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/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

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3979057 No.3979057 [Reply] [Original]

So sometimes I take commissions on Upwork for spare money.

I was commissioned by someone who wants me to illustrate a children’s book. So far I haven’t been given any manuscript or even a plot for this book. I’ve only been told the characters and their personalities and the setting.

This project has been broken up into 5 milestones. The first was character designs, the next is supposed to be thumbnails/layouts of the pages. The third would be to start the final illustrations, the 4th is finishing up the illustrations, and the 5th and final milestone is compiling everything and delivering.

I haven’t done a children’s book before, but I’m pretty sure when creating a children’s book, there needs to be an editor, a book designer and ultimately, a publisher.

The guy has yet to give me a manuscript or even a plot for this book. I don’t know how many pages this book with be or how big the book/images will be. I’m worried he’ll expect me to design the book itself and as don’t know how to create the physical book itself.

What are some things I should ask from him before I start doing the second milestone? Should I ask him if he has a publisher? I’m guessing no, or else he wouldn’t be asking for artists on Upwork. Publishers usually find an artist for the writer.

Ultimately I’m doing this for the money, and to have some nice work in my portfolio, but I’m worried this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing and will drag me down.

Should I just ask him for the full manuscript before moving forward? If he doesn’t have one, then what do I do?

>> No.3979084

Bump

>> No.3979120

>>3979057
No serious writer or publisher would hire someone on Upwork to illustrate their book. I'm working on an illustrated children's book project right now and the publisher has already provided
>full text
>layout (so i know where the illustrations will be placed)
>technicalities like dimensions, bleeds etc.
Can you contact the guy and ask him for more details?

>> No.3979158

>>3979120
>Can you contact the guy and ask him for more details?

I have been. When I was in just the character design stage, I would ask him for plot and about the characters personalities so I know how to design the characters.

Instead he just vague shit like, “the main character is a young naive deer. He is timid but is trying to find his strength”

That’s not the actual main character nor the animal the character is, but I’m just giving an example of his response. Then he’ll get back to me 4 days later with the information about the other characters. Like, ex “the secondary characters are an adolescent badger and a adolescent wolf. There is also a an old wise grasshopper. The story takes place in a forest”

Again, these are not the characters or the setting for this story, but similar to the vague descriptions I’m given.

I finally just asked for the full manuscript. I have no idea if he actually has one or not, and if he does, if it’s even been edited. I just hope he doesn’t expect me to figure out where the text should break on each page.

I just have a feeling he’s gonna make up the story as he goes along. I don’t even know if he has a publisher or if he’s self publishing. I guess another thing to ask is the book’s final dimensions.

Hopefully he gives me an answer soon, but so far he’s been getting back to me every 4-5 days. Obviously he’s not in a rush to get this done, so this hasn’t been a priority with the other work I have.

>> No.3979253

>upwork
>a service that takes 20% of your fee while giving the client full rights to your work

Why do people bother with Upwork again?

>> No.3979358

As long as he pays you who cares? He might throw the book at the trashcan for all you care.

>> No.3979369

>>3979253
where else do you go for freelance work?

>> No.3979408

>>3979253
What's the issue? 20% fee is a bit excessive thats true. Obviously noone is gonna pay for work if they don't get (at least) the commercial rights to it

>> No.3979476
File: 122 KB, 536x572, oh lord.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3979476

>>3979158
That shit is ridiculous OP. Just say you need something, anything, to work with and politely state that without a manuscript and layout of the book you can't do your job, and if he's not willing to do that then you'll have no choice but to back out the project.

>> No.3979480

>>3979057
I'm having the same problem with a project I'm doing, writer won't let me see the script and is only giving me very vague descriptions of characters he wants me to design. Since no money has changed hands yet and I'm not on my professional alias I'm very tempted to just ghost him, not worth the trouble.

>> No.3979485

>>3979057
I have gotten $11k on my upwork account.

My tip: the editor, book designer, and publisher are not your problem. Don't overcomplicate yourself. Do only what you're getting paid to do, and that's the draw the illustrations.

I have illustrated adult novels on upwork without once bothering to read the plots. Only going by the description and references given to me, and I did just fine. I have done 5 books so far including 2 children's books.

>> No.3979494

>>3979253
It’s good for ppl that cant have paypal in their countries

>> No.3979571

>>3979057
LOL I just commissioned a children's book. First, the character is just an amorphous blob but I had the first proof sketch sent for the copyright to establish the origin and ownership of the work, and plot was self-explanatory so I just gave him a list of background scenes and character poses. When the fucker gets his shit together (they're on exams rn) and gets me my pages, I'll use Amazon's publishing service and do only paperback, and get my ISBN that way.

I've never commissioned a children's book so I'm very interested in this thread.

>> No.3979575

>>3979369

Even Craigslist would be better.

>> No.3979584
File: 358 KB, 1500x1500, IMG_20190424_203922_539.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3979584

Anyone want to do some NSFW line art for me? I need a set of five standing full body NSFW shots. How do I find artists for something like this? You guys are on Upwork, surely you take PayPal.

>> No.3979867

>>3979057
I refuse to start a single drawing until I know the extents of the project. How many illustrations, how many pages, etc. Those milestones sound to me like they're not done writing it, and that says nightmare for you, as they'll probably change the story as you go, requiring reworks, and if you negotiated a flat rate, you're screwed.
>Should I just ask him for the full manuscript before moving forward?
Yes. You should require it before doing a single drawing.
> If he doesn’t have one, then what do I do?
Tell him to contact you when he's ready to move forward in a serious way - ie. the book is finished being written. Period.
>but I’m worried this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing
I guarantee it. Publishers don't hire off Upwork. I'm curious to know how little this person is offering, because I'm betting it's not nearly enough.

One of THE hardest lessons to learn as a freelancer, is knowing when a client is going to waste your time. My flake radar is SCREAMING right now. Everyone thinks they can write a kid's book, few can. There is no publisher, editor, and I guarantee this is someone trying to cut corners to self-publishing, and can't complete a story that's sellable or publishable.

YOU have to guard your time like it's precious gems and gold. Clients will always want as much of it, for as little as possible. So have bare-minimums - finished story, specified amount of revisions/artistic control, and a good price for what is going to be a buyout of your work. If they can't reach that, and won't sign a contract and give you AT LEAST 50% as a deposit up front, with a nailed down time frame, say "Thanks for your interest, when you can provide more of what I need, get back to me." Sometimes, they'll go "Oh, they're serious", and come back and treat you professionally. Most of the time you'll never hear from them again.

I've turned down so many jobs like you're describing over the years, and none of them ever published a book.

>> No.3979869

>>3979158
This guy is 100% wasting your time. He's giving you vague answers because he hasn't written the book. Send back any deposit he gave you (if any) (you got a deposit, right?)(Right?), and cut him loose.
You have to be cold blooded with these time wasters.

>> No.3979938
File: 13 KB, 300x300, 300px-U_Wot_M8_Original.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3979938

Speaking from experience. Upwork is trash. And this childrens book isn't worth your time. The client will never be satisfied because they dont actually know what they want and its "all in muh head". Run. Away. Now.

>> No.3980093

>>3979584
Post your email.

>> No.3980206

>>3980093
UnopenedParachute@gmail.com thanks!

>> No.3980215

>>3979057
How much money are you asking for this. This is at least a few thousand dollars worth of work.

>> No.3980223

>>3980215
Not him, I'm this guy >>3979571, and it totally depends on what kind of book you're doing.