Exposure Bucks: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

[Luminosophy]

@spudfuzz not even then unless you're guaranteed that they will acknowledge you! Some companies have used artists and have never even mentioned them after

Yeah, but that's why I qualify "legitimate" company. You still don't sign up for it without doing some background research. I've been in a deal that was beneficial at the start but the way the guys started becoming demanding, I fled instantly. Nothing was lost on my part because I still produced a type of artwork I had been wanting to practice, and they had no ability to use.

[Zhengo]

You know...this thread got my wheels turning. I sometimes do requests for people on Deviantart (not all the time, just limited time cases) and I did them with no strings attached...but now maybe next time I do a request event I will force people to pay me in 'exposure bucks' in return for a request XD

[TheFalseVyper]

Omg that twitter account is everything I could have wanted, thank you for sharing it! LOL

[Samuraiflame]

(￣▽￣)ゞ It's a blessing

[joannekwan]

EDITED for clarification

1. When might 'exposure bucks' be a good thing? If the entity you're doing the free work for has a massive audience and dedicated following and if it's clearly stated that you will receive credit and they will promote your piece with your social links, etc for more than one day or one post.
2. On what conditions might you accept such an offer? If I really like what the entity is doing and meets the requirements above and the piece of work is a standalone illustration. NO long-form work. Like I wouldn't mind joining a fanart contest.
3. Does the person offering need to have a certain amount of popularity/following to make it worthwhile? YES, Because if they don't then what the hell kind of exposure are they offering you?
4. What alternatives to offering 'exposure' can you think of (that isn't purely monetary)? Service trades! You make art, they give you whatever they're good at, poetry, prose, music, merch, etc.

[skicoak]

The biggest flaw in thinking that giving work/time away for exposure is worth it based on the amount of potential exposure.... is that those doling out that exposure, are usually in a better position to pay for your work/time.

[droidmonkey1]

Exposure currency only works if it's a sure thing, other wise it's a gamble
When some one offers you exposure as payment, you need risk management.
exposure = potential viewers/clients.> if can get really noticed, like a big content creator says your name and that he liked your creation and ask to check your creations. downsize, people may want to get the same deal, creation for exposure.

money talks exposure sometimes.

[Kann]

Long time ago a guy on Deviantart sent me a note. He was working on some "AMAZING" rpg game and would pay with exposure for my art. What kind of exposure can an account with nothing on it give you?

As for questions, I would work for exposure only if it would be a sure thing.

[HGohwell]

As a general rule I'd say no to exposure. Almost always.

The only time I'd seriously consider it is in the form of guest comics or official fan comic anthologies or fanbooks if it's a series I'm already a fan of. You get exposed to their audience, they get exposed to you audience and you get to draw some official fanart for something you love. But even then I'd have to weigh up time it'd take to do it vs the pay off.

[sushy00]

1. NEVER
2. NEVER. You could be the queen of England but I do not care. I work hard for my artwork!
3. NO, it doesn't matter to me if you have 1 or 100.000 followers.
4. Alternatives would be stuff I want to have, such as clothing, yarn, drawing supplies, books, hosting etc

I may sound harsh but I want to clarify why this is. I sacrificed so much for drawing the way I do. I went to school for it, I practiced so much. I practiced until I was in tears. I practiced until I damaged my arm. That moment taught me that it is always worth it to be paid for your work. Literally anyone with a job gets paid for it, why wouldn't artists be paid? It is a specific skill! It is a valuable skill!

[Kura]

1. When might 'exposure bucks' be a good thing?
In my experience. Never.

2. On what conditions might you accept such an offer?
Absolutely fking Never again.

3. Does the person offering need to have a certain amount of popularity/following to make it worthwhile?
The significant amount of popularity I would require also means that this person has the money and SHOULD have the human decency to pay me for my work.

4. What alternatives to offering 'exposure' can you think of (that isn't purely monetary)?
That benefit the person doing all the work? None really. Unless we're talking trades of goods and services, and even then it would most likely have to be something I need... like I would need money

I used to do a lot of 'for exposure' work with organizations that HAD the numbers and followers, most notably being anime conventions that had thousands to ten thousands of attendees attending. It got me absolutely nothing. No additional business, no new offers, no instances of my art getting more know. Absolutely nothing except all the time and money I lost drawing art for their guidebook comics, badges, trophies and pretty much anything else that needed art.

For several years after the convention still used my art. With absolutely no credit to me for the following years.

[GesuGesu]

I do things for free if it's with friends I'm already close with, or a team fill of volunteers and NO ONE is getting paid. Generally I do art requests in very casual settings, and I won't take random DM /PMs from people I haven't talked to at least 5 times

[BobbyjoeX]

yeah i'll do things for free depending on the people and how close i am with them, other than that, you will have to motivate me to do something for you

[feardeer]

I won't even do free work for friends anymore at this point. I've been taken advantage of too often in the past. Even had one friend blow up and stop talking to me because I very politely and cautiously refused her a free drawing (that she requested when I announced my commissions and had already formed a queue). Come to think of it, I don't think I actually refused her. I think I just told her she'd have to wait until I was done with my paid work.

