How to Deal With People That Expect Free Art From an Artist
HELPING ARTISTS Main THE Business organization OF ART, 1 STRATEGY AT A TIME
How to Handle a Friends Request for Free Digital Art
A reader sent me this email, asking for help: "An sometime friend asked if they could use ane of my painting images for his company's website and newsletters. He's a nice guy, and I desire to exist generous. But…. He's not offer payment. He said he would credit my proper noun "in print somewhere."
I want to help, simply, I don't want to give my art abroad for nothing. How exercise I make both of us happy?"
(*Ginny Bloom is an Alias to protect the identity of my reader!)
Friends asking for use of your artwork in exchange for, uh, nothing….
is a recurring trouble, when you're an artist. Some of your friends don't realize that being an artist, while enjoyable, is a Business organization!
Their ignorance is not meant to exist harmful, oft they truly don't understand what'due south it like to exist in concern for yourself.
(But merely imagine calling a friend who's a chef and saying "Hey, I'd love a home cooked meal tonight. Can y'all just whip me up something quick, since it's so piece of cake for you?!")
Oftentimes we get requests from people wanting to use my artist hubby, Drew Brophy's art (for gratuitous).
At times, we are willing to trade employ of his art in return for True PROMOTIONAL VALUE (see definition below), with people that we actually similar or actual charities that we care almost.
Since most people don't know, I often have to spell out what they specifically need to exercise to give us True PROMOTIONAL VALUE in exchange for the art.
Unremarkably, people are happy to oblige, one time they know what we desire. After all, they tin't pigment it themselves!
But, this case is a little different, in that there's no work required up front, and you truly desire to allow them use it gratis of charge, only at the same time you want it to be a fair trade.
Exchange use of the artwork for TRUE promotional value. And place limits on what they can use it for, and for how long, in writing. (You should always specify limits, 100% of the time, with anybody, anyway.)
True promo value has the following aspects:
- The artist's name is clearly posted (and signature legible on the art itself)
- The artist'due south copyright observe is clearly legible near or on the art (i.e. "Artwork to a higher place (c) Ginny Blossom")
- At that place'south a Direct LINK to the artist's website, in an easy to discover identify
- At that place's a well written and visible message virtually the artist, on their website and newsletters. (For instance: "Ginny Blossom is the creative person of this beautiful art. Please visit her website at www.GinnyBloom.com".)
Promotional Value IS NOT Plant in this manner:
- Mentioning your name in fine print (nobody reads fine print!)
- Press or displaying your fine art without your signature and copyright notice clearly legible
- Not having a link to your website
Allow me remind you of this: If your friend is not an art marketing wizard, they probably do non know what TRUE PROMO VALUE looks like. So it's your task to tell them.
The best way to brand information technology clear is to put it in writing. I've fabricated information technology piece of cake for you – you tin can use the letter of the alphabet below (modify it to suit your needs):
——————————————————————————————————————
Cheers for the email and I'g flattered that you lot want to use my artwork for your newsletters and your webpage.Yes, I'm happy to let you use the artwork at no accuse for those two specific uses for 12 months;all I inquire for in return is the following:1 – The artwork bear my signature and my legal copyright notice in a legible manner, like this: "Artwork (c) GINNY Blossom"2 – That in your newsletters and your website, y'all include the following blurb in a prominent location nearly the art: "The Artwork titled "BLOOMING CACTUS" shown above was created past GINNY BLOOM. Help usa thank her past visiting her website at http://GinnyBloom.com ."If this volition work for you, let me know and I"ll send y'all the artwork via email, and so send me a link to testify me how y'all have displayed it on your site and in your newsletters.
——————————————————————————————————————
.
Often, when we specify what we demand from someone, we arrive easier for them to please united states of america, in return for u.s. pleasing them. In the stop, everyone feels practiced virtually it!
Delight, allow me know in the comments if you have encountered this in your career, and if so, how did you handle it?
18 Comments → How to Handle a Friends Asking for Free Digital Art
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Source: https://mariabrophy.com/business-of-art/how-to-handle-a-friends-request-for-free-digital-art.html
Agree! I would off load the "friends" before I'd give any art away. Money talks and yous know the remainder. A friend is very simply a human being who wants something from you at footling or no toll.
Stephen, cheers for your comment! I recall most of our friends and family just don't realize how the business of art works, and and so it's our job to help them learn. Usually, the intentions are expert!
Bright manner to keep your friends while request them to respect your business concern! I'd like to advise that the artist too mention that they normally license their images, and inquire their friend for referrals to paying customers they may know. This could add fifty-fifty more promotional value.
