Becoming a Shutterstock contributor is an exceptional way to earn passive income while getting your creative works, whether this be photography or artwork, out into the world for others to appreciate and use for their own creative content. While Shutterstock does pay contributors through a percentage of their licensed content, many artists considering this route question how much this entails. Can you make a sustainable career from putting artwork on Shutterstock or is this more of a side hustle?

How much an artist makes on Shutterstock is dependent on an image’s license level, which is determined by how many times it’s downloaded per calendar year. Contributors can earn anywhere between 15-40% of their image’s price, which ranges from $0.33 to $4.90 for most licenses, and $99.50 per image for enhanced licenses being the highest price.

Some contributors can make several hundred or even thousands of dollars through Shutterstock per year, while a less involved contributor will likely see anywhere from $20-$100 per year.

In this article, we’ll explain how artists make money on Shutterstock, what it costs them to be a contributor, and how much revenue they could feasibly expect to make uploading artwork on this website. Additionally, we’ll discuss whether being a Shutterstock contributor is a feasible option for sustainable income for artists and other content creators.

How Do Artists Make Money on Shutterstock?

Before anyone signs up to be a Shutterstock contributor, it is crucial to understand how this website works when it comes to revenue.

Shutterstock centers on marketing and reselling creative content, namely:

• Images
• Illustrations
• Photos
• Vectors
• 3D Models
• Music
• Videos

Artists who have signed up as official Shutterstock contributor will upload their work via their Shutterstock account. Once a consumer downloads that piece of work, the artist will receive a cut of the sale.

Where this process gets tricky is that not every image or piece of artwork you upload onto Shutterstock will earn you the same amount of revenue. There are two overarching elements that affect how much money a contributor earns for their work: the image level and the price per download.

Let’s start with image level. Each image you upload to Shutterstock is assigned a level that indicates how many times that image has been sold/downloaded by a consumer which then equates to the percentage of that image’s price per download you receive.

Shutterstock Image Levels

Currently, images level and their associated download requirements and earnings for Shutterstock contributors are as follows:

Image Level	Photos Sold	Percentage Earned
Level 1	Up to 100	15%
Level 2	101-250	20%
Level 3	251-500	25%
Level 4	501-2,500	30%
Level 5	2,500-$25,000	35%
Level 6	25,000+	40%

As you can see, the “photos sold” requirement gets extensively steeper as you move up the percentage scale, taking a huge jump in Level 4 and Level 5 requiring thousands of additional downloads versus the previous levels where you could upgrade after a hundred or so. The other kicker here is that these are downloads/sales per calendar year, so every January 1^st of, all of your uploads, even the most profitable, go back to Level 1.

This can be extremely disheartening to contributors, especially if they are hoping to making Shutterstock revenue sustainable.

Price Per Download

The other side of this equation is, unfortunately, one that contributors have virtually no control over: price per download.

Part of the agreement you make with Shutterstock when you sign up to be a contributor is that you don’t have the luxury of pricing your work. Instead, the price per download of any image or piece of Shutterstock content is dictated by the consumer’s license.

In order to download and use Shutterstock content, consumers must sign up for one of the website’s subscription plans, of which there are multiple.

The price per download assigned to an image depends on the monthly or annual fee the consumer is paying for and the number of downloads this permits them. For example, if a consumer signs up for a monthly “Image Subscription” and wanted to pay for 10 downloads per month, they’d pay a monthly fee of $29, which would mean each download costs them $2.90 individually.

Now, say that same consumer purchased one of your images that is currently rated a Level. You would receive 15% of the price per download dictated by their license (in this case it’s $2.90), so your cut would be roughly $0.44.

Is Uploading Artwork on Shutterstock Sustainable?

Plenty of passionate photographers, musicians, and graphic artists have considered using Shutterstock as a means to obtain substantial revenue for their work, especially if they’re new to the industry and looking for a way to start selling their content. But can you feasibly live off the revenue you make uploading artwork onto this website?

In most cases, no. Being a Shutterstock contributor is best for generating passive income or an additional source of revenue alongside a more sustainable option.

The unfortunate reality of being a contributor on Shutterstock is that the only way you’re going to generate a reasonable amount of revenue is to upload as many images as possible and hope that the majority reach Levels 4-6 and are consistently purchased. Moreover, you’ll want to cross your fingers that consumers purchasing these images don’t have the absolute lowest price per download as dictated by their license/subscription plan.

The best way to achieve this is not only to upload a significant number of images (and by this we mean hundreds if not thousands), but each image must meet Shutterstock’s hefty list of criteria from high resolution to lack of image noise to absence of any recognizable logos or branding and so on.

This means you are not only spending substantial time creating the image, but editing and polishing them as well. Some images used for commercial images will also require the appropriate release forms, which is more time you have to spend for an image that, in the end, might only make you $0.50 per download.

And then there’s the lovely caveat that despite all of your hard work from research of trends to image creation and edition to SEO-friendly keywords and descriptions, all of your images get pegged back to Level 1 at the start of the new year. So, images you were once relying on for substantial revenue are now no better than one you might’ve uploaded a day ago.

The culmination of these efforts paired with the overtly limited amount of revenue contributors receive per image they upload results in Shutterstock being an unrealistic source of sustainable income, and far better suited as a side hustle and work portfolio instead.

