Friday Archive Dive: No Spec for You!
Friday, September 10, 2010 at 5:00AM Today's Archive Dive comes from Aug. 26, 2009, when a guest writer discussed spec work and how it relates to webcomics and comics contests in general.
This post was kindly submitted by graphic designer Christopher Williams, who is currently working on The Variants.
Greetings webcartoonists! I come to you from the neighboring land of Web design. We've been neighbors for a long time. We've probably seen each other on occasion. I look at what you're up to with your little drawings and your game references, and you use my code and designs for your site. Just like neighbors!
And as a good neighbor, I want to warn you about some folks who've been approaching you about work. It might be work-for-hire, or for a new comic book, but whatever these folks are asking for is speculative work.
Let me explain. In Web design, we have clients. We also have agencies that seek clients on our behalf, but ultimately it's the clients we work with. Clients and artists usually work together to on a project and hopefully, if all goes well, a relationship is formed. Relationships are good. They lead to more work, and referrals.
Clients who ask for speculative work don't operate in this manner. Clients who ask for designs first are asking for speculative work. Contests are an example of speculative work. They may have all the right intentions, and are in some cases totally legit, but it isn't ethical.