Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT CAN YOU HELP ME WITH?

The best answer to that is → OUR SERVICES PAGE.

 

The core of our production is creating attractive visuals:

 

• • • idea making and conceptualising
      illustration
      animated videos
      motion design
      mascots
      comics
      3D visualization
      storyboards
      concept art
      video game game design

 

However, we like to differentiate brands at a glance through top-notch illustrated and animated visuals. We build entire visual identities for brands, their projects and campaigns, from logo design to all visual communication. Embellished with illustration, areas of work include:

 

• • • visual identity of brands
      illustrated logo design
      visual style of projects/campaigns
      creative concepts for visual communication
      graphic design

 

We also like to create designs for projects, campaigns or microsites that need to grab the attention and look great. This involves coming up with solutions:

 

• • • we define the assignment
      come up with a concept for the solution
      create a moodboard
      … and we’ll be happy to continue with the implementation

 

 

 

HOW TO ORDER A COMMISSION?

If you answer a few questions in already your initiating email, we can get from the first steps to the price estimate and the actual solution much faster:

 

1. 1. 1. What is it and what do you want to achieve?
         By when is it to happen?
         What is the purpose?
         Do you have any supporting documents, images or context? Attach links or files.
         Is there anything else we should know?

 

If you are commissioning a more complex project, you can start by watching this video or reading this article –HOW TO ASSIGN A CREATIVE PROJECT. Alternatively, start with this simple form. Then we’ll go through the process together and put the assignment together.

 

 

 

YOU DRAW, BUT I NEED HELP FIGURING THE WHOLE THING OUT!

Coming up with a solution to your problem and creating a concept is our daily bread! We mainly create applied artworks. The results must be functional and fulfil their purpose after deployment. We take all this into account. If you don’t have a marketing manager, art director or other creatives and you’re not sure what the solution should look like, don’t despair. We’ll be happy to come up with a solution or strategy for you from scratch. After all, this is a requirement of most of our clients. On the other hand, we are also very happy to work on an authorial projects, where we have more freedom and fulfill your vision.

 

 

 

WHAT IS THE WHOLE PROCESS LIKE?

For a quick and visual answer, check out this short comic we’ve put together for you – HOW DOES THE PROCESS OF THE COMMISSION GO?

It all depends on the complexity and scale of the project. However, a standard project always has a very similar creation process:

 

Consultation of your needs + price estimation
Creating a creative brief (this can be suitably detailed depending on the complexity)
Binding project cost estimation
Signing of the contract or contract note and payment of the advance invoice
Creation of a concept / moodboard (usually only for larger complex projects)
Approval or modification of the concept
Creating a script (in the case of a comic or animated video)
Creating sketches of the work (or storyboard and animatic in the case of an animated video)
Approval or feedback for editing
Iteration (until the client is satisfied)
Finalizing the work and sending materials in view of quality
Payment of invoice
Transmission of required deliverables via secure cloud storage.

 

At each stage, you can comment on the intermediate outputs to make timely adjustments to your satisfaction. As the base we provide 2 rounds of adjustments in each phase. In our experience, this is quite sufficient in most cases. If more rounds of editing are required or the brief changes during the course of the work, it is possible that the price will be increased by the hourly rate for this extra work. Each type of project (illustration, visual identity, comic, animated spot, etc.) has slightly different phases, but the structure remains more or less the same. Here’s an example to give you an idea:

 

Simplified process of creating a mascot as an illustration of the process:

 

 

 

 

→ Example of the full mascot creation process

→ Example of the full process of creating an animated spot

 

 

 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Because we don’t sell rolls, but always create original creative works, pricing is a complex process that depends on multiple factors. For smaller commissions, we include the complete creation process in the price of producing the work. However, for larger projects and campaigns, the price consists of the idea and its development, the overall complexity, the art style, the scope of the assignment, the license (based on the desired scope of use) and last but not least, the time we have to process it. We will try to give you a rough estimate in the initial conversation, then a binding quote after discussing the details. Anyway, unless another setup is appropriate for your project, we work mainly in a “fixed time, fixed price” model.

 

Example of 3 levels of comic sophistication (style, color, detail, content)

 

 

 

 

WHAT IS A LICENSE?

It is about the definition and transfer of proprietary copyright, without which the created work cannot be legally used. The amount of the royalty depends on the scope of use. This is usually:

 

the nature of the license (exclusive/non-exclusive)
the duration of the use of the work
territorial use of the work / language
scope of use of the work (purpose and marketing touchpoints)
the possibility of further modifying the work or combining it with other works
the possibility of reproducing the work (usually physical copies)
the possibility of assigning the license of the work (resale to a third party)

 

We often try to recommend a solution to clients that saves them money by purchasing a license that is only for the intended purpose instead of an unlimited license that in most cases they will not use. The license scope can be purchased at any time as needed.

 

 

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

This always depends on the style, complexity and quantity of the required outputs. However, your feedback and the number of iterations you can have played a big role. Our studio workload can certainly play a role, but in most cases we are able to provide some express solutions. Example:

 

• • • 60s ANIMATED VIDEO can last 4-8 weeks
      MASCOT DESIGN can take 2-4 weeks
      LOGO + VISUAL IDENTITY can take 4-12 weeks

 

 

 

CAN YOU HANDLE MULTIPLE STYLES?

