What to Pay Artist for Use of Their Art in Publish Book Cover

The hallowed day has come!! After rigorous re-writes, edits, and a final layer of polish – your manuscript is as adept every bit it'south e'er going to be. It's time to unleash this brute into the wild…

To consummate the projection nevertheless, there'due south a terminal slice of the puzzle left to tackle: THE Embrace Fine art.

Bajillions of words have been written on the importance of encompass fine art, and then I won't wax lyrical on the topic hither – any professional worth their salt KNOWS the book cover can make or pause a release. To put things into context I've personally worked on projects where a re-make (new book cover) has resulted in 5 – xx X more than sales for the author's championship. I bet yous'd similar some of that action too 😮

So we're all in agreement: A powerful / loftier impact cover that screams intrigue and excitement is the way to go. Just how practise we procure such visual delights at a fair toll… without existence burned in the process?

With this guide you'll learn how to sell More than books by hiring the perfect cover artist for your projection. We'll discuss where to find the artists, essential things to await out for when making a buying decision, and how to have a polish / hurting-free working human relationship with your collaborator.

Sounds like win? Read on for the skinny:

Showtime Things First

I should let y'all guys know why I have a lot to say on this subject…

I've produced artwork professionally for 20 years. The bulk of my work has been in the indie sphere, but I've likewise worked for a range of A-Listers / BIG-5 publishing houses too.

I've been effectually the cake, and learned through the burn of experience many of the all-time practices of commissioning book encompass art. Whether it was working for Stephen Male monarch (what a boom!!), or an indie's starting time release – the fundamentals remain largely the aforementioned.

Whether you're a grizzled veteran, or fresh-faced new fish – the principles in this guide will build your confidence when it comes to commissioning book cover art.

The Art That SELLS Books

Before we become the gears moving, allow's take a moment to REALLY think about what sells books. Believe it or non, information technology'southward not but a example of choosing what you think is 'pretty' when commissioning cover fine art. There's a helluva lot more to information technology than that…

Selling the Sizzle

My mantra when information technology comes to putting out ANY kind of genre-product is SELL THE SIZZLE. Remember back to the glory days of VHS video stores, when your younger (prettier) self browsed the rows upon rows of seductively packaged titles. The artwork on those covers had a profound impact on your buying decision – especially if yous were a horror-hound like me!!

The movie itself could accept been absolute TOILET, simply with that big badass monster on the cover – what 15 year sometime could say no to that??

So how does this relate to selling books in the 21st century? The psychology is largely the aforementioned when selling books, however the modern ownership environs is a LOT more competitive… The aim of the game is to make your customer STOP SCROLLING (on Amazon / FB / Twitter etc.) and whisper:

"Holy Southward**T, what IS THAT!?"

As an author of genre fiction – y'all need to SELL THE SIZZLE of your given genre. If you're writing Horror, characteristic your monster / antagonist front end and centre. If you're writing Fantasy, play upon the heady visual motifs of your story (warriors, dragons, creatures etc.)

I similar to call these 'Genre Motifs', and just like the VHS covers of olde – they get your readers excited by serving them up EXACTLY what they like, on a visual platter of awesomeness.

At present I may be detecting some middle-rolls here, and mutterings of "Well duh, captain obvious!!" – but over my career, I've worked with many clients that miss this fact.

High Concept / Simple Covers

Some authors will want to take a hyper-minimal / high-design approach, when creating book covers. Whilst this tin can work brilliantly for not-fiction titles, I'd advise against it for genre fiction authors – especially if you're still in the procedure of building your name.

Yes, it worked for Eastward.L. James' Fifty Shades series, or those snazzy Penguin rebrands of popular titles – simply for the residue of us, our biggest weapon is however SELLING THE SIZZLE.

Fanfic Smut, Artfully Packaged

The titans of publishing can go away with it considering the writer / title has a huge corporeality of BRAND Equity – gained via massive global PR, or because they're Stephen King. The brand sells the championship, and the cover art becomes pretty much secondary to the power of the name.

Regardless of where your own brand equity stands, eye-popping cover art will be your biggest weapon for rising in a higher place the racket.

How 'Accurate' Should the Embrace Art Be?

Now this is the age-old question… When it comes to your cover art, how ACCURATE should information technology exist, in relation to your narrative?

Throughout my career, this particular result has been the NUMBER One Cause of poor encompass art. I've spoken to many of my artist peers in publishing, and the same upshot plagues projects beyond the board. It's a universal killer of sales.

