FAQ
If you have any questions about my art, background and work/ process, I hope to answer some of it here! Of course, if your question is not listed here, you are very welcome to send me a direct message!
What happens when I hire you?
Great to hear you are thinking of hiring me! Getting illustrations for your project can greatly enhance the final product and give it a special touch other media cannot do so easily. It is a completely unique artwork created especially for you and will be one of a kind.
When hiring an illustrator there is several things that you can do before contacting that can help the whole process.
At the Start:
First of all, there is several things you should consider about your goals and your project:
– What’s the overall subject/ style/ purpose etc for your project? The more I know about your mission, your goal, your personal style, your customers, etc. the better.
– What’s your budget? Please be a little bit informed about realistic industry rates and be aware that work on Fiverr etc, will probably not result in the same as I will offer you. If you are not sure, give me a range and I will try to put something together that is possible within that budget. For example: If a full colour illustration is higher than your budget, maybe b&w will suffice?
– Who is your target audience, and what is their demographics (age, interests, personality, etc)? The better your idea of your final customer, the more you can create something suitable for them (with the help of the illustrator). Knowing this information can help your illustrator greatly.
– How many illustrations do you need? What is your format? Where will it be printed on (final purpose/use)? Also where do you intend to sell (countries) and for how long do you see the project in use?
– When do you intend to use the artwork? Is there a deadline or are you flexible with timing?
Before Commencement:
Once you know these things, fill out my small questionnaire, so I can get an idea of your project and come back to you with a quote! In there is also quick explanation of how many iterations and (approximate) hours of work are included. Please note that the final price can vary from that, depending on the final work and changes. If you agree to the quote I will send you an agreement to sign. You should read it carefully and raise any questions you might have. I am happy to answer any concerns you might have. If there needs to be amendments to the agreement, we will work these out and I will change and send you another document. Once signed and a deposit is paid (usually 30% of the quote), we can start!
During the process:
We will have several stages to complete and will go in order. I work closely with my clients and want them to feel as part of a collaboration, so you can have input at many stages! I also work digitally a lot which allows more flexibility for colours, placements, sizing etc, so things can be changed. If you are concerned about something, say as soon as you notice, it helps to address it asap.
1. First a “get to know each other and the project” call (which might have happened after the questionnaire too) and discuss all visions, ideas, etc.
2. We will collect research (together!) via a (secret) Pinterest board, where we can comment and collect images and doodles that speak to us. It helps clarify what everyone understands for certain terms and concepts, so it makes it easier to communicate and get to a joint end result.
3. I will put together concepts (roughs) which loosely show the layout and design of what we create. Good time for major changes.
4. Once approved, I will then make more detailed sketches/digital mockups that show placement and style in more fleshed out ways. It is a great chance to make smaller changes where things can be improved or rearranged.
5. With these sketches I will create final work. Sometimes colouring happens straight away, sometimes I will first send b&w line work first, it depends. Here the project shows its final form. Best to only have minor changes here.
6. Then we will approve the finals and export images in final sizes and formats!
I always allow alterations (usually 1 or 2 major and 2 minor ones) but it is much better to have significant changes addressed at the earlier stages as it is much more work when it happens later. If the change falls outside the agreed and included iterations, I will let you know and charge hourly for additional work. This ensures that you can always amend things (even last minute) if you are OK with the extra time/cost. To avoid this though, simply ask any questions you might have at the start so we can discuss changes early on. Sometimes assumptions can also lead to miscommunication and I want to avoid that!
After the work is complete:
Once it is all finished, I will send an invoice for final payment and once paid, the copyright agreement is in effect. You can then start using your artwork. I will also send you everything in a final folder via dropbox or email so it is all easy to find and access. That way you know where to find all files (in one place). After a week or so, I will check in with you to see if it is all ok and send you a quick feedback request where you can let me know what was great and what you thought of everything. A testimonial would be helpful too! 😉
What are your terms for the usage of the work you create?
