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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 7695120" data-attributes="member: 6796661">I'm used to a large percentage of the TTRPG community being unreasonably cheap when it comes to paying for content. So I guess I shouldn't be so surprised at how many publishers exhibit the same cheap attitude. Such publishers are really hobbyists hoping to make some money on their hobby, but having little business sense. It is easier than ever to find public-domain art, especially for fantasy settings. But so many times those who have taken that route end up with a cheap-looking product because the art isn't custom-built to the content. Even with public-domain or inexpensive stock art, it takes someone with an artistic bent to select art that harmonizes together and captures the "feel" of the content. Layout too is an art and I think layout becomes even more important when you use non-custom art. I'm not sure I'm fully on-board with some of the guild mentality and union vibes I'm getting from the OP, but hiring people who value themselves to ask for a rate they can live and thrive on (and regularly get people to pay it), only makes sense. In my business I've learned this the hard way. I've bought the services of many artists, copy writers, Web-site designers, and programmers over the years and almost every time I went cheap, I've regretted it, with it often costing me more because of wasted time or even scrapping what I bought and having to pay someone more competent to redo the project. One thing I don't think the OP emphasized enough, is the importance of finding the right fit. It is demoralizing to hire expensive talent, someone who is obviously capable, only to find out that they just are not able to carry out your vision. Learning about art can help improve your ability to describe what you are looking for and better determine if the awesome portfolio of an artist will translate into awesome art for your project. I really love listening to pod casts or reading articles were product directors and artists talk about their collaboration and how they came up with the art for a work. See some of the stuff with Chris Perkins and other talking about the Curse of Straud for example.</blockquote>

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