04.04.12
you wanna know what is really difficult about freelance? maybe even one of the hardest parts, actually. deciding what the heck to charge your clients. you have to go down this path of “what am i worth?” or “what’s the magic number?” well, here’s how we do it. hopefully this helps a little!
KATIE’S ANSWER:
someone i follow on twitter quoted someone else from a presentation at alt summit that said something along the lines of “if your fee doesn’t make your stomach flip, you’re not charging enough”. it’s one of the things i think about when figuring out that special number. it took me about a year of trial and error to figure out how to quote an estimate on a project or decide on an hourly rate. part of it was learning how long it would take me to accomplish things and learning what the expectations of clients were.
base your pricing on what it costs you to live. tally up your monthly expenses + more for savings and adventures. divide it down until you figure out your hourly rate. joy cho’s book creative inc. has a great chapter on figuring out how to do that. you could also increase that rate based on your talent and experience. find a number that feels right and makes you happy. that is so important because if you’re unhappy with the rate or quote you just gave a client, you will resent the project, not want to work on it and be miserable. your rate can change case by case. you don’t have to stick with something if it isn’t working for you. there are also certain clients that already have a set budget. you can choose to work within that budget or move on. figure out what works for you.
and then there is the other area of charging for licensing and rights managing. this part makes my head spin, so i’m going to direct you to jessica hische’s article about that. good luck.
BRI’S ANSWER:
getting paid. it should be the fun part! but a lot of the times it can be a headache. you want to give people deals in exchange for “exposure” and pretty soon you have done a ton of free work and can’t pay the electric bill. so you have to figure out a balance. (and believe me, i still do free work if i think it’s a good opportunity. don’t get me wrong) the first logo I ever designed, i did for around 100 bucks. and it was for my dad. and he had this idea for his construction project: “bri, can you make me a logo of an anaconda snake wearing a hard hat?”…let’s just say that was a very painful 100 dollars.
i wish i had a price sheet to refer to every time i start with a new client, but more goes into it than that. i don’t believe that design is so clear. let’s be honest, some people are much easier to work with than others. if i am going to design a website for my mutual friend who i know has great taste and a similar aesthetic, than I can assume this project will take me less time than average, which could mean a lower price. (be careful, this can also backfire!) and knowing how long a project is going to take you only comes from doing a lot of projects. so trust me, that part will get easier.
and i totally agree with the quote katie referred to up there. sometimes I send out a quote for a project and i feel all nervous inside, thinking to myself “oh man, they are NOT going to agree to this number.” but more times than not, they do. clients appreciate artists who know their worth. and you have to be confident that you are going to provide that client with something that is going to change their brand for the better! and that is worth a lot.
i wish i could give you a number chart. but i really can’t. maybe try this…design a logo for $350. the next logo you design, charge $700. and so on…until you feel completely satisfied with the number. like i said, i did my first logo for 100 bucks. eight years later, i charge anywhere from $2500-$5000 depending on the company. it’s always going to feel a little like a guessing game.
oh! and make sure to charge a little extra for project management. you would be shocked how many emails go back and forth when you are designing a website or a brand package. and that takes a lot of time. pad it a little so you don’t lose your mind.
(illustration by katie evans. read more freelance advice posts are over here!)
04.03.12
i am not really sure what made me cut bangs. i came back from europe, saw this picture and that day I made the chop. i have had the same hairstyle for 10 years it feels like. booooooring. i just needed a change. do you usually cut your hair impulsively as well?
they have actually been surprisingly easy to style too (i was so worried about this, considering i usually just roll out of bed and go)…a couple minutes hangin with the blow dryer and that’s it. it sure is nice to change your look up and you’d be surprised how differently clothes feel when you have a new hairstyle!
i love this new vintage blazer i found! i like to pair it with a patterned shirt underneath and jeans. i am not sure if you noticed, but i rarely wear blue denim jeans because they always stretch out and irritate me. but these madewell ones are a nice fit.
(photos by angela + ithyle)
i thought it would be fun to start doing “get the looks” (below) every now and then. let me know if you like seeing these on the blog!
shop: jacket / polka dot tank / nars orgasm blush & nars lipstick / turquoise ring / green flats / jeans
04.03.12
last week we had our office photographed for apartment therapy! the full post goes up in a few days (it’s up now! see ALL the photos here) but here are just a few photos. i love all these folks, working with them is beyond cool!
photos: Bethany Nauert for Apartment Therapy
04.02.12
i really wanted to go on a tropical vacation for my birthday at the beginning of this year…but work wasn’t really allowin that. but i’m making it happen in may! my family would always go to cabo san lucas when i was a kid, so it’s a special place for me… and do you remember this post about how arian & I started dating and had our first kiss in mexico?! funny stuff.
now, i gotta find a swimsuit! i always love the selection at anthropologie…i just wish i could try them on in a store! here are the ones i’ve had my eyes on…and hey, tell me, where do YOU shop for bathing suits?
swimsuits: one / two / three / four
04.02.12
take a look at these beautifully designed invitations for a brooklyn philharmonic concert by kelli anderson. the details put into all of the different materials are quite impressive.
