Illustrating a book - ADVICE NEEDED!

[AFC4LIFE]

I have an associate who has written a book and would like me to illustrate it for her. The problem is that I haven't a clue how these things work! How do you charge someone for illustrating a book? does it work on royalties or do I charge by the hour / flat fee or what?
It's her first book and the first time anyone's asked me to do anything like this so I'm a bit embarassed that I don't know how these things operate so any illustrators who have experience in this field I'd really appreciate it if you could give me some advice.

Cheers guys!

[Mirana]

Go to the Employment Discussion forum ("Employment > Job Listings & Employers >") and read the stickies.

[Blue]

Pricing and Ethical Guidelines (http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Artists-Guild-Handbook-Guidelines/dp/0932102131/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215409121&sr=1-1)

What you're asking is much more specific then you give detail to. How much, why and so on is in the book above.

[Elwell]

You should know that, unless you are illustrating your own story, it's actually much easier to break into the children's book market with either a portfolio or an unillustrated manuscript. Publishers actually don't like writers to find their own illustrators, they'd much rather take care of that themselves. If this person is planning on self-publishing that's a different story, but be aware that self-published authors are notoriously difficult clients, and tend to want too many rights for rediculously little money.

[B u r l]

I'm hardly experienced enough, but when I was asked to do some illustrations for a potential book, I charged a set sum (stupidly small at that) for each illustration I did, then agreed through a signed contract that I would also get a certain percent of the royalties in the future *if* the book ever made it onto shelves. It didn't. In fact the guy vanished off the planet.

[Lightship69]

Hi matey

I just thought that I would add my thoughts to this for you because this is a potential minefield of problems so here goes.

Firstly, is this a friend of yours? because working with mates can be tough, you may have to charge mates rates (ie very little) or they will get the hump with you. Itl can also get very ugly if they get precious about the project (which they will) and you may be re-doing artwork til the cows come home for no money.

I think my personal advice would be assume it is related to typhoid Mary and therefore cursed and avoid it help them find an illustrator or better an agent who will take care of them and talk to the publishers etc.

in case you dont want to do that there is option two :Take a flyer do the art and ask for a percentage of the royalties, there are lots of sites on the net that cover the agreements for this kind of thing

Lastly you can be mecenary about it and charge so much per hour for each illustration and forget any royalties (the take the money and run option) the author will then own the lot and publishing for her will be simpler.

Another thought if you take the money and run the copyright on the images will be an issue if you want to use them again, so this will also require contractual agreements.

problems problems problems!!

I hope this insight helps a little

[bcarman]

Listen to Elwell. You can definitely just do it for the money if you charge enough per, but it will never be taken on by a decent publisher. A large part of what they do is match illustrator to author. So unless it's all your project, writing and illustrating, your already lottery odds go down to basically nothing. So do it for the money, but I have yet to have heard of a situation (and I have heard of a million of them) where the artist is really paid anything decent especially by an associate.

http://billcarman.blogspot.com

[hitnrun]

Ok, so, what does everyone consider "decent" pay? And why do people have a lack of willingness to compensate a working artist, especially when we know how to make stuff look good to the target market of a company? Do artists really not have any respect from others as masters of the visual spectrum?

[Two Listen]

Ok, so, what does everyone consider "decent" pay? And why do people have a lack of willingness to compensate a working artist, especially when we know how to make stuff look good to the target market of a company? Do artists really not have any respect from others as masters of the visual spectrum?

A lot of times it depends on whether or not the artist actually is a master of the visual spectrum. Just because you can do more than other people can, and can find people to pay you for stuff, doesn't mean you're master of jack.

It is likely that very few artists are actually looked upon with a large amount of respect for their craft, and those few artists have probably had to work very hard, done a lot of jobs, and have had to prove time and time again their worth and understanding.

Very few people master this. And as a result, very few people get credit for it. Sometimes artists in general get shorthanded with some things. But a lot of it makes sense.

And the same can be said for any type of "craft". Hell, look at Twilight. Are you saying that we should consider Stephanie Meyer a "master" of the literary medium just because she's written a series of novels that were later turned into movies? I think she's full of shit.

[hitnrun]

I've never read twilight, and I only know what it's about because I know people who would kill to get tickets to a showing. Personally, I think it's a vampire chick flick. I believe that series became a series of movies because there was money to be made from the tweens who drool over it.

My statement about compensation was more meant to ask why artists don't get paid shit. Why do people have a problem paying for good art? Is there some sort of stereotype amongst people and agencies that think artists are like college students in that we live off ramen noodles and cold pizza? Or perhaps people think good art is easy, and doesn't take time to do? Do other occupations see this much hassle for their work?

Again, I stress the question "what do you consider decent pay"? I'd be happy making 30,000 a year at the moment. So, I ask everyone, the question is highly subjective but what DO you consider to be decent pay?