We work with multiple illustrators with different styles. The flexible illustrators in our studio can adapt stylistically according to requirements. From minimalist icons and illustrations to cartoon and comic book styles, to photorealistic digital paintings, 3D designs and AI-generated visualizations, we can deliver. Take a look at some of the styles we do most often and you can choose right away. It’s not a problem for us to imitate or build on any style you send us a sample of.

 

 

 

 

 

HOW TO CHOOSE A STYLE?

Sometimes the choice of style is a matter of taste. Most of the time, however, the style has to make sense in the context of the project, the brand, the purpose and the target group or audience of the visuals. If you don’t have experience with this type of work, or are just unsure, we’d be happy to consult with you on style selection. It is also common practice for us to design or build a style selection tailored to your needs to best serve the purpose. Our portfolio is varied and full of different examples of styles. However, for a basic idea, you can start here.

 

 

 

DO YOU USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

Yes. We enjoy technology and keeping up with the times. We use AI quite regularly for various activities and stages of the creative process. We can also generate visuals in virtually any style. However, it must be said that AI generated images cannot be used for most types of projects yet. There are several reasons why this technology is still problematic for real deployment:

 

1. 1. 1. Copyright. A fundamental problem of the vast majority of generation tools (the ones with the best results). We can only provide everything we generate without any usage rights. What we generate is not a copyrighted work, and we cannot guarantee that the use of such graphics for your purposes will not be problematic from a copyright perspective in the future.
         Incorporating visuals into an identity design system or creating animated videos is virtually impossible with some styles with really good results. AI does not yet allow us to work well with layers, make vectors, and work with non-destructive methods efficiently enough in the way we would need.
         Achieving some of the details (not just visual, but technical) can be very complicated and/or time-inefficient. Sometimes the output doesn’t make sense, sometimes it doesn’t look good. Here, it is preferable to combine this with manual creation and finish using post-processing in the traditional way – but this can sometimes be more complicated than doing the visuals using the classic “made by human” method. Maybe future progress will solve this. But it won’t be there for a while yet on the level we’d like to see..

 

However, you can work magic with AI. Combine it with what we’ve long known the “old-fashioned way. Make our jobs a lot easier. It’s new to us. An experiment for our clients. It’s a challenge. But we’re definitely more attracted to these things than repelled!

 

 

 

DO I NEED VECTORS?

That’s the question. Vectors are important for certain types of use. Sometimes it’s implemented on the web or in an application. Other times it may be a certain size of large format prints or production technology. We’re happy to discuss this with you. Producing vectors is not a problem for us. However, vectors in illustration generally take longer to process for some styles, so are more costly, and we will avoid them unless absolutely necessary. For some more complex styles, vectors are not suitable at all and are technically almost impossible.

 

 

 

AND YOU CAN DO GRAPHIC DESIGN, TOO?

In this respect, we consider ourselves a visual full-service. If we are going to draw or animate something for you, we can certainly put it all into a complex design package. After all, we create entire visual identities for brands. So… Yes!

 

 

 

HOW AND WITH WHOM WILL I COMMUNICATE?

It is not as complicated for small jobs as it is for more complex projects, which are handled by the whole team. You never have to communicate with the team, but only with one team liaison. For a normal email inquiry, you will be assigned a colleague, Viktor, who will discuss the scope and complexity of the project with you, give you a price estimate or prepare a calculation. Next, Michael will take over the project and be your liaison with the creative, consultant and champion for the best possible outcome. Alternatively, depending on the type of project, another member of the team may remain in production.

 

 

 

WHAT IF I NEED TO CHANGE OR MODIFY AN ASSIGNMENT IN THE COURSE OF THE WORK?

Our customer is our master. Just keep in mind that if the assignment changes fundamentally or the scope of work increases while the production is underway, you will have to account for extra work. You will always know about these in advance and have an estimate of the amount so that you can think things through. We usually set the number of rounds of editing for a given budget at the beginning and follow that.

 

 

 

I NEED REGULAR COOPERATION.

Oh la la! Then you’ve come to the right place! There’s nothing more effective and mutually beneficial than a long-term relationship. We will agree on the terms of cooperation, availability and the form of remuneration, which can be calculated according to time, pieces or lump sum for example for a certain scope of work per month. We will wrap it all up in a framework contract and hooray!

 

 

 

HOW DO I GET THE OUTPUTS?

Once the final proofs have been agreed and the invoice has been paid, you will receive a link to a secure cloud folder. We can share the private folder with you during the execution of your project. Most often you will receive graphics in .JPEG, .PNG or .PDF. If the application requires it, we supply .AI or .PSD on request.

 

 

 

CAN I HANDLE THE GRAPHICS APPLICATIONS ON MY OWN?

If the project allows, we will be happy to prepare templates for you that you can use without the help of other graphic designers. You can also order a manual on how to use the outputs and especially how not to use them. It is also common for us to audit the application of graphics or create a visual identity to your communication, products or print launches upon request. Alternatively, we will consult with you, your graphic designer or your printer on suitable adjustments.

 

 

 

DO WE NEED A CONTRACT?

Not always. We try to limit the paperwork and lawyers for both sides as much as possible. All you need to do is sign a simple, clear one-page contract letter that defines scope, use (including license), delivery and price. We require a contract for projects with a larger budget (usually over 100,000 CZK). For projects where collaboration or licensing terms need to be specified. Or if the client themselves insists on it.

 

 

 

 

→ If you’ve read this far, thanks! You are well prepared to join us on the adventure of a new project. Don’t hesitate to contact us! Your first contact officer will be viktor@artblock.cz.