Sunday Mailbag: Drawing Down?

Q:  If a client just has a low budget, do you sometimes offer to draw with a “lower” quality? I mean, are you maybe accepting a lower wage, if you can in return reduce the amount of work like maybe fewer sketches or less worked out coloring?

A: No. I would not intentionally do something with less effort or lesser quality in order to justify accepting a lower rate. If what a client wants me to do and what they are offering to pay for it don’t equate, I just won’t accept the job. My name is still on the art, and I don’t want to do something I would not be happy with. The paycheck is quickly spent on house payments, bills, or whatever, but my name remains under the artwork forever.

That said under certain circumstances, particularly with personal projects or commissions, I would charge less when using less time consuming techniques. I charge less for a simple pencil sketch than a would a full ink and watercolor painting simply because I would spend a lot more time on that ink and watercolor piece. Regardless, I still give each my full effort. That part never changes.

Thanks to Dominick Zeillinger for the question. If you have a question you want answered for the mailbag about  cartooning, illustration, MAD Magazine, caricature or similar, e-mail me and I’ll try and answer it here!