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Suppose there is this artist couple that both have well-tended-to online portfolios and post often to all the social medias. Some of their works sometimes get a little attention, but generally they're unable to find any jobs in their field or get any meaningful exposure on their arts. What can they do? (Except for sharing their stuff whenever they get the chance: http://www.vankingdom.tumblr.com/ | http://pizzamakesgames.itch.io/)
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Jan 9, 2016 19:21
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Both would sound like I'm being an rear end in a top hat about it, but I'd work on fundamentals of art, broaden styles of both, and write a few people you really admire to maybe critique on your works for them to say the same but whose opinion you'd actually listen to. I took a peek at both blogs and it's just a bit generic and beginner-like. Edit: it's fine to be all about anime and pixel art, but both just look like beginner anime and pixel drawings, and again that's fine just not for any serious commercial work. Example of good commercial anime work level is http://sakimichan.deviantart.com/ pixel art - take a look at any however small successful indie game and start there. Strotski fucked around with this message at 20:10 on Jan 9, 2016 |
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Jan 9, 2016 20:05
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I can only speak for myself but I agree on my pixel art being total beginner level. I'd never try and find work as a pixel artist. If anything I'd think my music would be on a little more acceptable level to try anything in a commercial direction, which I've been a little successful in by having two of my albums featured in effectively 1-dollar bundles at Groupees.com and getting some audio asset packs sold. If anything I'd hope to be of some use to anybody with money to spend in the department of either developing games for the indie niche, supplying chiptune music or retro sound effects of any kind as well as producing videos, example for promotional purposes in the gaming industry. Thank you very much for taking the time to look at either blog, though! Pizzatime fucked around with this message at 20:51 on Jan 9, 2016 |
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Jan 9, 2016 20:49
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Well, you didn't specify music part, so I immediately assumed you'd rather do pixel art. I cannot really comment on your music, as I do not make music myself, I did like it though, and it works as video game music so uhh there's that? Keep at it, both of you, art is tough and professional art is hell.
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Jan 9, 2016 21:55
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Thank you, we will! In the meantime, my better half drew a little comic that I think showcases that she does work on broadening her styles quite well.  http://vankingdom.tumblr.com/image/137010954762
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Jan 10, 2016 14:47
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I think this is the right thread to ask this kind of question. So I'll be doing some part-time work for a company through Upwork as a freelance graphic designer, and I just wanted to make sure I had all of my facts straight now instead of having to worry about things later. By the looks of things Upwork will not be sending me a 1099-MISC, and instead I'll be sent a 1099-K(I think this is why I'm asking.) Here's the exact wording from their site: "Because of recent changes to the tax code, Upwork no longer sends US freelancers a 1099-MISC. All US freelancers must file a W-9 so that a 1099-K can be sent, if applicable." I've provided my W-9 information already and have a filing status of "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC". If I understand this correctly, I'll receive the form in the mail near the end of the year from them. Though I also need to figure out how to file any other additional money I make doing graphic design work, such as working with clients directly and being paid via Paypal and such. I've looked up a few resources but if anyone knows somewhere solid that'll let me get a handle on how much money I need to keep off to the side for tax purposes I'd appreciate it. I know that one option is to send my taxes in through a few transactions in the year, but I want to cover all the options.
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Jan 11, 2016 00:03
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Arthil posted:I think this is the right thread to ask this kind of question. 50%. I've been doing the freelance/sole-prop/small business thing for quite a while now. I file quarterly, which is great, but if you just wanna do it in April then set aside half. Oh, and get an accountant. It's the best investment you'll make.
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Jan 11, 2016 01:45
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Pizzatime posted:Thank you, we will! For what it's worth, me and my much better artist friends/coworkers have all but abandoned tumblr as a platform. Some people just plug into the vibe there and take off, but I know fantastic, successful, profitable artists who post there and get single- or double-digit notes. Most everyone I know posts on Instagram (which can simultaneously post to tumblr etc) or Facebook or Twitter or even imgur/reddit and they get way better base level exposure. With tumblr you seem to be at the whims of the huge super-popular tumblrs. You could try submitting some posts to them and seeing if they'll reblog but eh.
