Ah some questions i had are answered here. Thanks.

:thanks

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Thank you for this.

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I knew it.

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_{#phillydeviants • tom shakely • myspace}

« Visit the deviantART and BandMerch Portal Link is broken

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[`flameturret]
Former Help Desk Staff
Community Development
deviantART.com
flameturret.com

BAD BAD BAD!

# 8 Do I retain rights to my artwork when I submit to the Community Marketplace?

Rights to your artwork are yours unless your design is chosen by BandMerch and you sign their submission agreement and receive payment. At that time the design becomes the property of BandMerch.

An artist should NEVER sell all rights. A total buyout at this kind of price UNDERVALUES YOUR artwork and HURTS other artists in the process! You are basically committing art suicide by doing this. Artists who are serious about their art generally make MUCH more than this when a buyout of ALL rights is done. I refer you all over to GAG The Graphic Artist's Guild for standards on this. The contract monitor can be found here on their site with examples. If any of you have any questions I would say email GAG as they are VERY friendly. If the artist is chosen, you can your © adios from the way it looks.

# 13 What is Spec work and what are the pros and cons?

Spec work, the sweatshop of art. No one does spec work, it's flat out unethical. Again it undervalues your work as an artist. If someone likes your work they should hire you straight away based on your abilities and talent. When you walk into a doctors office, do they do spec work....I wish! When you go to dinner, do you eat on spec? I wish! Spec work is BAD.....flat out BAD and VERY unprofessional.

I refer you ALL over to this article about GAG and Contests posted on Creative Latitude [link] I also URGE you ALL to read it if you are seriously considering entering this.

Some highlights from the article:


The similarity to speculative design work is blatant in many of these “competitions.” (A great piece about dealing with “spec” work situations can be found on Creative Latitude). Designers are being asked to create work for the chance that their work might be selected or used by the client. In these cases the carrot being dangled is often a prize of significantly less value than the designer could earn if contracted directly to produce the work. Instead of committing themselves and contracting with one design professional, the business or organization in question is setting up a veritable smorgasbord of creative possibilities for themselves, with little consideration for the individual designer or the value of their time and talents.

In all cases, the Graphic Artists Guild (GAG) suggests that those conducting competitions initially review existing work of designers or artists, rather than requiring the execution of newly created, speculative work. Through a process of elimination, finalists are then asked to possibly submit rough sketches prior to being named the finalist for the project contract. A number of guideline recommendations then help the event sponsor select a final art piece or design. The organization also stresses that any prize awarded should be commensurate with the fair market value of the work being done. GAG also recommends that the individual creating the work should retain a variety of rights for the work done.

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Don't just , COMMENT as well!
Prints of Hot Rods, Nature and Retro Themes!

Wow. At least they can't claim nobody reads the news.

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- *MegMcMuffin

KK you speak the truth.. this is a poor attempt at waylaying the band-merch crtisims.. but i was very surprised to here bandmerch would not normallty pay other designers more than this.. infact i suppose they must just have internal designers on a salary.

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i could put a link here to my gallery: but if you want to see it you could just move your pointer up a couple of inches and click my name?

amen to that........it's all about educating yerself as an artist.....

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Don't just , COMMENT as well!
Prints of Hot Rods, Nature and Retro Themes!

I know....very depressing. Honestly let's look at the facts. I did a CD cover a couple years ago that took me about 20 hrs....I was compensated for all the time I spent, I did 3 revisions, the entire layout in Quark, back, frt, inside with 5 pages, cd design itself. I was paid 1500- straight accross and still own my rights to the cover. And this IS an INDY label! Known to pay less than major labels. I just get sick of people not knowing what's up and thinkin "OMG! The bands! I love them! I would even do it for free! Great expsoure!" ~BUZZ~!!!! Wrong. While the exposure may be great, it is people like this that undermind and undervalue our industry as a whole. Spec work is bullshit, straight accross. Its up there with Work for Hire IMO. It's a way for companies to take advantage of artist's and get stuff on the fly for next to nothing. U like my work, fine., Hire me based on my EXISTING images, my portfolio, don't ask me to do ya full on artwork and NOT expect to compensate me. be professional, get a contract,.....aqnd hire me on my talent. Not "call for entries with spec cuz Blink182 wants too BS and they are a big band and blah blah blah" yeah so big that they can't afford to actually HIRE someone from DA to do a cover? How about a call for entries based on EXISTING artwork people already have here? Hmmm wow a thought! Instead of the not in the know kid who is gonna spend 15 hrs on a cd cover and make jack shit fdr it when he could be sellin it!?!?!?
This is a topic I feel VERY strongly about. I didn't spend over 50k on a BFA in illustration and minors in GD and FA to do damned spec work. People will jump at this I know...but it's sad....it's amazing how many are really uneducated about the industry as a whole and how people WILL take advantage of you if u let em..../end rant

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Don't just , COMMENT as well!
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