When yous accept a choice of being 100% 'authentic' to the narrative, or going with something 'badass': ALWAYS Choose 'BADASS'!!

Obviously, you'd want something representative of the story – and your cover artist wants that too… but when you're drilling them over multiple finnicky details to get information technology 'simply correct', that can have a seriously detrimental effect on the overall cover. I've seen information technology hundreds of times.

Choose the correct cover artist, requite them your instructions, and let them run wild!! It's a delicate residual betwixt getting exactly what you want, and allowing a certain corporeality of wriggle-room for the project. The more liberty yous allow your cover artist, the better your cover art will exist. I 100% guarantee it.

Yes, in that location are caveats to this… you don't want your cover-art character to exist blonde, when in your volume the guy has black pilus. This bespeak has more than to practise with your artwork getting incrementally WORSE, as a result of forcing pointless narrative details into the limerick, that the client would never fifty-fifty notice at the thumbnail level.

Requite your creative person (a fair corporeality of) freedom. Always choose BADASS over accuracy.

What Makes a Good Cover Artist?

Bated from the fact that your artist produces great artwork and typography, there are other factors at play when working on a collaborative project.

Hither are the main attributes a cover creative person should have, that will ensure your project goes without a hitch:

1. Communication

The creative person should answer to your enquiries in a timely manner. Acceptable is within 24 hours, platonic is within 2 – 5 hours. This keeps the projection moving, and stops the inventiveness from stagnating.

With the higher up in mind, exercise take into consideration whether your creative person is at the opposite end of the planet – time differences tin increment the 'wait time' for responses!! Artists gotta sleep too you know.

If you lot go days without a response, then yous have a definite effect.

2. 'Amiability'

If the artist is polite / courteous / upbeat… that's going to help the creative process A LOT!! Offering creative services is a 'people game', and how your artist treats yous will bear upon the overall project.

Of course, this is a two way street – you lot've got to play dainty too – to get the most out of your artist 😉 If you lot're a prima donna / douchey, then the creative person volition exist less inclined to give their best – or may stall when replying to your letters.

three. Confidence

Fifty-fifty though your artist may be the nicest guy / gal in the world, they need more than that to give you the cover fine art you deserve.

The confident artist will (diplomatically) tell you when you're getting it incorrect. The confident creative person will tell y'all why stretching the title to the full width of the book cover isn't the greatest idea… OR why that photograph your cousin took shouldn't be let anywhere about the comprehend fine art!!

Serious cover art pros know how to gently guide the writer / publisher into the 'right' management, using diplomacy and finesse… without tempers rising, or creative friction occuring.

The relationship between customer and artist is synergistic, and to work well – requires a certain corporeality of 'give and take'.

Choosing Your Encompass Creative person

With such a low barrier to entry, information technology's rubber to say information technology's pretty much a buyers market out there. We're blessed to accept fiercely talented cover artists beyond the world offering their services, at a wide range of budgets.

In that location are many artists out there who will give you MAJOR blindside for your cadet, providing a globe-class service AND sales results… Unfortunately there are likewise shysters who view the artform equally a quick payday, who operate with less than ideal upstanding standards.

Working with these cheapsters can really effect in MAJOR legal troubles for you later downward the line, equally we explored in our previous post. Don't be the author that gets burned.

With such a mind-boggling range of options, and a crowded market – where the hell do you get-go with all this?

Here are some of the top tips to proceed in heed when choosing your cover artist:

1. The Artist has been Referred

If you lot take a buddy that's successfully worked with a cover artist, and the resulting artwork was crawly – then that's perhaps the best indicator to take that the cover artist is legit.

Ensure their style is the right fit for your genre, and double check they're working at the budget range you can afford. Ask your colleague how they got on with the creative person, and if at that place were any issues with the artistic procedure.

By doing the above, you could potentially relieve yourself A LOT of back and forth choosing the right artist for your project!!

2. The Artist Has a Branded Website

The first thing you lot tin practise to check how serious an artist is, is observe out whether they have a branded website. NOT a website with a .WIX or .WORDPRESS subdomain – simply a professional person website, with a branded domain.

To me, this is the start indicator of how professional a particular artist is. If they've taken the time to build the website, and pay out for a personalised domain – that puts them a cut above the rest of the players. The creative person has INVESTED in their pursuit, and they know the game is much much bigger than social media promotion alone.

I've actually received a off-white amount of flak for making this point in interviews previously, just I'm sticking to my guns on this one:

Any embrace artist worth their salt has a branded website.

three. The Artist Posts New Art FREQUENTLY

The professional person artists who get the Chore Washed are oversubscribed. As a event, they mail new artwork online on a regular ground. They're active and visible – yous run into them popping up everywhere, sharing quality work with high frequency.