Final Thoughts

In the end, how much a Shutterstock contributor makes on this website truly depends on how much effort that individual is willing to put into their uploads, how many uploads they have available, and how well these images are marketed to result in the highest number of downloads possible.

Creating a brand to get the word out when starting a business is essential. There is no clear-cut answer for many people as to how long a branding project can take to complete. So, you are left wondering how long it can take a branding project to be completed from start to finish.

A branding project can take about thirty hours, or in some cases up to six months. However, there are varying factors to consider for why it can take this long, from the size of your company, to your approach, to budgeting.

Read more about the varying factors to determine how long a branding project can take.

How Many Hours Does a Branding Project Take?

Creating a brand is a long process for many, but how long it will take depends on varying factors for each given company. Please keep reading to learn more about the four different, varying aspects of how long it will take you to brand a project.

1. Size of Your Business

Depending on the size of your business can determine how long it will take for a branding project. If you have a larger company and work well together, while it can take a long time, it can, at the same time, take a significantly shorter time because you can have many people doing various tasks within your branding project.

2. Branding Team

With a branding team for your branding project, the determining factor for how long it will take to complete your project will be determined by the size of your team and how well you all agree or compromise with one another. From naming the project, logo design and advertising have to be decided upon by a branding team before going forward with the project.

And beyond the logo designs, there will be mockups that may or may have to be revised depending on the agreeance of the branding team.

3. Branding Strategy and Research

Researching for your brand is an essential aspect of creating your brand project. From competition to your target audience, once you’ve established this, you will be able to delve into a branding strategy. You are creating a branding strategy that includes determining what your company values, creating a mission statement, and establishing why people should consider your brand.

4. Budgeting

Budgeting before committing to your branding project saves you a lot of time because you are establishing, before going any further, how much money you are willing to spend on your business. So, for example, if you do not have a large team or budget, there are strategies to create your brand yourself at an affordable price.

To create mockups of your logo for your brand on a budget, you can use websites such as Placeit.net to see what your logo will look like on a model or a billboard.

How to Create a Brand

Once you’ve budgeted and gone through the initial steps of creating a team to jumpstart creating a brand, it is now time to make the brand itself official. Keep reading to learn more about the five tips on creating a brand.

1. Determine the Theme

Determine your central theme or goal when creating your brand. Your brand’s purpose will set the tone of what your company will be about and what you can offer. To determine this, you will need to sit down with a team, small or large, and brainstorm your priorities within the company as a starting point to brainstorm further.

2. Research

Once the brainstorming has commenced, the next is to research. Conduct extensive research on any potential competitors and your target audience. In signaling out any competitors, this will help you determine what your brand will be and helps you stand out from other businesses. And having a target audience will encourage you to make a good impression and build a connection with them.

To determine your target audience, different research methods can include:

• Surveys: Companies can conduct surveys via phone call, email, etc. The survey questions can be given to different people to determine your target audience, and the questions can either be open or closed-ended to help decide on your demographic.
• Social Media: Connecting with your audience on social media and building a following can help to ensure a gauge of your demographic. Sharing thoughts and opinions on social media as a company can create a lot of engagement between followers and the company.
• Observing: Whether in-person or through social media, observing from the sidelines can help you notice others’ likes or dislikes. Watching others can help determine the direction you want to go with your brand.

3. Design the Logo

Design your logo to help advertise your brand. Your logo enables you to stand out from other businesses by giving your company an official identity of who you are and what you stand for. Many factors go into creating a design, such as style, colors, font, etc. Again, websites such as Placeit.net provide many different options for ways of branding and logo designs to help and give you a jumpstart.

4. Advertise

Once you’ve designed the logo and established what your brand is about, further advertise it after installing a marketing plan. Marketing your brand can vary from social media posts, videos, commercials, billboards, etc.

So, brainstorm a budgeting strategy and outline how you will be advertising your brand and who your target audience will be along the way.

Different advertising methods can include:

• Social media ads.
• Influencer marketing through social media influencers and celebrities.
• Positive testimonials from those who have used your product.
• Giveaways.

5. Adjust and Revise Along the Way

After advertising, you will need to revise and adjust your brand. Over the years, there will need to be updated to appease your customers, stand out from the competition, and continue to stand out. Like many businesses, it is essential to stay up to date on what people are interested in so you are not left behind.

Closing

You have now learned about the different factors determining how long branding a project can take you and various tips on creating a brand from scratch.

There are budget options and there are fast options, but it’s hard to find both in one. A helpful website for branding is Placeit.net because it’s a low flat-rate monthly price that can seriously help speed up your branding process.

You have seen so many artists with beautiful digital art. You’ve always wanted to get into this digital art, but how long does it take to get good at it? What do you need to know to become good at it?

The length it takes for someone to get good at digital art varies from person to person. But generally speaking, it takes 3-5 years to become experienced and good at digital art. 

This time can vary depending on the time you put into the artwork and programs, if you change digital art software, or how you learn digital art. You could become well versed in this in less than that or more. This is what you need to know to help you improve.

How Long Does It Take To Get Good At Digital Art?

For someone to become good at digital art, it will take about 3 to 5 years. You have to learn the programs and all the features that the software has to offer. And if you are new to drawing, it may take even longer.

