So how do I find an artist for a business?

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Fenika

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Hello artists :) I need a 'simple' drawing of a horse head, similar to my avatar, and I have no idea how to start commissioning (or otherwise getting) this. I would prefer a pencil/charcoal/similar that will look good on a business card or a letterhead and hopefully on an eventual truck and farm sign too. I've seen this work with horse head outlines but I'm hoping for something more detailed.

So how do I start and what would the going pay range be?

Oh, and I should note I can't hire anyone for a few months until I get other details sorted. I just want to get some info and see who here is doing horses and such.
 

Gale Haut

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I think it's wonderful that you're looking for a traditional art rendering for your business! I would say you are in the right place. We have several artists here who have experience in the mediums listed. I personally have experience illustrating and designing for corporations, including a small publishing company. Though everything I do is from a digital perspective.

Since you are planning to display the image in several different sizes including large vehicle wraps, you are going to eventually need a designer to render a scalable vector format for you, just like you would need for a logo design.

So how do I start and what would the going pay range be?

There really isn't a going pay range. This sometimes depends on what kind of services you need, how much consultation it takes to get the design right, and how much revision or the number of mock ups before the project is finalized. Many designers/illustrators will choose a minimum flat rate and charge hourly beyond a certain number of hours.
 

Fenika

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Cheers :) But I think I need scalable vector translated as I'm ignorant to what that involves!
 

Alessandra Kelley

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Cheers :) But I think I need scalable vector translated as I'm ignorant to what that involves!

It means instead of the image being made of pixels, it's made of shapes and curves.

Normal pixel art when blown up to a larger size gets all jaggy and low-res.

Scalable vector art stays smooth no matter how big it gets.

That at least is how I understand it. Gale Haut is more of an expert here, as I am something of a Luddite.
 

Chumplet

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If a piece of art is saved large enough, it can handle several sizes and formats. Vector art can be created in Adobe Illustrator, with smooth edges. It can be enlarged to banner size without any degradation to detail. If you need something enlarged to, say, about 11"x14", a high resolution scan of regular art should suffice.

My daughter uses a tablet to create her art, mostly in Photoshop, but mine is usually pencil, then ink, then scanned if necessary. But she does animation. I do horses. If you need really big vector art, I can probably figure it out.
 

Gale Haut

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It means instead of the image being made of pixels, it's made of shapes and curves.

Normal pixel art when blown up to a larger size gets all jaggy and low-res.

Scalable vector art stays smooth no matter how big it gets.

That at least is how I understand it. Gale Haut is more of an expert here, as I am something of a Luddite.

Alessandra smashed it on the nose. Any logo or branding design work should be made in the right format from the beginning. If you expect these images to be used on billboards or in a TV ad, you need to use a filetype that can be scaled indefinitely without losing the integrity of the image.

The reason I brought it up, is because you might be purchasing traditional art, which has a maximum size of the size of the canvas it's drawn on. Someone will have to trace it for rescaling in order for you to use it the way you describe. Vector tracing is what Chumplet is talking about here:

If a piece of art is saved large enough, it can handle several sizes and formats. Vector art can be created in Adobe Illustrator, with smooth edges. It can be enlarged to banner size without any degradation to detail. If you need something enlarged to, say, about 11"x14", a high resolution scan of regular art should suffice.
 

Fenika

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Thanks everyone :) That all makes sense. I think the largest the image would have to go is about 15x15 maybe. That's still a huge difference from the corner of a business card though!

Chumplet, your paintings are lovely. I like the Belgian and how you captured her.
 

Rachel Udin

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Not sure if this is still relevant... but you asked for the How... so I'll give it.

1. You first ask for the portfolio of the artist. See the *range* with which they work to see their capabilities. Vector, raster, traditional, colors, etc. If you're not sure you can always get a friend that knows basics to review their portfolio for you.

The mistake people make often is to fixate on an idea of what they want and then see what *exactly* matches it in the portfolio. What you really want is to see if they have the *capability* to do so.

2. Ask about prices.
This is merely a query phase.

This is overall price and the price for consultation and revisions. If you are demanding to pay 15-20 dollars for the entire art piece, that's usually low balling--so shop around, but look at quality more than price. Often for things like logos where they are your brand, you want to pay that extra money for a good artist and save up rather than go cheap and end up with a less imaginative result.

3. Write up a *detailed* list of things you expect in the final piece. Remember that the artist might have the vision, but if you aren't specific, revisions cost extra.

I'll admit that people being unspecific in what they want in art often burns a lot of time. If you're unspecific, I believe that you're leaving it up to me. If you're not leaving it up to me, but have a ballpark, then figure it out. Indecisiveness costs YOU, the client money. From the artist end it's kind of annoying, but if you're going to pay me for it, go ahead. Flip flop alll you want.

For the parts you don't know or aren't sure of, Write it's up to you.

4. Give that detailed report to the person who is doing the commission and ask if they are capable. Consultation fee kicks in at this point for pros.

5. If you *agree* you can work out a contract together. Generally you are the client, and they are the artist. (Artists, don't put down employee). Find a standard one, put down what the commission was into the contract and work out details of ownership and licensing. Do this BEFORE the picture is made. It usually is 10-30% of the contract up front, with another at the halfway mark, and then they tell you they are finished and hold the art hostage while you pay the final amount. This way neither gets shafted. (Most contract work runs this way). Work out a rough due date taking in account for time for revisions.

6. On Revisions and allowing revisions should be in the original contract. Effective of them creating it and you supplying the idea, they effectively still hold copyright and are licensing you to use it since ideas are not copyrightable. (Your write up is copyrightable, but not the ideas contained in it). If you want to pay for complete rights, that'll jack you up. I heard one pro say he was paid 5,000 dollars for one piece and he said that was cheap. If you make a revision without permission that runs into the derivatives and also copyright violations.

Revisions should be paid for. All revisions. They are putting the time and effort in.

If someone is working a burger stand and the customer forgot to say medium rare instead of well done, the burger employee still gets paid for the person's mistake. If the burger employee makes a mistake on the order and makes it again, they still get paid for fixing the mistake. Art should be the same. (Some people don't get this, so this is more for the general audience)

I'd ask around, look for references, search through concept art and maybe deviant art. The person doesn't specifically have to draw say, horses, they just need basic horse head anatomy, a sense of value (light and shadow) and probably you would want to pay someone to vector the head if it's for a logo. (If you want to use it on a poster or a huge banner in the future, you need it to be able to scale, which means you'd have to pay someone to vector it, which means twice the cost)
 

Fenika

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Wow, thank you. And still relevant as I hope to get started early next year and have a logo by Spring.
 
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