Our save-the-dates and invitations are being made by a wonderful woman who has an Etsy shop. She's charging very reasonable prices, especially considering the amount of back-and-forth we've had about the design. The graphic we came up with together (my idea, her execution) is a branch with leaves and apples on it; for the STD, it's a single branch, and for the invitation, it's a big cluster of branches. They're beautiful!
My question is this: I'd like to use the small STD graphic for some wedding "branding" (favor packages, OOT bags, etc.). I asked her how much she thought it should be, and she hasn't yet had any time to do research on it... so I'm turning to the hive! My mom is of the opinion that she should let us use it for free, because we'll be sure to tell lots of people whose graphic it is. Of course, that would be nice, but I don't feel very comfortable with that, even though it's just for personal use. What would be a reasonable price to pay to use a very small graphic for these purposes?
Graphic artists fees have a wide range depending on how many hours they spent on the design, and whether they started from scratch or just tweaked an already existing image.
My experience w/ paying for logo design normally runs anywhere from $300 to $1,200 for a simple design.
I absolutely agree that you should pay the designer for the use of the logo. She provided a service based on your input and you're happy enough to use it for other items, so a fee is pretty standard.
Word of mouth advertising is a nice bonus, but I think your mom is wrong as the probability of your wedding guests wanting to use the designer in the future is low.
Thanks SCBG! Wow, that seems like a lot more than I expected - it's a very small (2 in by 1 in) graphic that's not personalized, so she's been getting a lot of mileage out of it in her other work. So while it was created from scratch for our invitations initially, it's now become a major part of her design series. I definitely think we should pay her but was thinking more along the lines of $100 or so... now I feel a little nervous about it! Any other opinions out there in the hive?
I'm a graphic designer, so I'll offer my opinion. Keep in mind every designer charges a different fee or might view things differently.
I think it is very generous of you to compensate the designer for using the "logo" on other pieces. Most people would assume that the logo was theirs for the taking since it was already created for a different project. Since she has already made the graphic and will just have to export it for you in different formats, I would give her something in the $300 or less range, unless she deems that not enough!
SOCal is right on the price thing, being per hour is standard. However some places (like me for instance) charge less, only because I take in very few jobs as a graphic designer turned stay at home mom
I think that even if she "gives" you the graphic to use, are you fluent enough in design programs to make the items you want and keep the graphic looking as it should?
My concern when I do thiese types of things is that someone who doens't have the experiqnce working a program wants to use it, and mashes it up, and distorts it due to inexperiance working with these types of things. Then, it's not in it's best condition and falsly representing my name as the designer....
Like a photographer only wanting to print their images themself becasue of their stirct pickiness on quality that represents them and their business.
If you have more questions you can PM me, I tend to fall away from the board every few days, but e-mail will alert me to messages :-) I'm happy to help anyway I can!
Sweeney's got a good point- the designer may prefer to export the file for you for the specific project. For example, if you're going to be printing 2" round stickers from your home printer, etc. Images need to be sized correctly for each project. Doing so isn't much extra work, but then she's guaranteed (more or less) that you'll have good output, and then you have an additional product from her (the sized file) which you can both agree on the price ahead of time.
Thanks so much for the advice, all - I will report all of this back to her! Mr.GV and some of our friends are pretty savvy with design software, so I think we'd be OK, but you're right that it would be best to ask. Point well taken about distortion disasters!
You might look at your existing agreement with the designer and see if it addresses this. I had my invitations custom designed, and the agreement for design services indicates I can use the design files that the designer sent me as I wish. There is only a separate charge for the design work if I do not order a certain minimum dollar value of product (invitations). And the designer retains the rights to use the design she did for me (and photos of my invitations) as an example of her work on her website. With the type of an agreement, I own the copies of the design that I have already received - but she retains some rights for the use of my invitation, and can incorporate my custom commissioned work as part of her standard design line. (So she gets to sell again and again the design I paid her to do, thus expanding her ready-to-sell line.)
i went to istockphoto.com (no affliliation to me!) and got some great graphics for $10 - $15 each, some are cheaper. some are royalty free, others cost more. i agree that you SHOULD compensate her, but if its going to cost you an arm and a leg beyond just getting the original cards etc, you can always turn to another venue that you can afford, even if the ddesign isnt the one on the cards. good luck!
I'd go with istock too! I do a lot of business with them, I have images for sale!!! Anyways, it is a site full of tons of pictures both real and vector images and graphics! IT is a wonderful website and I would recommend it 100%! Actually, I am going to make my own wedding invitations, and am probably going to use graphics from there!
I've been a Graphic Designer for over 14 years and have different feelings than most of these posts. Seeing you already agreed upon a complete logo, technically it is yours. I've never charged anyone additional for using a logo I designed for them to use on additional things. You decide on a price for the logo right from the get go, what the customer uses it for is their choice. Now if she is setting up the files for each of these items for print then she can charge you an hourly rate for her time on those things or otherwise the 2 of you can agree upon a price. If she is changing the design/look for each additional item, then she can charge you additional as that can be time consuming. Seeing she is on Etsy which tends to be smaller organizations and single people, I don't think she should expect to charge a large agency logo design fee (ie $500 +). However, it would be wise to check with any earlier agreed upon terms she may follow in case she normally would expect additional paymen. Seeing you are already paying for what you originally agreed upon, unless it's a huge amount more of work I think she should allow you to use it on whatever you choose. You can always pay her a bonus amount for her time and be sure to spread the good word about her as well.
