Fellow graphic/web designers: No matter how low on cash you are, do not demean your talent and hard work by offering to do your valuable services "on spec" (for no upfront money) or to participate in "contests" where MAYBE, if you're a good little designer, you'll get paid. Stop whoring your graphic services out. Whenever you do so, you lower the standards for ALL designers. A good article on this can be found at: http://www.zeldman.com/2007/08/14/dont-design-on-spec/ I have no connection whatsoever with the above website. You who hire/plan on hiring designers with "contests" and no up front payment (not even a deposit): Try doing that next time you order anything else online. I understand there are scammers out there. Do your due diligence before hiring anyone. If the designer you are considering hiring has no verifiable references, and nothing positive about them on Google, simply don't hire them. There are plenty of online designers with very solid work histories. I realize this will fall on deaf ears in most cases. There are those who will continue to hold contests and refuse to pay anything up front, and "designers" who will accommodate them (such as those living in their mom's basement who can afford to do their "designing" for nothing). But if, after reading this, even one decent designer stands up for him/herself and refuses to work for crumbs (or nothing at all) - it was worth writing this post.
There's places i think this is fine, for example, i have a big project, designer has a small portfolio, but i'm interested, i might ask for a sketch or mockup before hiring them, possibly saving me a mistake, or being great for both of us, is that so bad?.
matessim, I was primarily referring to those who get hired, and not paid anything upfront, or participate in the logo "contests". If the designer is willing to gamble their time drawing you a rough sketch of some kind, that's their choice.
Well, I certainly see your point and why you would be concerned, but I think you may be off a bit. "Professional" graphic design firms rarely do contests here, they rely on their past work, word of mouth, and Google to do the talking for them. They make their money by being hired, paid up front, and creating amazing work. The people you see here on DP aren't those firms, they are usually single designers who don't need to "make a living" for their work, they do it to pay for domain names or for name exposure. The firms that do enter contests are usually doing it to get their name out there, not because they need the money. What I'm saying is, if someone wants the best they can get they know to find a professional design firm. If they want something that will hold over most of their users at a cheap price, they hold a contest here. Have any of the big design firms closed due to people choosing to hold contests on here instead? I really doubt it. Is designing on spec killing the industry? I think not, rather It's giving the power for small designers to compete with the big firms. Competition is a good thing, and It's not going to stop. Get used to it, embrace it, make yourself better because of it.
I have to agree. Working for the chance to be compensated for it just perpetuates the popularity of people trying to get designer that way.
This is correct, but is the idealism behind it negative? It promotes competition, improves quality, and the end customer is happier with the product. The only people who have anything to fear are those who have developed their entire business model on providing substandard products by convincing people that they are the best. I personally feel that businesses should have to compete for their customers, but I suppose old fashioned businessmen would disagree there.
I completely agree and understand with what you're saying, but sometimes emergencies happen and us designers have to call for drastic measures which can include designing for dirt cheap. I'm currently in that situation. Got laid off and the only option I currently have is to design for work, and I'm struggling to catch up on bills. I have to design as much as I can as fast as possible, so yes I am going to lower the prices for my work because I'd be absolutely screwed if I didn't. I do understand it hurts the freelancing industry, it's not helping me any either. You think I want to be designing a full website for a measly $100-200? Hell no. But it's a lot easier to find work for $100 than finding a client who wants to pay $500.
I definitely hear what you're saying, MotocrossJoe88 -- I've recently been in a similar situation. I understand the need sometimes to lower prices -- most services/industries do that when necessary. Again though, I'm referring to doing jobs on spec, or participating in contests -- not lowering prices. We all must adapt our prices to fit the market... but not to the point of personal and professional degradation, like offering to do logos for $4, etc. I wish you the best of success with your current situation.
Yeah, I still won't do any work without a down payment or design a logo for $10 or so like you see on these forums. You're either wasting your time or asking to be scammed when it comes to those.
"Many people on the contests section participate in order to get good practice.' Hecky, I understand, and if someone wants their business identity developed by an amateur practicing on it, that's up to them. My original post refers to professionals, who make a living from graphic design. Perhaps those claiming to be graphic designers on this forum are simply "practicing" to be professional someday. I don't know.