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Jan 11, 2016 09:30
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mutata posted:For what it's worth, me and my much better artist friends/coworkers have all but abandoned tumblr as a platform. Some people just plug into the vibe there and take off, but I know fantastic, successful, profitable artists who post there and get single- or double-digit notes. Most everyone I know posts on Instagram (which can simultaneously post to tumblr etc) or Facebook or Twitter or even imgur/reddit and they get way better base level exposure. With tumblr you seem to be at the whims of the huge super-popular tumblrs. You could try submitting some posts to them and seeing if they'll reblog but eh. Instagram's good for photos with filters, illustration not that much. afaik they're forcing a rectangular aspect ratio which isn't suited to much but your usual hipster photos either. reposting to tumblr from there makes it a gamble with the odds not in your favor that the post / image will look alright on tumblr and whatever else you're reposting it to. Doesn't help that you can't even browse Instagram without a smartphone. facebook / twitter are just as much of a gamble as tumblr, imgur/reddit are even more hype-based.
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Jan 11, 2016 10:50
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Arthil posted:filing status of "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC". Ferrule posted:I've been doing the freelance/sole-prop/small business thing for quite a while now. If you guys are doing sole proprietor and don't have an LLC or something similar, you should really consider it. It's cheap and requires a minimal amount of paperwork throughout the year in exchange for some major legal protection. I was hesitant to do it at first until I heard a few horror stories about freelancers getting sued by clients. You really do not want to get sued as a sole proprietor.
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Jan 11, 2016 18:00
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Pizzatime posted:Instagram's good for photos with filters, illustration not that much. afaik they're forcing a rectangular aspect ratio which isn't suited to much but your usual hipster photos either. reposting to tumblr from there makes it a gamble with the odds not in your favor that the post / image will look alright on tumblr and whatever else you're reposting it to. Doesn't help that you can't even browse Instagram without a smartphone. I mean, all of that is wrong, but OK. That's just what all of my friends and coworkers are doing these days. The real answer to your question is "Get good and get lucky". mutata fucked around with this message at 18:21 on Jan 11, 2016 |
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Jan 11, 2016 18:18
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kedo posted:If you guys are doing sole proprietor and don't have an LLC or something similar, you should really consider it. It's cheap and requires a minimal amount of paperwork throughout the year in exchange for some major legal protection. I'm an LLC. And I have insurance per some clients' requirements. I didn't want to get too specific w/re to myself. Yes, it's cheap and smart to LLC.
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Jan 11, 2016 20:24
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mutata posted:For what it's worth, me and my much better artist friends/coworkers have all but abandoned tumblr as a platform. Some people just plug into the vibe there and take off, but I know fantastic, successful, profitable artists who post there and get single- or double-digit notes. Most everyone I know posts on Instagram (which can simultaneously post to tumblr etc) or Facebook or Twitter or even imgur/reddit and they get way better base level exposure. With tumblr you seem to be at the whims of the huge super-popular tumblrs. You could try submitting some posts to them and seeing if they'll reblog but eh. How do I do the Instagrams if I don't have a Facebook? I don't want Facebook.
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Jan 11, 2016 20:40
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Can anyone recommend a straight feed printer that doesn't use thimble sized ink cartridges that can print on 8x10 cardstock? Think invitations.
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Jan 11, 2016 20:50
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neonnoodle posted:How do I do the Instagrams if I don't have a Facebook? I don't want Facebook. I'm pretty sure you can just sign up with an email address... You need to get the app to sign up (which I guess is what he was talking about, even though you can browse instagram in a browser just fine), but I don't think they've locked it to Facebook.
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Jan 11, 2016 21:41
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Yeah Instagram has always had its own accounts.
