Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines, 11th Edition is the industry bible, containing information all graphic artists and their clients need to buy and sell work in a totally professional manner. This edition has been revised and updated to provide all the information you need to compete in an industry moving at lightning speed.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Pros: Covers a lot of ground; defined creative terms and boundaries for the profession, fees, moral issues, client relationships, salaries, photographer relationships, illustrator relationships, etc. Rare is the book that has the guts to put actual numbers on project fees, rarer still to see it in this field. The only guide of its kind available.
Cons: Shape/bindery of the piece. It's a pain to even open it wide. (This was designed by the guild?) Some of the fee quotes/ideas are too vague, to the point of offering little guidance. The flow of the chapters is odd. Example: It starts with illustrator relationships(?!), when you'd think the first chapter would be an overall state of industry, issues facing communication arts employees and employers, trends, etc. The section on digital/non traditional media is still a little shaky, but better than it was.
Last thoughts: To the review that said they need a new version, they've done two in the last 3 or 4 years. The most recent being 2003. To everyone else: it's a guide, not a law book. The prices are at once too high and too low. Fees/salaries will vary no matter how accurate it is.
22 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By itsjoev
The 11th edition is out,(although Amazon may not be displaying the most recent cover) and they did it again. The Graphic Artists Guild has produced the definitive industry resource for designers, illustrators and anyone even remotely interested in making a living in the graphics field. The book provides a terrific introduction to professional practices for anyone expanding their existing business to include web projects. This is a publication that keeps improving with age. Trying to encapsulate all situations is impossible, but the care taken in putting this survey together shows. Ta da! Even the web design section catches up to the situation on the ground.
At first glance it seems slimmer than previous editions, but a deeper look reveals that more information makes it onto each page, with a more efficient typographic treatment, and some judicious editing deleting duplicate information in some chapters
Please note: The prices reported in the book are the results of a survey of real working professionals. A spot check reveals that some reported price ranges have increased over the intervening years since the 10th edition. Some are the same, or similar. In the end, the producer (that's you!) has to insist on higher prices, you can't expect a book to negotiate for you, can you?
Some of the charts are improved. For instance, the Chart and Map Design section is more useful, including ranges for 4 different possible uses for a piece: advertising, in-house, editorial and textbook. this replaces the not-always-useful "client annual revenues" breakdowns in the 10th edition.
In the age of easy image stealing a new cease and desist form letter is included on p. 250 for you to use. May you never need it!
Hats off to the Guild for putting facts and figures at every working graphic artists disposal. It's a lumbering, exploding field where standards are in short supply on the fringes, but solid guidance is only a bookshelf away. I'll say it again... If you're unsure about what to charge, or how to structure an agreement (you're using an agreement aren't you?), it'll pay for itself with your next job.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
I have read most of the reviews for this book and most everyone seems unanimous that the fees suggested are "high" and don't work with an unsophisticated client.
Most of the pricing has come from designers and agencies alike that are in the large populated cities and will quote a higher price. One review stated that: "In a small city like mine, (pop. 100k) a lot of businesses are run by people that have little to no education or running a business, much less knowledge of the importance of graphic design. I find that I have to go way under what is usually recommended for certain projects." That's INEXCUSABLE!!! Part of your job as a designer is to sell your ideas and creativity. To inform the client of why they need to have the appropriate design and creativity to build and maintain their brand. The lower you quote your prices, the faster this industry will become overcompetitive and turn into a photoshop nation.
I sacrificed lot's of business in the pursute of a higher price and eventually it paid off. Some of the fees for certain design work-ie: Graphic Design- seem to be on the high side, but mostly it is just demographics more than anything. This book will help you with that process. It is definately a MUST HAVE!
Most of the pricing has come from designers and agencies alike that are in the large populated cities and will quote a higher price. One review stated that: "In a small city like mine, (pop. 100k) a lot of businesses are run by people that have little to no education or running a business, much less knowledge of the importance of graphic design. I find that I have to go way under what is usually recommended for certain projects." That's INEXCUSABLE!!! Part of your job as a designer is to sell your ideas and creativity. To inform the client of why they need to have the appropriate design and creativity to build and maintain their brand. The lower you quote your prices, the faster this industry will become overcompetitive and turn into a photoshop nation.
I sacrificed lot's of business in the pursute of a higher price and eventually it paid off. Some of the fees for certain design work-ie: Graphic Design- seem to be on the high side, but mostly it is just demographics more than anything. This book will help you with that process. It is definately a MUST HAVE!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for starting out in the freelance world of design
This book is a great resource for graphic designers starting out in the freelance world. I have also found this book to be practical when quoting for a job in which you are not... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Kevin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book
I recently got this book and from what I have been seeing so far I know that this book will be so valuable to me. I recommend this book for artists of every medium.
Published on February 24, 2010 by Kerry Fonville
5.0 out of 5 stars
Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines (Graphic...
This is the bible of graphic arts. Every working designer and illustrator in the business should keep a copy by their side.
Published on August 30, 2008 by Mejo Okon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Handy Guide for Freelance Artists
This guide is really a useful resource for a freelance artist like myself. It's most useful feature, in my opinion, is the legal advice it offers including templates for standard... Read more
Published on November 1, 2007 by Ben O'Donnell
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you are serious, you need this
You need this if you want to start thinking as a professional. There's templates for contracts and wording you would never think of as a newbie. Read more
Published on September 30, 2007 by M. Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars
The book no graphic designer should be without!
I think the true title of this book should be "The Book No Professional Graphic Designer Should Be Without: Things Your Client Might Not Want You to Know About the Design... Read more
Published on July 4, 2007 by Jeffrey D. Batt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must have book for anyone in the design field
My professor recommended that I purchase this book, boy am I glad she did. It is an amazing resource for any ethical and pricing questions you will have. Read more
Published on May 15, 2007 by Ding Dong
5.0 out of 5 stars
Graphic Artists Pricing and Ethics
The GAG Handbook is a must book to have if you are a Graphic Artist. Everything you need to know about pricing, contracts, headhunters, etc., are in this book.
Published on May 7, 2007 by Pj Hachmann
5.0 out of 5 stars
a fair way to do business
great reference book for pricing your art works. it has many different categories to go by. of course, i only need one field, but good to know other ones too, just in case.
Published on March 31, 2007 by K. Kim
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good, helpful artist book!
This book is very helpful to the studio artist who is just starting out with pricing work. I needed this for an Illustration class, and it's done wonders for me.
Published on March 19, 2007 by K. Morton
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