There are many ways to hasten this, but to truly master digital art, it will take several years. Some may think digital art is easier, but it is just as complicated and beautiful as art on a canvas or paper.

Tips For Improving Your Digital Art

There are many ways that can help you improve your digital art. This will help you become more comfortable with whatever program you are using and help you improve your work. If you are stuck or just don’t know where to start, you can start here:

1. Research the digital software.
2. Try a few programs.
3. Watch tutorial videos.
4. Find a community.
5. Experiment with the features.
6. Practice different styles.
7. Work on your artwork every day.

1. Research The Digitial Software

Do a little research for digital software that best fits you. Some digital software may be better for those who do illustrations, while other software is great for comics and manga. You want to find the best program that fits your style of art. You may not need all the fancy features either.

2. Try A Few Programs

Many programs have free trials and even a few free versions out there. You can download several when you start and play around with each. This will help you decide which one best fits you.

Each artist has different things that may annoy them or want a specific feature. This is why testing each one can help you narrow down those programs and help you decide if you want to pay for them later on after your trial.

3. Watch Tutorial Videos

Watch a few tutorial videos once you have figured out the program you want or narrowed it down to a few that you like most. Yes, these videos can be a little boring, and you may just want to jump into drawing, but understanding the program will make things easier for you.

All the programs have tutorial videos that they can share with you, but they are a great source to find tips and tricks on Youtube.com. You can learn from other artists and even learn some shortcuts to improving your digital art.

4. Find A Community

Finding a community is important. If you are a loner, you can find information through forums and videos, but a community can help you when you have questions. It is best to get with a community with the same program as you, but many experienced artists have tried out multiple software programs that can share their input.

You can even look at your community’s artwork and see what you could be capable of when you master digital art. They may even inspire you to work harder on your own or give you the next inspiration for your piece.

5. Experiment With The Features

Don’t be afraid to experiment with the features your software offers. This will help you learn the program much quicker and improve your skills along the way. It is great practice. You may even find a style that you like.

6. Practice Different Styles

Practice different styles. Digital art is different than physical artwork. Although you can choose different brushes, tools, and more, you can practice styles that you may not have thought yourself capable of with physical artwork. Play around, merge styles, and try something crazy!

7. Work On Your Artwork Every Day

Work on your artwork every day. This doesn’t mean you have to spend hours every day becoming good at digital art. No. As long as you spend twenty minutes a day practicing your work and working with the software, you will improve. 

Outro

Digital art can be quite a fun venture. You can experiment and learn so many new art styles that you may not have known yourself capable of. And when you make a mistake, it’s an easier fix. It is great for those just learning to explore the world of art! Master it at your own rate.

For those seeking a quick way to get your toes wet with digital art, try using a template based graphic design tool like Placeit.net. This will allow you to start creating professional designs quickly, and see if you like the creative field enough to invest several years in mastering your craft!

If you are in the graphic design industry, there is little doubt that you have heard of the popular freelance platform Fiverr. With over 830,000 creators, it is one of the premier mediums for artists around the world to market and sell their services. But with so much competition, how much can graphic designers actually earn on Fiverr?

Graphic designers can earn between $10 per hour to $250 per hour on Fiverr. For freelancers who regularly work on the platform, the average monthly income is between $300 and $1,000 per month, although some earn far more.

While this is far from precise information, there are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to earnings potential on Fiverr. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about how much designers can expect to make on Fiverr. 

How Much Can You Make as a Graphic Designer on Fiverr?

The earnings different freelancers can see on Fiverr varies incredibly. 

Beginning graphic artists may make less than $10 per hour using the Fiverr platform. Experienced graphic artists can make well over $100 per hour, with some sellers making as much as $250 per hour.

Why the huge disparity in earnings? There are several driving forces.

Fiverr Is a Worldwide Marketplace for Graphic Designers

Fiverr is a worldwide marketplace that instantly connects buyers and sellers from all corners of the world.  While this is certainly a good thing for buyers seeking services and sellers seeking clients, it can make the economics a bit challenging.

What constitutes a good wage in one part of the world is not worth a seller’s time in another location. As all sellers on Fiverr are freelancers, the price they charge is completely at their discretion. 

Let’s take a look at a hypothetical example to help clarify how this works. Take Seller A and Seller B. Both create a nearly identical piece of graphic art–say a book cover. The book cover produced by both sellers is nearly identical in terms of quality. It took both sellers about three hours to create.

However, because Seller A lives in a country where the cost of living is astronomical, he or she has to charge, say, $75 per hour to make the project worthwhile. Seller B, on the other hand, lives in a much less expensive location and can charge much less for the same service, such as $12 per hour.

So this makes it really hard to say what a graphic designer will make on the platform. Because Seller A has to charge more, he or she may have a hard time attracting clients, while Seller B may have a nonstop stream of business. Most freelance designers use Fiverr as a side hustle. Those who stay active typically earn between $300 and $1,000 per month. But again, this is highly variable. 

Fiverr states that more than 70% of its client base comes from English-speaking countries to try and alleviate some of this concern over price variance, but anyone who has used the platform knows that prices are all over the place.

For this reason, it may be beneficial for sellers to consider a design platform that charges a flat monthly fee so that they can make a more competitive quote for graphic design services. 

