Archives for June 2012 | Beezink

Monthly Archives: June 2012

Jun 29
0

Childrens Book Illustration

By | Design | One Comment



How much does a children’s book illustrator cost?

 

Over the last few months I have been receiving many quote requests for children’s book illustration.  How much would it cost to illustrate my 32 page children’s book?  The answer is never the same twice, and always depends on what exactly it is you are you looking for.

A standard children’s book is 32 pages.  The average rate for Children’s book art is $225-$550 per page.  Yes, that is $7200- $17600 average.  Before you freak out and loose all hope with your budget, let’s compare the art for my two favorite books.  The Giving Tree, and I Love You Forever.

Take a look at the Art from the Giving Tree.  This is one of the most popular children’s books ever written, and the artwork is iconic.  It is also very simple.  I would guess it took the artist an hour to create each image.  Now look at I Love You For Ever.

My Mother still cries every time she picks this book up.  The artwork has a lot more detail; it’s realistic but still a little whimsical.  It has full color, and detailed backgrounds.  I would guess each image took 6-10 hours for the artist to create, or around 300 hours, not including research time or creating rough drafts.  Children’s book illustration takes a lot of time.

 

So how much will it cost to have my children’s book illustrated?

A standard 32 page children’s book with simple but appealing artwork similar to the Giving Tree:

$800-$1200 or $25-$38 per page

A standard 32 page children’s book with full color and detailed backgrounds similar to I Love You For Ever:

$4000-$6000 or $125-$185 per page

 

I can’t afford to pay that much.

No worries, there are still ways to get the price to drop.  Passing on the detailed background for example could drop the price per page by up to 30%  Everyone has a budget.  I can find creative ways to shave design time without cutting corners.  BeezInk also offers payment plans.

Below is a simple price guide to reference.  Remember, each project has its own requirements and will need its own quote.

Full spread $250-500

full page: $100 – $250

1/2 page: $75 – $200

1/4 page: $50 – $100

spot $35 – $50

 

I need an illustrator, and would like to commission Shane Burke.  How does it work?

I will need a copy of the manuscript and a written description of each scene to get an accurate quote.  Once the author and illustrator agree on a price a 30% deposit is required before any work starts. This covers materials, and secures your spot “in line” to complete your work by your deadline.  I will start with very simple thumbnail pencil sketches to make sure placement of each element is correct and to allow for feedback.  From there I will create a more detailed sketch of the scene.  Once the sketches are approved the final product will be created.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

 

Shane Burke, www.beezink.com

Jun 26
0

Design for a Target Audience

By | Design | No Comments



No matter what you’re designing, there’s nothing more important than keeping your target audience in mind. Understanding who you’re marketing to and how to best approach the process is an essential part of relaying the right message, and should never be underestimated. While it may seem difficult, there are a many simple tasks a designer can do target the right viewers. Consider all of the following tips for best results.

Choosing your Target

Defining your target market is more important than ever.   Narrowing down your target to a specific or small niche can be far more effective than trying to reach a broader market.  Not everybody will be interested in your products.  Find out who is, and market to them.

Understand  Your Audience

The statistics of your audience are essential to understand when creating a design that will speak to them. Their age, sex, location, education, technical knowledge and other traits all hold a great deal of importance for the artist, and should never be underestimated. A targeted design in San Francisco would surely be different than a design in Denver Colorado.  Designs with the Golden Gate Bridge may be replaced with Rocky a Mountain Design.  The more research you can do in order to fully analyze these aspects of your audience, the better your chances of successfully producing great returns on your marketing investments.

Choosing the Right Design

In order to accomplish your goals, you need to have a solid idea as to what will likely appeal to your target. Something dark and gloomy, for example, will not appeal to a client who is in the health-care industry. A lot of this knowledge is fundamental and will come with experience, but understanding from the very beginning what works for certain audiences and what does not is the first step towards choosing the perfect design for the audience that you are trying to reach. Look at designs by your competitors. Can you tell who their target audience is? How do their designs work?

Keep Your Team on the Same Page

If you intend to work with more than one other person, make sure everybody on your design team is on the same page, and targeting the same audience.  There’s nothing worse than a variety of individuals working on the same project with different ideas of who the audience is.  Brainstorm and create a bullet list for everybody to reference.    This should minimize frustration and reworks for the design team.

Not everybody wants or needs your products.   Find out who does,  and market to them.

Shane Burke, www.beezink.com

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