04.02.12
first of all, all the cab drivers in london are like sweet grandpas that make you feel real welcome. i had about 8 cab rides and each one was more lovely than the last. in this cab ride we were headed to Liberty! a GIANT store filled with gifts, furniture, stationary, prints…you could seriously get lost in there. in a good way.
liberty had a full room of cards (it was cool to see rifle paper co. over in london!) and I wanted to bring one of those neon signs with me so badly!
walking along columbia road was one of my favorite parts of london. sensory overload. and how cool that you get those striped bags when you buy something at most stores?
interesting wall decals & fonts found over at supernice!
lots of store window love!!
you better believe there was a lot of wine cheese bread stops for us. and how about that little change dish? i definitely feel inclined to leave a tip in that.
one of my favorite things to do when I travel abroad is to stop in the magazine stores. i always leave incredibly inspired.
and food peeps, we ate at pizza east and had the most delicious feast! go there! super hip place.
LONDON, WE SHALL MEET AGAIN! -bri
(photos by jen gotch, who was sent over the sea with me by mailchimp}
04.02.12
I have to admit I have a soft spot for coral. It’s not orange, it’s not pink, it’s unique! I love the lively freehand style of this painting, it makes me want to pick up a brush and paint! How about you? -stephanie
shop: painting / purse / perforated cards / collar / necklace / watch / scarf / shoes
03.30.12
spend your weekend doing things that make you happy. -bri
(photo credit)
03.30.12
today we have natalie in the house! i have been complaining that there are rarely any camera straps I love to look at. and the ones i DO love, are quite a lot of money (remember those beautiful woven ones from the 70′s, where did they all go?) so today, we are making a DIY camera strap that sort of blew my mind! natalie totally needs to make an etsy shop full of these, right?
what you’ll need:
• 2 yds cotton webbing (we used 1 1/2 inch natural cotton)
• masking tape
• acrylic craft paint
• 2 swivel hooks (found in the jewelry or with purse handle section of most craft stores)
• fabric glue
• needle and thread
• metallic leather or vinyl (optional)
let’s get to it…
the steps:
• measure out the desired length of your strap and add 2 inches.
• on a work surface use tape to create a geometric design taking care to make sure tape is fully adhered to the webbing. We used the rounded side of a bone folder to smooth the edges on the tape to be sure our paint line were crisp.
• now the fun part, apply paint to webbing. Be sure paint is dry before attempting to remove tape. Watching paint dry is a skill that takes practice.
• now that your strap is looking amazing, slide the ends through the swivel hook giving yourself about an inch of strapping on the reverse side and glue. Be sure to give the hook a little bit of space to move when gluing.
• because you’re hanging your beloved camera around your neck add a few stitches to the glued area for good measure!
** small side note, if you have a rather heavy DSLR you may want to choose a wider strapping than what you can fit through the hardware of the swivel hook. To accommodate this we used a piece of metallic leather to create an adapter that we then glued and sewed to the end of the painted strap.
now you’re ready to take your made up camera to the streets & show her off.
make different sizes for different cameras, why dontcha? we would love to see photos of your creations, tweet bri the pics @designlovefest ok? go on, get your MAKE on.
and hey photographers, we have TWO more spots left in our photo workshop in los angeles. come join us!
(photos & creations by natalie shriver)
03.30.12
you can get inspired just by walking to the corner for some strawberries when you are in paris. i am sure it sounds so cheesy to the people that live over there, but that place really will shake you up inside. change your perspective. wake up your senses…
whether it’s the unique fonts painted on the buildings…to the bags of spices in the sidewalk market.
how about the way colorful light bulbs look when they are all together, or the salted butter magic, and those tiny cute cars they get to drive around!
even the window styling will catch you off guard. and those photobooth strips still feel special each time they print, huh?
i really believe paris is a place everyone should experience at least once in their lives. have a wonderful weekend everyone! -bri
(photos by jen gotch, who was sent over the sea with me by mailchimp}
||||||||||||||