Your usage rights are flexible and I am happy to work with you to adjust our agreement to something everyone is happy with. So for any questions you might have, simply let me know and we can discuss what to do. However, I do have general terms for the usage of my work, which you can read below. This is my standard for any work agreement I would send out to you.
For Logo and Branding Design:
A logo is completely unique to the company/entity that it is designed for and is also core defining material that I believe the client has a right of ownership to. Also, it places protection of the work in the hands of the company so that for any legal events the company can act on its own and with free will to decide.
Also as an artist, there is no benefit for me to keep the rights to a branding/logo design as it is unique and cannot (and should not!) really be reused for another client.
So therefore the rights to a logo/trademark are going to be transferred over to the client at completion of the project after payment has cleared. This is full ownership of the final design.
What I keep the right to: The right to display the work on my site or anywhere else (publishing rights) and for any promotional use for my work. I also keep the rights to all designs/ concepts/ sketches/ doodles that have gone into the process until the final design was decided.
For Illustration (also for Illustrations that are part of branding):
Illustration work is quite different to branding. Here I will always keep the final ownership of the images as the general rule under the Copyright Act is that the creator of an artistic work is the first owner of copyright. The client always commissions the use of the image, even if it was specifically created for this client. I do not work for hire (for an explanation of this term click here).
In an agreement the exact terms for the usage of the images are set up. It describes the use/sale rights of the images for a specific project and its scope so that the artwork does not appear in places that the artist and the client had never intended or hadn’t agreed to. This agreement could be an exclusive or non-exclusive license:
1. An exclusive licence allows the licensee to exercise the rights granted by copyright owner under the licence to the exclusion of all others, including the copyright owner (the artist). An exclusive licensee has therefore almost complete control over the images for the duration of the license for the specific uses described in the license.
2. A non-exclusive licence is a permission to use the work in a manner which is controlled by the copyright owner (the artist). Unlike an exclusive licence, a non-exclusive licence does not prevent the copyright owner (the artist) from using the work in the ways covered by the licence or granting similar licences to others.
As my client, my agreements state that you receive a non-exlusive license, so you get the right for reproduction (printing) and/or the permission to sell these products the artwork was printed on (or books or packaging etc) for as long and in the way it is specified in the agreement. However, you do not own the images and can only use them as agreed and not outside of that, unless another agreement is set up. The license can be renewed once the term is over if both sides agree.
This is the basis of most licensing agreements with professional Illustrators and allows the artist (as the owner of the images) to keep the usage rights for the images and the client to make use of them in the way they wanted to/hired the illustrator for. It is a fair agreement that allows artists to have the opportunity to gain secondary income from their own work and clients to use the images in a cost-effective and solution-specific way. Both sides win.
Having the right to use the images somewhere doesn’t mean that I will use them, but it gives me the option to do so should it suit me. My licensing is usually quite generous to my clients as I do not heavily restrict the usage of the images. And all agreements can be negotiated until everyone is satisfied and only then signed.
If you have any questions regarding copyright and licensing, do not hesitate to contact me under hello@inawonderworld.com . There is also a lot of useful info on the internet about this topic from other artists and lawyers. But please aware of country specific information.
Can I get a tattoo from one of your Designs?
Yes, I am happy for you to get a tattoo from my designs for your personal use. That means as long as it is a non-commercial activity and that you credit me if you post an image of it online, you can use the image as a template for your tattoo. You are allowed to slightly alter the image to suit your tattoo style.
If you want to use an image as a tattoo, please contact me and I will put up a tattoo license product in the store for you to purchase against 20$ AUD. The great thing about getting a license this way is that I will send you a prepared line only/ colour separated file in different sizes and without background in very high resolution. This may help your tattoo artist with copying the design. By purchasing the product you agree to the Terms and Conditions listed in the Description.
So you are free to get your tattoo made by any tattoo artist you like after purchase of the tattoo license. Here a quick summary of your restrictions:
- No Printing (as wall art)
- No Distribution
- Not for Sale or Commercial Use
Thanks!
Do you license or wholesale your art?
