Let your
publishing objectives help determine your art needs. If you plan to
market your book, get it into bookstores and generate sales, it should look
like it belongs on the shelf with the competition. However, if this is primarily
a personal project for distribution to friends and family, you may not wish
to pay for professional illustration and options 1, 2 or 3 below might better
fit your budget.
1. CLIP ART: there are vast resources of free art
and photos available. Word processing and graphics software usually include
hundreds of images, and a web search can locate hundreds of thousands more.
Advantages:
- No
illustration fees or copyright concerns.
- Enormous
amounts of images available in many styles.
Disadvantages:
- Clip
art is necessarily geared toward universal and seasonal themes and it can
be difficult to find appropriate images.
- Anyone
else is free to use the same art you do.
- The
art is generic and commercial, usually better for ads than books.
2. STOCK PHOTOS/ART: a web search will
yield a multitude of stock art suppliers. They offer a wide range of quality
images for fees that vary according to use.
Advantage:
- High quality images covering a wide
range of subjects.
Disadvantages:
- Cost can be comparable to illustration
fees.
- It can be difficult to find the right
art for your specific needs.
3. YOU SUPPLY THE ART: if you (or someone in your
circle) have drawing and graphic design skills, and are comfortable
with professional graphics software, you can attempt to create your
own illustrations.
Advantages:
- Total
control of the art including copyrights.
- No
illustration fees (or only token fees to the family artist).
Disadvantages:
- Art
can be amateurish and inconsistent.
- A
lot of frustrating time can be lost fussing with art.
- Dissatisfaction
with results.
4. PROFESSIONAL ILLUSTRATION:
Skilled, experienced illustrators live and work in every city and many
more are accessible on the web. Fees vary, but competent graphic artists
are available for fees similar to those of other trades, like plumbers,
electricians, mechanics, etc., and like them, an illustrator is unlikely
to work on speculation.
Advantages:
- The
artwork is original and created for your book only.
- Authors
participate in the creative process. They might provide research/reference
material, OK preliminary drawings, and offer feedback before final
work is produced.
- The
art is properly prepared to your printer's specs.
- Work
is completed on an agreed upon schedule.
- Your
book looks like a professional product and is more likely to attract
readers and sales.
Disadvantages:
- The
more prestigious the illustrator the higher the fees.
- Even
non-famous artists must charge enough to earn a living, so the author
should be prepared to pay realistic fees comparable to having the
car repaired, a room redecorated, or a weekend at the spa.
- Illustrators
retain the right to additional fees or royalties if the author wishes
to re-use the art for other commercial projects.
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