crampedcomics

Freelancing – Working for Exposure, When to and When to Not

Lately I’ve had a number of enquiries from companies and individuals wanting to commission me, and pay me in promises of “exposure”.

In fact I’ve had around 10 individual emails about such commissions in the past two months, which lead me to adding an information section to my contact page – stating that I would not work for free or for “exposure”, and the emails seem to have stopped for now.

And due to this I thought I’d blog about working for exposure, based on my experiences with such approaches and actual “commissions”.

Back when I was just starting out in University and desperately trying to market myself and my work I was naive enough to become rather excited at the prospect of gaining “exposure” with my work, I was of course approached by several “companies” and lots of individuals promising to share my work with thousands of people, which would totally lead me to being known and would eventually lead to real paid jobs.

None of the free work I did back then ever gained me a sniff in the industry, it just helped to line the pockets of the people who essentially gained free illustrations to sell how they pleased.

WHEN TO

This isn’t to say that ALL free work is a waste of time, by any means.

Magazine Publications: A legitimate Photoshop/illustration/creative magazine approaches you, wishing to either use your existing work for their magazine, or requesting you to illustrate their next cover. This is worth working for free. Providing they; Properly credit you and your work, link to your website and add your contact details. Then by all means, say yes!

That kind of “work for free” could be seen by hundreds maybe thousands of readers and legitimately expose your work, this kind of exposure could lead to paid work due to the audience it brings in for each publication. Art directors may read that magazine if it is a legitimate publication. Do your reasearch first before you agree to this, some people may be posing as publishers, or “just starting out”. Make sure the magazine or publication you’re submitting your work for is already established.

Charities: This is something that is always worth the free contributions of work, donating your work to church or charity art shows is a good way to gain exposure and help your community. I still strongly advise doing your research, make sure the charity you are submitting to is of a legitimate nature. Some very cruel people do pose as charities and snag donation money and merchandise.

Interviews and Trials: This is exactly as it sounds, providing example work for an interview is fine, as is completing a brief for a “trial”. Providing your work is not then used for profit and is simply used to judge your ability and quality of work, then by all means!

 

WHEN NOT TO

 

Generally any kind of legitimate “feature” work would be worth your time,  stay away from feature work where you have to pay for it! I’ve had telesales approach me with offers like “We’d love to feature youre work in our illustration magazine!” and with my enthusiastic replies of “That sounds awesome!

Can I have more information about the feature?” they soon follow with swift murmurs of “Sure. It’ll just cost you $200″

If a company wants to feature you in their publication, you should never have to pay for it!

Book Publications: Be it paperback or Comic Books, working for free for something that will be published and sold is never a good idea, you are simply lining the pockets of other people and gaining nothing for it. I have, back in the day, been suckered into doing free work for comic book “companies” in promises of exposure and have gained squat from it. Would-be publishing houses and individuals rarely will gain an audience large enough for your work to actually be “exposed” and tend not to be worth your while to work for free.

It’s sometimes nice to show in your portfolio however, if the company is at least offering you free copies of said publication.

It can be really tempting to do exposure based commissions, and even though it isn’t advisable, it’s not always a terrible thing if you are just starting out, however make sure that you are being properly credited, that your work will be seen by an actual audience, the company is of a legitimate nature and the commissioner isn’t just trying to make a quick buck.

Sketchy “Companies”: I have had a few emails from apparent “CEO’s” of a company I’ve never heard of – and can’t find anywhere on the internet or yellow pages – offering to “display” my work in their next show, or their magazine, or simply asking me to design them a toy and giving me “credit” for the design!

When I receive any kind of commission email from a company or business, I immediately try to find more about them, google their company name or their email address. If for some reason I find nada, then I tend to become rather suspicious, especially if it’s offers of exposure.

If you cant find any trace of the company, then their legitimacy is instantly squashed, try to stay clear of these offers.

Unless there is a contact name, and contact details attached with your images, then your work is not being “exposed” at all, you will likely never gain any work from it, and no one will ever know that you are the illustrator.

What Working For Exposure Actually is

Working for Exposure, essentially is working for free. And by doing and agreeing to this you are doing a number of things:

• You are essentially saying your work isn’t worth being paid for.
• You are earning money for someone who hasn’t worked for it.
• You are continuing an idea illustrations can be acquired free of charge if one looks around enough or finds someone “desperate” enough to supply them.
• You are continuing an ignorant idea that Illustration isn’t a real job and thus shouldn’t be paid for.
• “It doesn’t cost you anything to do it, so why should be pay for it?”