Anyway, no exposure bucks for me. I'll work for cheap + really exciting project + exposure, or for full price. Gotta make that bank. And I'll still tackle equal partnership collaborations and skill swaps. I am a bit picky though.
-

and also, I agree with @skicoak that those most capable of offering substantial exposure tend to also be most capable of having money to pay with. They just don't always want to lol. It feels the slimiest when big companies or well known people want free shit imo.

[LordVincent]

The closest thing i will do to anything like this is a revenue share agreement, and those I will only enter with companies that have a big enough reach that I can reliably assume my work will get me paid.

I do not work for "exposure". I don't need it where I am at, and even if I did exposure doesn't pay the bills.

[kytri]

As a general rule anyone with a large enough audience to actually give you useful exposure has the means to pay you, or to raise the money to pay you. So in practice it's best to never work for anyone offering exposure.

Generally you can get your name out there much better working on your own stuff, doing fanart, and making friends with your peers.

[Luminosophy]

This is random but I remember another example I did for this:

4. What alternatives to offering 'exposure' can you think of (that isn't purely monetary)?

When I played MMOs more often back in the day, I would trade artwork for either in-game currency or cash shop currency. Depending on the game, it can be lucrative. I ended up ridiculously well off for one. I also witnessed artists trading art for other people to power level their dragons on a pet based site. They literally traded in hours. An hour spent grinding = an hour spent on art.

[bsienk90]

NEVER. NEVER. NEVER. NEVVVVEERRRRRR. NEVERRRRRRRRRRR. Read my text. NEVER!

As a professional illustrator and graphic artist, take it from me, it's terrible idea. And honestly, I think the entire Fiver idea is a terrible idea too. All this do-our-logo-and-we-will-see-which-one-we-pick-maybe-you'll-get-paid, undersells artist and their talent and it is RUINING ART JOBS. I see it every day at my company (I work in Advertising). Clients don't respect you. They think you can pump out 10 designs and sell it on the cheap. It's messed up!

And it's not just clients, people constantly think us artists should work for nothing - the only "exposure" work I do is by and for myself. Like, I decided this Inktober to draw other peoples OCs - it was for me and by me and I thought it would be good practice, exposure and a way to give back to the community. It was my challenge I gave to myself.

I have a college degree and I know what I'm worth - my prices start at $200-$600 for a illustration and $500+ for a small biz logo.

PLEASE, to all new artist - to all aspiring - NEVER under sell yourself, don't give your work away for free. I don't even work for my MOM for free and she KNOWS that. If you want to take requests on your own time that's fine but never work for dirt - never let the person who made the request run the show. YOU are the artist. YOU are the one spending YOUR time. NOT THEM. Trust me - you walk away from one shitty client and one that actually respects your talent will walk through your door. Talking from experience here. (The only time I'd do a piece FOR FREE is if LOISH knocked on my IG and was like - "Hey, girllllllll......."LOL.) ((Also any large jobs you do make sure you write up a contract AND give yourselves royalties if its for publications - you deserve that)).

BTW that website is freaking funny as fuck. Its literally my freaking life.

[Nivardy]

The questions kinda mesh together in a wonderful way, so I'm going to just summarize.

It's an elevator pitch.

If a stranger walks up to me and sees that I art to the extent that I art, and says

"Can you work for me for free a pretty hefty project I've been daydreaming about on and off about. I've also imagined getting rich/popular because of it."

I'm not really feeling it.

It's the amount of trust I have for a person. It's how important that person makes me feel.

"Work for me because you're an artist and I have a dream." Isn't super thoughtful, especially if it's a first impression.

A small-size, thought-out project by a close friend or popular person who I can see evidence for in their work, has a chance. This has to pitched in a competent, clear way. Hazy, floaty daydreams are adorable to hear about, but not something I want to pour hours of man-power into.

I've only had a few instances, and they aren't fun. Essentially, it's someone who I didn't really talk to in class. Once they figured out I drew, they cornered me and talked about this "big project" they were working on for years. When I asked what it was about, it was "a little complicated", and like insert anime here. Honestly that's fine, but the sudden enthusiasm after figuring out they could get something out of me, made me feel pretty bad. Also the project was a entire comic series, instead of character concept or a cover idea.

If you work hard on your pitch, you'll seem more reliable, I think.

[sushy00]

These so-called royalty deals often are worthless too. How do I know how much money you will make with your project? If you make any money, how do I know you will pay me accordingly?! I only accept royalties as a bonus. :V