On average, it will likely cost you $200 to hire a freelance drawing artist. Of course, the price differs based on the project’s scope and usage rights. Hiring a drawing artist can give you a competitive advantage over your competitors, help you send personalized messages, strengthen brand identity, and increase sales.
Drawing artists use different illustrations to bring your ideas to life. In this article, we will break down the cost of hiring a drawing artist.
How Much Do Drawing Artists Charge?
On average, you should be ready to part with $25 to $100 per hour to hire a drawing artist. The costs can rise based on the artist’s reputation, the length of the project, and the project scope. Drawing artists can use traditional methods such as pen and paper or work digitally to bring ideas to life.
Some artists prefer to quote a flat rate for the entire project, meaning you’ll pay them the same amount regardless of the time it takes to complete the project. Other factors contributing to the final price include the number of revisions, the usage rights granted to the client, and the level of detail in the illustrations.
Usage Rights and Cost
Usage rights specify what the client can and can’t do with the finished product.
- Rights managed: This gives the client full rights and limits what others can do with the image, including using it for commercial gain. Usage rights also specify how much time the client can use the illustration.
- Royalty-free: Royalty-free images are charged only once. The client can use them as they wish, but the rights to the images remain with the client.
- Work for hire: In a work for hire agreement, all the rights to that image are transferred to the buyer.
Most drawing artists provide two rounds of revisions. The client will pay more if they request extra revisions.
Traditional Versus Digital Illustration Costs
Contrary to popular belief, you won’t necessarily pay more for a traditional ink and paper illustration. Digital illustrations tend to attract higher prices because their revisions can cost more, and the tools used may require regular maintenance. Generally, the larger the piece of work, the higher the cost.
Tips on Hiring a Drawing Artist
One of the most effective ways of gauging the skills of a drawing artist is by looking at their portfolio–this will give you insights into their creativity and attention to detail. If their portfolios don’t showcase work that fits what you have in mind, consider looking elsewhere. If you want more insight into this process, check out our recent article on how to hire a drawing artist.
How to Save Money on a Drawing Artist
There are several ways to cut costs when hiring a drawing artist. Some of the most effective techniques include:
- Bundling services: Bundling services will save you money in the long run if you’re planning to pay for different services. You can receive a discount when you hire the same drawing artist for different projects.
- Reduce revisions: The quoted price of the project supports only two rounds of revisions in most cases. One of the most effective ways of reducing the number of revisions is communicating openly with the artist to let them know the desired project outcome.
- Define the project’s scope: Defining the scope will lighten the load on both the client and the artist because there will be a clear roadmap for how the parties should execute the project.
There are many benefits of hiring a drawing artist, and it’s important to consider the different factors that influence the cost of hiring a drawing artist. Arguably, the most important factor is usage rights, and it’s imperative to have a contract that protects you from infringing on usage rights. And remember, a higher cost isn’t necessarily an indication of better artistry.