I take given art to friends simply afterward having seen some of it become dormant there with them resulting in no future referrals or recognition I never give it up once again. Even donations since these unremarkably are never respected properly. This is why I no longer donate whatever art for whatsoever cause. Fine art has the quality of presence more than not-fine art objects and is a reflection of our being.
On the other hand fine art I've sold or traded and which had been properly compensated for and noted for the record hangs adjacent to some of the most prominent artists in the earth.
Your statement proves how expensive art should belong in the hands of responsible people who respect your art work'south value as if it were y'all, since it really is yous.
Von
Thanks for the well thought out response, Von!
Carolyn, cheers for the suggestion, I hold! Asking for referrals to paying clients is a expert thought, and people who care most us are happy to practice it.
Astonishing art! I like such gratis fashion.
Cheers over again for a clear informative mail-out.
I have establish that it tin can get very awkward when you are asked by 'friends' for art piece of work, they seem to think yous do a scribble in 5 minutes and there it is Ta Da! – unfortunately this seems to happen with most design services – people have no idea about the time information technology actually takes to complete a pattern – I oftentimes use the "so would you lend me your car/business organisation time for free?" this often does the flim-flam.
Mimi
Wonderful advice as usual! Sometimes the hardest thing for me as a highly visual person is to communicate verbally. This is very helpful and a professional style to deal with the many requests we receive! Thanks!
This is really very overnice! I am grateful for this data!
This article came at perfect timing and information technology'south helped other artists in my circle. I am struggling, equally a new artist someone wants to utilize my art for their logo. The "12 month" clause won't actually work for them merely I yet can't wrap my head around getting paid just for people using my image. Maybe it's time to buy that art licensing e-book… I've already used your letter layout. Cheers for the help you've been giving.
Rachael, come up up with a price that works for you. Most logos cost anywhere from $500 – $10,000, depending on the logo. In this case, if you but charged the minimum and gave them the rights to use information technology in perpetuity, they should be really happy about that! It'southward a slap-up deal. And, you lot're getting paid too. Win win all the mode effectually.
Thank you for your ongoing generosity in profitable Artists.
I am currently designing lines for "general" market, however, I practise have several pieces of Biblical fine art already.
I was asked by a ministry to use one of my pieces as a wrap on a semi-truck, to spread God's word. I am all near spreading His message, however I practice want this to be a wise business deal likewise.
I have no idea how to accuse in this unique circumstance. Any thoughts? Thank you.
This was an excellent commodity! The timing was off every bit I had just donated a piece to an organization, it didn't sell at the sale (I think they put a bottom line price on it) and they can't seem to ship it back until January when their board meets to corroborate the $60 packing and shipping expense. Trust me, this WILL NOT happen to me over again – thanks to you.
Go along writing!
Best,
Pat
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My scenario is a bit dissimilar. I'thousand from brazil and i live in usa. I'chiliad a painter. I started a year ago and I'm doing very well. But i experience irritaded when my friends say "i don't desire whatsoever souvenir i want you to exercise a painting about me." , " i want you to pigment something for me"
Quite honestly i feel very ticked off.
I take told 2 people this "this is not how i work. I paint what inspires me. What comes from me. I don't paint for others unless I'm getting paid or else I'k inspired to practice it so"
Simply in my head you don't ask for gifts. And y'all certainly don't ask for free art. Even if you lot're my bff.
Dear Maria,
this is so very helpful! I'm living in a state of constant and eternal gratefulness for your work and book 😉 ! I actually remembered having read yous about this topic and looked it up again.
This is why:
A friend I made recently asked me if he could use one of my images for his new podcast. The theme of the podcast fits with my brand (travel lifestyle). I was thinking to permit him to use the image with my signature visible, plus linking to my person as you advise in the notes of the episodes and a mentioning of my person and where to find me in the outset (or finish) of each episode. Of class, I continue the copyrights.
Here is what I am unsure about and it is nigh where emotional attachment to the image and being new to the business side mix: I'd like to tell him that he can utilize it for 6 o 12 months for "gratis" and that nosotros tin then renegotiate. I think there is potential for time to come deals and cooperations (merch, expositions), since he is skillful in edifice communities. Only – and this is the emotional part: I love this paradigm! It is a very personal one. I would like to see information technology become a valued office of a skillful projection, but I'd not want to see it being misused. I feel similar an image for a podcast becomes very much part of a brand, and this image is very of import to me, so I definitely want to proceed control of it (I'll ever keep the rights to this one) just I'd likewise similar to encounter it develop somewhere else and I feel at that place is a certain tension…..Also, what if I wanted to use it for my ain make? Practice you have any thoughts on how to deal with this?
Be always well,
Linn