All you people who wants vectors

March 23, 2008

I'm not trying to sound rude or anything, I've just been wondering. Do most of you guys have any artistic skills or do most of you just use clipart? I've been doing vinyl for almost 8 years and I have only used clip art maybe 3 times. I either draw it myself or use a combination of tracing and drawing. You can use illustrator to pretty much turn anything plotable within a few minutes but I usually just end up drawing it myself or altering the trace.

Like I said, I'm not trying to be rude, it just seems like a lot of the local shops just use clip art and on here there is a lot of people asking for stuff. I'm starting to understand why so many shops are charging so little for work. It's easy to charge low when you don't put anything into it. I heard of one lady who was doing rear window logos but only in white and only in plain text. She couldn't recreate a logo. I know a lot of people have been getting into vinyl and don't have any experience with vector art or even drawing at all.

I may get out of vinyl and just get into doing vector images for people.

carolinatinter · March 23, 2008

go for it :thumb

March 24, 2008

This Is Not Meant to be rude:

I don't feel that it is a lack of ability at all. I am a graphic artist very captiable of making my own vector art - I do both - yes I also use clipart. Volume is more the issue not ability. Clipart is fast if I have already done or in clipart why recreate it. I have also found that most customers don't want to pay for my time. They assume that creating there ideas should be a pleasure for me and a gift to them. If you only want to create vector files I suggest you make a clipart CD and sell it on ebay. You will never find a customer that thinks your time is as valuble as you do.

tint_detective · March 24, 2008

I use whatever the customer wants.....

It's always easier to use an existing image, but if they need something made, I make it..... :evilgrin

March 24, 2008

Ya I understand thats its easier to use clipart. With my company, I specialize in custom vinyl graphics so for me, its kinda hippocritical if I am using clip art.

The whole point of my post isn't to bash people who use clipart, I was just trying to see if generally the people doing this have the artistic skills and are just lazy or are just lazy all around.

You are pretty much right that people wont pay to have the artwork done. Most of the shops around here charge to "digitize" images, etc. I can turn just about anything into vector in less than an hour so I just do it for free for my customers.

Like I said, I was just wondering because it seems there is a lot of people asking for artwork.

I had thought about building a website for exchanging vector art and trading, but there is too many copywrite laws I don't feel like dealing with. I don't want to mess with Ebay discs, but I am considering charging people to vectorize images.

tint_detective · March 24, 2008

I fall directly into the center of the, 'just too lazy category',.... :thumb

There was a site called vectortreat, that was doing the same thing you're talking about...

Not sure if they're around still.... :thumb

TTS · March 24, 2008

I fall under the 'Bring me artwork you want on a sign'.... I tell people up front... I am a sign maker not a designer....

If you want a design hire a graphic artist. :thumb

March 24, 2008

just checked out vectortreat

could not find anything :eyebrows

RoShute · March 25, 2008

I use whatever the customer wants.....
It's always easier to use an existing image, but if they need something made, I make it.....

You're exactly right Shady. Sometimes I can take a piece of clipart and rearrange it for the customer. Alot of people don't want to pay for the computer time for designing a graphic, much less pay computer time to scan an existing logo and drawing it out for them. Alot of customers want something for nothing, and I'm already underbidding my competition here.

:thumb