FAQ

A standard illustration - one page, not including text, not a book cover, minimal background (like The King, no title) will start at $150 (depend on the size)

I discuss the budget with each author individually, so feel free to write me and discuss the price of your project.  

An illustration with a fully developed background and human faces will start at 180$  

I discuss the budget with each author individually, so feel free to write me and discuss the price of your project.  

The price of the book cover depends on its size. If this is a one-page cover, then its price will start $270. If this is a spread cover then its cost starts at $350. It all depends on the number of details that you want to be seen on the most important page of your book.

A spread Illustration (one that spans two pages) - start at  $ 260  

I discuss the budget with each author individually, so feel free to write me and discuss the price of your project.  

My relationship with the author is contract-based with a 35% prepayment upfront. 

Mid-way installment 30% upon approval of color roughs before going to final artwork.

Remaining payment - 35% due upon completion and delivery of final artwork.

A project like that will cost 4000-7000$, including the book cover (front and back), 16 spreads, or the necessary amount of single page illustrations. The price of the project will vary based on the complexity of the illustrations.  

Sometimes the price of the project can be reduced if we are talking about black and white illustrations. Get in touch with me and I will try I find an optimal price that will suit us both.

For each illustration, story board, book 

cover , sketch, and color rough, 

the author can add 2 corrections for free.

After this, each change will cost an additional $20.

  After signing the contract, I will create a private page on this site for you, which only you or those who you share the link with can see. On this page, you will see the entire process, from sketches to the final piece. I will be constantly sending you email reminders about page updates. This system helps you to closely participate in the process and quickly make changes.

It would be a lot better if you laid everything out in written form, it's important for me - I often come back to my correspondence with the client to make sure that I didn't miss anything. 

Phone calls don't give me that opportunity, as I simply forget everything - I have a very busy schedule) 

Because of that I only talk to my clients through email. I really hope you understand)

When I start working on illustrations, I create a simple template for the book in inDesign and ask the author for the font size he or she will be using so that I can plan accordingly. This helps me to figure out the layout of the illustrations/pages, how much room the text will need, etc.

If the author doesn't provide me with the font size, this could lead to problems later down the line, including running out of room on the illustration and/or needing to redo illustrations entirely, which will cost more. 

That's why I take an extra 300$ charge for formatting.  

Please understand that I was being contacted and called by many people, and each one told me about his or her project in an emotional and very disorganized way) At the end of the day, I had a mush of all these different projects in my head, and this started to reflect in my work, to the chagrin of my clients. There go those relationships. A simple and organized correspondence helps me and the author to see our goals clearly. Also, I simply won't be able to remember what you told me on the phone a month ago! And this will create confusion on your end - you told me this, why don't I remember??)) So, to avoid a ton of previously tested mistakes, I will stay with the formula that I know works well.  

 No, I don't pick up just any project. The art test is a test for me as well, as it helps me to decide if I should work on the project or not. For example, the artist sends me the text and tells me about the characters. I digest the information, make a lot of sketches, and when the idea finally forms, start working on it. But sometimes it happens that despite all my efforts, I just don't click with the book. I have had cases  where the author liked the art test, but I couldn't imagine myself working on the project for the next 6 months. And, in my opinion, the person who works on your book needs to be just as in love with it as you are.  So, to avoid future problems, I sometimes decline collaborations.

The author gets in contact with me and tells me about their book. If I decide to take on the project, we will establish a contract that both sides can agree on. The author pays 35% of the project price upfront. Afterwards, I create the sketches and begin actively communicating with the author. At this point, I work at a very fast and organized pace, so I will depend on the author to stay in touch with me often. This is the stage where many of the elements can still be edited. The author can make two changes to each drawing for free. After the sketches are complete, the author pays the next 35% of the project cost. I create the storyboard, print out the rough draft of the book and send it to the author via mail. Then comes the slow process of polishing each drawing. The author and I will still stay in close contact, but not as actively as in the sketching stage. Changes at this point are undesirable and not free. On average, making 24 illustrations will take 120 days.

The duration of copyright in the United States is currently the life of the author, plus 70 years. Title to the artwork passes to the client or commissioning agency/organization upon their written acceptance of and payment for the work, but copyright belongs to and remains with the artist. 

That means that while you are using the illustrations for your book, then you own the rights to them. If you are planning to use the illustrations in other commercial projects, then the conditions for that are discussed in the contract. 

If formatting is included in the contract, then yes, you will receive the pdf files with illustrations and text. If you decide to hire me only as an illustrator, then you will only receive illustrations.

I can format the book in InDesign for an extra fee and send the author 2 PDF files when I am done. One is for the cover, the second is for the inside contents of the book.