All in all, working for exposure will always be working for free, no matter how you word it. Doing this fresh out of college or university is a good way to break into the industry, providing you do your research and ensure that you actually are being exposed. Simply providing free illustrations to a small time company for their in company newsletter isn’t going to get you anywhere, neither is providing a logo for a company seen by millions of people, if your name or contact details are nowhere to be seen.

You can’t pay the bills with exposure, buy a burger or even ride a bus, exposure means nothing in the world of finance, so if you do it, make sure you are at least being compensated in some way, be it free copies of the product or a guarantee of an audience and credits.

 

Posted by Rachel George, Freelance Illustrator. http://www.rebornrebirth.com

About the Author

Rachel George is a freelance illustrator, raised in England now living in North Bay, Canada. She is mostly found in her studio at home scrawling away in digital illustration. Her favorite commissions tend to be from publishing companies and games art.

Her website and gallery can be viewed at: http://www.rebornrebirth.com

FEWII Comic Book Q&A Pt 15 (Art Supply Walk Through) 1/3

True Blood Vol. 1: All Together Now Comic Book Collection & Exclusive Comic T-Shirt $34.99 True Blood fans, check out the True Blood Vol. 1: All Together Now Comic Book Collection & Exclusive Comic T-Shirt! This HBO Shop Exclusive bundle includes True Blood Volume 1: All Together Now Hardcover Comic Book and the Exclusive Cover Comic Book T-Shirt. The art is taken from a Comic Con 2010 Exclusive True Blood Comic Book #1 cover and is featured on the inside cover of the hardcover comic book. The True Blood Vol. 1: All Together Now Comic Book Collection & Exclusive Comic T-Shirt makes a great gift, so order yours today.

Art Supplies $13.59 As an accomplished musician, Arthur Pochon (aka Art Bleek) has evolved and developed his production craft over the last ten years and his latest opus ‘Art Supplies’ weaves elements of house, funk, soul, jazz, rare groove and more into a rich musical tapestry. With further help from vocalists such as Ursula Rucker, Voice, Nya, Charlie Sputnik and Airelle Besson ‘Art Supplies’ reveals many depths and textures over thirteen tracks of shimmering, heart-felt grooves. In 2001, his music drew the attention of several recording labels which released tracks on various compilations under the Art Bleek name. He started actively performing on the Paris club scene as a saxophonist alongside deejays and with various projects and also started spinning an eclectic blend of jazz, nu-jazz, broken beats, bossa-nova, world, soul and rare groove records in hip Parisian bars and restaurants.

True Blood Exclusive Cover Comic Book T-Shirt $9.97 The True Blood Exclusive Cover Comic Book T-Shirt features art taken from a Comic Con 2010 Exclusive True Blood Comic Book #1 cover. This HBO Shop Exclusive features the cast of True Blood with foil treatment and the IDW Comic Book logo. The True Blood Exclusive Cover Comic Book T-Shirt is available in limited quantities, get yours today.

Comic Book $11.19 About a year ago four Swiss brothers smashed it with a couple of EPs featuring heavyweights Sizzla, Cutty Ranks and underground legends Oddatee and Sensational. BBC1′s host Mary Anne (we’re missing you!) Hobbs took notice and dropped the debut on her show – positioning Talen amidst the cream of the Bass scene. Instead of basking in the limelight and peacefully riding out the wave, the duo holed up in the studio for another year to create an even thicker package … Comic Book is the end result! The EP features the vocal talent of Lady Saw,Turbulence and Ward 21. Remix duty is handled by the Bass mafia international: Stereotyp, Kalbata, Robot Koch, Reverse Engineering, Son Of Kick, Filewile, I-Wolf and King Aron. The package covers the chew-your-bass-cabinets-off type of Future Dancehall, explores detail filled Post Step and of course touches on some sounds that are just impossible to categorize! The vinyl includes all 3 Talen originals and remixes by Robot Koch, Son Of Kick and Kalbata. The rest of the package is available only as download (included with Vinyl 12′)

Psychedelic Lollipop/Electric Comic Book $12.98 In 1999, Collectables released Psychedelic Lollipop/Electric Comic Book, which contained two complete albums — Psychedelic Lollipop (1966, originally released on Mercury) and Electric Comic Book (1967, originally released on Mercury) — by the Blues Magoos on one compact disc. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi