How to Calculate a Fee Members  

To be able to quote a fee accurately you need to obtain key information from your client such as the usage, territory, duration of the licence. The client should have most of this information available, so you can ask them directly. We have also provided a checklist as part of this resource to understand what you need to know to be able to quote.

Accurate licensing is mutually beneficial for the client and the illustrator as it defines a fee for actual usage as required by the client, rather than possible usage. If you're asked for a ?ball park? quote by a potential client tell them that you can only provide a quote based on the uses they actually know they need rather than possible uses, which a 'ball park' aims to cover. How can you work out a quote if the client does not even know what the quote needs to cover?

Illustration as a Business

As a freelance illustrator, you're running a small business, and it is important to bear this in mind when considering your income through fees.

The AOI strongly recommends treating part-time work as an illustrator, even if that is only one job, as a business. Even just a few jobs per year require a basic expenses such as working space/electricity/art materials/IT equipment/broadband/a child minder, etc.

Deciding how much you want to earn in a given year should be based on realism rather than idealism. Wo