Of course, being in demand ways the premium for such artists goes up – all the same Non always, equally we'll discover later in this guide…

4. The Artist Has Great Typography / Layout Skills

This game isn't just pretty fine art – it's visual communication.

Book comprehend fine art is a beautiful unison of illustration, layout, and typography. It is Absolutely IMPERATIVE that your cover artist has mastery of both illustration AND graphic design / typography / layout.

The artist must exist able to effectively communicate the 'experience' of your story with the illustration, alongside the essential re-create (book title, author name, sub-title etc.). All of the elements must work together every bit cohesive whole, with a sense of remainder and unity.

I know MANY awesome digital artists who decided to leap in on the book cover game – but they were sorely defective in the pattern / typography department. Visual communication is an artform in itself, and requires AS MUCH (if not more) do than the artwork itself. It is non to be nether-estimated by any stretch.

Of course, there are instances where you can commission an illustrator to produce the artwork – and then hire a talented designer to provide the typography / layout. Admittedly nothing wrong with that, if y'all have the upkeep to comprehend the cost!!

Most book cover artists offering an 'all-in' solution, providing both the illustration AND typography / layout – so it's imperative that they are proficient in ALL aspects of the game.

5. Yous Dear Their Work

Choosing a cover artist can literally be as simple as seeing an crawly book cover, and contacting the artist (direct through their branded website!!) to notice out their rates.

The speed in which the artist gets back to you is also a good indicator of their professionalism and dedication to the arts and crafts. This is another reason why I urge Authors / Publishers to work with fulltime encompass artists.

6. They're a 'Specialist'

You actually can't go wrong when it comes to working with a encompass-art specialist in your chosen genre. These artists dedicate their life and soul to a narrow sub-niche, and develop a world-class prowess for creating cover art for a very detail audience.

I used to be a hyper-specialist (horror!!), and loved every minute of information technology.

You Get What You lot Pay For

And so here nosotros are… the real meat and bones of the guide. How much should I be paying these guys for cover art?

The commencement major signal I'grand going to make here, is avert whatever cover artist that is Below $100 USD. I can already see the various comment sections flare up in rage:

"How Cartel you say that I shouldn't spend less than $100 on cover art!! You don't know what I have to deal with, I tin can barely afford to swallow!!" (etc.)

Again, I'm going to stand by my (potentially unpopular) signal.

Hither's the rub… Y'all spend X-amount of months toiling over your manuscript, undergoing the relevant work to craft something cute – then you slap a FUGLY $25 cover onto it, immediately cheapening your product and obliterating whatever risk yous had to make sales. It beggars conventionalities.

If y'all want to operate within a FIERCELY competitive marketplace (and find success), then yous've got to pay to play, it'south every bit unproblematic as that.

The aforementioned could be arguably said, for trying to 'wing it' – and attempting to design the comprehend yourself (spoiler alarm: NO)

As with any business, y'all gotta spend a little to make a little. If it means going without lattes for a month, then so exist it… nobody e'er said it was going to be easy 😉

"But this is just a hobby, I don't want to spend $100s on embrace art!!" – If that's the case – absolutely fine. Ignore this section if you're non fussed about sales.

Just because your immediate friends and family say it'due south a neat cover, doesn't mean it is and so. The litmus test is whether COMPLETE STRANGERS accept a short moment out of their 24-hour interval, to comment "Damn, that'southward a fine cover!!" Of grade, a powerful comprehend and a not bad blurb will result in sales also.

There is no greater marking of success, than strangers voting with their dollar.

The next part of this guide is written with the agreement that you're a professional (or aspiring professional person) looking to sell as many books every bit possible. Let's take a look at some of the cost ranges commonly encountered within the Indie sphere:

$0 – $100 USD

I phone call this the 'bargain bucket' range, and is populated by newbie designers, artists from developing countries, and individuals not fully confident in their abilities.

Ok… at that place is a possibility that y'all could observe a sub-$100 comprehend that's pretty decent out there – simply it'southward not as likely as finding a vastly superior $100+ cover.

For cripes-sake, go ALL-IN!! Get the absolute best you tin afford!! If it means saving up for a while, get ahead and do that. I personally know we're not all starting on equal footing when it comes to money – just do the all-time you can, with the hand you're dealt.

I'd debate anyone inside a adult nation could enhance $100 USD inside 3 months, if they actually put their listen to it. This is your dream, make it happen.

