10 Tips for the Microstock Artist

(1) Make Your Illustrations Compatible

Your files should be in EPS format for uploading. Up until a short while ago iStock only accepted files that where compatible with version 8 of Illustrator. They now will accept version 10 eps files which allows for the use of transparencies. I tend to still save most of my files as Illustrator 8 eps files since I don’t use a lot transparencies in my work.

Clean Up

Make sure there are no raster images hiding in your artwork. It must be a fully editable vector EPS. Your art must be cleared of any unnecessary objects or shapes, stray points, locked layers, extra layers, unused color swatches, guidelines or unnecessary effects.
Your images should be as simple, easy to use and easy to manipulate as you can make them.

(2) Close Any Open Paths

Be sure that all of the paths in your art are closed before uploading. Your art will be rejected at some agencies for having open paths. An outline that is not closed or converted to outlines/curves is considered an open path. Check your art in outline or wireframe mode to make sure your shapes are closed.
There is a great tool for finding open paths and other problems for Illustrator found here.
http://rj-graffix.com/software/plugins.html#SelectMenu
Later versions of Illustrator I believe already have this tool under the Select menu under Object/Open Paths.

(3) Create Great Titles, Descriptions and Keywords

When creating the title for a your illustrations be accurate. Don’t use numbers to identify your artwork. For example don’t label two different illustrations of mountains Mountain 1 or Mountain 2. Also don’t use a lettering system like Mountain A or Mountain B. Use individual titles for each piece of art that precisely state what is represented in the image. Something like Mountain Peaks or Mountain Landscape would be better choices for the names of your files.

Your description should follow the same guidelines. It should correctly inform the customer exactly what they are considering purchasing. Describe the subject matter of the illustration and include anything about the artwork which may set it apart such as any additional formats, whether there are gradient meshes used in the art and maybe even mention what the artwork could be used for. Anything that might grab the attention of the reader is good, just make sure it is accurate information that might be helpful and not simply there to sell them the image.

The keywords you use to describe your art will determine who sees it. Again, be accurate. Don’t use a lot of keywords that are only vaguely related to your subject. On the other hand you do want to use words that may not directly describe your subject, but may be directly related to it. For example, you have an image of a drill. It may just be the tool itself, but your keywords can include words like construction and building.

(4) Don’t Create Artwork Derived From Another’s Persons Work

If you decide that you want to create an image of a drill the best way to obtain the image you’ll work from is to take a picture of a drill yourself. That way you own the image and the artwork and you’ll have no problems with copyright infringement because you used someone’s photo to create your art. You also will have the image if one of the agency’s requests the reference photo for the art.

Another way to avoid these problems would be to make a sketch from various sources that takes parts from one photo and combines them to create your own unique drill that only exists as your artwork.

(5) Use Minimal Auto Tracing

Tracing programs have their purpose and can be used in the creation of Microstock art but only if it’s done in the right way. The only thing that I use a tracing program for is to convert specific hand drawn art into vectors as seen in one of our tutorials.

Don’t try to use a tracing program to trace complex images such as photography. Not only will it create a horrible vector image, it will not be acceptable to the Microstock agencies.

(6) Can You Use Fonts in Your Art?

Fonts are not acceptable as part of your vector uploads. If you want to use text in your work it must be converted to outlines/curves.
Using text in artwork may cause it to be rejected unless it is entirely relevant to the illustration.

(7) Model and Property Releases

Model Release

Make sure you have releases if you need them. Some agencies are very strict on this point. You will need a model release anytime you create artwork in which there is an identifiable human face. Even if taken from your own photography or sketches or from a live model. You even need a release from yourself if it is a self-portrait. If the subject is under the age of 18 you’ll also need the release signed by a parent or guardian.

Property Release

When the property is considered as identifiable you should get a property release. This refers to not only real estate but things like cars, pets, artwork, or anything else that can be identified as belonging to a certain identifiable person.

(8) Size Your Thumbnails and Jpeg Uploads

It seems that almost every agency wants you to upload a different size jpeg. Some want you to upload a high resolution jpeg version of you vector art so that they can have it as an option for the customer to upload if they don’t need or want the vector art. Some simply want you to include a low resolution jpeg of your illustration so that they can use it as thumbnail on their website. Each agency gives the artist the size that they need the art to be for their specific purpose.
Shutterstock want a low resolution image at the same time that you upload your vector art. The minimum size for this thumbnail image is 400x500px .
Shutterstock also allows you to upload a separate high resolution jpeg version of your art to be sold separately. The images must be at least 2.5MP (2.5 Megapixels/2.5 Million Pixels). You get this size by multiplying the width by the height. For example, if your image is 2400x2400 pixels it is 5.76MP (5,760,000 pixels). The minimum size for new photographers at Shutterstock is now 4.0MP.

(9) Are Gradients Acceptable in Your Microstock Vector Illustrations?

The use of gradients is acceptable in your illustrations, but be careful not to overuse them. iStock gives a warning to artists in its Stock Illustration Training Manual which you have to learn in order to apply with them. It seems that a lot of artists tend to use gradients too much in their art, especially when they are first getting started. Gradients should only be used when it makes sense to use them to give an object shape or to represent the material that it’s made of. The use of hap hazard gradients will get your art rejected at certain agencies.

(10) Adjust Your Artboard or Page Size

If you have created an illustration of something that is surrounded by white space make sure to adjust your art board or page size so that there is not too much white space surrounding the image. When you sell your artwork as jpeg images they are sold according to pixel size so instead of having a lot of empty space you want to cover most of the page with your art. If you leave a lot of white space a designer may pick someone else’s art over yours just because they have a better crop of the image. Look around at other artists illustrations to get a feel of the amount of space that is commonly used. It will be different for every Illustration.