Discount Rants

[Command-Z]

It happens every so often... I get asked if I give volume discounts for art/design.

I price my designs individually, based on their complexity. If a design contains at least one original illustration, say a car, it will probably not cost less than $500 and most likely cost more than that. In order to fall below that number, you'd have to settle for an already drawn and used piece of art from my files. Complexity, (hot rods with exposed engines and flames painted on the sides take longer to draw than, say, a stock Fox-Body M.ustang*) copyrights sold, time frame... all of these factor into the cost and each design is priced accordingly.

These are not items I buy wholesale from a distributor and stock on a shelf, each one is made by hand and takes many hours to create. Unless I'm using the first design as a template and just plugging new illustrations into existing layouts, two new original designs take at least twice as long to do as one, three takes three times longer, and so on. So I have to charge accordingly, otherwise I'm working more for less and I'm not gaining anything by getting more work from that client.

The works suffers as well... if I were to offer discounts to one client, the clients who are paying the full rate will get priority of my time. Discounted jobs will sit on the back burner until "I have time for them" and corners will be cut to fit them in.

I don't blame clients for asking. Everyone wants a deal and that's okay. I also have no problem working within tight budgets if the client is willing to settle for less detailed work, re-used art from my stock files or has a relaxed schedule. But offering discounts for higher volumes of work, or doing work on discount for more promised work in the future, are bad business practices... for both the client and myself... in my experience.

What do other artists do when asked these questions?



* Look what I had to do there. Really, people? Is it still that bad?

[Sbrem]

It's being between a rock and a hard place. You can't, as you say, discount your work, it's a slippery slope. They will pay for the type of quality that artists like you and Lemorris and others create, or they will not. Some will compromise with lesser art, or a simpler design, while others see the value. And it is hard to blame them, because if they don't ask, they won't know. The worst they'll hear is "No". On the music side, bars pay bands crap, but put a tuxedo on and do a corporate function or a wedding, and each member is making $400 per gig. I guess an artist has to choose who his audience is. Not to mention little things like eating and paying bills; it's a rough go, lots of ups and downs...

Steve

[Dottonedan]

Yep. What to do, what to do?

I can easily remember the occasional kick to my groins by a printer on old forums now and then that would chew me out for even implying I should be asking for the money I did.
Some people get offended if "you feel" you should be able to require what they consider a high price. Money hungry and selfish would be the tone.

I do look at my surroundings. The industry as a whole as you know, pays lower than others. That's is the paradigm we have here from the majority of the industry.

I've come to the place where I'm going to charge what (I want) out of it. In saying that, some may take that to mean a lot of money. Like you, I charge what I need to get out of it. If I can't, I cant. Happens all the time. There are certain expectations that come with the price. When you charge a high price, you work less jobs per year but can dedicate more "quality time" to those jobs.

With a full time gig now, I can be a little more choosy and also only take on jobs that are not a rush. It works out well.

I have mentioned a few times here and elsewhere that I've looked around at the way artist charge and the quality and quantity they out out. All phasing/levels have a good place here.

You can be low cost and very busy. Many customers and working long hours.

You can be the opposite of all that as well. The opposite had more appeal to me. That's where I will rest my hat. I've done it both ways and I have seen the promised land. :)

You of course are not wrong in any way, but there are some who will dislike you for it. If they ever get in an environment where they feel comfortable in being more open, they will also tell you so (as was the case at the old forums).  Even when they do, it's no blood out of my nose. Live a happier life and do what you like best.