Cash or Creativity?
Written by Tara: Freelance Designer on Thursday, 10 of May , 2007 at 4:49 pm
Which come first cash or creativity?
If you are a freelancer like me you may end up pondering (oh I sound so Old School English) this question, I know I do.
Some of the most lucrative jobs, just aren’t necessarily the most creative ones. For instance I may be briefed to come up with some ad concepts and given a budget equivalent to one or two days of my time, yet I could spend the same time doing a mundane series of artworks that pays equivalent to my normal weeks pay.
So which should you tend towards?
I think it is important to try and maintain a balance, its great to be financially successful, but it shouldn’t be at the downfall of your creativity. Personal projects are always a great way to extend your creativity too.
Prior to becoming freelance I worked for a lot of different design agencies, but never stayed more than a few years at each, only once was this down to money, the other times is was because I didn’t feel I was being stretched creatively. I found much the same with many of the designers I worked with they always swapped jobs after a couple of years, not because of money, but for new creative challenges. When you have been with an agency, like an actor you can sometimes get “typecast”. You are XXXX the typography expert or XXXX the ad guru.
So what do you think, cash or creativity?
Category: Freelance Graphic Design, General Graphic Design
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Comment by Paul Enderson
Made Thursday, 10 of May , 2007 at 7:06 pm
Creativity… But I get bored *really* easily if I do things just for money.
There are exceptions of course… For example, the guy who wanted to pay me eight grand to do a three-page basic HTML site. You just don’t say no to that stuff, do you?
Comment by johno
Made Thursday, 10 of May , 2007 at 7:34 pm
Great(?) minds think alike - I wrote a similarly-themed post yesterday.
I think the answer to your question lies in one’s own means: when you’re starting out (or when you’re poor), then cash most often takes precedence over creativity; only when one has a little - financial - security does one have the luxury of putting creativity in its rightful place (well, well above cash). However, if the cash is right… 
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head when you mention personal projects as an outlet for creativity: that’s the way to stay fresh, and often times, what’s created/learned through such projects spills over into - and benefits - the 9-5 work.
8k for 3 pages! I’ve got the wrong customers. You want to swap some with me, Paul
ps: love these editable comments. How do you do that?
Comment by Randa Clay
Made Thursday, 10 of May , 2007 at 7:55 pm
I think you’re right on. There should be a balance. You’ve got to pay the bills, but doing too much mundane stuff can really suck the joy out of work.
Comment by Aaron :: miLienzo.com
Made Thursday, 10 of May , 2007 at 8:11 pm
Interesting question. Although I suspect most people don’t have the luxury of being able to choose.
I don’t freelance, but I hope to one day, and paying the bills will come first with me. I’m afraid to say.
Comment by Tara1
Made Thursday, 10 of May , 2007 at 8:35 pm
Paul, I think I would learn HTML very quickly for jobs like that!
Johno - the editable comments is something that Vivien at http://www.inspirationbit.com suggested the link to the Ajax Edit comments plugin
I am off to check your post now too.
Hi Randa, you really do need a balance, its easy to get bored, but of course there are always bills to pay.
Hi Aaron, I never turn work down if I can fit it in, but I do think you need some creativity otherwise your works gets stale.
Comment by Paul Enderson
Made Thursday, 10 of May , 2007 at 8:46 pm
“8k for 3 pages! I’ve got the wrong customers. You want to swap some with me”
“I think I would learn HTML very quickly for jobs like that!”
—
I always remember something my clairvoyent told me… She said that I would have some jobs I could charge double for, and barely do any work - and then other jobs where I would do more work than I was paid for.
That’s how it’s always been with my clients. I’ve got one at the moment, for whom I’ve worked more than 200 hours. His bill will be for 120 pounds.
That’s one of the tricks you have to learn when freelancing - taking the good stuff with the rubbish!
Comment by webee
Made Friday, 11 of May , 2007 at 9:23 am
hi to you all,
tara’s experience is relevant for me too.
i’ve worked as a designer for print for about 4 years now. split into 2 jobs.
my first job was really repetitive, but helped me get familiar with different software solutions. i quit after 1.5 years.
i’m on my second design job within a small advertising company. doing much bigger, but mainly cash oriented projects. my second year here has just started a few months ago.
and… to be honest… i really don’t think i’ll end it here.
so see? i too am constantly looking that more creative tasks…
webee
[is a design blog]
Comment by johno
Made Friday, 11 of May , 2007 at 4:24 pm
Thanks for the link Tara.
Comment by Vivienne Quek
Made Friday, 11 of May , 2007 at 7:07 pm
Creativity is stimulating for survival in the creative industry. Cash is for our bread and butter, cake and cherry. Long time back, on separate occasions, I asked my Aussie CD and then my German AD, if they would take up a real boring and tedious project but the money is good. Their unianimous answer was “why not, cash for trash”. I nearly flipped, they picked the line from my Brit MD.
Comment by Tara1
Made Friday, 11 of May , 2007 at 7:19 pm
Hi Vivienne,
Thanks for commenting.
I love that line “cash for trash” I’ll remember that one
Comment by RomeoAngel
Made Friday, 11 of May , 2007 at 9:20 pm
I will agree. As a freelance designer you must find the balance between your creativity and how long it is charged in matters of time (time=money)
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Comment by apple-ec2link
Made Wednesday, 3 of October , 2007 at 2:16 am
Interesting question. Although I suspect most people don’t have the luxury of being able to choose.
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