Graphic Design Is an Extremely Broad Field

Graphic design means a lot of things on Fiverr. In fact, Fiverr notes that it is one of the most highly saturated services listed on its platform.

Among the services that fall under Fiverr’s graphic design umbrella include:

• Web and mobile design
• Logo and brand identity
• Package and labeling
• Art and illustration
• Fashion and merchandise design

And these are just a few examples. As such, the price ranges will vary tremendously between these services. A web developer that starts a months-long project to design, integrate, and launch a business website may bring home more than $10,000 for a project. On the other hand, an artist may be able to create a business card in a matter of minutes and charge $20 for their time. 

Experience and Reputation Really Matter On Fiverr

Experience goes hand-in-hand with earnings in all walks of professional life. However, it is magnified on Fiverr. Because it works a bit like a social networking platform for buyers and sellers, artists are really at the mercy of getting strong client reviews.

Graphic artists who have hundreds or thousands of 5-star client ratings are in high demand on the platform. They may even stay busy creating graphic art on a full-time basis. On the flip side, talented artists new to the platform may have a hard time generating clients until they establish more “social credibility.”

Does Fiverr Take a Percentage of Seller Earnings?

Fiverr will take 20% of the seller’s total project cost. This is a pretty steep take percentage, so once again, it is worthwhile for graphic artists to choose a design platform that will not charge more based on high project volume. 

How Can Graphic Designers Earn More on Fiverr?

Despite the high service fee and robust worldwide competition, Fiverr does provide freelance graphic artists a great opportunity to make money doing what they love. There are several ways that you can grow your freelance graphic design business the right way and start earning more on Fiverr.

1. Prioritize Customer Experience in the Beginning

Having a business get too big too fast can actually be a detriment to your long-term earnings. If you bite off more than you can chew, you run the risk of leaving some clients unsatisfied. And if you get started with a handful of negative reviews, it can be tough to ever dig out of the hole.

2. Have Elite Communication Skills

Clients can be notoriously demanding. In the age of instant communication, they want answers to their questions and concerns right away. They may want you to make the most nitpicky edit ever. They may completely change their mind on what they want at midnight. 

Even if you can’t get to them right away, take the time to acknowledge their request ASAP. Communication is king in business, and it can make or break a freelance designer. 

3. Focus on Establishing Relationships and Building Long-Term Clients

There are all kinds of statistics showing how much more profitable it is to keep an existing customer than to get a new one. As such, focus on forming outstanding relationships with a handful of quality clients. If they know you, trust you, and turn to you as their go-to whenever they need something designed, you will be able to obtain a more consistent, profitable workflow. 

The Bottom Line: Earning Money On Fiverr

Graphic designers can make anywhere between $10 to $250 per hour on Fiverr. For most active creators, this usually amounts to about $300 to $1,000 per month as a side hustle. If you have graphic design skills and are looking to use Fiverr, be sure to check out the services offered by Placeit to make your graphic design business as profitable as possible!

While we all love Illustrator for what it can do for our businesses and companies, it’s not immune to problems and glitches. Many users have reported having issues recently with the gradient turning black when you try to do something with your font. So we are here to help you fix it. 

If your gradient is turning black in Illustrator, it can be for a couple of reasons. Either your software needs you to use the selection arrow to select the text instead of the type tool, or your Illustrator is recognizing your letters as both characters and type, which is causing a problem. 

Now, unfortunately, there is no specific way to figure out why your gradient is having problems, or even what you need to do to fix it. The only things you really have are previous experiences from other people and solutions that have worked more often than not. Even if you have to use the process of elimination, at least you have a path to help you get on your way to solving the solution. 

Fixing Your Gradient Issue

Since there are two different things that can cause a gradient problem, there are a few solutions you can try depending on what you think your problem is. The great thing is, any of these solutions you can do won’t mess up anything else, so you can use princess of elimination until you fix the issue. 

Resetting Your Options

In some cases, you may need to just reset your gradient or fill options back to default, or remove all changed options completely and allow the software to reset everything. It’s recommended that you save your file before starting this process. 

To reset everything, you do not have to completely remove everything, you simply need to choose your text and reset all settings associated with your text including:

• Color
• Outline
• Gradient
• Background
• Size
• Orientation
• Fill
• Font

(Source: Reddit, Adobe Community)

Once you reset everything, start off by seeing if you can do what you want with the gradient. If your gradient doesn’t turn black, slowly, one by one, change your settings back and try gradient every single time you change a setting. If you notice your gradient starts having issues again, try turning off the most recent change and try again. 

This will allow you to pinpoint which setting is specifically causing the issue and also gives your illustrator a chance to reset and fix everything itself. If you get to the end of changing and fixing all the settings and your gradient never fixes itself, you will have to move to the next solution. The great thing is, since you saved your file, you now have a file where you can change things around as much as you want to find the solution without messing up your original. 

Using the Right Tool to Select The Text

Sometimes illustrator needs you to use the selection arrows to select your text instead of the type tool. If you have used your type tool to select your text and the gradient is turning black, try the selection tool instead. If this doesn’t fix your issue, then you need to move on to the next solution. 

