Comments on: iStock + Logos = ? http://www.no-spec.com/archives/istock-logos/ To educate the public about speculative (spec) work Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:18:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mj http://www.no-spec.com/archives/istock-logos/comment-page-1/#comment-68902 Mj Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:51:25 +0000 http://www.no-spec.com/?p=609#comment-68902 You know, between the amateurs doing work for free or next to nothing and sites like iStock overing pre-fab design, I'm amazed any of us can make a living any more. Businesses are becoming conditioned to devalue what we do. You know, between the amateurs doing work for free or next to nothing and sites like iStock overing pre-fab design, I’m amazed any of us can make a living any more. Businesses are becoming conditioned to devalue what we do.

]]> By: Michael Henry http://www.no-spec.com/archives/istock-logos/comment-page-1/#comment-68901 Michael Henry Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:07:20 +0000 http://www.no-spec.com/?p=609#comment-68901 Lets get something straight, the idea that a talented and skilled person would design before being “actively” commissioned by the buyer is a personal problem. I would NEVER do it ( I have provided spec work in the past, its a loss-loss sum game). These speculative design mill sites like 99 Design and Crowdspring have their detractors and I am one of them. But not for the same reason as most. My problem with these type of services is not the downward pricing pressure and denigrating quality of work, I believe some form of this is actual good for the industry. Students need paying projects and there are times when new work procurement is harder than just designing for fun. So I can’t question the motivates of a willing adult and how they choose to spend their time. Good designers will get better and define their niche and expertise further. Poor designers will be caught in this hand to mouth cycle. The main issue with these services are the lack of support for the environment. For example, if $99 renders 40, 50, maybe 60 different designs then 100’s maybe 1000’s of computer hours have just been wasted. The carbon footprint for design time has just become an issue. So for every duplicitous chance at winning a logo design contest – what’s the real cost? Is it one less minute, hour, day, week, month, or year on this planet earth. If these services would also calculate the carbon footprint of a project and sell tokens to the art buyers, then I am a fan of the design industries innovation. Maybe not. Lets get something straight, the idea that a talented and skilled person would design before being “actively” commissioned by the buyer is a personal problem. I would NEVER do it ( I have provided spec work in the past, its a loss-loss sum game). These speculative design mill sites like 99 Design and Crowdspring have their detractors and I am one of them. But not for the same reason as most.

My problem with these type of services is not the downward pricing pressure and denigrating quality of work, I believe some form of this is actual good for the industry. Students need paying projects and there are times when new work procurement is harder than just designing for fun. So I can’t question the motivates of a willing adult and how they choose to spend their time. Good designers will get better and define their niche and expertise further. Poor designers will be caught in this hand to mouth cycle.

The main issue with these services are the lack of support for the environment. For example, if $99 renders 40, 50, maybe 60 different designs then 100’s maybe 1000’s of computer hours have just been wasted. The carbon footprint for design time has just become an issue.

So for every duplicitous chance at winning a logo design contest – what’s the real cost? Is it one less minute, hour, day, week, month, or year on this planet earth. If these services would also calculate the carbon footprint of a project and sell tokens to the art buyers, then I am a fan of the design industries innovation. Maybe not.

]]> By: David http://www.no-spec.com/archives/istock-logos/comment-page-1/#comment-68694 David Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:26:30 +0000 http://www.no-spec.com/?p=609#comment-68694 Because there's always an idiot that's willing to work for pennies and undercut the whole community! Loyalty, trust and quality have fallen by the wayside these days! Because there’s always an idiot that’s willing to work for pennies and undercut the whole community! Loyalty, trust and quality have fallen by the wayside these days!

]]> By: Kit·blog http://www.no-spec.com/archives/istock-logos/comment-page-1/#comment-68618 Kit·blog Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:38:22 +0000 http://www.no-spec.com/?p=609#comment-68618 <strong>Spec work, free pitch, design contest...</strong> I noticed these days a significant effort in the promotion of a Romanian-based international design contest for a package design project in which the client asks for spec work. As a rent-paying,...... Spec work, free pitch, design contest…

I noticed these days a significant effort in the promotion of a Romanian-based international design contest for a package design project in which the client asks for spec work. As a rent-paying,……

]]> By: Kit·blog http://www.no-spec.com/archives/istock-logos/comment-page-1/#comment-68617 Kit·blog Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:48:31 +0000 http://www.no-spec.com/?p=609#comment-68617 <strong>On design contests...</strong> And why the term “design whore” is too elegant Following the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games identity scandal, Canadians banned spec work. And they banned it good: As a result of the situation...... On design contests…

And why the term “design whore” is too elegant Following the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games identity scandal, Canadians banned spec work. And they banned it good: As a result of the situation……

]]> By: Nathan Sarlow http://www.no-spec.com/archives/istock-logos/comment-page-1/#comment-68509 Nathan Sarlow Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:38:50 +0000 http://www.no-spec.com/?p=609#comment-68509 I can't agree more, this is a low act from iStock to get a piece of the 'Spec Pie'. Although I agree with the sentiment of Mr Donut, there will always be amateur designers who are willing to submit work for a few bucks, so I can't see it (or any crowdsourcing) going away, HOWEVER if the overall quality of crowdsourcing stays low I see little problem with it, because it's hitting a different market to pro logo design. Unfortunately it will surely take away the bottom-rung clients who would have previously paid a say a hundred bucks to an amateur (or hobbyist) designer. I don't see iStock affecting the middle or top end of the market, but i'd say around 40% of designers get significant amounts of work from the bottom end of the market. I can’t agree more, this is a low act from iStock to get a piece of the ‘Spec Pie’. Although I agree with the sentiment of Mr Donut, there will always be amateur designers who are willing to submit work for a few bucks, so I can’t see it (or any crowdsourcing) going away, HOWEVER if the overall quality of crowdsourcing stays low I see little problem with it, because it’s hitting a different market to pro logo design.

Unfortunately it will surely take away the bottom-rung clients who would have previously paid a say a hundred bucks to an amateur (or hobbyist) designer.

I don’t see iStock affecting the middle or top end of the market, but i’d say around 40% of designers get significant amounts of work from the bottom end of the market.

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