Invoicing and Billing for Sketch Card Projects

     So you have received your first official sketch card project and you have finished all of your work. Now what? If the project was for Topps then you should have noticed that within your e-mail with your information containing the deadline, project perimeters and other import information, a Topps invoice template. It is very crucial that you fill this out properly and submit it to the art director (editor) so that you can be paid and within the time constraints written before. Make sure that your invoice number is not repeated with any other invoice you have supplied them already. To cover yourself even more send in a W-9 if you are in the US to make sure they have your tax info.
     Other companies such as Unstoppable Cards use PayPal invoicing to complete the project. First of course you need a Paypal account. Next you need to go under the button at the top that says create an invoice. Under the first column mark SC PROJECT and maybe even the name of the project, under the quantity mark the amount of cards created and sent in (do not include personal cards) then under price mark the amount that you and the company agreed upon. For the e-mail to use ask your contact at the company so that it goes through the proper channels. I will be showing actual screen grabs later in a separate area.
     For other companies you would need to ask your contact there. Every company has their own way of doing things. Some companies will pay within 24 hours of receiving the invoice some are net 30 or net 60 and some can even wait till the actual comes out. Find out first before you agree to a set so that you don't look bad asking for payment when it was clearly stated it would not be to you until the product came out much later.

OK? So what exactly are sketch cards?

Sketch cards are original pieces of artwork done on trading card sized card stock or illustration board. The title is actually a misnomer anymore because the majority of artwork on these cards are full pieces of original artwork. Almost twenty years ago when these items came out most, if not all of the artists creating them did do a simple sketch. Now artists may spend up to 4-5 hours on a single card to create some of the most realistic pieces of photo realistic or comic artwork.
A sketch card is 2.5" x 3.5" in size and in some cases can be larger in what are called panoramic or widescreen cards. Cards that are not licensed are called ACEO or PSC. If a card is licensed, that means that a company has secured the rights from a licensee such as LFL in order to print a blank card with the Star Wars logo on it. Then the company hires artists out that have been vetted by both Topps (who purchased the license to create the cards) and LFL/Disney who hold the license.
    Cards that are licensed are worth more because they have been approved and were not just created on blank cardstock. Plus there are a limited number of these cards that have gone into packs or boxes worldwide.
     Artist proofs are cards that are given to the artists for working on a project as part of compensation along with money. These cards have to be approved by the companies involved and are originally only available direct from the artist. They are usually worth more because they are only available from the artist.