Chances are good that the phrase crowdSPRING has come up more than once if you have ever been trying to find a source for good artwork on spec. The real question is: does crowdSPRING have what it takes, or are they another company that will be gone next week? The answer might be surprising, especially since it seems as if an entire industry might be turned on its head by a relatively new service.
Redefining the Digital Artwork Landscape
CrowdSPRING seems to be in the game for the long haul, primarily because of their position as a game-changer. What crowdSPRING offers the average business manger is a global marketplace with over 50,000 registered artists from over 170 countries. These artists all compete for spec work despite the claims from crowdSPRING that competition is not really part of the package. The fact is that competition actually is a big part of the crowdSPRING experience as most offers placed by customers receive over 100 bids/responses.
Before any bids take place, a client or customer has to place an order. Orders require a description, a deadline, and a price cap, and then the competition really begins. As entries come in they may be viewed by the client, but are protected by crowdSPRING until the final transaction takes place. In fact, crowdSPRING jealously protects its interests and those of the artists it represents, which is a nice change in an industry that is wrought with intellectual property theft and abuse.
50,000 Pros? That Cannot Be True..Can it?
More than a few professional graphics designers have expressed concerns that many of the artists in crowdSPRING are not fully trained professionals. Some are simply individuals who picked up a book or two and started to learn on their own, or were taught the skills somewhere else. The contention is that such artists give true professionals a bad name, devalue the work in a practical and perceptual manner, and that clients may not have the artistic skills to differentiate real professional grade work from that of work performed by so-called amateurs.
The truth is very subjective on all of these points, but the counterclaims are simple: many industries undergo transitions that typically see work devalued as globalization continues, and the difference between a true artists and a poser may not be their credentials. After all, some would maintain that many of the best artists of all time were self-taught. Additionally, the inability of a client to discern what will or will not be right for their business is a problem that they would face whether they hired a true professional or not, especially since artistic types seem to argue without end about the virtues of different artistic endeavors = without any real resolution.
You Should Do What You Do Best
While the jury is out on all of these complaints, but the facts of the matter are clear: the average project gets over 100 bids. This means that the average client can pick and choose from a very wide assortment of options. This also frees business people to do what they do best, which is probably not tackle artistic challenges if they are looking into crowdSPRING. Think of all the time and money that could be saved by not having to learn about digital art and not buy those expensive software packages that are updated every year or two, and add to that the amount of free time one would lose in the process and it is easy to see the appeal of crowdSPRING.
One popular alternative to crowdSPRING may also actually be wildly redefined by the service: hiring an in-house and/or spec-work designer. Having a dedicated employee that can handle artistic tasks was once thought to be a great idea, but only large organizations can keep creative-types busy day in and day out. There is also the fact that these individuals are just that, individuals, while an entire global market of over 50,000 creative-types is waiting to bid on projects is just a click or two away. It simply no longer makes sense to ignore crowdSPRING, as it is clearly the way of the future. Sorry creative types, those days of cushy jobs and high salaries might be coming to an end, but business-types probably won’t be shedding too many tears as they will be too busy evaluating projects and trying to find ways to invest those savings.