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Jan 11, 2016 21:54
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Ferrule posted:50%. Between your last recommendation and kedo's, I've got to ask. Should I worry about doing it ASAP? I don't exactly have the funds to be hiring someone to look after my money for me, and this upcoming gig is my very first hourly job. Everything before now has been little $100 projects from last year, the single $200 contest winning I made, and a bit of cash coming in from selling stuff on Redbubble. I essentially didn't make enough money doing this last year to even file taxes. This year is going to be a bit different from the word go. Even heavily low-balling the hours I might work per week, something like five hours a week, I'll have made more after this four month contract than all of last year combined. That was the main reason I wanted to get my tax related stuff figured out right now. Now if after the four months they offer me an extension on the contract, or I can get a similar contract with another company I'll definitely look into getting an LLC set up. When it comes to an accountant, I'd like to ask why it might be necessary? I consider myself very strict when it comes to knowing where my money goes, and from where it comes in. Also hoard my receipts. Unless they'd provide a service beyond that, I may not require one.
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Jan 12, 2016 09:35
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You're probably fine without an LLC for the time being. The main benefit of having a corporation is that it provides you with some legal protection if a someone tries to sue you for something work related. If you're doing little projects here and there the danger of this is a lot lower of course, but it's always a possibility. I think it cost me somewhere in the ballpark of $200-400 to set up my corporation (S-Corp) with Legal Zoom. So while you don't really have to do this now, you should incorporate eventually. Some corporate/general liability insurance like Ferrule mentioned is a good idea too when you start working with bigger companies, but that's probably down the road a ways for you. An accountant becomes necessary because if you're a sole proprietor or a corporation, filing requirements are immediately way more complicated than if you're just a regular old W2 employee at some company. You need to be aware of and likely doing a lot of the crap listed on this page, which sends a chill down my spine just looking at it. The amount of money you're making impacts what information/payments you need to give to the IRS and it's up to you to know which apply to you. This is why you get an accountant. It's complicated and your time is better spent freelancing. Then again if you're only making a couple thousand dollars per year, it's probably not worth hiring one. tl;dr – Whether or not you hire an accountant really boils down to what your time is worth to you. Call a few accountants and ask what their fees are and for a rough estimate as to what it would cost to do your taxes. Consider if that's worth the money vs. the 10-30 hours you'd likely have to spend on your own. kedo fucked around with this message at 18:44 on Jan 12, 2016 |
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Jan 12, 2016 18:40
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kedo posted:You're probably fine without an LLC for the time being. The main benefit of having a corporation is that it provides you with some legal protection if a someone tries to sue you for something work related. If you're doing little projects here and there the danger of this is a lot lower of course, but it's always a possibility. I think it cost me somewhere in the ballpark of $200-400 to set up my corporation (S-Corp) with Legal Zoom. So while you don't really have to do this now, you should incorporate eventually. Some corporate/general liability insurance like Ferrule mentioned is a good idea too when you start working with bigger companies, but that's probably down the road a ways for you. Turbotax is of course an option as well.
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Jan 12, 2016 18:43
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On the topic. I have insurance that covers me when I do an art fair (I am a potter). It covers if someone injures themselves in a booth or catastrophic loss.
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Jan 12, 2016 20:00
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Being an S-Corp or LLC is great for legality stuff. If you get sued by a client they can't get your car or house or personal stuff. Many think its also a tax benefit. It's not. Your LLC money is the same as your income. It's strictly a "cover-your-rear end-leagally" thing. As for an accountant - You can find some super-cheap. Mine happens to work with a lot of freelancers so she know that aspect of my business. Like any business, an accountant is an expense that you can write off. An accountant is going to go through all those drat pages posted earlier and knows the ins-and-outs of getting you tax breaks for what you do: home office, supplies, travel, etc. It's super helpful. You can try to do it yourself but as you get bigger it just gets more and more complicated. I got burned a few years ago trying to them myself and will never make that mistake again. (there is a tax credit/break for being self-employed! but there's also a tax penalty for being self-employed! and they virtually wash each other out. because taxes are stupid and that's an easy thing to miss that'll bite you on the rear end later). I'm married with kids, so an accountant becomes even more essential. I only meet with her once a year so it's not a huge cost. I file an estimated amount quarterly on my own and she figures that all out at the end of the year. Here's a quick break down of what I owe every four months: Fed - 25% State - 5% City - 2% So that's 37% of my income that goes straight to taxes. I say keep 50% because there's always room for error and it's best to play it safe. You may not have to file with your city but maybe with your county? Your state may be higher?
