Signatures & Credits on maps

[GinnyStar]

i post everything under cc-by-sa

as to watermarks
they ??? sort-of ??? maybe ??? kind of ??? almost ??? work on video
it is a bit harder to remove in video codec's

in still images -- it is darn easy to remove
so i do not bother <snip> for the now dead Facebook account <snip>i used VISIBLE watermarks , but those CAN be removed too............

About watermarks, they can also make very hard to read print that over the top :--O

[TimPaul]

I could be wrong, but I don't think a lot of advertising is what brings in commissions. Anyone willing to pay a significant amount of money for a map drawn to their needs is going to search for exactly what they want, so having your work in the best places is more important. When people start looking for an artistic cartographer, they don't start with reddit

I don't want to say you are wrong, as I'm not sure what you may mean by advertising. But actually, advertising is what you need to do. And by advertising, I mean, have your work in as many places as possible.

Having your credit on your work is important, and if possible, the contact info. It's not that you will get more work that way, you are just optimizing the amount of ways work can come to you. I pay to advertise my work on professional sites like Hire An Illustrator. They recently gave me a second profile for free, just for maps, because they get a lot of people coming to them for maps, and wanted to have a profile on their site they can direct people to, rather than go off site.

Getting work is all about telling anyone in a position to hire you for what you do. Advertising your skills and visual solutions. You have to do two things. Put your work directly in front of them with emails and mailings. And put your stuff on the internet. I get work via facebook. I get work via other artists, especially map work. Among my colleagues, I'm known for doing maps, and so they will pass my name on if someone needs a map.

It's all about making it easy for people to find you, and contact you.

[J.Edward]

I am curious if people are making a distinction between putting a sig/web link on a map you show online for your own promotion versus the work you give to the client.
I don't put things on a map for the client unless the client is okay with that and it is more discreet when done thus.

However, when posting something to the Guild, DA, Flickr, or wherever else, I may put the sig/web link in the form I choose which may be different from what the client received.
It sort of seems like there is some confusion on that point.

Another thing I'd be curious about is the view of 'art' versus 'illustration'.
Art - you're just doing this because you love it and are not explicitly seeking income/profit.
Illustration - you're doing this because you are explicitly seeking income/profit.

If you are 'illustrating' then you are in business and advertising is part of doing business.
I don't understand why there are such strong views on this.
I hope to one day be at the point that tim, sapiento, max and others are at.
I'm not there yet but with proper diligence toward continuing my skill level, speed and exposure I will.

Tim - I've found your input here and elsewhere quite helpful. Thanks.

[Sarithus]

For my part I meant adding a website name to the map when it's not for a client but for places like here and elsewhere. I certainley wouldn't put my website on a clients map.

I'm worried about doing things that come across as unprofessional but I'm leaning towards putting my sig and a site link on maps because it just seems so useful to me. I don't think people really care what's there as long as it's small and out of the way. If they like my map it's just a convenience for them to know where to find me by looking at something they're already looking at.

[TimPaul]

For my part I meant adding a website name to the map when it's not for a client but for places like here and elsewhere. I certainley wouldn't put my website on a clients map.

I'm worried about doing things that come across as unprofessional but I'm leaning towards putting my sig and a site link on maps because it just seems so useful to me. I don't think people really care what's there as long as it's small and out of the way. If they like my map it's just a convenience for them to know where to find me by looking at something they're already looking at.

It's not unprofessional to include your information on the map for a client, provided that the client is fine with it. It's unprofessional to try and force the issue.

Communication is your most valuable asset in working with any client. It's amazing what asking can do for you.

[TimPaul]

Tim - I've found your input here and elsewhere quite helpful. Thanks.

Thanks very much, glad I provided some insight.