From time to time if you do freelance long enough you are going to get stiffed on a payment. Many times it is not on purpose, rather unfortunate circumstances. To avoid going out of business you should require a deposit from new clients before you begin a project. I require a 50% deposit or I don't add a project to my schedule.

On numerous occasions I have had clients pay a deposit, receive art, make changes and then vanish without their high resolution art files and no explanation. Rather than spend time hunting these clients down I have created a few good side ventures with this left over art.

On one site I outright sell these orphaned images for the amount owed by the original client, which basically makes the designs half price for the new client. On another site I use these images as royalty free designs which I sell over and over again. I eventually make more money off the reused artwork than I would have originally.

The art below was abandoned and will be added to my www.lifesacharacter.com website. I lost $550 on the project but will price each image at $29, two for $49 or all for $99. It will only take about a dozen sales and I will make my money back and eventually make more than I would have.

Do you have old cartoons or art just laying around? Why not turn them into profit? Clients are looking for funny original cartoons, clip art and royalty free characters.

Labels: Clip Art, Design Prices, How To, Making Money, Royalty Free