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Jan 12, 2016 20:58
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I have an idea for an adult swim show, where do I start?
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Jan 13, 2016 06:15
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Make a flash cartoon about ball licking and put it on youtube, wait 9 years and then have your own show on adult swim. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbTlK3perdICan you draw? Are you any good at voice acting? Do you have money or connections? Strotski fucked around with this message at 07:15 on Jan 13, 2016 |
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Jan 13, 2016 07:12
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Feels like a wait and see situation, I keep good documentation for where my money goes so if it comes to the point in November and I've had a fairly successful year I'll go "gently caress this, I'll hire someone." Someone brought up Turbotax, I always used that when working a standard job. How reliable would that actually be? As I mentioned earlier, if I'm only able to squeeze in five hours a week I'll have made several hundred more dollars than last year already. But I'm going to push myself to do as much work as I can that they offer me. Best case scenario could put me above what I made in an entire year working part-time at minimum wage, across four months. There's a possibility I may get some work for an advertising company as well, but that isn't looking promising whereas the other is already set up. I'd also need to be sending my own invoices with the other opportunity. Gotta figure out the easiest way to handle that, too. A lot of my smaller work has only been verbal(albeit written via email) agreements on receiving a percentage of the total fee prior to work, another percentage at a pre-determined point somewhere in the middle of the work and then the remainder once work is finished. All of that has just been done through Paypal, so getting proper invoices set up instead may be a good way to go.
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Jan 13, 2016 08:33
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Invoices are great because they allow you to better track income per quarter better (in my opinion). You also know who's late and who's on time so you get a better feel of your clients (I've got some I love to work with but drat they're always late so I invoice them the second I'm done with the job because I'll be waiting). Work as much as you can - squeeze in that extra work. Things can dry up. I've gone months where I'm pulling 15-hour work days, including weekends, and then months of absolutely nothing. So those long days and nights covered my drought. A great 2nd quarter, a lovely 4th quarter, but at the end of the year it all evened out. An accountant shouldn't cost you a whole lot. See where you're at at the end of the year. At most you'll pay a couple hundred bucks to let someone else do all the dirty work.
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Jan 13, 2016 17:00
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Arthil posted:I'd also need to be sending my own invoices with the other opportunity. Gotta figure out the easiest way to handle that, too. A lot of my smaller work has only been verbal(albeit written via email) agreements on receiving a percentage of the total fee prior to work, another percentage at a pre-determined point somewhere in the middle of the work and then the remainder once work is finished. All of that has just been done through Paypal, so getting proper invoices set up instead may be a good way to go. I use Freshbooks. It has an option to pay with PayPal and another to pay through Freshbooks' credit card processing system. I also have a few freelancer buddies who use Blinksale which seems pretty solid. I still ask for checks – they take a little longer, but at least I don't lose several % to processing fees. Totally in agreement with Ferrule about the benefit of an invoice system. It also helps you ensure you don't forget to invoice for something, and many have nice options like automated notifications if someone is late in paying (my absolute favorite feature of Freshbooks). Arthil posted:A lot of my smaller work has only been verbal(albeit written via email) agreements But seriously, get a real contract. Verbal / email contracts are going to bite you in the rear end sooner or later. Sure, if someone decided not to pay you could probably take them to court and probably get some money out of them with that type of agreement, but is the amount you'd be paid worth the legal fees? Probably not. If nothing else, a contract tells your clients, "I mean business and expect to be paid," and the shittier ones that might not pay you will show themselves the door.