Characters Vs. Type

There are some ways that illustrator treats characters versus types and while it’s not widely understood, there is a pretty simple way to fix the issue this causes with gradient. If you use the gradient fill tool, click on your type and open the appearance palette. Once there you will see the option to select your type and then you’ll see the gradient fill below characters. 

If you can drag characters to where it sits above gradient fill, you will see a slight shift in your text, and then you can double click “characters”. From there you can choose the “fill” option and set the gradient to transparent. This should fix your problems if neither of the other solutions did. 

(Source: Graphic Design, Reddit, Adobe Community)

Customer Support

If all else fails, you can contact customer support for illustrator, or join in on the conversation in their forum. Either one of these options should give you the answer you are looking for, or at worst a few solutions you can try and see if they help you with your issue. 

Final Thoughts

While your Illustrator issues may be frustrating, the simple solutions that are provided should allow you to continue using the software with minimal interruptions. Thankfully, there is a customer support option within Illustrator for those who can’t seem to fix the issue they have. 

Unsplash is a popular website that came from Canada. Founded by Mikael Cho in 2013, this site operates as a place for users to find high-quality stock photos for free. All this free stuff is great – but how does Unsplash make money?

To make money, Unsplash utilizes advertising to bring in a sustainable income. It’s their sole source of revenue for the time being, unlike other sites that profit from subscription models for their photos. They are committed to ensuring the ads don’t take away from the user experience.

Read on to learn more about how Unsplash makes its income. We’ll talk about how the process works, if you can make money, and more. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started right away.

How Does Revenue for Unsplash Work?

The sole source of income for Unsplash is through advertising. Although they rely on it for funds, Unsplash has specifications for their advertisements that companies must follow if they want their information displayed on the popular website.

To go on Unsplash, an advertisement must:

• Be contextual and add value to the experience of the user on the site
• Be authentic and high-quality to match the other photos
• Be fun and engaging

And, advertisers can only display on Unsplash if they are invited to do so!

Many companies that rely on advertising as their source of income have pages plastered with irritating advertisements. Unsplash ensures that this aspect of their business does not interfere with the hunt of the average user. It’s a picture site – the aesthetic has to be there for success.

Can You Make Money on Unsplash?

With the advertisement model, you might wonder if a photographer can make money on Unsplash. Can you make an income for yourself, or are the photos you post free for anyone to use without any benefit?

Here are a few of the best ways to make money with your photos on Unsplash:

• Donations: You can set up a link to guide people to a page where they can make donations on your behalf.
• Messages: You can communicate with someone who downloaded your photo and see if they are willing to sponsor you for future endeavors.
• Patreon: You can enable Patreon and put it in your bio for all to visit and donate to if they wish.

These will inform users that you are working and are open to any donations they feel willing to hand over to you.

Of course, it’s critical to note that Unsplash will not pay you for the images. They will curate the photos and select the options that are up to their standard. It’s tricky to make a living as someone who takes pictures for Unsplash unless you find many people willing to go the extra mile to support you.

Is Unsplash Free to Use?

Unsplash is a gorgeous site. If you visit it, you will note hundreds of high-quality photos. It might seem too good to be true. Is Unsplash free to use, or do you need to pay more for access to the service every time you log on?

Unlike other photography sites, every single photo on Unsplash is free to download and use. They make their income solely from advertising, which makes it possible to keep everything at no cost. Unfortunately, part of this means that they don’t pay the photographers – they curate the images. This fact is why donations are critical.

If you’re casually searching the internet for a wonderful image, you can pull something from Unsplash without worrying about stealing images from another person. It’s an incredible site for everyone to experience at least once in their life.

Conclusion

Unsplash is a unique site that provides many gorgeous photos at no cost to the person who wants to use them, whether for a big presentation or a personal PowerPoint. They make all of their money from curated ads that display right on their page. If you take pictures, you can make money through donations and other formats of support.

We hope this information was helpful! Unsplash is a special page that provides access to images that would otherwise be a lot of money on other websites. If you find a photographer’s images you love on the site, don’t forget to donate! Unsplash might make its funds from ads, but artists make their living from you.

Graphic designing is a great way to get into the world of building and designing characters. You can build characters that can be used for stories, video games, and so much more. The only limit is your imagination. But how long does it take to design a character?

To make a basic character can take about 150 or more hours. This depends all on you and what your character will look like. A simple character may take less than that, while a complex character may take even longer.

There are many considerations to take when designing your character and things you can do to help reduce the time of designing your character. Here are tips and tricks to help you in the process of designing your character.

How Long Does It Take to Design a Character?

On average, it should take you about 150 hours, but this number can change depending on your character. If you are designing a 2D character, you will find that this will take less time than if you were designing a more complex character or 3D character.

Simple characters for comics, mangas, or other 2D modes of storytelling may not need as much detail to create. You may even be making a character that isn’t complex in a more realistic world.

3D characters or more complex characters, usually for video games or fantasy and science fiction genres, are often more detailed. It makes the characters more intricate, like telling a story about them without telling the whole story.

The time it takes to design a character also relies on you and how fast you work. Some artists like to work quickly, while others take their time to work through the character. So it all depends on your determination to finish the character you have started.

