I think this discussion is both interesting and important. I have a question, considering what we are discussing here.
One of the things I have been thinking of doing as part of my future promotion plan for my book is hosting art contests with a theme (valentines day, for instance) where artists would be encouraged to draw one of the couples from my novel and the readers of my author blog would be able to vote for their favorite....
A contest like this, only advertised on your own website, is only going to attract people interested in your work. Also, the artists (I assume) will retain all the rights to their own work, within the scope of fan art.
This is a far cry from a broadly advertised umbrella company, looking for free labor, takes the rights of the artist, and intends to use the art work for commercial use.
I can see both sides of this. On the one hand, I understand the concern of professional designers who don't want downward pressure put on their fees or, worse, have their roles outsourced to the crowd.
On the other hand, I'm struggling to see how a 99design contest is any different from a short story contest or a novel contest or any other contest. Google is holding a contest as we speak for who can make the best Google App. The winners get paid. The losers get nothing.
Perhaps the issue is the scope? I mean it's one thing if there are occasional graphic design contests where winners get some pecuniary prize. It's another thing altogether when that becomes a business model.
But, in another light, that's capitalism, isn't it? One big contest for who can get the most cheese?
But rights for workers is a good thing.
I'm going to argue with myself about this for the rest of the day, I think.
Any contest where an artist signs away the rights to their work, to the financial gain of the holder is unethical. Be it a neighborhood bully convincing the little kids to collect cans, giving the winner a dollar and cashing in for 25$ or Google conning a bunch of programmers into free labor, it's all a scam.
I do see a difference with contests in children's magazines, or specifically directed to amateurs, done for the sake of fun. What kid, wouldn't want to see their work in the "contest" section of the magazine.
If highlights took the kids work, and put 10 in an anthology to sell for profit - that would be a different matter. They should expect a similar wage to any other author in a similar situation.
(and yes, I realize that the "None of them..." line was apologized for -- but it remains in the thread and was seconded by another poster)
I took out my offensive comment, because it's definitely just me being a snob.
I really question people's impression that 99designs will somehow have a huge impact on the industry. Does anyone who feels this is the case have any data that indicates 99design contests represent any sizeable percent of illustration/graphic design work being done? Most people I know have never heard of it.
I use 99designs for one specific purpose, for a case where I am unsure exactly what kind of design I want and where I would like to get feedback from others before making a final decision. I do think that most of the people entering my contest are generally unestablished (perhaps not quite the right word) and relatively inexperienced. That doesn't mean that they are incapable, hacks and should be written off. I always write individual feedback to each artist who participates in my contest to thank them for the time they have spent and for entering the contest. I show them respect and appreciation.
The front page of 99designs.com has statistics on it.
118 entries per contest. 155,183 contests to date. That means 18,156,411 unpaid entries.
If each contestant averaged 4 hours work on the project - we get 726,256,440$ of unpaid labor (at 10$ an hour.)
Entries 118 x contests 155,183 = 183,115,940$ labor (at minimum wage)
That means 4577 artists could have made 40,000 dollars for a year.
If I multiply the labor by my rate (30$ an hour) that's 13,731 artists.
Maybe 4577 doesn't seem like a huge number. But I don't see the statistics. I see my colleagues that are struggling to find work. I see the guy who had to take a job lugging boxes in a warehouse at night, so he can stay home with his two young daughters in the day time because he can't find work. I see the people I graduated with working at the super market.
So, if my comments come across as personal or bitter- that's not an accident. I can't go to 5 restaurants, have each of them prepare a meal for me and then only choose to eat, and pay for, the one I think looks best. It doesn't matter if I can't figure out if I want Greek or Chinese food before I get there. But it's okay to have 5 artists do it? 118?
I wouldn't ask my friend, who cleans hotels, to come over and clean my bathroom, an accountant to do my taxes, or a lawyer to draft up my freelance contracts - but everyone will ask an artist to make a poster / card /design a tattoo / draw my kid's favorite Pokemon.
Even people I have never met, will come up to me in a public place and ask me to draw their portrait. I'll tell them my rate is 87$ (or some other random number.) They're always shocked, and scurry away.
Yep, I'm bitter. And I really don't mind making people feel bad about being unfair. If people disliking me makes jobs for my colleagues, or hinders this website, I'm cool with that.
