Tips on hiring graphic artist?
Alison McGee
started working for this company 2 years ago (in the MIS dept.), and was
shocked to find out no one here has digitized logos for our company (about 7
of them). Now, we finally are going to have them done for us.
The printing company that does our letterhead pretty much refused to give us
the files they use (Mac format, I was told they were Illustrator, but never
was able to get them to work a year ago when I got them, after MUCH
research). I gave up dealing with them, as I'm sure they feared they would
lose our business if they "gave up" the logos (and if it was MY decision, we
wouldn't be doing ANY business with them now).
Anyway, I need to know what I really want. Is it right for me to request
the actual drawn files (uh, is the term "vector"?) , not just a jpeg or
tiff? Can I request that they are in a format that Freehand or Photoshop or
whatever will read? Will all drawing programs open up files created in
other programs? I would like to be able to make changes to the logos in
the future, and don't know if that's inappropriate -- does the graphic
artist give all rights to the work after it's handed to us? Or should we be
required to re-hire him/her when we need a change made? Should we have to
pay more for the drawn file vs. tiff/jpeg?
Should we be asking for many different resolutions if we want to print large
and small, as well as web stuff, or will me doing the modifications from one
original tiff do the trick?
Sorry so vague and newbie-ish. I would love to get e-mail replies as well
as posts back to the newsgroup, if you have the time. Thanks for any
advice.
Alison
TacitR
>the actual drawn files (uh, is the term "vector"?) , not just a jpeg or
>tiff?
Yes. You want the actual Illustrator file. A JPEG or TIFF logo is pretty much
useless; it cannot be reproduced in spot color, and it cannot be changed in
size without degrading. An Illustrator (vector) file can be manipulated and
resized--from letterhead to billboard size--with no loss.
>Can I request that they are in a format that Freehand or Photoshop or
>whatever will read?
Request Illustrator EPS files. If you use PCs and not Macs, request an
Illustrator EPS with a PC preview.
> Will all drawing programs open up files created in
>other programs?
Within limits. The high-end professional programs (Illustrator, FreeHand) will.
Inferior, low-end programs (CorelDraw) may or may not.
> I would like to be able to make changes to the logos in the future, and don't
know if that's inappropriate -- does the graphic
>artist give all rights to the work after it's handed to us?
The copyright to the logo is owned by you if the logo is a "work for
hire"--that is, if you commissioned the design of the logo and paid for it.
Technically, working drafts of the logo, and the files used to create it, are
owned by the artist. However, it is not unreasonable for you to request those
files; this is standard operating procedure in teh graphic arts industry. (And
if your contract when you commissioned the logos states that you get the files,
they belong to you as well).
>Or should we be
>required to re-hire him/her when we need a change made? Should we have
>to pay more for the drawn file vs. tiff/jpeg?
No, and no. If the artist tells you the answers are "yes," fire him.
>Should we be asking for many different resolutions if we want to print large
>and small, as well as web stuff, or will me doing the modifications from
>one original tiff do the trick?
If you get the logo in TIFF format, you must get a copy at each size you ever
plan to use the logo.
That is why you need the Illustrator file. Vector files have no "resolution."
You can make it any size you want.
One resource I suggest you invest in is the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of
Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. You can order it online at
http://www.gag.org/pegs/index.html
This book covers the generally-accepted standards of ethical behavior for the
industry.
------
Onyx, the game of sexual exploration; Xero, the industrial magazine
of art, fiction and photography; and online photo gallery--all at
http://www.xeromag.com/franklin.html
Alison McGee
questions would have been a gold mine for me, and you filled the bill on 'em
all. :-)
Thanks again,
Alison
TacitR <tac...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20001102143217...@ng-fi1.aol.com...
Dwight Williamson
>Technically, working drafts of the logo, and the files used to create it, are
>owned by the artist. However, it is not unreasonable for you to request those
>files; this is standard operating procedure in teh graphic arts industry. (And
>if your contract when you commissioned the logos states that you get the files,
>they belong to you as well).
I agree with all that TacitR has said here, but I would emphasize that
you get in writing (contract) exactly who owns what and what materials
will be turned over, and do it before any work begins. Don't leave it
as one of those things to be worked out later at the good will of both
sides or it is a near certainty that someone will be unhappy.
Daryl Clausen
> >the actual drawn files (uh, is the term "vector"?) , not just a jpeg or
> >tiff?
>
> Yes. You want the actual Illustrator file. A JPEG or TIFF logo is pretty
much
> useless; it cannot be reproduced in spot color, and it cannot be changed
in
> size without degrading. An Illustrator (vector) file can be manipulated
and
> resized--from letterhead to billboard size--with no loss.
>
> >Can I request that they are in a format that Freehand or Photoshop or
> >whatever will read?
>
> Request Illustrator EPS files. If you use PCs and not Macs, request an
> Illustrator EPS with a PC preview.
>
> > Will all drawing programs open up files created in
> >other programs?
>
> Within limits. The high-end professional programs (Illustrator, FreeHand)
will.
> Inferior, low-end programs (CorelDraw) may or may not.
Corel Draw 9 and 10 will open almost anything that you want. I have opened
TIF files in Corel using the "Import" function. This will re-scale the
image in the long run, but tracing the image will probably be inevidable.
I'd ask for an Illustrator (.ai) or a generic EPS file. If they do some
work for you, request that they stay on for the duration of the project.
You shouldn't have to re-hire to get the job finished sucessfully.