What Do Artists Get Paid?

[Wolvorine]

Art pay

<nods> These all sound about right. I've been averaging about $25/b&w piece.

As far as what artists get paid, and how impressive it is.. all in all I'd rather have been born a natural car mechanic.

 

[Mystic Eye]

Hehehe...

*chuckles*

Seriously though, i think that now a days even D20 writers get better payed than artists. Publishers seem to think that art is of less importance, and although i agree on this, there is a difference. No art is better than bad art IMHO, if you want to include art in your product, it better be up to spec. As a wise person once said, you get what you paid for...

btw. I'm not an artist, nor do i aspire to be one (although i like to draw and paint).

I don't really believe that publishers think art is less important. It is more a condition of the market. You can only spend so much and budgets are tight. However, the content and writing is the most critical element.
If you think artists and writers don't make enough, try to be a game publisher.

 

[Cergorach]

I don't really believe that publishers think art is less important. It is more a condition of the market. You can only spend so much and budgets are tight. However, the content and writing is the most critical element.
If you think artists and writers don't make enough, try to be a game publisher.

*grins evily*

But Doug, we all know that Publishers are making a lot of Dough by selling D20 crack to kiddies, you all must be milionairs by now ;-)

Yeah, yeah, i know, your all poor slobs. But that's not the point. I'm saying that you can't expect to sit at a premium spot for a quarter, same goes for art. Unless it's a charity case, do you really expect to get premium art for a low price? Artists probably do give you premium art on occassion, but mostly because they love their profession, not because you paid them enough.

My personal prefference is to get top notch artwork, but if that means fewer pieces of art, so be it...

 

[Monte At Home]

If you think artists and writers don't make enough, try to be a game publisher.

That's a joke, right Doug? I mean, the game industry is no place to make your fortune, but do you honestly mean to say that you think publishers are making less than freelance writers?

Here's my take on things:

A real high-quality, fast-working, in-demand freelance artist--say, like Arne Swekle or Wayne Reynolds--can make a lot more than a high-quality, fast-working, in-demand freelance writer in the same time period. A lot more.

I suspect that beginning artists and writers probably make around the same in the same time period.

And as far as publishers go, my own financial situation is a LOT better since I publish my own stuff, rather than simply working for what other publishers would pay me--and I'll be honest, most pay me better than they pay the average writer. I have trouble imagining that other publishers (with lots of successful titles) are making less than writers. I could be wrong, however.

 

[ParadigmPrez]

Art payment

Hello everyone,

We feel that the art of a book is at least as important as the writing. Think about it, beyond the cover (which we think of as the greeter, that which makes a person pick up the book more often than not) and the blurb on the back, most people will only have time to flip through a book and look at the interior art. Occassionaly, the buyer (hopefully) will take a moment and read a paragraph or two, but it doesn't take long to glance and appreciate (or be turned off by) the interior pieces.

That said, Paradigm also pays by the final size of the interior piece:
1/4 = $40.00
1/2 = $75.00
and full page B&W = $150.00.

As Doug mentioned above, Color covers vary greatly depending on composition and complexity.

We try and include the best art available that evokes atmosphere and compliments the writing. We hope you agree we succeed more often than not.

Best,

 

[Callypsa]

Just to put my 2 cents in. If you'd like to know the industry standard for charging for illustrations, (and I mean the Freelance Illustration industry, not the gaming industry), I would check out this book.

Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing and Ethical Guidelines.

It's another great place to start if you have questions on any aspect of freelance illustrating.

 

[Mystic Eye]

That's a joke, right Doug? I mean, the game industry is no place to make your fortune, but do you honestly mean to say that you think publishers are making less than freelance writers?

Here's my take on things:

A real high-quality, fast-working, in-demand freelance artist--say, like Arne Swekle or Wayne Reynolds--can make a lot more than a high-quality, fast-working, in-demand freelance writer in the same time period. A lot more.

Wow Monte, Did you take that out of context! Let me restate my quote.

"If you think artists and writers don't make enough, try to be a game publisher."

This says publishers don't make enough money, not that they make less than a freelance writer or artist. Lets face it, very few in the RPG biz do this to get rich. However, I can say that I have never worked so hard for so little in comparison to my previous life.
Heck, its 9:42 PM now and I have been going since about 8:00 AM. This is a typical day for me considering our product shedule and aggresive growth plans. When you have your own business no holiday, weekend, or hour of the day is sacred. Luckily, I love this.

You get the idea. A lesson I learned long ago in business is never amortize your hours worked to your pay check or you will almost always be dissapointed. Nothing could be more true here.

Mystic Eye Games the company is doing great overall though.

Does that explain things better?

 

[Monte At Home]

Hmm. OK. Sorry I misinterpreted, although I'm still unsure how to interpret the statement otherwise. If I said "if you think your dog's ugly, you should see mine," I'd mean that my dog was uglier than yours.

But whatever. Glad you're doing well and loving your job, Doug.

 

[Mystic Eye]

No problem, I was only really trying to say, in a joking manner, that none of us are rolling around a bed full of money and laughing our way to the bank all giddy and rich...yet! That's all. My poor attempt to be even remotely amusing failed horribly it appears...heheheh.

BTW: Please tell Sue thanks for her mention of us in her workshop. It was very helpful.

 

[jgbrowning]

art

ParadigmPrez said
"We feel that the art of a book is at least as important as the writing. Think about it, beyond the cover (which we think of as the greeter, that which makes a person pick up the book more often than not) and the blurb on the back, most people will only have time to flip through a book and look at the interior art. Occassionaly, the buyer (hopefully) will take a moment and read a paragraph or two, but it doesn't take long to glance and appreciate (or be turned off by) the interior pieces. "


What actually attracts me the most to a book is its title. To me, there is already so much art out there that the shelf of d20 stuff is a big colorful blur, and my eyes glance over the art completely and i only pick up the names.

I also, could care less about art quality (having grown up on early 1st Ed. DnD ) but in that matter i know im in the minority.

A good title gets me much more than good art.

(these are just my opinions again )
examples of good titles:
Requim for a God... has style and panache!
Encyclopaedia Arcane series... like the british spelling
What's that Smell? ... gotta be the best title for a module ever

examples of bad titles (again just to me):
four color to fantasy... honestly i have no idea what that title has to do with superheroes, but im out of the comic superhero circles

scarred lands... its just me but every time i read it i see "scared lands"

anyway enough of my rant. and for the record i never pick up a book with bikini babes on the cover. I like my women warriors covered in just as much armor as the men. again, tho im the minority.

thanks for listening,

joe b.