Tips For Making Your Character

Making your own character can be difficult, especially when you are new to designing or are just hitting some creative obstacles. Here are some ways to help you create your characters and to help you move the process smoothly:

• Create a list of characteristics or things you want to include with the design.
• Figure out the pose you want to use for your character.
• Find characters that are similar to what you are searching for.
• Use these characters as references while you create your character.
• Make a backstory to help add details to your character.
• Use a 3D model within the program you are using when posing your character.
• You can also buy a character from a marketplace to help you start.
• Make a few versions of your character.
• Every addition to the character should tell their story.
• Give yourself grace.
• Take breaks when creating the character.
• Ensure the character fits with the environment of the story.
• Remember that it doesn’t need to be perfect.
• Get someone’s perspective on the character.
• Start without color as a beginner.
• Don’t overwhelm yourself with the process.

When you are creating your character, it doesn’t have to be perfect. You can make mistakes. Your character doesn’t always have to look complete in your eyes because to others, and it will look complete.

It is okay to seek help when you design your character. They can help you see the character from another perspective. If you need ideas, bouncing them off even a friend can help you work through some of the processes of making a character.

If you find starting your character out, you can always find character designs online to purchase. You don’t have to stick strictly with that character and tweak it so that the character reflects your style more than the previous artist. 

Always give yourself a little mercy when creating these characters. Character designs will not be appealing to every person. Audiences will sway back and forth between characters based on their personal experiences, so sometimes, clients or customers may not find your character as appealing. All that matters is that you love your character.

Outro

Designing a character is not always as easy as it seems. When drawing them out, you have to make so many decisions that sometimes can be overwhelming. How long it takes you to create your character depends on your process. 

Find a process that best fits your style, and you will begin creating your characters. As you continue to practice your art and use programs, the easier it will be to design the characters. It just takes a little patience.

Packaging, to most consumers, is just as important as the actual product. Packaging can show a lot about the company and how much they care about the product and their consumers. However, most companies use basic packaging because they believe designing packaging is too complicated and time-consuming. 

While there is no hard timeline for packaging design, it generally can take anywhere from 5 weeks to a year. The factors that affect the timeline the most for packaging design are:

• The Design Process
• Production
• Testing

No matter how long package designing takes, you will see the impact on your sales and how willing people are to share your products and company. If the packaging sets your opening back by a few months, you will make up those sales with your unique packaging when you follow the process. 

Package Design Process

There is a pretty defined process for packaging design and while you don’t have to follow the whole process, there are perks to following the process and allowing time for your design to work through the process itself. 

Overall the process can take a while to fully complete, but, the process is broken down into 3 different steps that allow you to only take on one thing at a time. 

1. Design Your Concept

This step in the process may be the easiest for you or the hardest for you depending on a few things such as:

• If you are a creative and inventive person
• If you already have a design in mind
• If you have to outsource any sketching or ideas
• How large, complicated, simple, or small you need your packaging to be

Now, this step in the design process is the most important because this is where everything starts from and branches off of. Without the design step, you wouldn’t have anything to request to be made, printed, or purchased.

Our BIG tip for you here is to try using packaging mockups to get a general idea of what you are looking for. This will allow you to use templates with professional packaging designs to create one for your product.

Keeping Focused is Key

The most important things to focus on during your design are:

• What is your product? – how big is it and what does it need from the packaging
• Who’s buying the product? – what will make the biggest impression on your target audience
• How is it being purchased? – Online or in-person purchasing can change the need for packaging

(Source: 99 Designs, Peter Man Firm)

2. Final Assessment and Send-Off

Once you have your plans for your packaging you need to assemble a final mock-up. You have to include everything you want your packaging to look like and if you forget anything it could cost you time and money to print or create everything again. 

You have to ensure that you take into consideration certain key factors when making a final decision on your packaging. You need to make sure your packaging reflects and includes things such as:

• What your product is
• Company message and intention
• Instructions or usage guidelines
• Safety warnings
• Legal information
• Company contact information

Once you have gone over all the basic necessities, you need to meticulously comb through all of your design details before finally locking everything down. You will want to make sure all of your ideas and desires are taken into account and included. Having to redo any part of your packaging can cost a large amount of money and push your timeline back even further. 

This step is one you absolutely can not skip because 66% of people believe the packaging is just as important, or almost important as the actual product. 

(Source: Learn G2, Smash Brand)

3. Testing And Application

This is the step where you will be able to apply your designs to every product you have and run a test of how it is received and reviewed by customers. You can get test packaging from certain companies you are looking to fully produce your final product and this will allow you to see realistic sizing, weight, and application. 

Once you have your test packaging you can find a group of friends you trust to be honest with their reviews and have them be the first customers and the ones who receive the test packaging. From their opinions and reviews, you should be able to fix any possible issues or tweaks before sending them off for your final production. 

(Source: 99 Designs, Peter Man Firm)

Final Thoughts

No matter what your time crunch looks like, or even your financial outlook is, you need to invest some time and money into packaging design. Even if you simply commit to one part of the packaging at a time, investing time into designing shows how much you care for the customer and the product.

We can’t stress enough how helpful using packaging mockup templates is in this process. It will get the ball rolling, rather than trying to start from scratch, which can ultimately save you months and thousands of dollars.

It is one of the most popular publishing applications and a must-have for any professional editor. So, what are you to do if you are an Adobe InDesign user and want to work with vector-based files in Scribus? The good news is, there are a few ways to do so.

