In the following section, we provide our clients with a brief look at the principles underlying the "usage", "complexity". and "other expenses" criteria noted above. Our clients should also be aware of the industry-standard "cancelletion and rejection fees" policies we adhere to. For implementations of these pricing principles in our contractual agreements with our clients, please consult our Contracts section.

Price determined by usage

Some inexperienced art buyers believe that when they buy art for a flat fee, they have the right to reuse or manipulate that art however they wish. When the client buys art or design services or a Website from Rooster Graphics, they buy only specific rights to the use of our creative work. We indicate the intended use, or "usage" by specifying which rights of reproduction are being granted, such as the right to use the art in specific media (e.g., billboard or magazine cover), for a limited time period, in a limited maximum number of prints (or "hits" for websites), in a limited number of editions or appearances, and over a specified geographic area.

In graphic art sold with international or global distribution rights, we take into account the language and the economic condition of the countries of distribution. An illustration that will be used in, say, the French edition of a magazine would be distruted not only in France, but also in Belgium and Switzerland. A World Wide Web site in the English language is accessible to millions of people around the world, while sites in, say, Turkish or Greek have much more limited reach and value.

The basic standard of sale for commissioned work of art, be it a graphic design or a web design, is simply "first reproduction rights" or "one-time reproduction rights." Reuse, or more extensive use than specified, or use in additional markets, etc. all receive additional compensation.

If a client requests "exclusive," "unlimited," or "all-rights" agreements, then the price for the art, illustration or design are based on the full potential of the service in all possible uses. Furthermore, the sale of the original, physical art (including digital media) is, under copyright law, not included in the sale of the reproduction rights. It is a separate transaction.

In some cases (e.g., coprporate logos, advertising, and product identity), the client may prefer and need to acquire most or all rights for extended periods of time. In many cases, even though the client may ask for an "all-rights" or "work-for-hire" agreement to prevent competitive uses of the graphic art, a limited-rights contract with certain "exclusivity provisions" may be more economical for the client. In other cases, the client has no need for extensive usage rights.

Price determined by complexity

The price we charge for a project also depends on the "complexity" of the project. In print as well as electronic media projects, the number of "pages" and number of distinct looks in the project are obviously primary determinants of job complexity. The complexity of each page itself (e.g., the number of graphic images on each page, the extent to which these graphic images need to be digitally manipulated beyond their original versions, the number of fonts used, and whether these fonts must be customized) also adds to the overall complexity of the project.

In illustration, fine art and digital art jobs, the sizes of the images, the creation medium (e.g., watercolor versus etching) and the rendering detail required all affect project's complexity.

In website design projects, other than the above noted design and illustration related complexities, additional complexities are faced if the client needs the website optimized for all browser types, all monitor sizes, and new as well as older web coding standards. The design of new CGI scripts and Java or JavaScript codes to enhance the interactivity of a website also add to the project complexity.

Billable
expenses

Other than the project price determined based on the factors noted above, we consider our capital investments and their depreciation or obscolescence as well as any equipment or technology purchases necessary to meet the specific demands of the project (e.g., buying a new font). Billable expenses also include all necessary rental fees, transportation charges, any expenses incurred in recording work on hard copy, film, videotape, or on electronic media, fees paid for technical assistants, research and reference costs, and digitizing photographs.

For implementations of the above pricing principles in our contractual agreements with our clients, please consult our Contracts section, or