Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines

332 Pages·1997·56.09 MB·English

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Handbook
th
edition
EDITORIAL
Director & project coordinator,
Paul Basista, CAE
Project manager
Simms Taback
Editor
Rachel Burd
Research & editorial production
Yvonne Perano
Counsel
Charles T. McGrath, Esq.
GRAPHIC ARTISTS GUILD
Executive Director
Paul Basista, CAE
National President
Polly Law
DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
Art direction
Simms Taback
Cover art
John Craig
Interior design & prepress
Marilyn Rose Design
Cover printing
Phoenix Color Corp.
Film for book interior
Typeline
Interior printing & binding
Maple Vail Book Manufacturing Group
Vail-Ballou Press
Publisher
Graphic Artists Guild, Inc.
Distributors to the trade
North Light Books
A Division of F&W Publications, Inc.
1507 Dana Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45207
1.800.289.0963
Direct-mail distribution
Graphic Artists Guild
90 John Street, Suite 403
New York, NY 10038
Voicemail: 1.800.878.2753
http://www.gag.org
Copyright 1997, 1994, 1991, 1987
Graphic Artists Guild, Inc.
All rights reserved
ISBN: 0-932 102-09-3
2 3 4 5 6 7 89
1
Contents
Pricing & Marketing Artwork 63
64 Part I: Preparation
71 Part II: Negotiation
76 Part III: Keeping Track
v Foreword 78 Part IV: Collecting
vii Presidents Prologue 88 Part V: Reuse and Other Markets
Acknowledgments
viii
Salaries and Trade Customs 101
x Introduction
103 Employment Conditions
The Professional Relationship 1 104 Starting Salaries
2 How Artwork is Commissioned 104 Selected Job Categories
4 Representatives 104 Broadcast Designers
6 Subcontracting 105 Surface/Textile Designers
7 Brokers 106 Game Development/Multimedia
7 Employment Agencies
Illustration Prices and Trade
7 Sources of Talent
Customs 111
7 Ethical Standards
10 The Graphic Artists Guild Professional 113 Overview
Practices Committee 113 Advertising Illustration
118 Preproduction Art
Legal Rights and Issues 1 122 Corporate and Institutional Illustration
13 Copyright 124 Book Illustration
21 Work for Hire 124 Book Jacket Illustration
23 Rights of Celebrity and Privacy 125 Mass Market and Trade Book Illustration
23 Moral Rights 125 Book Interior Illustration
25 Resale Royalties 126 Children's Book Illustration
25 Original Art 130 Young Adult Book Illustration
25 Fair Practices 132 Editorial Illustration
26 Trademarks 135 Packaging Illustration
27 International and Canadian Copyright 138 Fashion Illustration
141 Greeting Card, Novelty, and Retail
Professional Issues 31
Goods Illustration
32 Deductibility of Artwork 144 Medical Illustration
33 Sales Tax 147 Scientific (Biological) Illustration
34 Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sales 148 Artwork Appearing On-screen
Tax Requirements in New York State 149 Technical Illustration
37 New Technology 151 Architectural/Interior Illustration
37 Employment Issues 154 Dimensional Illustration
40 Cancellation and Rejection Fees 157 Marbling
("Kill Fees") 160 Postage Stamp Illustration
41 Speculation
Graphic Design Prices and
41 Contests and Competitions
Trade Customs 161
New Technology Issues 45
163 Client Relationships
47 Professional Issues for Graphic Design 163 Design Proposal
and Illustration 164 Getting Started
51 Output Methods 164 The Agreement
52 Pricing Considerations for Graphic 165 Trade Practices
Design and Illustration 166 Corporate Graphic Design
53 When Things Go Wrong 169 Chart and Map Design
54 Legal and Ethical Issues 170 Environmental Graphic Design
58 Health Issues 173 Advertising and Promotion Design
59 The Labor Situation 177 Collateral Advertising Design
177 Display and Noveltj Design
178 Publication Design
I II N I I
180 Book Jacket Design 242 Artist-Agent Agreement
182 Book Design 244 Artwork Inventory Form
184 Book Packaging Desigr 245 Computer-Generated Art Job Order Form
i
185 Lettering and Typeface Design 247 Digital Media Invoice
191 Retouching and Photo-]llustration 250 Graphic Designer's Estimate and
192 Production Artist Confirmation Form
252 Graphic Designer's Invoice
Mulltimedia Prices and Trade
254 Illustrator's Estimate and Confirmation
Customs 195
Form
197 Markets 256 Illustrator's Invoice
198 Contract Terms 258 Illustrator's Release Form for Models
199 Pricing 259 Licensing Agreement (Short Form)
200 Project Team 260 Licensing Agreement (Long Form)
200 The Proposal 263 Magazine Purchase Order for
200 Website Design Commissioned Illustration
202 Computer Games 264 Multimedia Job Order Form
205 Software 267 Nondisclosure Agreement for Submitting
206 Other Multimedia Markets Ideas
208 Glossary 268 Surface/Textile Designer-Agent
Agreement
Cartooning Prices and Trade
273 Surface/Textile Designer's Estimate and
Customs 209
Confirmation Form
210 Overview 275 Surface/Textile Designer's Holding Form
215 Editorial Cartooning 277 Surface/Textile Designer's Invoice
215 Original Cartoon Books or Collections 279 Website Design and Maintenance Order
216 Comic Books Form
Animation Prices and Trade The Graphic Artists Guild 283
Customs 219
284 Long-range Goals
221 Animation Studios 285 History of the Guild
221 Cel Animation 288 Member Benefits and Services
221 Computer Animation 290 National Board of Directors
222 2-D and 3-D Computer Animation 290 The Graphic \rtists Guild Directory of
222 Other Forms of Animation IIIlistration
222 Animation is Multicultural 290 The Graphic Artists Guild Foundation
222 Careers 291 On Joining the Guild
224 Salaries 292 Graphic Artists Guild Membership
224 Pricing Application
Surface Design Prices and Resources and References 293
Trade Customs 22 7
294 The Graphic Artists Guild Bookshelf
229 Stencil Design 294 Recommended Heading
229 Licensing 295 Useful Publications
229 Royalties 295 Industry Directories
230 Representatives 296 Talent Databases
230 Trade Practices 296 Related Organizations
296 Merchandise Markets and Shows
Standard Contracts and
297 Glossary
Business Tools 235
Index 305
237 Purchase Orders and Holding Forms
237 Writing a Proposal
238 Parts and Phases ofa Proposal
240 All-Purpose Purchase Order
I' i; I i i\i. I I II I i \ I (. I I n I I I N I
a
Foreword
hen I took my first stab at enter- traditions, to learn by trial and error in order to
ing this profession I was 15 succeed. Instead. I felt like a pinball bounced
years old and still in high around from one office to the next, until fina—lly,
school. Eagerly, I dropped off luckily, and gratefully I hit my own jackpot
my portfolio of cartoons and drawings with a small newspaper, where I got my first break.