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Jan 13, 2016 17:40
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I worked out a contract with my very first client last year, who actually was from the forums here. But getting a proper one worked out would be ideal, that can be easily altered depending on my needs from a client-to-client basis. It's definitely true that I could easily be screwed out of my money, although I try to do business in a way which leans a little more towards me. When working with someone directly, I get paid partially before I even begin the concept stage and I do not hand over the files until I've received the final payment. It's worked fine so far but I don't intend to carry on without a contract for too much longer although even my current method has scared away people who likely would try to dodge paying me anyway, especially once I begin to charge people something a bit more appropriate. I'm not doing a logo for a guy for $100 when I'm making $18 an hour with other work. Wanted to thank you guys for all the help, I'll likely continue to ask questions as things progress. I think if I'm willing to work myself stupid doing dead-end contests like I did last year when I first started out, it shouldn't be a problem putting the same amount of effort into doing work for actual pay. Edit: Regarding contracts and such. Is it wise to hand over the source files for an original design without raising the total fee? I love the people I worked with from here to bits, but it does sometimes make me wonder if giving them the source files essentially cut me off from being necessary in the future for other work that would use the design. Arthil fucked around with this message at 14:34 on Jan 14, 2016 |
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Jan 14, 2016 04:43
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Arthil posted:
I'm not sure I follow you entirely here but - they technically own that artwork. I do a lot of package design as well as brand identity stuff. I hand over that artwork and sure, the label concepts I did will most likely be then used in-house or outsourced (for cheaper) for all the other labels (different flavors/scents, bottle sizes, etc). I created the design but I don't own it. It's theirs and theirs to do with as they wish. Yes, it means I may get less work down the road, and it sucks, but that's the business.
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Jan 14, 2016 17:24
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Ferrule posted:I'm not sure I follow you entirely here but - they technically own that artwork. I do a lot of package design as well as brand identity stuff. I hand over that artwork and sure, the label concepts I did will most likely be then used in-house or outsourced (for cheaper) for all the other labels (different flavors/scents, bottle sizes, etc). I created the design but I don't own it. It's theirs and theirs to do with as they wish. Doesn't this all depend on the specific arrangement, though? Generally work created by an employee is owned by the company, but contracted work is dictated by the terms of the contract.
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Jan 14, 2016 17:28
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There certainly seemed to be a split opinion on the matter, with many considering handing off the source files to be ridiculous and others considering it the norm. The contract we worked out stipulated handing them over, so that is that, but it's something I'll need to think about when I work out a contract for other clients.
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Jan 14, 2016 18:22
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Arthil posted:Edit: Regarding contracts and such. Is it wise to hand over the source files for an original design without raising the total fee? I love the people I worked with from here to bits, but it does sometimes make me wonder if giving them the source files essentially cut me off from being necessary in the future for other work that would use the design. Quoting myself from another thread re: source files: kedo posted:Also as a side note: just give up the source files. I always, always give away source files and it has never once bitten me. If someone no longer wishes to do business with you, refusing to give them source files is thumbing your nose at them and burning bridges. You will never get money for them, you're only going to piss someone off who will now be speaking badly about you. Trust me, this fight is never worth it. I watched my previous employer fail to achieve anything arguing with clients about poo poo like this, and now he has the reputation of being difficult to deal with and loses projects because of it. In short, forcing someone to work with you because you have the source files does not make for happy clients or a happy designer. It's just nasty all around. In my contracts I say that source files will be delivered upon request. The only clients I've ever had ask for them were people who were moving to another designer/firm. To this day I still get referrals from those clients, and I totally would not have if I had balked and refused to turn over the source files.
