Jameson Blake was called out on Twitter after he had asked for any graphic designers to make a cover photo for him with the best one getting a “shoutout.”
While the actor has already deleted the controversial post, there were people who managed to take screenshots of it, including a cover photo that was designed by Twitter user @ksteffi_.
Apparently, the user has already designed a cover photo for the actor.
User @ksteffi_ explained that she created the unpaid artwork for the sake of helping him out as a fan.
In her Twitter page, she added that she did not mean to seek attention or get famous and that she would still do the artwork whether Blake pays her or not.
“I was willing, so I did, to get paid or not. Done?” she exclaimed.
User @sarcissistic added that she understood @ksteffi_ and mentioned that she never got paid whenever she plays the piano during weddings.
“The happiness I give is already enough for me,” she wrote in support of @ksteffi_
While @ksteffi_ did it out of the desire to help a person and out of passion, there were others who stated that the issue is not about her willingness but how the actor exploited the graphic designers.
‘Voluntary’ work
Hours after receiving backlash, Blake issued an apology on Instagram, saying that he was “basically seeking volunteers.”
Some users accepted his apology but others pointed out that he took advantage of graphic designers in his post by not offering payment, regardless of whether the artist did it out of passion or not.
Instagram user @parsley0407 said, “Lol tawag sa ginawa mo ‘taking advantage’ shout out kaya ibayad sayo ng ABS matutuwa ka? Lol ka lam mo yon?”
The problem with asking artworks without compensation
Cases of exploitation of graphic designers and other creative professionals have been rampant since the boom of digital technology, with multimedia art taking the spotlight.
Workers of the creative industry — particularly freelancers — continue to be unfairly compensated for their artworks because there is no fixed rate.
They can charge based on their skill set but an official rate has yet to be determined or signified. Otherwise, they are subjected to the amounts clients offer, unless favorable negotiations occur.
A graphic designer named “pbg96” shared on Reddit how many people want designs to be made for free.
I hope we Filipinos could appreciate the value of good graphic design. from Philippines
Argon Design, a digital creative studio, ran down reasons on why clients should pay a graphic designer properly:
- Generating ideas is not easy.
- Design that is cheap or free is not valued.
- Creating artwork is not as quick or as easy as others think.
It added: “The price you pay for goods and services has an effect on how you value them; this is definitely true for design.”
“Good design isn’t just a mark on paper, paired with a pretty font. It comes laced with strategy, guidance, education and quality application to complete an overall brand.”