I think people sometimes under value the importance of good design.

Lately, I have been seeing posts from clients asking designers to design a logo for $15, I don't know about the correct price to charge for logos but, I would think it would be a lot more than $15. And today, I saw someone offering to do photo retouching for only $2, I was thinking, "I wouldn't want to work hours on a photo for only $2." I can make more than that looking behind the couch.

Plus, I have heard of cases where the client wants you to send in a watermarked images, then they never pay you for your work. Personally, I think that's theft.

I think as designers we owe it to ourselves to not be taken advantage of. I think we should educate people that designers deserve to be treated like professionals, and make professional money.

Who's with me? I have picket signs and cookies.

Im most definitely with you, however designers don't actually do this.
Teenagers wanting to be designers do, (no offence intended of course) but it is mostly new designers or teenagers learning, that are just wanting to get the first taste.

It is still an invalid way to become a professional in the industry though, and clients are asking more and more for less.

"Teenagers wanting to be designers do" I fall under that category but luckily I have learned not to work for cheep. I have been taken advantage of by clients that were unwilling to pay but, I learned from those. Now, I have decided that if I am going to send in any designs at all even mockups, I will request first that they send in their down payment, because I am tired of people asking me to design something and then end up not paying. I have even put up a notice on my blog telling people that I don't work for free.

I figured that these people would pay me at some point but they never do. I used to send in watermarked mockups, but then the people won't reply to my e-mail so, I decided I am not doing that again.

I am not forking over anything until I see some ca cing. I think that's reasonable though.

Ps. Here are your cookies and picket signs. *Points*

yeah I totally agree with your point.

You could also think of it in a vice-versa way where designers charge more than they should because the client isn't aware of what to expect to pay.

On the topic where you said designers are being taken advantage off, that's still true, I think like Kevin said, young designers would do anything to get work from clients and therefore without knowing much about price range and working with clients, they just take on any job and offer cheap price or are offered cheap prices and they usually go with it.

It is tough working for clients, most of the time they annoy you and I'd say )5% of the time you'd complete a piece of work where you're not happy with but the client likes, which then becomes something different to your usual style or work.
Its' sometimes not the case as someone might want your style on their work so if that happens, that becomes a good thing.

But yeah, we need to be much more respected as artists and designers.

http://clientsfromhell.net/


(;

One of those clients thinks that the web designer will be cast to hell for using a mac, because of how Adam and Eve took a bite out of an forbidden apple.

Ps Here are your cookies. "Points" And picket signs are over there. "Points"

Today I saw someone charging $10 for a logo, I was like Nein Nein Nein Nein Nein Nein! Which is German for no. I yell in German a lot.

Anyway, where do you all propose we protest?

Wow, can't say I've ever worked for that low even when I embarked on my first paid graphic design gig :S

I don't really see a dog eat dog virtual world with web designers though, the market is violently oversaturated because it's really easy to do, but there are a lot less really/good designers and coders out there than there are mediocre/downright crap. When my sister is checking out the competition/looking for inspiration she always seems to find a lot of chaff and a few precious gems. It's a good case for social moderation maybe, sure you could get someone who wants to work for $15 per logo or $2 for a photo retouch rather than paying hundreds or thousands for one done properly, but you get what you pay for, and if you went cheap with the branding it's going to reflect badly on your company and prove more expensive in the long run to fix up than if you hire a decent designer and got it done right in the first place

100% with you garrettchinn, i had some experience where the client was a friend, and asked me for a logo, and i guess he expected me to not charge him for it, cuz when i told him the price, he got angry with me for charging.. i think there should be no doubt that every design has a price, afterall there are not so much people with really great creativity and skills to make those brilliant ideas real..

alot people think that f its a friend or a relative, it should be free, but i think those are the people that really should appreciate our work, and understand that it has a price..

It happens, but what you do is educate yourself and learn who is real and who is fake. Also, help the newer designers understand their gifts. Instead of offering to work for cheap, find local publications and ask them if you can design something for portfolio purposes. It allows them to understand you're wanting to get known yet the other person is sacrificing publication space while you are sacrificing by giving it for free. The best ones are local fan clubs. I recently wrote an article and did the front cover of my formerly local Star Trek fanclub's newsletter/magazine. They do a lot of charity work, visit venues for scifi related movies/cons, and love including their members in their newsletter. I also helped a cycling club work on their new website. My illustrations gained me well over 100. It was nice while it lasted.

To gain experience it takes lots of hard work but also knowing how to do it right. Read up, look around, ask around. You can do it.