Free Work? How Disrespectful Is That?

Juicy J posted this, and it was so real to me that I had to repost it.

I think it's time for non-artist folks to read this....Every day, there are more and more Craigs List posts seeking "artists" for everything from auto graphics to comic books to corporate logo designs. More people are finding themselves in need of some form of illustrative service.But what they're NOT doing, unfortunately, is realizing how rare someone with these particular talents can be.To those who are "seeking artists", let me ask you; How many people do you know, personally, with the talent and skill to perform the services you need? A dozen? Five? One? …none?More than likely, you don't know any. Otherwise, you wouldn't be posting on craigslist to find them.And this is not really a surprise.

In this country, there are almost twice as many neurosurgeons as there are professional illustrators. There are eleven times as many certified mechanics. There are SEVENTY times as many people in the IT field.So, given that they are less rare, and therefore less in demand, would it make sense to ask your mechanic to work on your car for free? Would you look him in the eye, with a straight face, and tell him that his compensation would be the ability to have his work shown to others as you drive down the street?Would you offer a neurosurgeon the "opportunity" to add your name to his resume as payment for removing that pesky tumor? (Maybe you could offer him "a few bucks" for "materials". What a deal!)Would you be able to seriously even CONSIDER offering your web hosting service the chance to have people see their work, by viewing your website, as their payment for hosting you?If you answered "yes" to ANY of the above, you're obviously insane. If you answered "no", then kudos to you for living in the real world.But then tell me… why would you think it is okay to live out the same, delusional, ridiculous fantasy when seeking someone whose abilities are even less in supply than these folks?Graphic artists, illustrators, painters, etc., are skilled tradesmen. As such, to consider them as, or deal with them as, anything less than professionals fully deserving of your respect is both insulting and a bad reflection on you as a sane, reasonable person. In short, it makes you look like a twit.

A few things you need to know;
1. It is NOT a "great opportunity" for an artist to have his work seen on your car/'zine/website/bedroom wall, etc. It IS a "great opportunity" for YOU to have their work there.

2. It is not clever to seek a "student" or "beginner" in an attempt to get work for free. It's ignorant and insulting. They may be "students", but that does not mean they don't deserve to be paid for their hard work. You were a "student" once, too. Would you have taken that job at McDonalds with no pay, because you were learning essential job skills for the real world? Yes, your proposition it JUST as stupid.

3. The chance to have their name on something that is going to be seen by other people, whether it's one or one million, is NOT a valid enticement. Neither is the right to add that work to their "portfolio". They get to do those things ANYWAY, after being paid as they should. It's not compensation. It's their right, and it's a given.

4. Stop thinking that you're giving them some great chance to work. Once they skip over your silly ad, as they should, the next ad is usually for someone who lives in the real world, and as such, will pay them. There are far more jobs needing these skills than there are people who possess these skills.

5. Students DO need "experience". But they do NOT need to get it by giving their work away. In fact, this does not even offer them the experience they need. Anyone who will not/can not pay them is obviously the type of person or business they should be ashamed to have on their resume anyway. Do you think professional contractors list the "experience" they got while nailing down a loose step at their grandmother's house when they were seventeen?If you your company or gig was worth listing as desired experience, it would be able to pay for the services it received. The only experience they will get doing free work for you is a lesson learned in what kinds of scrubs they should not lower themselves to deal with.

6. (This one is FOR the artists out there, please pay attention.) Some will ask you to "submit work for consideration". They may even be posing as some sort of "contest". These are almost always scams. They will take the work submitted by many artists seeking to win the "contest", or be "chosen" for the gig, and find what they like most. They will then usually have someone who works for them, or someone who works incredibly cheap because they have no originality or talent of their own, reproduce that same work, or even just make slight modifications to it, and claim it as their own. You will NOT be paid, you will NOT win the contest. The only people who win, here, are the underhanded folks who run these ads. This is speculative, or "spec", work. It's risky at best, and a complete scam at worst. I urge you to avoid it, completely.

So to artists/designers/illustrators looking for work, do everyone a favor, ESPECIALLY yourselves, and avoid people who do not intend to pay you. Whether they are "spec" gigs, or just some guy who wants a free mural on his living room walls. They need you. You do NOT need them. Say NO to free art.And for those who are looking for someone to do work for free…please wake up and join the real world. The only thing you're accomplishing is to insult those with the skills you need. Get a clue.If you agree with the above important information, please pa#s it along. The more people know, the faster we can correct this problem.

I picked this up from THE CREATIVE GENIUSIn the meantime, if you wish to get some work done, please remember that we get what we pay for...UNB

Well i've been watching tons of people pa#s through this section making threads to just get free work done,i dont find it respectful to come here just to look for something for free and some people have gone as far as to demand free work. bottomline is from now on if you come here looking for covers or anything along those lines then make sure you have some money or something to offer the person doing the work. if you have money to put out a mixtape then you surely have money to pay for quality work even if its a designer with little experience he still deserves some compensation for taking time out of his or her life to do work for you. respect this part of the board and the designers that reside here or your threads will be DELETED without question. Thank You

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I feel ya S1xth, no doubt...^^^This is REAL TALK ur spittin right here. But hell, I've been emailin all ya'll cats at Ex hypepro to get some work done, I'm not tryin to cap but I got money to spend but it seems like ya'll don't wanna make money. I've been tryin to get at ya'll for a minute and no response!!!
Respect the people that's willing to spend hard earned money to get good work....by responding back to them....That's all I'm saying!!!

i dont remember getting an email from you..probably because i dont know your email but i been threw some real rough ish with my girl and now after 4 years it over..so i spent sometime ignoring all cover work and turning down everyone left and right..but im back on my ish now and ready to get some heat out in everyones block!..also to dud that said some people just need simple work..thats all well an good,im talkin about the people that come here and think we owe them something and literally DEMAND graphic work.

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Sorry to hear bout that rough ish wit ya shorty...but I sent emails to Tanster and homie never hit a nicca back!!!!! I mean Pm's and the hypepro email and still nothing....
The reason I didn't send u anything cause this is the 1st tyme seein ur name and I don't recall seeing ur name along with Tan's on the Exhypepro website...It's all good thought!!!!! I respect ya'll talent....