What's the going rate for t-shirt design?

[JaCkinbOx]

A t-shirt printer wants to contract with me to do one-color vector designs for him. I'm wondering if I'm getting a good deal on this or if I should ask for more. He's offering $30 per design and he isn't wanting anything all that complicated so they don't take long for me to design.

[JPnyc]

Believe it or not it's illegal in the USA to discuss pricing among members of a profession

[JaCkinbOx]

I'm not familiar with that law. I do understand that it's illegal to conspiracize with other members of the same profession to create a monoply, however.

[YNOT]

$30.00??? Unless the guy is providing you something to draw from, or unless it's super easy, that is way to cheap. I guess it's up to you, as you know how long it will take you and what your time is worth, but I'd say double it and you might be in the ballpark.

Good luck!

[vtwin_gary]

Believe it or not it's illegal in the USA to discuss pricing among members of a profession

but it is not illegal to call the competion, pose as a buyer & get a quote.
call everyone know what the going rate is in your area. even if i tell you its $75 here in may be $50 there or vise versa.

if you feel like you are getting screwed turn around 'cause you probably are.

[Only Seen Here]

Designing tee shirts is my main job - it's how I pay the bills.

I may be breaking the law by saying, but I charge $199.00 per design, and I am actually a little underpriced for the market here.

[PrintDriver]

Check out the artist price structures at the SGIA website.
http://www.sgia.org/artistreg/display/index.cfm
(You have to go to their actual websites where given or become a member of SGIA to view their listings.)

[PersonasBinar]

I won't get out of bed for less than 10,000$....oh wait that's when I was a super model. Never mind.

[mylkhead]

Yeah I charge between $75 and $250 - I am still trying to figure it out. And how can it possibly be illegal to discuss how much you charge with eachother? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Does that mean it's illegal to post your prices on your website for your competition to see?

I still havent figured out why people try to hide their prices yet others make it public. Is it do to fear of competition?

[JaCkinbOx]

Seems to me it's perfectly legal to discuss it, otherwise it's clearly a breach of First Amendment rights.

I am actually fairly happy with what I'm getting for it. It'll give me some more stuff to put in my portfolio and I may be able to talk shop with him and learn more about printing. Business has been slow and I haven't found many opportunities to get into t-shirt design in the past so I'm taking on this one.

I was just posing the question to see if this is average compensation and whether or not I should expect better from others in the industry down the road. I appreciate the comments, folks.

[PersonasBinar]

I'd have to say it seems a bit on the cheap side if the printer is selling your design screened on a shirt. It's your work that people are buying not the plastisol ink or the really really nice beefy-T. Can't talk about your prices in USA regarding design....hmmm let's pretend we're all multinational oil consortiums. There now it should be ok.

[JaCkinbOx]

I could get into it on my own, I suppose, but the only technique I know of is iron-on and the quality isn't that wonderful. Although people would probably buy it anyway, I'm not sure it would be a worthwhile investment.

[PersonasBinar]

Naw silk screening....only way to go. I fyou wanna start small the gear is all out there.
Or you can do it getto sytle and build your frames, stretch your screens, burn 'em.
Puil the ink and cure.....dada!!!!! Instant designer Tshirt withyou the artist having done it all.

[PrintDriver]

I just saw the wickedest printer at a trade show last week. Prints directly on a teeshirt stretched onto a platten with dye-sub inks. Then you heat set it.
I believe it was an HP.
However it was SSSLLLOOOOWWWWWW....
Couldn't beat the line quality and print resolution though, on high quality.

I think, but I'm not sure, that it is only illegal to discuss pricing if you are conspiring to fix a market rate or rigging a bid. Bid rigging is bad. I know of a few people who went to jail for it. No one has been able to post a copy of this particular 'law'. I'd like to read it.