The Creative Transparency Group Process & Prices

A Creative Insight Experiment by Tropicool Studio

Hello! Thank you for making it this far. My name is Ceri, the artist behind Tropicool Studio. I created this questionnaire for fellow illustrators and graphic designers because pricing and business structures in the creative industry often feel like a black box.

As a self-taught artist working commercially, I have always found it difficult to know whether I am charging fairly, too much, or too little. I know many other artists feel the same. So many independent creatives are figuring these things out on their own, which can make it hard to gain perspective on how others structure their work.

The idea behind this is simple: by sharing our experiences and rates, we can build a clearer picture of how artists actually run their businesses and get paid. My hope is that this information helps people feel more confident in their pricing, recognize when they may be undercharging, and gain insight into how others manage the business side of their art.

The goal is to make the creative field feel a little more transparent and a little less isolating.

This project is 100 percent anonymous!

To protect everyone’s privacy and ensure we get the most honest data possible:

Do not include your name, website, Instagram handle in any of the text fields.

Do not mention specific client names. Use generic terms like Outdoor Clothing Brand in Canada or Coffee Shop in Hawaii instead.

Once you submit your answers, you will be redirected to a library where you can read through everyone else's responses. By contributing, we can all learn from each other and grow together.

About You

Where are you from?

Where are you based?

Are you working full time or part time as an artist?

Freelance, In-house designer, or agency?

How many years have you worked as an artist?

Are you more of a Graphic Designer, or Illustrator?

How large is your audience on Instagram?

A

Under 1000

B

1000-5000k

C

5000-20,000k

D

20,000-50,000k

E

50,000-100,000k

F

Over 100,000k

What Industry do you usually work with?

What type of projects do you usually take on? And are you happy with them or do you only take them on for the money?

Where do you earn most of your money currently? Custom work, licensing, selling your own goods, etc.?

Where does most of your work come from?

Don't include the specific links just share whether its Instagram, Linked in, Dribbble, Markets, referrals, etc.

Do you have a niche or a distinct style that people hire you for? Or are you still figuring that out?

Earnings Overview

Please note I understand that this is both sensitive to share, and subjective based on the project. Please do your best to share an average or at least a sliding scale where possible.

If any of the questions feel irrelevant, please answer with "irrelevant".

How would you describe your current demand?

A

I'm just starting out

B

I actively have to search for work and go through a lot of gaps of no work or income

C

I have gaps in my schedule but I'm busy enough

D

I manage to work full time, and receive consistent inquiries

E

I'm booking out months in advance

F

I'm too busy, I can't keep up

G

None of the above

How do you usually price your projects? Fixed pricing & packages, or is every project custom quoted?

Do you ever use an hourly rate? If so, what is your hourly rate and when would you use it?

What size of clients do you usually work with?

A

Individuals/very small start ups

B

Small Businesses

C

Mid-Sized Businesses

D

Large Corporations

A small lifestyle clothing brand based in California is asking for a simple custom illustration to print and sell on their merchandise for unlimited length of time, how do you price it and what would you charge?

Patagonia (the clothing company) is asking for a medium detailed illustration to sell in their next limited edition collection. What would be your pricing quote and what went into that pricing?

An independent but trendy coffee shop in Los Angeles is asking you you to design their logo with a custom typeface and a curated color palette. How much do you charge and what went into that pricing?

If you were fully confident in your pricing and didn’t worry about losing the client, what would you charge for the same logo described above?

Do you offer brand kits? What are your offerings and price ranges?

Do you sell or license existing artwork? How much do you usually charge for them? Do you price them different per client or is it flat rate?

If you licence your artwork, do you change your price if they wish to use it globally or for an unlimited length of time?

Please feel free to share any specific pricing tiers.

What would you say has been the biggest factor influencing your pricing so far?

Industries

What industries have been the best to work with so far? Where did you find them or how did they find you?

Lowest paying industries that you have worked with so far? Is it worth working for them?

Earnings & Time

I am completely compassionate that this information is personal and sensitive. The goal is to create transparency so we can all start earning a more comfortable living off of our art.

How much are you earning a month on average from your art?

A

Under $1000 USD

B

$1000-$2500 USD

C

$2500-$5000 USD

D

$5000-$10,000 USD

E

Over 10k

Would you say you are living comfortable off of your art? or struggling?

How long does each project take you on average? I understand this is a super hard one to answer, so feel free to add context.

How many hours a week would you say you're working on your art business (all sides of the business)

A

under 10

B

10-20 hours

C

20-30 hours

D

30-40 hours

E

40-50 hours

F

50-60 hours

G

60+ hours

Extra Advice & Questions

What question would you have for other independent artists?

I will share these on my social media for the public.