Profile for justabean - Illegal illustration business???

justabean aka justine is a girl, has been a member since November 13, 2006, has scored 1265 submissions, giving an average score of 3.10.

Feb 22 '08 by justabean

28 Comments

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Illegal illustration business???

So I've been off Threadless for a while, finishing up the design for the first ever issue of an undergrad research journal. (Exhausting!!)

And now, I'm realizing, I need money. I'm in a super expensive college, so I don't feel like I should be asking my parents for *more* money, and I don't have a job, but I do have an insatiable urge to draw, paint, etc. which I do every free moment I have.

I don't go to a very visual-artsy school, and always I'm passing by these full-color, shiny gloss posters for huge annual events that were obviously *supposed* to look good but came out laden with clip art and looking pretty bad. So I was thinking, why not be a commissioned illustrator/designer for clubs?

I'm not sure how this would work...I was thinking about $10-20 for a poster/shirt design? More for bigger things? Should I build up a better portfolio first? Is this even LEGAL??? (All of this, assuming anyone would want me as a designer. Technically I'm a science concentrator after all.)

Anyone have thoughts on this? Experiences you can share with me? When it comes to art, for the most part I'm all alone with figuring out what to do, so I'd really appreciate any and all advice you have for me!!

May put up illustrations for the journal once it comes out...

thanks!

Torakamikaze on Feb 22 '08 at 9:48am

$10-20 for a poster/shirt design?

WAAAAAAAAAAY too low

Dabem on Feb 22 '08 at 9:51am

it's legal, you just have to declare double taxes on it. When you go to a job the employer usually pays 7.5 and you pay 7.5, but when you work for yourself it's a full 15. You only need a registered business name to create a business bank account and credit cards and stuff. I'd suggest getting some work on the side until you can build up your portfolio.

I'm pretty new to the game myself, was I wrong or incomplete in my explanation anyone?

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 9:52am

Really? I'm just an amateur though, and clubs (well, the ones who don't have generous alumni anyway) don't have that much money.

How much would you charge?

Dabem on Feb 22 '08 at 9:53am

oh yeah... you bid based on how long you think things will take you, and never accept less than $30 and hour. You should always ask for more of course, because you can always lower your price an make them feel like they're getting a bargain.

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 9:53am

Oh gosh all the financial stuff sounds complicated...can I just have them pay in cash or something so it's not on record? =[

Thanks for the explanation though!

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 9:55am

$30 per hour even with my amateur skills?

whatchawamedoo on Feb 22 '08 at 9:56am

i agree, 10-20 bucks does sound too low. take into account the time you take to come up with the designs as well as the material costs.

0Jim0 on Feb 22 '08 at 9:57am

hahahaha!!! WHHHOOoooOoo *takes a breath.
Sorry about that

I charge 3 or 4 times that per hour when I do freelance, these people will love you if thats all you charge. It honestly can't be worth your time if you don't get a couple hundred for it.

Dabem on Feb 22 '08 at 9:58am

noooo no no. Things not on record are bad. Well it's not that bad if you plan on tax evasion, but it gets serious when the IRS wonders how you're paying for your life. It's always easier to calculate everything later if you kept track of it to start with. Using checks and cards makes that easier, but you might think about making invoices for your clients too. Plus it makes you seem all official

Don't worry about the clubs not having much money, people pay out if you have a good product, don't sell yourself short. I usually have a problem with that too

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 9:59am

Well I was just thinking they would print it, but I would make the designs, preferably in photoshop/illustrator since I already have a tablet and don't need much else. For hand-done work (micron, gouche) I'd charge a bit more?

Anyway g2g to class...thanks for all the input!!

also, keep in mind, I don't intend to go into illustration later on, this would be a side thing for pocket money...

0Jim0 on Feb 22 '08 at 10:00am

you will have to prove you self though. Walk in with some stuff to show them and maybe throw something together with there info on it, so they have an idea of what you can do for them.

