Graphics for gratis: it's not necessary to spend big bucks to create dynamic, exciting artwork, as these effective techniques prove

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management,  Sept 1, 1990  by Allan Halcrow

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I once found myself discussing graphics with an editorial colleague from another magazine. We agreed that graphics are an important component of any editorial package, but he expressed doubt that his publication had the money to create a dynamic graphic environment for the text. "You guys do so much-you must have a design endowment from the J. Paul Getty Museum," he suggested.

"Actually," I countered, "the system is more like Graphics for Gratis. "

The reality, of course, is somewhere between the two extremes, but it's a lot closer to the Graphics for Gratis model than a grant from the Getty. in a highly competitive market with a relatively low advertising page rate, Personnel Journal is not in a position to spend a lot to make the magazine look good. Fortunately, the art director, Susan Overstreet, has found several creative-yet inexpensive - methods of creating an exciting graphic package.

Not all of these techniques are applicable to-or appropriate for-every magazine, but most can be modified to suit the situation at hand.

1. Ignore the rules

When Personnel Journal was redesigned in 1984 we were not in a financial position to commission cover art for each issue. Rather than fret about the limitations that put on us, we decided to use the situation to our advantage.

We elected not to have a cover story for each issue-a direction made possible by the fact that the magazine's editorial content is highly horizontal and we were comfortable not identifying any one story as more important than the others. Instead, we adopted an ongoing theme called "Unexpected Beauty in the Workplace," which featured striking images of people at work. The move allowed us to run stock photos, outtakes from other photo shoots and photography from other sources, all either free or for a fraction of the cost a custom photo shoot would have cost us.

For example, one cover shot was a winner in the annual Los Angeles Times photo contest. Because the photographer was an amateur, he was thrilled to get the exposure of a cover shot in exchange for just $100. At least two other cover shots were taken originally for corporate annual reports; we were able to use them in exchange for running a credit line. Another cover shot illustrated a feature article in the magazine four and a half years earlier; no one noticed when we replicated the image on the outside. In that instance, the separation was paid for, so our only cost was a minimal second-use fee to the photographer.

2. Negotiate with illustrators

Illustrators are like the rest of us they value some things more than others. one of the most common complaints we heard from illustrators is that art directors asked for too much control. The illustrators felt left out of the conceptualizing-which they viewed as the most interesting part of the illustration process-and constrained by the format or style demanded by the art director.

We turned that situation to our advantage by including illustrators in the brainstorming stage (often, in fact, they did the brainstorming alone and we merely approved the idea), and allowing them to experiment with new styles or materials. In exchange for this freedom they were often willing to work for far less than their standard fees-particularly if they were interested in the subject matter of the article. This strategy will not always work, of course, but it has helped us establish relationships with several top illustrators.

3. Take a chance on beginners

Beginning illustrators are usually most eager to have tear sheets they can use to obtain more assignments. Therefore, they are willing to work for less per piece to get the exposure. We have found such illustrators primarily through referrals and word of mouth, and most come from art schools or design programs. They usually have a distinct style they are honing, so we work to mesh styles with subject matter. We are also more careful to walk these illustrators through a tight comp phase, which minimizes the likelihood that we will be surprised by the final piece. We have had to kill artwork that didn't meet our standards or expectations, but the majority of our associations have been successful.

4. Look beyond the usual sources

We have learned to leave no stone unturned in the process of finding art; often the best solutions come from the most unexpected sources.

For example, we illustrated a feature on child care options by asking members of a first grade class at a local elementary school to donate their favorite drawings. The art was popular with readers, and our only cost was supplying sample issues to proud parents. Another feature was illustrated using art featured on a poster promoting a paper company.

We once asked several of our regular contributors to submit ideas for a commemorative poster we were hoping to produce. The poster was never done, but we used one of the artist's comps to illustrate an article. A friend once showed me some rubber stamps she was making; enlarged several times, they worked perfectly as feature art.