If you're a $0 – $100 artist reading this, and are angered by these comments – upward your skillset, and Accuse MORE. You lot are in the realm of COMMODOTISATION, where the just thing the client cares about is price. Please read my free guide for digital artists to learn how to up your pricing. As soon as you're out of this arena, your professional person life will IMMEDIATELY improve.

$100 – $250

At this pricing range, encompass art gets a petty more refined, with the artists demonstrating higher levels of prowess – particularly with typography and layout (which can Actually brand or pause the overall comprehend…)

If you're on a serious upkeep or starting out, this domain may be your initial stomping ground. Around the $250 mark you tin can definitely get something pretty decent… but maybe not the All-time.

$250 – $500

This toll range represents the mid-level tier, and the majority of the artists in this arena volition exist pretty decent. There are a lot of Awesome artists from developing countries operating at this tier, as well as 'niche-specialists' who focus on specific genres.

A large number of my Facebook peers are within this range, and information technology does seem to be the 'sweet spot' for a large number of indie authors.

This may exist the toll range you operate at, if you take a steady(ish) income from prior volume sales – just not enough to fund more extravagant covers.

$500 – $m

The $500 to $k bracket is where things beginning getting REALLY sleek… If you're an author that does pretty well with book sales, and so this may exist the domain where you commission work.

Comprehend artists that are in very high demand, may command fees betwixt $500 to $1000, as they know there's a steady stream of clients with cash in hand, prepare to pay. Many competent 'niche-specialists' likewise operate at this range.

At this signal, function of the cost is tied in with the artist's branding – they're a proven entity, are highly professional person in their operations – and are much more than likely to be 'full-timers'.

$1000 +

At this toll point, the artist tends to be globally renowned for their cover art piece of work. They've delivered many projects for A-List authors / BIG-five publishers, or they have an art-style that no-one out in that location has come up shut to replicating. This is the opposite of 'commoditisation' (that you'll find at the lower tiers of pricing.)

You lot'll observe upper-tier natural media illustrators or painters operate at this level, or earth-course blended artists and designers.

'Sectional' photo-shoot projects may fall into this category also, where the stock provider / creative person shoots exactly what y'all need, then pulls it all together as a cover fine art package.

Places to AVOID

Ok, it's fourth dimension for me to starting time bleating almost micro-service, and crowd-talent platforms once more…

I personally don't believe in platforms such every bit Fiverr, or 99Designs.

You may have had a well-meaning (simply fiercely mis-informed) friend advise "Get your encompass from Fiverr!!" IGNORE their advice. Possibly remove them from your christmas card list. Fiverr is the cess-puddle of creative services, and the chances of non only being burned / but too SUED is much much higher than commissioning services from anywhere else. This is where the chancers and shysters operate.

Why am I and then vehemently opposed to this platform? Because the service providers are Not professionals – generally, they steal the resource they need to create the cover art. And then non just are you starting on the wrong foot by having sub-standard cover fine art, but y'all're as well liable for litigation if the IP owners take hold of the breach and determine to pursue for damages.

As this is is such a major upshot with 'cheap' comprehend fine art, I wrote an entire commodity on it.

99Designs is some other platform I'd avoid… not then much because the work on there is no adept, merely because the business model isn't ethical. Artists 'compete' past submitting artworks to commission briefs. If they're unsuccessful in their bids, they don't get paid at all. In that location ARE options for commissioning a single artist straight, but 99Designs still take their cut – pushing the cost up. Nope, I don't like it.

I'chiliad not going to be too mean to 99Designs, as I know a couple of Smashing cover artists who got their start at that place – but I don't corroborate of the platform at all. Every bit with Fiverr, there are besides multiple problems of IP theft on there also. Equally there are And then MANY great artists outside of these arenas, in that location really isn't any reason to support them.

If your ethos is but to buy as cheap equally humanly possible, y'all will be burned desperately in every respect.

The Cover Art Process

Now I don't profess to knowing how EVERY cover artist operates, every bit every individual volition have their own systems for working with clients… From what I've gathered across the lath however, the post-obit blueprint is a pretty accurate example of a typical workflow.

Ane matter to keep in heed, before yous start – is to view the artist'due south portfolio, and be aware of the limitations of their skillset. Empathise that what you get, will probably exist like to what they've washed before.

In this section of the guide we'll examine an example process that artists and clients go through – to become a projected completed, from start to stop:

1. Introduction / Deposit

Once you've made the introductions with your cover artist, and y'all have an agreed budget in place – in most instances yous'd put downwardly a deposit to secure your slot / become work underway (although not always, every artist is unlike.)

