A question on price

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:47 am

I may possibly be working with a writer on making cartoon illustrations for his book. I had responded to his original ad in a local magazine with my experience and samples of my work. He replied to me with interest. He told me a bit about his book and what kind of illustrations he'd like for it.

What he wants to know from me is How I would charge (per hour, per illustration, ect.) and a price range.

I haven't really done this before, I've done various jobs but never had a standard price for my work. I figured I probably would charge by the illustration and not by hour, because I draw fairly fast. However I don't know at all what kind of price I should give and if it should vary depending on the complexity of the drawings or not.

What he will want is a major illustration for each story within his book and then a supplemental smaller one for each. So he will need a more complex and a more simple drawing for each story if I end up working with him. Would I charge differently for each type?

Before that he will need one complete illustration of a subject in the book to submit with his stories to interest a publisher. He said he would “buy outright with all rights to this illustration.” I assume that means he wants to completely buy rights to that drawing, tell me if I am wrong.

Basically I am asking if anyone has any ideas or suggestions on what I should charge or how to figure out a price or interpreting anything here.

Thanks for your time!

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:33 am

It sounds like he wants rights to that entire drawing.

It's a difficult question. I know Buster does $15 per drawing, but those are for comic pages, not full illustrations, which I think would need more detail, thus you'd want to charge more.

That said, you don't want to scare him off.

I would definitely charge by illustration, but what price, I'm not sure.

Glarryg · Post by **Glarryg** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 2:26 pm

Not that I know what I'm doing, but I might ask just how many illustrations he's going to want in the end (i.e. how many chapters there are), figure out a decent price for your troubles, and divide it among the number of pictures to get your per-illustration rate. That way, if he adds any or takes any out, you'll already know how much more or less to charge. Without knowing much about the project, I don't see too much harm in charging the same for simple and complex pictures, since it'll probably even out in the end (he may add a simple and take away a complex, or vice versa, and they'd cancel each other out more or less).

Glarryg

The Neko · Post by **The Neko** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 3:53 pm

It really depends on if you get the reprinting rights/royalties on your art, or if you're signing it all away to him.

Packrat · Post by **Packrat** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:03 pm

well self-pub authors get almost a dime per book.

ya might wanna figure it that way.

packrat

Blackaby · Post by **Blackaby** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:02 am

I would ask him what he's comfortable paying. What would he expect to pay, after you explain the hours it will take for you to work on these. Don't undersell yourself by any means, mind you.

A publisher should employ YOU as well as him, and few publishers I know/have worked with have taken people as a dual act - got the book and the illustrator at the same time, unless it's a particular style of book. Even if they accept his book, that definitely doesn't mean they'll accept your illustrations alongside them. I'd really try and find out how much he expects to get for the book as well.

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 1:06 pm

I charge no less than 10 thousand dollars a page. They'll be worth millions eventually afterall.