very famous magazine art director. I didn't Back in the late 1960s there was no
realize until I returned to fetch it the next day Graphic Artists Guild, and the exclusive pro-
that "drop off" was actually synonymous with fessional clubs and organizations wouldn't
"drop dead." There was no indication that he accept a novice or even a midlevel practitioner
had looked at it. I didn't even receive a in their ranks. There were no guides or docents
preprinted rejection note for my trouble. The to walk one through or explain the ins and outs
experience was so humiliating that it took of the field. Sure, it was comparatively smaller
another year before I gathered my courage to then, but that didn't mean it was anv easier. In
make another foray into the unknown. fact, it was harder; the community \sa> verj
I still had no idea what to expect. All I tight-knit.
knew then was that I wanted to be a commer- Enter the Graphic Artists Guild, and
&
cial artist. So what I lacked in knowledge I thank heavens for the Pricing Ethical
made up for in chutzpah. Guidelines. It is a needed and welcome tool.
Nevertheless, I would have welcomed a While talent is still the requisite, knowledge
guide. If not a warm-blooded mentor, then levels the playing field. This volume ma) not
some kind of road map to steer me through the prevent all the problems young and old practi-
maze of art directors, art buyers, studio man- tioners may encounter, bul it i> insurance
agers, and other such powerful folk who guard- against many of them.
ed the gates like bouncers at a hip nightspot.
Even as I became more experienced, there Steve Heller
were always new situations, new practices and The \eu )<>il, Tunes
I II II I « II II II
To the
113 Detroit artists
who founded the
Graphic Artists Guild
1967-1997
1
President's
Prologue
™any
pundits and futurists have Guild's mission to its members and other
labeled the current era the Age stakeholders. We endeavor to survey and distill
of Information. In reality, we in the experience of thousands of graphic artists
the graphics community have and then present it in a form that is as clear,
always lived in the age of information. Our concise, and readable as possible. In the best
function is the presentation and distribution of of all possible worlds, this book would not be
information. Some of us commission it, some of necessary. But we do not live in such a Utopia.
us create it, some of us prepare, and some of This Handbook, then, is the antidote to the var-
us distribute. Together we provide the world ious ills of our industry from lowballing on
with the ideas and images that persuade, enter- prices to infringement in the form of "comp-
tain, teach, and decorate, but, most of all, we ing." Our industry, which should be the most
inform. The only factor that sets the late twen- keenly aware of the deleterious effects of these
tieth century apart is the technology we and other practices like them, continues to be
employ. Whether the work is done by block undermined. In the race to the bottom, we all
HTML
print or the latest Website graphic, it is end up in the sludge.
still information. So, read and use the Handbook, remember
In order to promote the fairest and most the Golden Rule, oral least keep in mind a
ethical dealings between creators and the rest message I once got from an almond cookie:
of this community, and therefore increase the "Good things are not cheap, cheap things arc
flow of information, the Graphic Artists Guild not good."
produces the book you now hold in your hands. Insolitores res contiguerunt
The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Pollj law
Ethical Guidelines is the embodiment of the National President
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i' it n Ml
Acknowledgments
&
oducing the Handbook: Pricing Ethical Guidelines is a mas-
sive undertaking requiring the coordination and input of
dozens of volunteers, experts, and staff. Every one of them
shares the commitment that this new edition contain the most
current information. The individuals and organizations listed here, contribut-
ing time and expertise to this project, are the reasons for its continued suc-
cess. Without their participation, this monumental project would not have
occurred. The last three editions, each with three printings, all reached or
exceeded 50.000 sold-out copies. We expect this ninth edition to do even
better.
Special thanks are due to Simms Taback, who has art directed and
supervised the production of even edition of the Handbook since the first
edition in 1973. With his extraordinary guidance, his brainchild has matured
from a 20-page booklet to a major resource for buyers and sellers in the
visual communications industries. Special thanks are also due to Rachel
Burd, editor; Marilyn Rose, graphic designer; Yvonne Perano, researcher;
and Rivka Oldak, statistician.
CAE
Paul Basista,
Executive Director
Project Coordinator
Guidelines
VIII I • K I I I \ I. \ I I II I l v