Looking to commission a map for a fantasy book!

[etrnlflame]

Subject: A map for my fantasy world. The old map (which I drew) can be seen on my website www.leonauthor.com/elabrium.html

Paid: $50+. I'm open to increasing payment depending on the artist's level of expertise.

Style: I'm looking for a creative style with lots of shading, possibly corner art and motifs, and a 3D feel to the places marked on the map. The main places will be labelled with a banner. Colour is an option, but it'll need to look great in greyscale for print books.

Quality and size:
Professional, semi/professional
Required for print / web / ebook
Dimensions of map: Current map is 5000 x 4000 px
May be either raster or vector

Time constraint: Within this month. The sooner the better

Copyright: I would need all rights to the map, however will give the mapmaker credit in the details of the book!

[Vasco_Aaron]

I think I can help you out. I mainly do hand drawn pen and paper maps in black and white with shading done using line work, so I can guarantee your map would look good in greyscale. Your other specification aren't an issue, and my scanner can certainly handle the image quality you require. Please e-mail me at aarhollatz@gmail.com if you wish to discuss further. I can share some of my previous work with you then.

[wminish]

Hi etrnlflame

In principle, I'm interested in the commission however there are issues with it as it currently stands. The pay you are offering would be considered low in the case where the artist was retaining the copyright but as you need the full copyright this is pretty much untenable. For full copyright, most artists would charge $50+ per hour and I would estimate that creating a map of the type you are asking for, in my style anyway, would be around 10 hours work. As I'm quite new to commission work I would be will to work at somewhat of a discount but this is a bit much.

In terms of the actual map you are asking for, it sounds like you are potentially after something similar to my map "The Fallen Lands" which you can view in my portfolio and the timeline, although quite tight, is probably achievable.

If you are interested in my work and willing to negotiate a bit on the terms you can contact me through the form on my website or email me at minishcartography@gmail.com

[Tiana]

The pay you are offering would be considered low in the case where the artist was retaining the copyright but as you need the full copyright this is pretty much untenable. For full copyright, most artists would charge $50+ per hour and I would estimate that creating a map of the type you are asking for, in my style anyway, would be around 10 hours work.

I charge for total exclusive ownership based on what I estimate having the map in the portfolio would have earned me in future commissions by people who liked that specific map. Most people don't actually mean that they want to be the only one who ever shows the art but if people do request that from me, I offer it at a VERY steep price, higher than you are asking. Usually what people want is to know that I'm not reselling their world with their names on it, that it's watermarked, and they get the right to include it in their property, not a total ownership. I would charge around $500 for a commercial two page 3D building including hand lettered book map within two weeks, yeah... less if it weren't so fast.

For the record, I estimate around $35 an hour for my base prices, not $50+, but I know some people around here go higher. I found a decent goldilocks zone that works for me and clients I end up taking on, but certainly some of the best around here are likely charging double or more my prices. I fiddle around with rights increased payments mostly but try to keep the base hourly down for the sake of my recurring publisher clients and DM clients. The basic map isn't too bad, it just depends how elaborate the decorations get, I guess. That could push it over the 10 hour mark for sure. I'd expect at least a few sessions on it and because of that I'd rather have the work spread over a month. I'd do it, I like the pitch, I think the end result of this one should come out very nice with your ideas, but the speed requirement makes me think you'll be better off with one of the keener newbies up there. Most of us who've been doing them for several years end up with queues and time limits unless you come at a fated moment when they happen to have a slot available, heh.

Hope you find the right artist and fast!

[Vasco_Aaron]

Hi etrnlflame

In principle, I'm interested in the commission however there are issues with it as it currently stands. The pay you are offering would be considered low in the case where the artist was retaining the copyright but as you need the full copyright this is pretty much untenable. For full copyright, most artists would charge $50+ per hour and I would estimate that creating a map of the type you are asking for, in my style anyway, would be around 10 hours work. As I'm quite new to commission work I would be will to work at somewhat of a discount but this is a bit much.

In terms of the actual map you are asking for, it sounds like you are potentially after something similar to my map "The Fallen Lands" which you can view in my portfolio and the timeline, although quite tight, is probably achievable.

If you are interested in my work and willing to negotiate a bit on the terms you can contact me through the form on my website or email me at minishcartography@gmail.com

I am going to second this. I think you are going to be much happier with your commission at a pretty significantly higher price point, especially given copyright, time frame, and the fact that this map is for commercial use. I think we are all interested in the project and willing to negotiate over price.

[Wired]

I'm going to say it: what's wrong with the map you have? I think that one doesn't look bad at all!

[etrnlflame]

Sorry for the slow reply everyone, I haven't been getting notifications. I'll have a look through all of your replies. Thank you!

[Tiana]

I'm going to say it: what's wrong with the map you have? I think that one doesn't look bad at all!

It's true, that was my first thought, but I'm not going to stop someone from pursuing their dream map if they're unsatisfied with their own work even if what they have works.

[etrnlflame]

I charge for total exclusive ownership based on what I estimate having the map in the portfolio would have earned me in future commissions by people who liked that specific map. Most people don't actually mean that they want to be the only one who ever shows the art but if people do request that from me, I offer it at a VERY steep price, higher than you are asking. Usually what people want is to know that I'm not reselling their world with their names on it, that it's watermarked, and they get the right to include it in their property, not a total ownership. I would charge around $500 for a commercial two page 3D building including hand lettered book map within two weeks, yeah... less if it weren't so fast.

For the record, I estimate around $35 an hour for my base prices, not $50+, but I know some people around here go higher. I found a decent goldilocks zone that works for me and clients I end up taking on, but certainly some of the best around here are likely charging double or more my prices. I fiddle around with rights increased payments mostly but try to keep the base hourly down for the sake of my recurring publisher clients and DM clients. The basic map isn't too bad, it just depends how elaborate the decorations get, I guess. That could push it over the 10 hour mark for sure. I'd expect at least a few sessions on it and because of that I'd rather have the work spread over a month. I'd do it, I like the pitch, I think the end result of this one should come out very nice with your ideas, but the speed requirement makes me think you'll be better off with one of the keener newbies up there. Most of us who've been doing them for several years end up with queues and time limits unless you come at a fated moment when they happen to have a slot available, heh.

Hope you find the right artist and fast!

Thank you very much for the replies. Coming from someone who's worked for dirt or free to grow my own art portfolio, my $50+ encompassed non-professionals who just want projects to get their portfolio built. As for full rights, so long as I can use the map without anyone coming after me down the road, I'd be happy.

That being said, I've decided to try my hand once more at drawing my own dream map. I've even added a picture of my progress so far (we're all here to support, right? <3)

PS: I've looked for a way to delete this thread so as to not confuse people, but haven't been able to. If an Admin would like to remove it, feel free to do so

Thanks everyone!
melsmapmaking.jpg

[Tiana]

If that's what you can do, I have no doubt you can do it, honestly your skills rival many of ours if you can just pull that off for an entire map you'll be golden, well done.

I would have taken it 5 years ago at that price and I don't doubt you could find someone who would if you were patient. I only post so that other cartographers have an idea of what some of the rest of us charge so we can help build each others businesses. I learned by reading on here and I share by posting on here.