Comments on: When Your Client Wants a Monkey

By: Stephanie Horn

Stephanie Horn — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:17:15 +0000

Jay, thanks for appreciating my full disclosure. I’ve heard so many blanket statements about bad clients in the past, but felt it right to share the sordid details of my most recent issue.

I’m in agreement with you and Ryan. The price wasn’t the biggest problem… it was, instead, his assumption that I would be directed by him as though I were a puppet.

As a new designer it’s tempting to take any job, but I know that working under conditions like those would cause me so much more harm than good.

Thanks for your insights, Jay and Ryan!

By: Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:34:36 +0000

I agree with Jay. The biggest red flag isn’t his idea of what it should cost, the biggest problem is his desire to direct you. And that’s where the monkey part comes in best. I’m sure there are people our there who wouldn’t mind doing a job like this for $100, but those are people who don’t mind being directed every step of the way. They probably lack real talent and thoughtfulness toward design/branding/etc.

I don’t think design is an industry that will ever be fully understood. Most clients or bosses believe that you are doodle around on a computer rather than using calculated reasoning to express the best in a product or person. Anyone can take a photograph, but not everyone can have a photograph that makes you pause.

As a musician, he should recognize that good music comes cheaply. Maybe he wants to be cheap to make a few bucks and say he made a CD, but even a monkey could do that!

By: Jay Robinson

Jay Robinson — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:46:56 +0000

It’s nice to hear so many specifics, as so often we speak of nightmare clients in generalities. He conveyed his low regard for your work when he suggested *he’d* direct *you* on the photo shoot.

Great article. Sounds like you kept a calm head and did the right thing.

By: Stephanie Horn

Stephanie Horn — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:24:43 +0000

Thanks Mai-Li! I completely agree with you. And that link is priceless!

By: Mai-Li

Mai-Li — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:03:53 +0000

Stephanie, major kudos for holding ground. I’ve certainly learned the hard lesson that the less a client appreciates the effort that goes into creative work, the more of a nightmare they’ll be not only with pay, but with disrespect of your time in general.

If you should receive any more rude requests for work from that individual, reference this link for response-inspiration:
http://www.27bslash6.com/p2p.html

By: Stephanie Horn

Stephanie Horn — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:27:37 +0000

Mike, true story. That is one of the points I made in my response email. Artists who become well known get that way because listeners, stations, DJs, and vendors take them seriously. When the design is good, the musician looks professional. Professionalism garners jobs/exposure and pays back more than the cost of the design.

Great comment. Thanks for the insights!

By: Mike Jones

Mike Jones — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:15:30 +0000

Great post—Right on.

As a sidenote, one of the reasons Disc Makers can charge low rates for essentially pixel pushing (rather than value-producing, strategic design) is because graphic design is not their primary revenue channel. They’re using cheap design rates to drive a greater volume of printing and CD duplication. They want to make sure that every possible customer will PRINT with them, not get their CD cover designed by them. The funny thing is I get their product catalog (that showcases designs they’ve done for albums) and I rarely recognize a the musical artists. Seems to me that the artists that are putting out good music know something: hire a real graphic designer.