(Spec) Worked Over with a Rubber Hose

Wow sounds like a pretty hard headed person, I have stumbled upon a few jobs like that in the past, that is actually better to sort of ignore and bursh off sometimes, since it seems to only get worse and not getting any better no matter how hard you try, then in the end it starts pissing you off too hahaha

Yeah, it’s easy to get mad when faced with a pro-spec point of view. I try to educate rather than berate. MOST of the time.

I agree with you Ray, in every single word.

theres a word for people like that. choad.

Very professional exchange. Personally, I would think twice about working for a “writer” so ignorant of the language.

‘You don’t consider me an “Arrtist”? But I’ve got the eye patch, the swindler’s spirit, and everything!’

Ray, I appreciate that you kept it cool, logical, and professional, genuinely attempting to educate someone who helps proliferate spec against young illustrators.

I feel that it is usually young artists, who haven’t had spec explained to them, that fall for/into spec work. I don’t think many ever consciously do it after being fully informed of its detriments. Would you agree, or have you met pro-spec artists who understand the argument but continue to do spec work?

I mean, c’mon, Ray. Yer drawing all day, instead of doing real work, so why don’t you do one of those drawings for me and maybe you’ll get some money and lotsa people will see your work and you’ll be in the big leagues in no time – thanks to me.

Artists can be sooo ungrateful. Commies.

On a side note, I also think that part of the problem is that it is too easy to be unprofessional (please read rude) when writing at the computer. People too often don’t think that there are real people reading on the other end, it’s a bit as if they only see the machine in front of them.
If it had been the case that the conversation was face to face I bet (or at least would hope) the other guy would have been (a little) more professional.
His attitude only showed his immaturity.

Nevertheless, no matter how much rationalization I can come up with, people like this always get to me and I find it very hard to brush it off.
I wish thick skin was something one could learn. I can only hope it gets easier in time.

I have to wonder if this guy will ever see the light of day, professionally…he’s defensive, thin-skinned, childish, and illiterate. Well, even if he becomes successful, one can see that he’s someone to avoid even now; just think how miserable he’ll be to work for if he achieves any success.

But Ray… He practically did all the work for you, doing all that “art direction” and all.

All you had to do was a “quickdoodle.”

In color.

(What a weasel! Run away!!!!!!)

recently i had some one have me do spec work, only they didn’t tell me it was spec work until i was 30 hours into the project. They decided to use one of the other designers they had working on it, who also probably didn’t know it was spec work.

me- ‘if i had known this was a design contest i wouldn’t of done anything for you’

them- ‘well i’m glad i didn’t tell you then’

unfortunately it was charity work so i didn’t have any paper work to protect me from this sort of waste of time.

@Charlie, commies, indeed!

The unfortunate truth is that there’s nary one of us who hasn’t been duped into spec (usually early in our career).

Well, we all start out with the naive belief that most people understand that artists actually work at what they do. That artists put in in time, effort, money for equipment, experience, etc., much less might have a talent of some value. The sad reality is most people I NO idea what an artist does. It must be fun and effortless, because we all did it as children and those who continued to create into the adulthood were “naturally” talented (therefore it comes easy) or lazy bums. Neither deserving much monetary reward. But hey, I wouldn’t trade it fer nuthin’. I’m wired for it.

Wow, next time I might want to proof what I wrote instead of hitting send. Sorry ’bout that.

Heh; I got the point.

The assumption that the ~$6k of equipment and software it takes to complete their work shouldn’t be factored into their price drives me up a wall more than the others.

“If you’d prefer a cocktail napkin sketch…”

What a moron, he is obviously the person wanting the job done, he speaks unprofessionally, and with little-to-no grammar and his emails are full of spelling mistakes, and then to belittle you and put words in your mouth..

I admire your professional mindset Ray, I certainly wouldn’t have kept it with that person.

You tell ‘em Ray.

Thanks, guys. I promise that I’m not the patron saint of patience, by an stretch. Sometimes, though, you can’t help but be struck by the notion that the level of discourse is so low, you’d break your back to stoop to it.

Holy moly: http://www.crowdspring.com/
Did should have called it SpecWork.com

*They* not *did*

I have recently invested in a beret and string of garlic. I mounted a pose model to my old pimp stick and will work for free. Promise not to disappoint…. finger-painting is a speciality!

Thank you for explaining to this person that spec work is unacceptable…with contest sites like Threadless etc etc all the rage with my students I feel like I’m constantly having to explain how these things are not benefitting illustrators in the long run. I’ll make sure and send them all to read this. Nicely done, and you were not insulting at all…

This is something I should look into as I’m constantly being asked to draw/paint stuff for people at work and no one’s really paid me for it.
-Hunter

I gotcha, ISO.

Jean-Paul, finger painting sounds great! Heh.

Rick, Threadless is a bit of a unique animal in some respects, but we largely agree. I can’t fathom why this generation of illustrators seems so intent to follow each other off the proverbial cliff.

Hunter, you deserve to get paid!

I’ll start charging after I put out my anthology that I um..couldn’t pay you to be in, lol!
-Hunter

Hi Ray. I guess it’s not the right time to email you about a pro bono job? Check your email anyway :)

Pro-bono work for a charity isn’t spec. :)

Thanks for leading the line Ray. I sometimes feel I ned to accept spec work but then after a while I realized that it’s really hurting a lot of people out there and decided to put a stop to it. I don’t get as much design work tho, but the web design work that I do covers it.

Thanks for sharing this post, Ray. You handled the situation well. And you’re empowering lots of artists, so thank you:)

I hope someone has said no to spec as a result. If that happens once, awesome.