Yes, Scribus can open InDesign files, however, it isn’t always a good thing to do. The reason this is a concern is because even though both programs can edit vector-based graphics, they have different features and editing capabilities.

Let’s see if we can find out if Scribus can open InDesign files.

Scribus Files vs InDesign Files

InDesign is a vector-based software, and so is Scribus. The only question that remains is: Which one is capable of doing what?

If you open an InDesign file in your preferred vector-based software, you will notice that everything is still connected and hovered over. That is how an InDesign object is connected and hovered over. However, in a Scribus document, all the connections, paths and objects are drawn using the toolbars and the field-of-view of the document window.

What makes this possible is the fact that both InDesign and Scribus are based on the same software codebase. In other words, the same code runs both programs. So, when you open an InDesign file in a vector-based software, it will see and interact with all the objects and connections the same as if it were a vector-based file.

How to Open InDesign Files in Scribus

To open an InDesign file in Scribus, first look inside the opened file in your preferred program. If the file is a .DXF or .DXF/.DXI file, you will see the same thing that you saw when working with the file in InDesign. Now, look at the bottom-right corner of the opened file in a Scribus document.

There you will see a square icon. This is the file browser. When you click on this icon, a file browser will pop up. From here, you will be able to see all the files and folders inside your computer.

Now, from this file browser, navigate to the directory that contains the .CSX, .CSV or .CSVX files. If you are working in a sketchbook file or a project file, you will see a list of all the files inside this directory. Now, if you click on a file in this list, you will be taken to that file.

Can Scribus Edit InDesign Files?

InDesign is a vector-based software and so is Scribus. They can both edit the design that you are working on.

When you open an InDesign file in a Scribus document, you will notice that you can jump right into the code and edit the text, the connections, the images and so on.

However, while working with the vector-based files from Scribus into InDesign, you won’t be able to edit the text or the shape. You will just have to create a new document and start working on it.

Is Scribus the Same as InDesign?

InDesign and Scribus are different applications with different teams of software developers working on them. So, even though they work with the same codebase, InDesign will have a different set of features, a different set of tools and a different focus.

While you will find a lot of similarities between InDesign and Scribus, it is important to keep in mind that these two applications are not created equally. In fact you might find certain elements work better for you in the InDesign than Scribus and vise versa.

For example, while working with the same non-text elements in InDesign, you will find it much easier to bring shapes to life with strokes while having a hard time doing so with lines in Scribus.

Furthermore, while InDesign lets you work with multiple pages and sections at the same time, Scribus offers you only a single document at a time. So, when you are done with one page, you have to close it and start working on the next page.

What is the Difference between Scribus and InDesign?

The basic differences between InDesign and Scribus are as follows:

1. InDesign is a vector-based software whereas Scribus is a bitmap-based software.
2. InDesign supports multiple pages and sections while Scribus only allows you to work on a single page at a time.
3. InDesign is a commercial software whereas Scribus is a free application.
4. InDesign has been developed by an international team of software developers whereas Scribus is the work of a single developer.

Furthermore, there are numerous other differences between the two applications that will help you in deciding which one to use for your project.

Conclusion

So, yes you can open InDesign files in Scribus, but it is not a silver bullet. If you are going to use it, make sure you know how it works and why it works the way it does. While this tool can open and edit Adobe Adobe InDesign files, it is not the same software that is used to create these files. Make sure you know what you are doing and why you are doing it that way.

Shutterstock is a fantastic resource for anyone who doesn’t have the money to pay for a professional photographer nor do they have the time and skill to take their own pictures. Images to use for a website, personal project, or any other piece of marketing, advertising, or branding are always in high demand, and Shutterstock has over 316 million of them you can download with the push of a button, but users want to know if these images are completely free or simply cheaper than most alternatives.

Shutterstock images are only free for a brief period when a new user signs up for a free trial. Otherwise, users must purchase one of Shutterstock’s subscription plans, allowing you to purchase and download various amounts of images per month or as necessary.

In this article, we’ll provide a guide explaining how you can start your Shutterstock one-month free trial today and legally download ten Shutterstock images free of charge. As you read, we’ll also cover Shutterstock’s subscription plans and discuss why paying for a Shutterstock subscription plan might be worthwhile for you.

How to Start Free Trial on Shutterstock

While there are various sketchy websites you could potentially use to scam your way into getting Shutterstock images for free, we recommend simply signing up for Shutterstock’s’ free trial instead.

To sign up for the 1-month free trial on Shutterstock, follow the steps listed below:

1. Go to Shutterstock’s official website home page
2. Click the “Free Trial” button at the top of the page
3. Enter your preferred email address and create a password
4. Press the “Start free trial” button
5. Enter your preferred payment method information
6. Click the “Complete checkout” button

After you’ve completed this process, you’ll have access to millions of photos and other content listed on Shutterstock. The free trial allows you to download and use ten of them completely free within a month after the trial begins.

After the one-month period has expired, Shutterstock will use your payment information to charge you a $29 monthly fee for continued access to its content. However, you can cancel your trial at any time before this charge occurs if you aren’t interested in paying for Shutterstock images.

Moreover, any images you download using the one-month free trial are still accessible and licensed to you even after you’ve canceled your trial or subscription.