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Jan 14, 2016 18:34
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In other news, the advertising agency is going to be sending me a simple test to see if I can manage what they handle. I'll need to be keeping track of my own hours there, whereas Upwork provides a handy activity tracker. I've stumbled onto a few of them like Harvest and OfficeTime, and it seems that including the ability to create invoices within the program is a standard feature for premium programs like this. I'm just wondering which might be a best bet, between the two I've found Harvest charges you a monthly fee whereas OfficeTime is a one time fee.
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Jan 14, 2016 22:27
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Arthil posted:In other news, the advertising agency is going to be sending me a simple test to see if I can manage what they handle. I'll need to be keeping track of my own hours there, whereas Upwork provides a handy activity tracker. I've stumbled onto a few of them like Harvest and OfficeTime, and it seems that including the ability to create invoices within the program is a standard feature for premium programs like this. I'm just wondering which might be a best bet, between the two I've found Harvest charges you a monthly fee whereas OfficeTime is a one time fee. I use a pen and a notepad.
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Jan 15, 2016 15:27
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Ferrule posted:I use a pen and a notepad. That is the most obvious :P, I did find Toggl however which will suit my needs.
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Jan 15, 2016 22:32
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I was wondering if there was a fast easy way to convert an image into a pump map for eventual 3D printing. For example, let's say I wanted to print this attached Han Solo in carbonite. Is there an easy way to create a model from that type of image?
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Jan 18, 2016 04:27
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I forgot to attach the image
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Jan 18, 2016 04:44
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You could use https://www.allegorithmic.com/products/bitmap2material or http://www.crazybump.com/ to generate a displacement map to work up a 3d model from. The downsides is that there will be no undercuts, and the quality of the output will depend on the quality of the photograph.
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Jan 18, 2016 05:24
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Wow perfect. Thanks so much. I'm not so worried about the undercuts.
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Jan 19, 2016 14:34
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I'm learning how to sketch again. I know you're supposed to put something on the back of the piece of paper you're drawing on so that the pencil marks doesn't transfer to subsequent sheets. The pad of paper I'm using for this is getting furrows in it and it's honestly a hassle to keep tucked in while sketching. What do people do about this? Second question: I'm also having a difficult time erasing completely. I have tried a variety of erasers but the graphite is not coming up completely. How do I erase better? Is cleaning up afterwards with whiteout generally acceptable?
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Jan 20, 2016 05:51
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Stefan Prodan posted:I'm learning how to sketch again. I know you're supposed to put something on the back of the piece of paper you're drawing on so that the pencil marks doesn't transfer to subsequent sheets. The pad of paper I'm using for this is getting furrows in it and it's honestly a hassle to keep tucked in while sketching. What do people do about this? The answer to both of those is that you are probably pressing too hard in general. Try to loosen up and vary the pressure some and make some lighter marks. You'll be less likely to dent the paper and the marks will also be easier to erase if you don't press as hard. Whiteout is sometimes used in inking work with comics but I don't know anyone who uses it for graphite. Doesn't mean others don't or you can't though. Depending on how thick your paper is (If you are getting furrows in it I'm guessing it's not very) you probably don't want to get it too wet though. Can try a gel pen or some tougher paper but if it's just a sketch I really wouldn't worry too much about covering up mistakes. Hell a lot of the time people don't erase while sketching at all. If you do really want to put white on your piece, it'll look 50x better if you use toned paper (Some Light Grey or Tan color, etc). Then you can use the white as your lightest value (be it white out, gouache, pastel, conte, gel pens, whatever) and it'll be a conscious design decision and not just a cover up that'll really show in that one spot you put it in. Mind you, it'll still probably show even with this, but it'll be a little better. As far as erasers of choice, that's a personal thing but I like kneaded erasers for light erasing (no eraser dust, flexible and last a while) and a tuff stuff eraser for stronger erasing and detail stuff. You could use something like a white mars eraser instead of the tuff stuff, or any quality counterpart to those. Some people really like pink pearls, you don't have to be too fussy about erasers. But if you make a mark hard enough it probably wont come out completely even if you use a really good eraser so getting good pressure control is going to help the most.
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Jan 20, 2016 06:52
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