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/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

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2110100 No.2110100 [Reply] [Original]

Hi /ic/, I need your help.

What should I charge a client for around 20 commissioned busts/character presentations intended for use in a videogame?

It's for a small indie project. I chose it because it's perfect for someone with as little work experience as me. I don't know what to charge though.

What would be a logical total amount without alienating my client or underpricing myself?

>> No.2110113

>>2110100
If it's a small indy thing then they probably have a small budget that's not very flexible. Have you tried just asking what their budget is? Often then will be open and just tell you.

Otherwise, I suppose do some quick math on how long it will take you to do all the work, and then figure out what you want as an hourly rate. Tell them a flat rate, but calculate it with an hourly one. What I do usually is I inflate that number a bit, then tell them it is flexible based on the project. So if they have a decent budget I'll get the inflated number, if not, then I'll get the regular number. But I am never dipping down too low. This is a good way too of not scaring off clients since if they have little money it shows you might still be open to working with them.

>> No.2110121

>>2110113
Thanks anon. I do intend to ask them what their budget is based on your advise however I wouldn't want to calculate this on an hourly rate however even though I know the project would take me around two to three weeks to finish.

The client said they're taking bids based on the value of the busts/character concepts. It goes something like this:

5 small character presentations, focusing on face
10 busts and finally
5 full body presentations

>> No.2110141

>>2110100

time it will take you in hours * 30-50$ depending on client. i always propose clients who are hesitant that we can agree on specific milestones, and then split payment in batches of 25% of the total work. that way they feel like they can still pull out if you turn out to suck, and you get a chance to make them go 'fuck yeah this is awesome you are worth the money' after delivering the first batch.

if you are not making 30 bucks an hour though, might aswell spend that time studying because workwise it's barely worth your time then. you can make 50$ an hour doing noskill porn comissions.

>> No.2110194

OP pic is yours?

what can u do?

>> No.2110214

>>2110141
Thank you too anon. I appreciate the advise. I sent an estimate out with a fairly reasonable price.

>>2110194
OP pic isn't mine but I am somewhere around that level.

>> No.2110220
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2110220

>>2110214
I hope I reach that level in 2 months after ending fine arts, not gonna live till get a work >:'/
at pic what i'm learnin to do atm (still gotta finish it), how far am from commisions sempai?

>> No.2110225

>>2110220
Im not OP, but I'd say you're more than 2 months away from doing stuff around the levelp of the image in OP.

You can probably start getting small commissions soon, but to get decent things you'll need more time to develop. Right now your design is pretty generic, doesn't read that well, and not very practical. Hard to judge your entire skill level off one image, but still, feels like you can improve a lot. You're gonna want a portfolio with numerous designs in it, showing process and a variety of different types of characters. Right now if I were an AD and judging you off this one image, I wouldn't be comfortable hiring you because I am not sure you will be able to follow a brief and design the characters I would want. All you've shown is a cluttered design of a generic armor type thing based more on shape than on actual armors. And the way you have drawn it makes some things like the structure of his helmet very unclear, and I can't tell what materials things are, etc.

>> No.2110229

>>2110141
Really, you should be looking at it this way: would you rather be working minimum wage at a McDonalds? No? Then charge slightly more than that. $30 an hour for a nobody is way too high, unless you're knocking this shit out super quick. If I were going to spend 1 hour on each face, 1 hour on each bust, and 2 hours on each full body (25 hours tops), I would charge no more than $500 at the very most, honestly $350 at the lowest. That's like what, $20 or $15 an hour? You'd be lucky to get that working any other job with no experience. Take what you can get OP, if you want to make money, you can be holding onto these arbitrary numbers that /ic/ will pelt you with. Remember: you're only worth what people will pay you.

>> No.2110233

>>2110225
thx u a lot

>> No.2110273

>>2110100
http://seanwes.com/podcast/145-getting-started-with-value-based-pricing/

http://seanwes.com/podcast/146-attracting-clients-and-positioning-the-conversation-around-value/

http://seanwes.com/podcast/147-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-value-based-pricing/

Also, Graphic Artists Guild Guidbook on Ethical Based pricing or whatever the fuck it's called.

Don't undersell yourself, but take into consideration where the indie studio stands.