What Image Subscription Plans Does Shutterstock Offer?

Because Shutterstock offers a wide range of content from images to videos to music and even editorial content, each content type has its own list of subscription plans. This allows users to strictly pay for content they know they’ll use.

Shutterstock offers four subscription plan options for their images.Here is a brief overview of each plan option regarding what it includes, its cost, and how many images that specific plan allows you to download.

On-Demand	FLEX	Image Subscription	Team
Allows one user to download images as necessary and pay per download versus monthly	Allows user to pay for all Shutterstock image, video, and music content in one subscription	Monthly image subscription for single user that includes tools for planning and organizing content	Monthly subscription for multiple users (up to 10 members) and includes additional downloads and planning tools
$29 for 2 downloads within a year $49 for 5 downloads within a year $225 for 25 downloads within a year	$49 per month for 25 credits per month	$29/month for 10 downloads/month $99/month for 50 downloads/month $169/month for 350 downloads/month $199/month for 750 downloads/month	$479/month for 750 downloads/month

Why Pay for Shutterstock Photos?

If you were to go onto Google or your preferred search engine and type in “free stock photos” you’d see a significant list of websites and their associated images pop up. Because of this, you might be wondering how it could be worthwhile to pay for images on Shutterstock when there’s an easily accessible and vast selection of images you can download for free elsewhere.

The most significant benefits of paying for images on Shutterstock versus downloading free stock photos elsewhere are the following:

1. Extensive library
2. High image quality
3. User-friendly subscription plans
4. Royalty-free policy

Together, these reasons, in addition to Shutterstock’s easily and competitive contributor program explains why it is a multi-billion-dollar company utilized by thousands of consumers and contributors worldwide. Of course, the sheer fact that these images come at a cost might be enough to turn many potential consumers away, particularly those with a limited budget for the creative content or projects.

However, we encourage you to read on as we discuss these benefits in more detail so you can see how the cost of these images could still be worthwhile, especially when compared to free alternatives.

1. Extensive Library

Having options can sometimes be overwhelming, but when it comes to stock photos, the more unique and impactful images you can choose from, the better.

As we mentioned previously, Shutterstock currently has over 316 million images users can choose from and utilize. The contents of these images vary significantly from travel to careers to plants and animals, and so on.

The biggest benefit here is that not only are you undoubtedly going to find images that suit your intended topic, but there will also be a significant selection of images within this topic to choose from, effectively increasing the chances that you’ll find that perfect image that exactly matches what you were picturing.

Of course, this vast selection is also highly convenient because it reduces the likelihood that you’ll need to go digging through multiple stock photo websites for images.

2. High Image Quality

Many of you have probably heard the phrase “you get what you pay for,” and when it comes to stock photos, this usually applies to quality/resolution.

While it might be tempting to use free stock photos, one of the first things you’ll likely notice is that these images don’t always appear professional or, once you download them, their resolution is mid to low quality at best.

Comparatively, images on Shutterstock are provided in the highest resolution possible, which is maintained by them only being accessible and permitted for use in specific formats and dimensions. This ensures users won’t expand or alter images in a way that will cause pixelation or distortion.

As a result, any image from Shutterstock used in creative content will appear crisp, clear, and highly professional versus a free image with poor resolution that would likely have a negative visual impact on a project.

3. User-Friendly Subscriptions

One benefit we appreciate about Shutterstock is its user-friendly subscriptions. We’ve already listed the subscriptions and what the entail above, but what we sets Shutterstock apart from other subscription-based stock photo websites is the number of plans they offer to suit various consumer needs.

For example, if you’ve just started a personal blog and want professional images but don’t need more then five a month, you can opt for the on-demand plan. Alternatively, if you run a substantial business with a large team, you can put company funds towards the team plan.

Other websites are far more limited in their plan options, which often leads users to losing money or overpaying on a subscription they don’t fully utilize. Here, you can prevent that by picking the plan that matches you and your budget perfectly. Not to mention the fact that any of these subscription options will almost always be cheaper than hiring a professional photographer.

4. Royalty-Free Policy

Arguably the most important benefit of purchasing Shutterstock photos is the legal safety it provides you through their royalty-free policy.

When you purchase and download a royalty-free image on Shutterstock, you are granted copyright to that specific image and have a legal license to use it as long as it is utilized in accordance with the license agreement.

This licensing through Shutterstock’s royalty-free policy protects users from copyright laws while still allowing Shutterstock contributors to earn revenue for their images through a royalty percentage.

So, not only are you still supporting artists and photographers by purchasing and utilizing these images, but you’re also gaining legal rights to use the image; rights that aren’t usually acquired when using free online images. This could lead to an unfortunate legal hassle for you and/or your business should a creator notice you are using their images without their consent.

Final Thoughts

Paying for images on Shutterstock might not be preferrable, but it can be immensely advantageous to creating professional and impactful content through high quality graphics. The alternative is to create your own images, risk using free images illegally, or spend exponentially more money on a professional photographer. In the end, any user has to weigh the pros and cons of purchasing Shutterstock images and determine whether they deem this is a worthwhile investment.

For those seeking a less-expensive alternative to Shutterstock, we can recommend Envato Elements. It’s less-expensive, still have an extensive library, and includes full copyright-free commercial usage rights.