Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Price Estimate- 70 pg layout
JackFinn
10-13-2006, 01:14 PM
Hi folks,
I've just become involved in graphic design after several years of scraping together a living in the fine art field. Over the past few weeks I've learned Indesign, Quark, Illustrator etc.
Just yesterday I had a big job fall into my lap- A 70 page layout of a EU sposored commission study. Apparently, there is a general indesign template that I'll be following and there will be approximately 20 charts and graphs to be transcribed in Illustrator (and likely several stock photos).
I just ordered the "The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of Pricing...", but I need to get this estimate in by the end of the day.
Can anyone suggest the going rate for a beginning designer for this type of work? If the price is hourly, as opposed to by-the-page, how quickly would the 'average' designer get this done (I work rather slowly as I continue to get accustomed to the software)?
Thank you,
John
panzer
10-13-2006, 01:16 PM
btw you will be learning indesign photoshop quark and ilustator etc
ALL your life
you are always learning, it takes more than 2 weeks
gripe over :)
welcome to the forum
panzer
10-13-2006, 01:17 PM
if you look further in this forum i think there is a pay guide
in fact i already did it for you to make up for my moaning :)
here ya go jack
http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9906&highlight=hourly
hope it helps
reuber1
10-13-2006, 01:18 PM
Can anyone suggest the going rate for a beginning designer for this type of work? If the price is hourly, as opposed to by-the-page, how quickly would the 'average' designer get this done (I work rather slowly as I continue to get accustomed to the software)?
No, we are not allowed to discuss pricing on this forum.
The GAG book you have is pretty much where you'll have to look. Otherwise I would figure out your hourly rate (http://www.creativelatitude.com/neils_newbies/neils_newbies_0206.html), and then calculate/estimate how long this project is going to take you and bill accordingly.
In any case, good luck.
panzer
10-13-2006, 01:22 PM
you learn evryday as i said
ty rueber
JackFinn
10-13-2006, 01:52 PM
Yes, I'm aware of all that I have to learn.
I didn't know that pricing was a not-to-be-discussed topic, though I can see why that would be.
How about this: How long would it take you, the above-average graphic designer, to layout 70 pages in a rather dry, business format with 20 or so charts and graphs?
Thank you,
John
What size are the pages?
Are it all the text & images going to be provided?
What program are you going to do it in?
Navian
10-13-2006, 02:57 PM
How about this: How long would it take you, the above-average graphic designer, to layout 70 pages in a rather dry, business format with 20 or so charts and graphs?
Depends, do you have content for all 70 pages? To give you an idea, I did a annual report for class (4 terms ago) it took 6 classes (2hrs each - 10hrs total) to do 15 pages (pretty quick layout). I would probably say 1-2 weeks maybe, depending on how much time per day you can devote to the project.
As far as prices (I can't say tell you), go in to other design places, and ask them what they charge to do some design work, then adjust your own rate to your experience (beginning means low, but not too low). For GAG book prices, I think those are NY prices. There is no way anyone would pay that much here in Utah, (if I started a freelance business, which will be soon) so adjust to your area.
We don't need to discuss prices (numbers), but you can still tell someone how to figure out there own, without giving numbers.
JackFinn
10-13-2006, 03:16 PM
Thanks for the responses.
All the rough charts and edited text will be provided, as will the basic template in InDesign (I'll have to find out exactly what kind of template they're talking about). I believe that the majority of my time will go into redoing the charts and graphs in illustrator. From the time that they hand me the edited text, they'd like it back in a week to ten days...my plate is empty at the moment, so I can devote the entire time to this one project.
John
mac.FINN
10-13-2006, 03:28 PM
your name is eerily similar to mine... are you me in disguise?
reuber1
10-13-2006, 05:42 PM
your name is eerily similar to mine... are you me in disguise?It's what would happen if you and Jackinbox had a baby.
MikeTheVike
10-13-2006, 06:20 PM
if you've never done something this big, don't underestimate the time it might take you to complete it. But if its very basic and simple like you said, you could probably do it in the time frame given. You wil be amazed how time flies.
budafist
10-13-2006, 10:53 PM
It also depends on how many headings there are, how many different sections that you will display in different text.
Make sure you use learn to use paragraph or character styles BEFORE embarking on this kind of project.
I do handbooks and prospectuses for a University. It's taken me around 6 hours to "copy and paste" a 120 page booklet. The main thing is that you have to go through and select all the headings, sub headings etc and put a style on them.
A super annoying thing is after you've gone through a section that has heaps of tabbing through it and strict alignment - and they send you a new document to "copy and paste". You have to do it all over again.
Are you planning on charging a set price or an hourly rate? Either or, it should be cheaper since you are really using it as a learning tool.
urstwile
10-14-2006, 02:27 AM
Itemize the estimate into some different categories.
Layout: i.e., flowing and formatting the text across seventy pages.
Graphics: time spent per chart in Illustrator. Look at the hardest one you might have to work on in terms of refinement, and then the easiest one, estimate the time each would take you, and then figure out an average based on the number of charts.
Also, factor in revision passes, a safe bet would be at least two revision passes.
Generally, when I provide an estimate of this type, I come up with an hourly average per page, and if there are graphics to be created/refined, I itemize those separately. It's hard for me to know how to advise you how long each thing would take, since I have no idea what the charts look like, or the format they're being given to you in.
As Buda's already stated, make sure to create style sheets for the layout, your time will go much more quickly that way. Also, depending on the level of typographic refinement you plan on doing to the body of the layout, factor that in as well. Are you going to be expected to adjust line breaks and spacing for the best typographical quality, or are they just wanting you to slam dunk and avoid widows and orphans?