Yes, I am and have done so. As every licensing situation is completely different from the next, I cannot give details to the terms but I am always happy to discuss licensing for a product or similar.
Simply contact me under hello@inawonderworld.com and we can have a chat about it!
Do you take original painting commissions?
Yes, I do, once in a while! I am versed in many media. I can paint traditionally, in oil, acrylic, ink or watercolour paint or use dry media like coal and pencil. So you could easily get your artwork on paper, linen, wood, etc. I can advise you about the best surfaces and suited media so the result is exactly what you envision.
I also happily work digitally, mainly in Photoshop and then the final design would be a print.
So if there is any idea you might want to have realised, if for personal or professional reasons, I am happy to assist!
Please get in touch and I can set up a quote for you.
What media do you work with?
I love to use ink, watercolour/gouache and digital media the most, they suit my style best.
However, I am trained also in oil and acrylic paint, dry media, sketching in pencil, and I love all things crafty. Fabric and felt is my favourite at the moment 🙂
I love applied art, so all beautiful things that are also products, decor or household goods are giving me the most joy!
What is your background?
I was born and raised in Germany and lived there very happily until after my graduation from high school. Then the travel bug caught me and I made my way down under to Australia and New Zealand. I loved it there. I studied Art and Design at Unitec New Zealand for 4 years and received a Bachelor of Design. I ended up living in NZ for almost 10 years and then felt ready for a new challenge. So I moved to Melbourne in Australia and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT THERE :-).
If you would like to read a more unconventional bio of my life and have a spare minute, here it is!
Bio of a different kind
– Gets born into a small town in Germany even though she clearly stated Metropolis on the application. Is disappointed at first until she realizes she lucked out in the awesome family part.
– Starts painting at age 2. With crayon for starters. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
– Gets enrolled to school. Instantly elected as the classroom artist. Joy quickly fades as workload increases.
– Regularly plays dress up with her favourite outfit as a rich lady in a real Thai silk kimono. Still does today.
– Age 12: Birthday prezzie is a paint box full of Schmincke watercolours which is a big upgrade from crayons. Still in use today, albeit with a much more “artistic” – read “bashed up” – look to it.
– Develops a love of all things exotic which expresses itself through temporary lychee obsession, throwing crazy ingredient cocktail parties and stashing all the interesting trinkets and souvenirs from around the house in her room.
– Falls in love with Castles. Is happy she lives in Germany so she can live out fantasies in real environments.
– Discovers fashion at 14, experiments with things like sky blue satin pants or flame shaped snake leather embellished jeans with cowboy boots. Actually showed up like that in school.
– Throws angry fit when realizes that her mum threw out all her 70’s clothes. Recuperates when she finds dad’s leather jacket and big buckle belts that survived due to Grandma’s clothes collection habit.
– Thinks of travelling after high-school for a while. Doesn’t know it lasts longer than expected or she would have packed more clothes.
– Picks a country as far away as possible to feel truly adventurous. Travels to Australia and New Zealand because she loves 30hr plane rides so much. Not.
– Arrives and loves the laid back people and amazing landscapes. Not so blown away by the lack of decent bread. Soon gets withdrawal symptoms and resorts to eating the amazingly sweet pineapples until her tongue is raw.
– Loves NZ University life (and her boyfriend) so much she stays for another 4 years for a Bachelor of Design. Mum is dismayed even though she suggested it in the first place.
– Goes nuts on artistic experimentation and changes future job title yearly from painter to animator to illustrator. After lots of paint splashing both virtually and traditionally, she graduates with a Bachelor of Honors. Is over the moon she gets to wear a tasseled cap like right out of the movies and brags about it to her German friends at home who don’t get one.
– Now stumped as to what to do next. (Insert a minute of silence to experience similar feelings of dread and vertigo)
– Does lots of soul searching (i.e. movie watching) and experiences the ups and downs of freelancing and part time jobs until she discovers her ultimate dream of combining art, fashion and business passions with her art. Moves to Australia to get more sun, total success ;-)….