Monday, July 12, 2010

Artist For Sale: Will Draw For Money

I get a lot of emails from people who have found my drawings on line and would like to use them for various things:

"I was searching the web today looking for inspiration for our upcoming Relief Society Birthday Party and I came across your drawings. They are so adorable.
Do you draw for other's?
If you could help me out I would apprieciate it. I love you work. It is amazing."



"I came across your “Super Hero” drawing on the Internet and I liked it very much. I now write screenplays and I am starting to produce them into movies. I have been thinking of doing a screenplay about a ten year old boy who becomes a Super Hero at night. The movie will be partly animated, mostly the super hero sequences. The feel of your Super Hero drawing is exactly what I have in mind for the comic book style super hero sequences. Would you be interested in working with me as I develop the script. This would mean doing some drawings that can serve as a story board to show the animators the intent. There would be payment after I get the project moving toward and financed."

My response: The boy is Harry, my son. He went to super hero party where everyone dressed like super heros. I made him trading cards to give to his friends.
I'd love to draw for you. Send me some story lines to work from.

Never heard from him again, but if you go to this guys website, you'll see a thumbnail of Super Harry.



"Hi Jan....I'm making a Relief Society Blog and I LOVE your artwork. First and formost! There is one you have that looks RSie with three women with the "We are united in standing" etc. I love that. Any chance in the world I could use that for the header on the blog I'm doing?"



"I saw your picture of a mother holding to the iron rod and the children hanging on as a thumbprint on google images. ...so I'm asking if I can use your incredible image in a July visiting teaching lesson handout that I'm making. The picture is amazing because it aligns with the Family Home Evening story that is used in the message from the Ensign.



OK. So for Church drawings I don't ask for payment. I consider it part of my covenant with Heavenly Father to share my talents to build the church. And as you can see I have done a lot of drawings for the Church. And I'm not including the drawings I've done for my own ward.

I LOVE TO DRAW!

I draw whether I get paid or not.

I worked for 10 years as a scenic artist and got paid a little, by show, when they could afford it, classified as a clerk because they didn't really want to make a real position for me or pay me for full time work.

I worked in a print shop for a while for free making their stamps and made my own stamps to sell. Did I sell any? Would you like one? I have a whole box full, nicely packaged with little ink pads.

When people see my drawings they comment on how cute they are and tell me I should be illustrating books.

I have a website. I have a store on cafepress.com and one at Fine Art America.

People like my artwork but they don't want to pay for it.

What brought me to rant on like this? I got this email a while ago:

"... the reason I'm writing you is I'm chairing our churches ladies retreat and our theme (which is still in the works) will be about the stages of a a woman life, .... grow up, fill out, slim down, hold it in, and let it all hang out! ... with the underlying theme that we are all united. ... not only through the various stages we women all experience, but more importantly through Christ. Which leads me to the reason I'm writing you. I would love to use one of your illustration on our t-shirts. Would that be possible?"

My response: "You got it! Let me know which one/ones and I'll send it to you. If you need it tweeked let me know how and I'll work on it."

"Wow! That would be wonderful. How much would it cost to somewhat combine the two posters so that it showed five women all in the different stages of their lives?"




I spent a lot of time working on the drawings:

But when I told her the cost...well, let's just say I probably won't hear from her again. $20/hr. 8 hrs of work (at least). Discounted to $100. And even a "we'll work it out if that's too much." To be fair, maybe the drawing didn't work with their theme. Or they changed the theme. Or the retreat fell through. A note saying "thanks but it didn't work out" would have been appreciated.

I love that the Internet allows artists the opportunity to put their artwork out there more easily and for more people to see. I appreciate everyone who has asked to use my artwork. And I love having people ask me to draw for them.

But I'd occasionally like to make $ at it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad.


2 comments:

angela michelle said...

oh and you have to deal with daughter-in-law-in-laws begging you for copies too. no respect!

Christine Jepsen said...

I agree with you on people taking for granted that you put a lot of time into something. I have worked 15+ hours on a drawing, and someone has said that they would pay $50 or $100....and thinking they were generous. When did we start making less than minimum wage??

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