"Visual Arts" and "Business and Law" both apply here, but I apologize if this forum is not appropriate for my question. If this is the case, let me know and I'll repost it. I am doing CG work for family, friends and associates I meet on my full-time job using an exhausting system I wish to abandon in favor of a flat rate. I am an undergrad with no software industry job, although am training for one. I'm trying to find resources explaining how to make estimates/quotes, but all I can find is how much cg artists are paid in cash hourly and annually. What goes into enumerating what you need to work online for a client with Photoshop and/or Maya? Are there any services/software I should try to get?

Are you often doing the same type of work, or a few particular types of work? If so, then figure out the number of hours it usually takes you, multiply by the amount you want to charge per hour, and there you have a flat rate for that type of piece. Personally I add an 'annoyance charge' to types of work I don't really want to do, like CGing humanoids. :P

Quote: Are you often doing the same type of work, or a few particular types of work?

I specialize in surreal/atmospheric works, but since I enjoy what I do so much I broaden my horizons to several types of projects to challenge myself. This has worked well for me so far.

Quote: If so, then figure out the number of hours it usually takes you, multiply by the amount you want to charge per hour, and there you have a flat rate for that type of piece. Personally I add an 'annoyance charge' to types of work I don't really want to do, like CGing humanoids. :P

What if you need stock images you can't shoot on your own? I figure I could charge the price of stock photos I obtain online plus 10-15% for profit, but then again, I haven't bought stock photos online before. ;)

Many artists charge a day rate. Tell people you charge, say, $200 per day of work, and that's that.

Quote: Many artists charge a day rate. Tell people you charge, say, $200 per day of work, and that's that.

Thanks for the tidbit! Would this be because these artists have a problem with making a quote? If there is something that can be "missed" while estimating, I'd like to know about it.

Also, what about the "trust" factor? How do you prove to your client you worked the days you did when you work entirely online?

Well, generally it's because the days are a little ambiguous, or there's travel involved. Like a big ad firm hires a freelance creative director for a month at a day rate of $700, and at the end he bills them for the 5 or 6 days he worked per week, so like 14,000 to 17,000 for the month... which sounds pretty nice until you start wondering when the next gig is coming 8)

There's always an issue of trust, that's a relationship issue. That doesn't change no matter how you charge -- if you charge per time period, they have to trust you. If you charge per project, you have to trust them not to take advantage.

Quote: Original post by zyrolasting
Would this be because these artists have a problem with making a quote? If there is something that can be "missed" while estimating, I'd like to know about it.

Time/cost estimation (no matter what the business) is hard. You get better at it with experience, but for a good while, you are very liable to horribly under/over-estimate.

Over-estimation is not a terrible thing (unless they then don't hire you), but under-estimation is bad - especially if you have to stick to that estimate, and produce a bunch of work for free. I would strongly recommend that until you get a solid feel for it (and maybe even after) you multiply any estimate by 1.25 (or similar), to give yourself a buffer.

Certain things (such as stock photo purchases) can be charged at a fixed rate, but your time is the major expense, and also the hardest to budget ahead of time.