YOUR PARTNER, THE ILLUSTRATOR

If you are the writer and have finished your storyboard, you are ready to approach an illustrator.

You probably have given some thought--or worry--about this already. Relax. You have already done important footwork. You have defined the kind of book you want, its audience, its tone, and its dimensions. You have done a storyboard, so you know exactly how many illustrations you need and in what dimension. These are the specifications you can take to an illustrator.

How do you find the right illustrator?

	Make a small sample book containing copies of the type of work you like. You may not be able to locate or afford the particular illustrators, but you can use your sample book to show prospective illustrators what you are looking for.
	Get referrals and samples from book preparation specialists, graphic shops, and printers.
	Network. Ask around.

Once you find an artist, you'll be able to give your artist a clear set of your expectations. That's because you've done your footwork, come up with a storyboard, and have a good set of specifications.

However, you'll still need to negotiate a deal.

There are three ways to go. Which way you go depends on how involved your artist wants to be in the project--and how involved you want him or her to be.

	Work for Hire: You can pay the artist for drawings that you will then own. This is a "work for hire" arrangement. This is the best way to go if the illustrator wants to make some quick money, isn't worried about owning the illustrations or participating in the ownership of the book. You then own the art and have the right to re-use it. Generally, this is the simplest way to go.
	Licensing: You can pay the artist for the drawings and let them retain ownership of the art. This is less advantageous to you, but it may be the only way to go if the artist is already well known or if you want to use art that is already in publication.
	Co-authorship: You can make the author a co-author. In this case, you and the author agree to share the project's expenses and profits. You don't need to do this equally--you can agree to any split you want. This is a good way to go if the illustrator identifies so much with the project that she wants to be involved in the business end. (Note: don't confuse this legal arrangement with putting the name of the illustrator on the cover. That's a separate decision, and you can do that even if you have made a "work for hire" arrangement with your illustrator.) This is a trickier arrangement, just because partnerships can get complicated, but it has considerable advantages. You eliminate your upfront costs, share your expenses, and potentially add to your sales energy. It's worth considering if you have a strong positive relationship with your illustrator.

Whatever you do, do it in writing, not with a handshake.

How Much Should You Pay?

I can't give you one rule of thumb. There are too many variables. But here are some things to consider: 

	What kind of illustrations do you want? Line drawings can be done quickly. Oil paintings take a long time. Keep this in mind when you select the type of art you want.
	How fast does the illustrator work? Illustrators base their prices both on the time they have to spend on a drawing and on what the market will bear. Some illustrators, like caricaturists, can work very quickly. You'll get better value from the fast ones.
	How experienced or well known is your illustrator? If your author is famous, of course you are going to pay more. However, a veteran illustrator may be able to work more quickly than an amateur. A talented but unknown teenager may give you a good price.
	How do you plan to work with the illustrator? If you are inexperienced, you may try to interact with the illustrator in ways that are quite costly, for example by asking for repeated revisions. Veteran illustrators may know this is a hazard in working with inexperienced authors and build it into their asking price. Or they may set some parameters to try to control the revisions.

© 2003 Kenneth Guentert. All Rights Reserved.

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Last updated: 03/18/07