work. A fairly standard rate for a kill fee is 50%. Again, since you control the agreement you can control the amount of the kill fee for your unique situation.
WW When dealing with a long term project, asking for a high advance and a high kill fee would be logistically sensible. If you are willing to commit the time and energies of your unique skills to a large endeavor, it makes sense for the client to show that they also are committed. The only way that the client can show commitment is with money.
WW You should never shy away from large projects— embrace them. Large projects mean large money and a large career. The skills acquired through the handling of a large project are a valuable commodity. Those skills will be a selling feature for future commissions with other clients seeking a similar or larger project. All businesses look for ways to expand and provide guaranteed income in larger scale. If you do find yourself shying away from such a project, some instinct of self-preservation is kicking in and informing you of a cold reality that you did not wish to face until now. It’s the businessperson inside of you realizing that you are not currently charging enough for your work to make a long-term project worthwhile. Such a realization might be a bitter pill. But, it serves as a sign that you may as well make the adjustment now, when it may best benefit you.
WW As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, the advance and the kill fee are flexible in nature. So too should your thinking be on the types of payment and scheduling structures. For example, if the client is unwilling to commit to a 50% advance on work which will take you over a year to complete, then suggest that a second option of a 25% advance upon start and another 25% at midpoint of the project might work. However, the upshot of the second option is a higher overall fee total. This is because the client has shown an indication of weakness in not being as fully committed to the project as you are. That is a sign of insecurity for you. And since the only way for a client to show their commitment and provide security is through money, requiring a higher payment will compensate.
WW Scheduling the turn-around requirements for any project is also a factor for negotiation on price. It could well be that time is of the essence, and if so, then compensation is deserved. If you require time to continue with other projects, then you must factor that in as well, but don’t let the client guilt you into exclusivity. If such is their desire, not yours, then exclusivity on your time must also have a price.
WW With absolutely no knowledge of this field of endeavor, or the rates set by you or others, may I suggest that you initially approach the client with an agreement like this:
WW A 50% advance of the total fee. A set monthly delivery of X amount of finished paintings. The remainder due on that set of paintings provided upon delivery. With a 50% kill fee on work not completed.
WW Your instinct of wanting to sign in on the whole project is the right one. It shows your business sense for seeking guaranteed income. However, your husband’s suggestion is providing image in lots is also valid. The quantity of X can be determined by you so as to include time in the month for you to maintain your current business presence, pursue other project, or take a break for relaxation or illness. The X quantity can also be seen as a negotiation chip. A higher quantity means more exclusivity on your time and thus a higher increase to the total fee.
WW And should the client balk and be at a loss for a counter offer, suggest:
A 25% advance of the total fee (which is now 20% higher). A set monthly delivery of X amount of finished paintings. The remainder due on that set of painting provided upon delivery. Another 25% advance on the sixth month, along with scheduled payment per delivery. With a 50%-100 kill fee on work not completed, as determined by artist.
WW Give these suggestions some thought. Also, I would suggest that you go through my online tutorial on contract negotiation ( http://198.173.235.195/success.html ). It might provide some additional insight to the various terms of the contract. Additional sources for learning about terms and contracts can be found in “The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing and Ethical Guidelines” or in Tad Crawford’s “Business and Legal Forms for Graphic Designers.”
WW One last thought I would like to leave you with. You should never settle for basing the value of your work or your career on what others have determined is the standard of the industry. It’s been my experiences that standardized prices on the Internet or in print are based on projects and salaries that have been negotiated down from those originally requested. Logically, your starting point for all negotiation should be higher than the prices you’ve encountered. When considering any project, be it large or small, you have to ask yourself if this project is serving your career as well and providing a solid profit. Enlarging your career does not mean you are stretching yourself thin, it means you are growing stronger.
WW I hope that helps,
WW Mark
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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A morphing collage of women in film
http://glubert.com/media.womenfilm
Neverending art look for TinMan Television MiniSeries
http://www.scifi.com/tinman/oz/
Animator vs. Animation
http://alanbecker.deviantart.com/art/Animator-vs-Animation-34244097
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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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Paperworks 2008 International Juried Competition
b.j. spoke gallery, 299 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743
Entry deadline, May 31, 2008. Winners' show August 1-31 2008. Artists who use
Paper as primary medium; Drawings, graphics, sculpture, 3D, bound books.
No paintings or photography. Judge, Samantha Rippner, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY Associate Curator Dept. of Drawings and Prints
Download prospectus atwww.bjspokegallery.com, call gallery at 631 549 5106 or send
SASE to address above.
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