How it “used to / supposed to” be done in the art world.
Usually it was done by the artists rep….
…since “Most Artists” are foolish or naive when it come to business sense.
Right side of brain vs Left side of brain kind of thing.
This should all be done in writing.
Step 1. – MOST BASIC STEP
Potential client contacts potential artist.
Step 2. – MOST IMPORTANT STEP
Artist gets details of job including time line and budget, compensated for the amount of apparel pieces being run. What Rights are being Transferred. (Never Ever transfer full rights without being compensated for them..)
Pricing always on fluctuates on a few factors, time line, quantity of work, quality of work, new client or great old reliable client and rights transferred. You can always throw in there revisions and prompt payment breaks too for good measure.
Always remember rights and price according to all of these every time!
Step 3.
Client either agrees, disagrees or terms are negotiated.
Do not extend credit!…What are you in the credit business or art business?…when you buy something you have to pay right away…unless you are being hired as an employee.No NET10 NET30 etc…Although if you are a financially secure powerhouse to do this, fine….Or if you have an established client…then great, but until you and a client are on great terms….skip extending a credit line. One more tidbit on credit is remember to correctly research the companies credit report or DUNS info, and be sure you can read it correctly…otherwise you have no business extending credit a credit line.
Think about it… wouldn’t you take the most killer art from 5 of the world’s top artists, on an understanding to pay them in a month or two – after You’ve made the money off of their work..and Sold a whole line of tees, then pay them…very little risk…right?….that sounds like a sweet deal to me…I’ll take it!.
Step 4.
Deposit or full payment is received to artist.
Step 5.
All of this talk of $50 and prices is really a shame.
It wouldn’t even be a discussion in any other line of work.
This is one of the few industries where people can just get a computer and some software, and get right into business….live trace away and buy some stock art, and really not do to bad.
Which is part of the reason why art is a viewed like a commodity.
It is not a commodity.
I know for a fact many of these businesses aren’t legit legally, and very few have any business experience or have taken any classeson how to run the numbers end of a actual business.
This thread although a little uncomfortable…is super informative and can be helpful for a lot of people.
I think it all boils down to most artists are not very good business people….especially artists new to the game.
This is why artists have always had reps, and agents doing the business side of things, until this wonderful world of the interwebs arrived…and a lot of artists thought they can do it themselves.
Unfortunately unless they get schooling, training or certain types of experience….creative genius and financial genius generally don’t go hand in hand….they are usually opposite.
Right side of the Brain versus the Left side of the Brain….kind of thing.
Charge what you want ..hey fair is fair right?…but understand a lot of artists take their field very seriously and there may be hard feelings…
and it does bring down the industry, but it will probably benefit your immediate aspirations early in your career, until you burn yourself out….then you will hop on the other side of the fence.
If you want exposure and experience do charity work. Your exposure and experience will be bigger 10 fold, and the people you meet and the people you help will be more fulfilling than $50….plus it will be real world business experience, instead of a fly by night garage band dealings.
just my $.02
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