How Much Does One Charge For This?

I would love to see the contract you use Chris. Wonderful images Mike and Martin. I knew I would find artist's with experience in this area. It is very helpful.

Great image Martin, it should do well.

I have a similar contract with Rothbury cards on a 3 year usage with currently about thirty different images in their range, they always pay upfront and although the money isn't brilliant my work with my web address on the reverse is on display countrywide. I never use an agent but contacted the company director direct when I saw the quality of their product at a preserved railway shop about ten years ago.

Below is one of their best sellers year on year.

When licensing images, I make the license contingent upon a valid and complete payment. In this case, I might want that before the license is granted and the high resolution provided. But I consider that language important in case the check bounces, or the credit card payment is declined, or whatever.

It is a balance of how much publicity you get out of it verses the money you are paid for it. A good,carefully worded contract is important. Your work is a very nicely painted, funny and distinctive image, so hopefully will catch interest from some of those 5000+ pairs of eyes looking at it. As it is a one off transaction you are not tied in to anything for the long term.
Only a few days ago I was contacted about using the image below for a greetings card only. The term was for 3 years use and was agreed though an agent. Although the pay is not that great, it will take the equivalent of quite a few decades of sales to sell it through POD sites to earn the same amount, and puts it in front of potentially many 1000's of people. The contract is for a card only and does not affect other outlets for the image.

For print advertising usage, I have been paid $250 - $500 for a high res photos. When I license photos for less, they are usually used for editorial and web only ... traditionally I am paid quite a bit more for photos that are used in paid advertising. If you are interested in seeing a contract example I have used in the past, I will be happy to email a copy to you. :-)

PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll discuss it with him, thanks Rich, good thought

Ask for the price on your own printing of cards, as a negotiating point! He may print a few extra hundreds, for free, if you accept the $250!

Rich

good advice all. He said his clients budget is more like 250. but would put my info on the back. So I think this would also be good advertising for retiring baby boomers in the San Francisco area where thses invitations are going out.

Leah,

$500 sounds good to me, but I wouldn't tie it to the actual number, in case they come back and say," we're only printing 2,500. Get some legal language from the internet about 1 time usage, payment etc. And as mentioned above, your artist info on the back is mandatory for "small" jobs as this.

I might also talk to the printer and order some cards yourself, possibly without the Corporation info on them, which you can buy very cheaply at this volume and use for your own marketing purposes.

Rich

not knowing what the fair price to charge is ( & excellent thought on the advertising). your 1st thought should be ; what would it cost them to purchase/print 5,000 5 x 7 invitations.
That should help you ( & them) keep your price range in perspective.

No more than 500 and unlike the elephant leave yourself some wriggle room. He can put any image on there so the competition will be stiff. The lowest I would go is 200 and that gives you free advertising.

I just worked out a deal with a woman to use an image for a poetry book.

I think whatever you and the customer feel is fair.

Ten cents an image...sounds very reasonable to me.

If I get in a situation where I am not sure what to charge. I will say something to the effect of "I want to do my best to charge a fair price for this and come to an agreement. Can you tell me what your budget is so I can understand what price range you are expecting to pay for the license?"

It doesn't hurt to ask. ;)

I thought that also ONE give them a deal for advertising me., Good thought Mike J. I will add that in there. @ Mike S. They seem to have a place already printing up professional invitations. This man I am dealing with handling things for them

If I were in your position, I'd tell them that I regularly charge - insert astronomical number here - but would then add that if they were willing to put my logo, website and contact info on the back, I'd let them use the image for free. 5000 pieces could be a lot of exposure!

Put on the invoice:

One time Copyright granted subject to return of master after use for 5,000 images only of "Elephant In The Room" $500

That's all you should need.

Thanks Janine, I am looking forward to the answers also. My Dad who used to be in book publishing was thinking about 10 cents an invitation which would be about 500. dollars. Does that sound right to anyone who has licensed before? Or is that too high? I need to call him soon to discuss it so I was trying to get an idea what to charge

maybe he can buy it from zazzle? i do know that i was contacted by the phil harmonic for an image. and i had no idea what to say. she ordered one zazzle card, i think she copied the rest.

---Mike Savad

Congrats ! looking forward to the answers....