Our save-the-dates and invitations are being made by a wonderful woman who has an Etsy shop. She's charging very reasonable prices, especially considering the amount of back-and-forth we've had about the design. The graphic we came up with together (my idea, her execution) is a branch with leaves and apples on it; for the STD, it's a single branch, and for the invitation, it's a big cluster of branches. They're beautiful!
Graphic artists fees have a wide range depending on how many hours they spent on the design, and whether they started from scratch or just tweaked an already existing image.
My experience w/ paying for logo design normally runs anywhere from $300 to $1,200 for a simple design.
I absolutely agree that you should pay the designer for the use of the logo. She provided a service based on your input and you're happy enough to use it for other items, so a fee is pretty standard.
Word of mouth advertising is a nice bonus, but I think your mom is wrong as the probability of your wedding guests wanting to use the designer in the future is low.
posted by SoCalBeachGirl 385 posts 4 months agoThanks SCBG! Wow, that seems like a lot more than I expected - it's a very small (2 in by 1 in) graphic that's not personalized, so she's been getting a lot of mileage out of it in her other work. So while it was created from scratch for our invitations initially, it's now become a major part of her design series. I definitely think we should pay her but was thinking more along the lines of $100 or so... now I feel a little nervous about it!
Any other opinions out there in the hive?
posted by GorgesViola 189 posts 4 months agoI'm a graphic designer, so I'll offer my opinion. Keep in mind every designer charges a different fee or might view things differently.
I think it is very generous of you to compensate the designer for using the "logo" on other pieces. Most people would assume that the logo was theirs for the taking since it was already created for a different project. Since she has already made the graphic and will just have to export it for you in different formats, I would give her something in the $300 or less range, unless she deems that not enough!
Hope this helped!
posted by haselwand 117 posts 4 months agoSOCal is right on the price thing, being per hour is standard. However some places (like me for instance) charge less, only because I take in very few jobs as a graphic designer turned stay at home mom
I think that even if she "gives" you the graphic to use, are you fluent enough in design programs to make the items you want and keep the graphic looking as it should?
My concern when I do thiese types of things is that someone who doens't have the experiqnce working a program wants to use it, and mashes it up, and distorts it due to inexperiance working with these types of things. Then, it's not in it's best condition and falsly representing my name as the designer....
Like a photographer only wanting to print their images themself becasue of their stirct pickiness on quality that represents them and their business.
If you have more questions you can PM me, I tend to fall away from the board every few days, but e-mail will alert me to messages :-) I'm happy to help anyway I can!
posted by Sweeney2Be 1,488 posts 4 months agoSweeney's got a good point- the designer may prefer to export the file for you for the specific project. For example, if you're going to be printing 2" round stickers from your home printer, etc. Images need to be sized correctly for each project. Doing so isn't much extra work, but then she's guaranteed (more or less) that you'll have good output, and then you have an additional product from her (the sized file) which you can both agree on the price ahead of time.
posted by brendalynn 59 posts 4 months agoThanks so much for the advice, all - I will report all of this back to her! Mr.GV and some of our friends are pretty savvy with design software, so I think we'd be OK, but you're right that it would be best to ask. Point well taken about distortion disasters!
posted by GorgesViola 189 posts 4 months agoYou might look at your existing agreement with the designer and see if it addresses this. I had my invitations custom designed, and the agreement for design services indicates I can use the design files that the designer sent me as I wish. There is only a separate charge for the design work if I do not order a certain minimum dollar value of product (invitations). And the designer retains the rights to use the design she did for me (and photos of my invitations) as an example of her work on her website. With the type of an agreement, I own the copies of the design that I have already received - but she retains some rights for the use of my invitation, and can incorporate my custom commissioned work as part of her standard design line. (So she gets to sell again and again the design I paid her to do, thus expanding her ready-to-sell line.)
posted by suzanno 1,955 posts 4 months agoi went to istockphoto.com (no affliliation to me!) and got some great graphics for $10 - $15 each, some are cheaper. some are royalty free, others cost more. i agree that you SHOULD compensate her, but if its going to cost you an arm and a leg beyond just getting the original cards etc, you can always turn to another venue that you can afford, even if the ddesign isnt the one on the cards. good luck!
posted by orangecat 6 posts 4 months agoI'd go with istock too! I do a lot of business with them, I have images for sale!!! Anyways, it is a site full of tons of pictures both real and vector images and graphics! IT is a wonderful website and I would recommend it 100%! Actually, I am going to make my own wedding invitations, and am probably going to use graphics from there!
Hope this helps!
posted by tiffelise 6 posts 4 months agoI've been a Graphic Designer for over 14 years and have different feelings than most of these posts. Seeing you already agreed upon a complete logo, technically it is yours. I've never charged anyone additional for using a logo I designed for them to use on additional things. You decide on a price for the logo right from the get go, what the customer uses it for is their choice. Now if she is setting up the files for each of these items for print then she can charge you an hourly rate for her time on those things or otherwise the 2 of you can agree upon a price. If she is changing the design/look for each additional item, then she can charge you additional as that can be time consuming. Seeing she is on Etsy which tends to be smaller organizations and single people, I don't think she should expect to charge a large agency logo design fee (ie $500 +). However, it would be wise to check with any earlier agreed upon terms she may follow in case she normally would expect additional paymen. Seeing you are already paying for what you originally agreed upon, unless it's a huge amount more of work I think she should allow you to use it on whatever you choose. You can always pay her a bonus amount for her time and be sure to spread the good word about her as well.
posted by designgirl13 12 posts 4 months ago