Dabem on Feb 22 '08 at 10:00am

alright alright, I don't ask for much because I'm already working 2 jobs and mostly just portfolio building. Not everyone has amazing experience in the industry :(. Maybe I should charge more... but i've been finding getting jobs to be tough as is. Haven't been entirely diligent about it though.

corey9 on Feb 22 '08 at 10:01am

if its your full time thing id guess you have to go through all the tax stuff, but if its something you are just doing on the side, for fun and a few bucks im not sure how formal you need to be. i would agree 10-20 bucks is way low, but if thats what you are comfortable with go crazy. id take a minute (or few) to figure out what you think your time is worth and then come up with prices (price ranges) from there.

Dabem on Feb 22 '08 at 10:04am

I'm just sayin the last thing you want is the IRS robbing you of hard earned money just because you failed to pay what you owed in the first place. But if you aren't doing many jobs and you didn't end up earning much anyways don't worry about it.

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 12:38pm

Thanks for all the advice!

I'll probably do some more portfolio building then, since most of my work is back home in Cali and my parents are very anti-art so they won't mail the stuff here. So I kind of have to start over from scratch. =[

That's part of the reason I don't want the IRS including this on forms and stuff...I'm still a dependent and if my parents found out I was doing art instead of studying, they'd kill me. Otherwise I'm actually ok with taxes.

shirtflirt on Feb 22 '08 at 12:39pm

come tax time, if you made money, you're not 'an amatuer' any longer.

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 1:05pm

Even if you won on threadless?

J-Ray on Feb 22 '08 at 1:11pm

You're better off BARTERING than making $2/hour designing club posters, which is what you're going to make at that rate. Get them to give you VIP access with a free bar tab... or strippers.. or whatever they can give you that has value to you.

J-Ray on Feb 22 '08 at 1:11pm

Or do design for charities for free, but put a value on it so you get a tax receipt.

sonmi on Feb 22 '08 at 1:14pm

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 1:05pm
Even if you won on threadless?

ESPECIALLY if you win on threadless! they may take up to 30% of your winnings for taxes. :(

i do freelance poster design pretty frequently, though usually i work directly with bands. my rate is $50/hr.

J-Ray on Feb 22 '08 at 1:15pm

Sonmi: up to?

yeesh. I get like 40% taken off :(

ladrones on Feb 22 '08 at 1:21pm

i charge a few six packs or what ever.
maybe i should stop selling myself for a bud.

:(

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 2:34pm

Oh I meant clubs, like campus organizations such as Glee club and Black students association etc. (haha not old enough to go to clubs, legally).

So I'm not sure what I can barter for. I was hoping to save up for a good bike...or a nice peacoat...but I guess I'll settle for tickets to random events I don't really go to?

Wow I didn't know they took that much off your winnings!! =[ This is kind of depressing...

Thanks again for sharing experiences! Being an illustrator sounds pretty tough.

mezo on Feb 22 '08 at 2:39pm

Get a job you bum!

mezo on Feb 22 '08 at 2:39pm

I'm an illustrator.
It's awesometastic.

Torakamikaze on Feb 22 '08 at 2:42pm

mezo charges num nums in the tum tums cakes that she bakes

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 2:51pm

I know I probably should get a legit job...but I don't want to work at these following options because...:

- the library (inflexible hours, very dusty old books)

- the admissions office (since I am Asian they are going to put me in the minority recruiting office...and I deliberately went to college far far away and changed phone numbers in order to ESCAPE those ambitious Asian parents and children)

-Student Agencies/most places nearby such as Starbucks (I think they are evil...plus Starbucks is filled anyway with the lib arts majors here).

I draw no matter what so I (previously) thought 'why not make some money from my procrastination'? WAY harder than I thought.

justabean on Feb 22 '08 at 2:52pm

Congrats on those who are real, legit, professional illustrators! I envy you, sort of.

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I haven't submitted any photos. I guess I don't want free money.

→ All of my designs

I adore sea hares. I love windy days, sunflowers, and ketchup. I have trouble writing bios about myself.

In short, a total weirdo.

That's really about it.

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