Rating: 
Summary: Updated again and more useful than ever!
Review: The 11th edition is out,(although Amazon may not be displaying the most recent cover) and they did it again. The Graphic Artists Guild has produced the definitive industry resource for designers, illustrators and anyone even remotely interested in making a living in the graphics field. The book provides a terrific introduction to professional practices for anyone expanding their existing business to include web projects. This is a publication that keeps improving with age. Trying to encapsulate all situations is impossible, but the care taken in putting this survey together shows. Ta da! Even the web design section catches up to the situation on the ground. At first glance it seems slimmer than previous editions, but a deeper look reveals that more information makes it onto each page, with a more efficient typographic treatment, and some judicious editing deleting duplicate information in some chapters Please note: The prices reported in the book are the results of a survey of real working professionals. A spot check reveals that some reported price ranges have increased over the intervening years since the 10th edition. Some are the same, or similar. In the end, the producer (that's you!) has to insist on higher prices, you can't expect a book to negotiate for you, can you? Some of the charts are improved. For instance, the Chart and Map Design section is more useful, including ranges for 4 different possible uses for a piece: advertising, in-house, editorial and textbook. this replaces the not-always-useful "client annual revenues" breakdowns in the 10th edition. In the age of easy image stealing a new cease and desist form letter is included on p. 250 for you to use. May you never need it! Hats off to the Guild for putting facts and figures at every working graphic artists disposal. It's a lumbering, exploding field where standards are in short supply on the fringes, but solid guidance is only a bookshelf away. I'll say it again... If you're unsure about what to charge, or how to structure an agreement (you're using an agreement aren't you?), it'll pay for itself with your next job.
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Summary: Memorize Ethical/Legal Guidelines; Beware DECLINING Prices!
Review: The Copyright, Legal, and Professional Issues and information, and Trade Customs in this book are an invaluable and comprehensive resource for freelancers, art buyers, and business managers--a real bible. I gave the previous edition of this book a 4 star rating for those reasons and continue to give that large portion of the book the same rating. The Pricing charts for freelance illustration however, need a strong ALERT. If one quotes the fees in these charts or budgets these figures with no adjustments, the fees in these charts will remain the same, year after year, ad infiniteum because the same figures will continue to be reported. In comparing figures from previous editions, many of these figures in these have remained exactly the same or even gone down for at least a decade. THE FEES WERE HIGHER IN 1991, TEN YEARS AGO Even in places where they have gone up, and if one considers inflationary adjustments, the scenario is even more negative. From 1991-2001, the inflationary adjustment based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index is 31%. To compare, if the price for the front cover of a paperback trade book, major distribution is suggested in the1991 edition to be $3000, and in the 2001 edition the range of fees reported is $1500- $3000, something is wrong. That inflation adjusted fee of $3000 in 1991 would be almost $4000 today. The scenario is no better in other areas like advertising, corporate, and magazine editiorial. If a freelancer does 2 dozen jobs like this a year, at the stagnated fee, if would mean a $24,000 loss of income compared to 1991. That loss is even higher when you factor in capital expenditures in technology-computers, printers, scanners, websites--which didn't exist before. I am not saying that this book is to blame for declining or stagnating prices. the reasons for that are many and complicated: wild discounting by stock houses, and increased competition caused by easy access to national/international markets, increased pressure on copyright usage caused by globalization, electronic uses and corporate conglomerates, to name a few. But freelancers using the reported fees in this book for quoting and accepting fees won't even maintain the status quo ad infiniteum, to the delight of client business mangagers.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have Resource Guide
Review: The GAG Handbook rates high on my list of must have resources for the novice graphic designer. The information is valuable in setting standards for pricing and ethics in the Graphic Design industry. As an educator I recommend this book to all my graphic design students for the print graphics and web graphics information. The benefit to the novice is the contracts that have been well written specifically for a large number of specializations within the industry.
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Summary: An Essential Tool
Review: The only defense the art community has aside from a tough upper lip is the wisdom provided within "The Handbook". I have been using this guide since I began freelance design at the age of 20. It has never let me down no matter the situation. Everything from traditional media to web-design and 3D animation is referenced within it's pages.
Rating: 
Summary: Pain's me to read.
Review: The Shape/bindery of the book is appalling. I can't believe someone thought it was a good idea to publish this book in this horrid shape. It's difficult to even open to read, and makes you look like an idiot when doing so in public. It's hard to take anything the Graphic Artists Guild says seriously when they created such a monstrosity of a cover and shape for a book that's supposed to represent graphic artist. I would recommend people find a PDF version or some other method of reading this book other then the paper version they sell.
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Summary: THE BUSINESS BIBLE FOR FREELANCE ILLUSTRATORS
Review: THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ALL ILLUSTRATORS who want to work in the marketplace as a professional, by the industry's standards. Don't try to freelance without it; be informed! I have used the Guidelines daily for 20 years, and might be a "starving artist" if I didn't.
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Summary: MIXD INKZ views
Review: This book is a roadmap to pricing, I agree with the other reviewer, if these prices seems off or preposterous, then get your skillz up to par and start to care about the work you do. Time is money and graphix takes time so the client has to pay for time, skillz and expertise. Whoever left a negative review on this book, bring up your skillz or change your clientele or do a little of both, then you will see these prices as a reality. MIXD INKZ
Rating:
Summary: Mandatory Reading
Review: This is the most comprehensive guide to pricing illustration and graphic design available. If you are a professional or thinking of becoming one, then this book provides the kind of in depth information you need to run a successful business. GET IT TODAY. It's not a how-to... there are plenty of those around. WHAT IT IS is a detailed resource of the tools you need to sell your work for a fair price and retain the rights to that work. Sample contracts are provided that cover a variety of situations from an artist-rep agreement to a Multimedia job order confirmation. Next time you ask "what do I charge for that?!?!?", turn to this book. It'll save your business and repay the cost of purchase many many times over.
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Summary: If you're serious about a design career this is a must have.
Review: Whether you're a one-person design firm, part of a small staff firm, or a corporate in-house designer, you will need this book. Anyone who is seriously considering making a career of design should get the Guide as well. This book provides invaluable advice on the design process, dealing with clients, graphical standards, sample contracts, sample costing sheets, and a listing of invaluable reference and resources in the back. The biggest strength the Guide has is detailed explainations of different areas of design. How many times have you gone into a meeting with a new client and had to differentiate between the many specialization in design for your prospect? Just about everything is covered...illustration, print graphics, web design, fabric design, video, audio...with sufficiently detailed information to help keep you on track. Many's the time I have actually quoted from the copyright and contracts section of this book when clients got balky on payment or terms. Anybody who is freelancing, starting out, or working in a small firm owes themselves the favor of getting this book.
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