MisterMister

Ok, I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but I feel it needs to be said .....

You should just go get a job. McDonald's, Burger King, anything. It wouldn't take much to support your needs. I have had to work many jobs to buy things like web hosting and such.

hedsteve

and when you get that job save up 24.99 (UK) or $34.95 (US) and get the GAG (graphic artists guild) 10th edition hand book pricing and ethical guidlines. your charging way too little.

for example you wanted like 20-30 for that banner... according to the guide you should be charging (drum roll please) $400-4500 (for large company with lots of hits) $200-1000 (for small company few hits)

personally I think the guide sounds high too being that I'm a student doing freelance on the side but I try going for atleast half the low price. of course I also don't just throw stuff out I meet with the client before doing any work get an idea of the target audience review their current site if they have one and get a good idea before I sketch stuff out.

but if you make too much you gotta pay taxes (I'm getting screwed this year) but if you can work out deals you can trade work for equipment to make your time more productive (Like taking part of a site payment with a Lacie Electron22blue IV <-thats what I got) of course there is also the fact that its best to get some money to start off with (if they paid you they to start chances are they're more serious and will want you to finish and get whatever they're paying you to do instead of changing their mind about it when your done. Contract are good for this too. (the GAG handbook has this too)

but anyway enough rambling like everyone else has told you (and like I tell all my friends who suddenly decided they want to forget about "real jobs" and get into design) build up your portfolio and you can make more money. and like all my teachers have told me "where you went to school and your grades don't mean shit. its your portfolio that matters"

M-I-5

Thanks guys keep the offers coming in. Soon ill have my company site up

MisterMister

M-I-5, I can tell by your post you are either missing our point or just choosing to ignore it, but in reality, you shouldn't.

I am sure that if you ask any designer - Bert Monroy, Colin Smith, even our own Mark Larmand - they will all agree with me on this .... in the beginning (and even after) we have all had to get regular jobs to support ourselves. You cannot just throw up a website with some designs on it and expect that to support you. It doesn't work that way, especially in the graphic design field.

I don't mean to belabor this point, but I feel it is very important that you get it. You can of course choose to ignore this message as well, but I think that would be a mistake for you.

You see ... a great opportunity is open for you here. You have the chance to get a steady job and in your spare time build a portfolio for your graphic design work. It does not happen overnight. I know being young you want everything handed to you right away, but it does not work like that.

Anything worth having takes work - and I mean working regular jobs to get there, because everybody has to do it.

Ok, I'm done now ....

hedsteve

hell yeah if it happened over night I wouldn't still be in school, living with my folks and driving an 87 buick century!

and I think I'm going to be making more from substitute teaching than I will from designing this month.

MisterMister

LOL .... I hear ya, Steve. I started my own graphic design business online three years ago and it barely paid for groceries. I took a job as night auditor at Days Inn (a hotel here) and I've been doing that full time and working on the design business in the evenings.

I got only one client this year so far. Most people want a web site or graphic design work, but they don't want to pay for it. I'm under the impression most people don't consider graphic design a real job, so they think 'Why do I have to pay for it?'

I usually tell these freeloaders 'You want phone service, you have to pay for it. Same here. It's a business just like everyone else.'

namvet

... but ultimately it is M-I-5's choice/decision, and sure giving and taking advice can be important, but advice is what it should be ... telling someone that this only way to do something usually get's their back up ...
it will beM-I-5's talent, personality, communication skills, ability to achieve goals and find/make opportunities, to find and make 'contacts' and a whole miriad of things that will cause him to achieve (or not) achieve his goals (dreams) .... and sure those that have trod the path before have a story, but that was a different year, the marketplace was different, the clients were different, the opportunities were different, the economy was different ... the world was different ... there are lessons to be learnt from the past but an eye on the future and a firm focus on the goal and a tenacity to achieve it is important ... I have met and know many successful business people who went ahead with their dream even when others (including professionals) said it was folly to do so .... so to anyone, including M-I-5 if you really believe in your dream, if you really believe in yourself and your abilities, if you can take the hard knocks ('cos it won't be easy) if you realise that most fail and only a few succeed then I say go for it .. even if you loose you win 'cos you will be richer for the experience ... but you might just succeed where others have failed ... and if you do that then I would like a ride in your personal helicopter

'nuff said .... I'll put the 'soapbox' back inside the shed [bustagut] [bustagut]

MisterMister

I would be the last one to tread on someone's dreams. Dreams are fine, but reality has to be dealt with.

He keeps asking for someone to buy him hosting, or making the money to buy hosting himself. All I'm saying is that if he had a regular job (like we all must do, even the dreamers), then he could very easily provide this for himself.

Also, with a regular dependable income, he would not have to settle for twenty or fifty bucks - he could demand the price he deserves for his work because he isn't relying solely on designing for income.

M-I-5

Ok firstly thanks for all the advice but i dont really think it was necessarily. Firstly i would like to say that i do have a job. The web design thing is just a hobby. I love doing it so getting paid for it is a bonus. Also the reason i asked people to buy me hosting was just becuase i thort that they may want to do that rather than pay me in cash or watever. Now i have bought hosting which i could have dont before but getting paid with hosting for doing something that i enjoy just saves me the effort of buying the hosting myself. Thanks again everyone.

namvet

M-I-5 wrote: .. a hobby that sometimes pays .... now that I like [righton] :} :}