When I was producing cover art, there was a 50% eolith before we moved to the side by side phase (consultation). For some artists information technology may be 25% or some other figure.

At this indicate, it's worth finding out what your artist's preferred payment is, and whether you tin can accomodate it. More oftentimes than non it will be Paypal, but it's worth asking anyway!!

2. Consultation

At this stage of the project, you discuss with your artist the kind of artwork you lot'd similar for your embrace. This is an incredibly important stage of the process, the improve your artist is at understanding / interpreting your instructions, the better the last work will be.

You lot tin can aid by highlighting existing covers that y'all like "I want something similar THAT" – or past sharing a Pinterest Board / Moodboard showing the 'vibe' or tone you'd similar for your project. Many artists are highly visual in nature (go effigy!!), so sometimes images work better than words to convey what you'd like:

Over the years I've produced hundreds of moodboards, as function of my cover art services…

Yous tin can scarlet-pick / mix and match diverse elements from other covers, be it aesthetics / content / typography manner – to create something  new, unique and representative of your story.

If your artist is creating comprehend art using photographic resources (compositing / photomanipulation), and so this may be the stage that the artist gives you suggestions for WHICH stock photo elements could be used for the projection.

If you can both be in agreement equally to what elements will exist used for the cover, before the serious heavy-lifting takes identify, then that tin can relieve a LOT of heartache down the road – for BOTH parties!!

iii. Rough Mockups

In one case the consultation is complete, the creative person goes forth and beavers away with your shiny new embrace art.

Some artists may pull together a 'crude' or 'first draft' version for yous to check that they're on the right rail. This could exist as simple as a crude placement of elements, or thumbnail sketches. The work at this stage will exist un-polished and non indicative of the final fine art.

4. Kickoff Draft

At this stage, the artist may present to yous the 'Showtime Draft' – an ALMOST finished embrace, but non quite there all the same. The artist will enquire yous for feedback, and whatever possible tweaks or amendments that you'd like made to the comprehend art.

In that location may be typographical placement also, to show how the illustration sits with the title / writer proper noun etc.

v. Revisions

Later on feedback from the first draft, the artist goes through a serial of revisions, every bit per your instructions…

This is a delicate phase of the project, where artistic tensions / disagreements may flare up. Part of the friction may be the creative person's frustration that they're unable to clear EXACTLY what you want… or requests are being made that are beyond the remit of the artist's skillset.

Unfortunately at that place are instances where clients need a Curiosity / Disney level of production value, only for a grand project budget of $75 bucks. Please don't be that guy 🙂

Please don't exist that guy…

Fortunately, most issues can be resolved amicably!! Through a process of tweaking, and improving, your artist can incrementally better the embrace so it matches what you lot had in listen.

Note: Some cover artists may have a 'Revision Fee' system in place, to ensure the revision procedure isn't driveling by indecisive clients. At that place may exist 'X' amount of costless revisions, with all amendments thereafter being charged at a specified rate.

6. Final Draft

This is the cute stage, where artist and client are in agreement that the embrace art is finished.

The artist may put together the 'full wrap' (volume cover template, for printed copies), Audible cover, or marketing materials at this stage also.

You're happy, they're happy. Everyone's happy!! (I hope…)

vii. Payment / Finish

With the project complete, you lot pay the artist using their preferred payment method.

With payment received, the artist releases all the files (eg. Kindle Cover, Aural Cover, Full Wrap layout) – and y'all tin motion forrad with the TRULY difficult part of your release. The marketing!!

Let the artist know whether it's ok to share the work on their social platforms / websites, or whether you lot'd similar them to hold-off for a while if you desire to proceed the artwork fresh for a specifically timed release. As professionals, they'll understand!!

Closing Notes

Now THAT was pretty hefty for a weblog post, I appreciate yous tuning in!!

It's my aim to save both you and your artist a lot of creative heartache with this guide, and to give your release the best possible head-start when it comes to making sales.

The greatest comprehend-artists out there, KNOW that this is the book-selling business, and not the personal-ego business – and will accept your best interests at heart. Information technology's a tough marketplace out at that place, but fortune favours the brave 😉

All the best with your literary adventures!!

Dean

About the Writer:

Dean Samed is a professional person cover creative person, and Photoshop instructor.

He now dedicates his fulltime attention to producing 'the best goddamn stock photography on the planet!!'

Yous May Too Bask:

The Indie Author'southward Guide to Stock Photography

Earn With Your Art – An Insiders Guide Part 1

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