MicrostockGroup
Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: Leo Blanchette on February 26, 2008, 14:42
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I've been enjoying this business of stock photography and especially the vector imaging aspect of it.
A concern I've had since I started is this:
How long will it be before vector images are simply too plentiful, and sales are spread thin between too many contributors with too many images?
Has anyone seen this starting to happen?
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99% of the work I do is vector based and like you I had concerns about over supply but I have found as long as you keep uploading (especially on shutterstock) my month on month sales keep increasing (except for december!). The joy of illustration is the only thing that limits you is your mind.
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...The joy of illustration is the only thing that limits you is your mind.
So true!!!
Photographers take pictures, vectorists make pictures.
When photographers run out of things to take pictures of and every category is full, we imagists will be creating new concepts and objects out of our imaginations. Photographers can only make images of what they can see; but nothing limits us. The physical world is limited, the imagination is infinite.
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I think there are certain types of vectors that will be too plentiful and harder to get accepted. That is already starting to happen with some images. It would probably be hard to get a simple flat world map through review at most sites now.
But the saturation of vectors will never be as bad as it is with photos. Besides, right now vectors outsell photos individually by a wide margin, so even if things slow, vectors will still do as well or better per image than photos.
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Originality is what it all comes down to. Anyone can copy someone else, but if you can come up with something clever from your own initiative, you will have an awesome selling image (at least until someone else copies you...) ;D
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Originality is what it all comes down to. Anyone can copy someone else, but if you can come up with something clever from your own initiative, you will have an awesome selling image (at least until someone else copies you...) ;D
Originality is all well and good but it is so hard to make every image you do "new" and "original". I think it is more about taking the ideas that sell and moving it to the next level or coming at it from a new direction. I have people that have copied me before and I am flattered, if they can sell more than me then fine...I will steal the idea back!!! ;D
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Anyone can copy someone else, ....
I don't think that's always true. They can try but they don't always succeed.
It takes skills to develop a special style. And not everyone has those skills.
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Can someone please answer my stupid question... who are vector artists? I always kindof assumed you are skilled graphic designers who have been to college for at least a couple years. Am I right about that, or are there Ordinary Joes out there with a copy of Illustrator (and presumably personal style)?
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Can someone please answer my stupid question... who are vector artists? I always kindof assumed you are skilled graphic designers who have been to college for at least a couple years. Am I right about that, or are there Ordinary Joes out there with a copy of Illustrator (and presumably personal style)?
Could be either. I studied Illustrator in college after I learned Photoshop. Learning the pen tool is one of the more important steps to using Illustrator. After that, it's similar to Photoshop. So I don't think you would have to go to college for it.
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Am I right about that, or are there Ordinary Joes out there with a copy of Illustrator (and presumably personal style)?
Yes, I'm one of them. But working with Illustrator has nothing to do with personal style. It's just a tool, you must do the drawing!
In a way, everybody has a personal style, even a three year old with pencil and paper!
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Can someone please answer my stupid question... who are vector artists? I always kindof assumed you are skilled graphic designers who have been to college for at least a couple years. Am I right about that, or are there Ordinary Joes out there with a copy of Illustrator (and presumably personal style)?
Given I've only got a small number of illustrations up on istock, I'm not sure that you could call me a vector artist. But I come into the "self taught" category. I've always drawn and sketched though - I could have gone to Art college, but I never took it up and went and did other stuff that was more likely to pay the rent (post graduate degree in Economics..). Stupid decision, but never mind. So being able to draw a bit seems to be enough. Illustrator is a beast of a program to get your head around I find, as it's so different from photoshop, which feels like home!
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Am I right about that, or are there Ordinary Joes out there with a copy of Illustrator (and presumably personal style)?
I am an ordinary Joe with a copy of Illustrator, but I am still working on improving my skills with it.
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I'm from another planet, so that answers that question.
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I have a degree in Graphic Design, but honestly I didn't learn much illustration in college. The degree is more helpful in my day job as a designer.
Although i should say that being a graphic designer helps in coming up with stock illustration ideas. I'll be sitting at work thinking, "I could really use an image with [whatever]..." and then go home and make that image.
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You can go to school for 100 years and not be good in anything! And you can born with a skill and be a genius!! Some of the greatest artist donīt have a degree and now they are case studies in school! Illustrator is just a tool like the camera is for photographers. You can give a camera to anyone, but this donīt make you a photographer!! You can give a pen or illustrator to a person.... you now.
By the way iīm not a photographer or artist like Leo Blanchette, I'm also from another planet.
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;D, I have Illustrator (with my Creative Suite) and a pen and 0 for natural talent... so nobody has to worry about me swamping the Vector category! On January 1st I said "I'll learn Illustrator this year!" Another new years resolution that lasted 5 minutes.