AuthorTopic: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts  (Read 10274 times)

Offline Helm

  • Moderator
  • 0110
  • *
  • Posts: 5159
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Asides-Bsides

Re: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts

Reply #20 on: January 27, 2015, 07:49:40 pm
I don't think putting other people's artwork that you've edited, even if the edit is super-extensive is professional or even a good idea in a sneaky sense since you wouldn't be able to reproduce that style readily if that's what you're hired for. I hope I haven't misunderstood and that's what Ryu is talking about.

Offline Conzeit

  • 0100
  • ***
  • Posts: 1448
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • Camus
    • conzeit
    • View Profile
    • CONZEIT

Re: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts

Reply #21 on: January 28, 2015, 12:56:06 am
What I got from his reply is that he hasnt used that photobucket as portfolio since he added those edits. I was the one to bring it into the topic here thinking that was still his current portfolio

Offline PixelPiledriver

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 997
  • Karma: +6/-0
  • Yo!
    • View Profile
    • My Blog

Re: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts

Reply #22 on: January 29, 2015, 01:28:47 am
Quote
A lot of the points you are making seem to be for art tests in general. Are any of these points enough to warrant not paying an artist for their time if they've gotten this far in the selection process?
From my personal perspective:
I don't expect to be paid for everything I do, especially not a test.
When I give people tests I don't pay them.

In general:
Tests can be poorly designed.
Or intentionally designed to rip people off.
Random rumor:
I've heard some stories about 5th Cell, local studio in my area, flying in "unpaid intern artists" with a "chance of employment" after evaluation from other states.
The evaluation period lasted a month or so, during which they were put to work on a current project.
Then when it was over they were not given an offer for further employment, in which case most flew home.
The programmers on the team watched this happen over and over, while the CEO would chuckle and brag about how much money they were saving.
Is that true?
I dunno maybe.
Point being, that's a really terrible test.

I think unless a test is intentionally approaching that type of crazy, even if poorly designed, is totally valid to be given and taken without compensation.
A few hours of time is definitely valuable, and I can understand the feeling of it being wasted.
But I don't think that always equates to money.

I'm not trying to be right here, there isn't much to prove.
I could just be rationalizing how I feel about money so that I am not dissapointed.
Oh you'll pay me for this test? --> excellent
Oh you won't pay me for this test? --> excellent

It's really up to you to decide how you want to feel about it.
If you find it necessary to negotiate payment for a test, go for it.
It could potentially be a mistake to accept an offer without having a say in it.

Also I think hourly and per asset payment are very counter productive to creative process and tend to make everyone involved unhappy.
And with that sort of view, I think tests fall outside of work.

Quote
I don't think putting other people's artwork that you've edited, even if the edit is super-extensive is professional or even a good idea in a sneaky sense since you wouldn't be able to reproduce that style readily if that's what you're hired for. I hope I haven't misunderstood and that's what Ryu is talking about.
Disagree, depending on context.
I put edits on my blog in a separate tab, but present them as what they are.
http://kirkbarnett.blogspot.com/p/edits.html
There's actually a few in other tabs I need to move there.  :blind:
And knowing that it is, we seek what it is... ~ Aristotle, Posterior Analytics, Chapter 1

Offline Helm

  • Moderator
  • 0110
  • *
  • Posts: 5159
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Asides-Bsides

Re: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts

Reply #23 on: January 29, 2015, 11:18:26 am
You disagree but why? There is merit in showing that you can critique the work of co-workers if needed or even do second passes on stuff, but that's more an art director skill imo - in any case, seeing how you've clearly mentioned they're edits and you can see the original as well, the only thing I would add in your place is the name of the original artist and a link to their stuff if possible under their art.

Offline ptoing

  • 0101
  • ****
  • Posts: 3063
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • variegated quadrangle arranger
    • the_ptoing
    • http://pixeljoint.com/p/2191.htm
    • View Profile
    • Perpetually inactive website

Re: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts

Reply #24 on: January 29, 2015, 08:50:59 pm
Strongly agree here. Always state the context. If it is an edit from a game, state the name of the game. If it is by some other artist, state their name/handle and link to any site they might have or something like a PJ/DA profile, or whatever, anything.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline PixelPiledriver

  • 0011
  • **
  • Posts: 997
  • Karma: +6/-0
  • Yo!
    • View Profile
    • My Blog

Re: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts

Reply #25 on: January 29, 2015, 10:57:36 pm
Agrred, citations are definitely needed.
I think about that sometimes, but then end up doing other things.
Thanks for the reminder.
My blog is a slow work in progress.
There was a time when the original art wasn't even shown to the left of my edit.  :blind:

Quote
You disagree but why?
Well, easy.
To open the conversation.
We've gone from, no, to sneaky and bad idea, to I do it, to that has merit but perhaps as an art director.
That's productive.

Which is a little funny to me because in the film animation world, the lead guy pumps out lots and lots of rough drawings, while the clean up artists do the 2nd pass and make sure everything is on model with the character and style.
Altho I can see it the other way as well.
Both orders seem valid depending on the team.

And that seems like a skill that is valuable to pretty much anyone.
A second pass can mean a lot of different things.
And knowing that it is, we seek what it is... ~ Aristotle, Posterior Analytics, Chapter 1

Offline Helm

  • Moderator
  • 0110
  • *
  • Posts: 5159
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
    • Asides-Bsides

Re: Unpaid art tests: Your thoughts

Reply #26 on: February 01, 2015, 07:08:36 pm
Honestly it's not opinion drift, it's different circumstances, just sticking an edit amongst other owned pieces is as I said, sneaky and a bad idea.