Creator Advice - Working With Freelancers
How to properly build and maintain relationships with talented people
Full disclosure: I’m a decent writer, but I have ZERO artistic talent. I have deep envy for people who can draw, sing, paint, and so on. Over the last fifteen years, I’ve had the privilege to develop strong relationships with artists and illustrators, and I want to share some of the lessons I’ve learned that may help you do the same.
Be Upfront About Work-For-Hire
Tell them precisely what the art will be used for if it’s not for personal use. Many of them assume that you are commissioning art for personal use. If you are intending this to be art that you use commercially (such as reposting it to your Patreon backers as I do), say so. Their prices may vary based on that. Just so there is no confusion, share them what you mean by work-for-hire by directing them to this Wikipedia link if they’re not intimately familiar with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_for_hire
This means you fully own the art as if you’d done it yourself. They can’t resell it, repost it to their own Patreon (if they have one), or even use it in their portfolio without your permission. (I always give them that permission so long as it’s lower resolution and lightly watermarked.)
Don’t Prepay—But Pay Promptly!
I know this one is going to cause a stir, and I’m prepared for it. In fifteen years, I’ve lost HUNDREDS of dollars in paid commissions that I never got. Inversely, I paid 100% of the artists I ordered commissions from. But I get that there are crooks out there and artists need to protect themselves.
This is why I’ve developed the following interaction process in order to share and minimize the risk, and build a relationship of trust over time.
Discuss terms and deadlines with the artist. Clear expectations avoid irritation and misunderstandings down the road.
Describe the commission in great detail and provide pose & character references. It’s important so the artists knows exactly what you want, and how, and don’t guess only to be told during the feedback round that “that’s not what I wanted.” The artist then needs to get started on the sketch to submit for your approval. NOTE: the artist is taking a chance trusting you. Be mindful and respectful of that.
Wait for the sketch. When it comes, send the payment RIGHT AWAY (within 24 hours). I cannot insist enough on promptness of payment. Then be QUICK and provide feedback that’s consistent with the description you provided. If you didn’t specify what you wanted clearly, that’s on you. Live with it unless it’s a TINY change that the artist doesn’t mind doing. Be respectful of the artist’s time.
Wait for the art. Now this is the part where you’re taking a chance trusting the artist. The artist might disappear and all you have for your money is a sketch. But in 15 years, that hasn’t happened to me nearly as much (I may have lost about $50 through that process).
The art arrives and all is well. Repeat the process over and over. You’re not just getting art; you’re building trust and deepening the relationship.
You’ll run into artists who won’t take work if you don’t prepay. It’s up to you to decide if you want to take that risk—I know I don’t do it anymore unless it’s a VERY SMALL amount or if it’s someone who’s established and has a good reputation (here, Google is your friend—check them out). This is a business where reputation matters—yours and theirs. Remember that.
Respect the Artist
As with everything, show respect and courtesy when interacting with freelance artists. Their time is also money. Asking for endless alterations is especially disrespectful if you contradict something you’ve specifically asked for in your original description. If this happens (sometimes, it looks better in your mind than what you get on paper), acknowledge you’re changing your mind, but also promise to learn from it (and please follow-up on that promise). Artists are forgiving if they know you’re being honest and sincere. If you keep doing it, they should charge you for their time and you should pay for it. (You can even proactively offer to pay for extra changes, they’ll respect you for it.)
Build Relationships—It's Worth It
I have several artists that I’ve been working with for years on a monthly basis. My “oldest” artist relationship goes back 15+ years and it’s smooth and easy. The best part of developing such a long-standing relationship is the implicit trust behind our interactions. They prioritize my work because they know they’ll get paid PROMPTLY and they won’t have to wait for my feedback. I don’t ask for ENDLESS changes that costs them money, and they feel respected through the process. And for me, it’s simple: a sketch comes in? I put everything aside, I send the money, I send the feedback, and it’s done. It’s quick and it’s not rocket science.
But more importantly, having long-standing relationships with artists means they get comfortable with your material. They know your characters, they know what you like, and they get that done without you even needing to ask for it (also another time saver, and it helps you get what you want). In some cases, they even take liberties and add things that’s not in the script or description, and it’s a delightful surprise when you get the art.
And above all this, having those long-standing relationships to call upon means credibility when you approach artists you’ve never worked with. You can give these artists as references and a new, suspicious artist will feel reassured because of your track record. That’s immensely valuable.
Fire Away!
I’m curious to see what you think and how you (other creators without artistic talent) interact with freelance artists. Do you agree with me? Disagree? I’m deeply interested in learning what works for everyone else. If you’re an artist, how do you feel about this?
See you in the comment section.
—Jaycee