Hi. Sorry if this is not the place for this topic - I could not find any other place to put it. It is also an unusual question. I am self publishing a children's book & have 2 more that I am writing. My illustrator produces great images, but what was supposed to be a 3 month project is now 1.5 years late! We are working on the final drafts but likely will be another 3 months or so. All of the delays are due to the illustrator working on other projects and not putting any priority at all on my project. The only time he does any work is when I threaten to drop him - then he makes great progress for a few weeks before lowering my priority status again. I am looking to get a different illustrator for the next two books (I cannot go through this aweful experience again) but I am looking to retain the style of the current book since the next two will have the same characters and same setting. I will get the files for the images used in the current book - does anyone know if a new illustrator will be able to import the images I have and create the next 2 books in the same style? Thanks! Juggernaut
I think that's a discussion to have with any potential illustrators, I assume yes if they have the right software. Have you retained all rights to the artwork? I feel your frustration on this, having got a style already I can totally understand you wanting to continue with the same look. Good luck with your search.
Yes I will have the rights to all the files. I figured it would depend on the new illustrator. Just figured I would ask in case anyone had a good experience doing this. Thanks!
This is actually two questions... can you legally hire another artist to copy another's "style", and is it ethical? You need to understand-- the written descriptions of characters and story are your creation, and the illustrations depicting those characters and story are a separate creation. You purchased the illustrations, you did not purchase the style of the artist. Being an illustrator myself, if after completing work for a client, I then come to find out I've been replaced with someone who is copying my work... after I picked my jaw off the ground... I'd be making a call to a lawyer!
Lain Sparrow, Are you saying that I need to have the sequel books with the same characters look completely different if I choose to not continue with an illustrator who actually said he would finish the book in 30 days, but has taken over 1.5 years? Thanks
