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The difficulty in designing web graphics is not so much in the actual execution of the design, but more in the planning of it. At the same time you want the graphic to be eye-catching, yet smooth and small enough so it doesn’t dominate your layout. This tutorial will teach you how to create a graphic that does just that.

Read the full article on creating a web2.0, glossy download button at psdtuts.

Read the full gimp tutorial article on making a glossy, striped button or progress bar.

Cool sidebar buttons

Web2.0 Starbursts with a grunge background pattern

Grunge background artwork

Silhouettes of people portrayed like the Apple iTunes commercials.

To accommodate the demand for this type of artwork, GraphicLeftovers.com has recently added several Digital Art categories such as: backgrounds, frames, overlays, alphas, and photoshop brushes.

Why Join Graphic Leftovers?

More Exposure.
Sell your designs to a much broader commercial design audience.

Greater Earning Opportunities.
GraphicLeftovers.com uses a micro-payment system similar to istock and other member-generated sites. Consumers buy credits to purchase and download artwork. Contributing designers determine the value of their artwork between 0 (free) and 10 credits. Designers receive $.52 per credit, per download. For example, if you upload a design and want to sell it for 5 credits, then you would earn $2.60 each time your design was purchased and downloaded. The more designs you submit, the more money you can earn.

Fast Payouts.
Contributors receive a payout once they have accrued 100 credits ($52) in their account. Payments are distributed by check within 48 hours.

Space Saver.
GraphicLeftovers.com manages your files in their database so you don’t have to worry about exceeding your storage limit on your blog or website server.

Artwork protection.
All submitted artwork images are encrypted with the GraphicLeftovers.com watermark to prevent theft or illegal use.

Easy to use.
GraphicLeftovers.com is a well-designed and user-friendly site. A comprehensive account area allows you to track your sales, number of views and manage your artwork.

It’s Free!
Joining GraphicLeftovers.com is easy and FREE!

A bit technical, but all this means you will receive more hits from search engines if you add descriptive titles, tags, and a description to your graphics when uploading.

Feel free to promote your designer page too!
Yours is at http://graphicleftovers.com/designer/your_username

Thanks for reading.

The demand for high-quality graphics, such as logos, icons, and web templates has been growing at an astonishing rate. Until recently, there were no dedicated sites specifically for designers and illustrators to sell their creations. Mega sites like iStock and ShutterStock have begun featuring member-generated illustrations in their vast databases, but their main focus is still photography.

Talented artists across the globe are seeking venues to sell their artwork and generate extra income. So, which site is the best and most lucrative? Actually, there are several choices. Here are just a few:

Vectorstock.com

A vector-only illustration site that offers high-quality artwork priced from $1 to $10. Designers and illustrators can join for free, but there is a lengthy application process. Once accepted, contributors can earn from the following payout levels:

Payouts are made when members accrue $100 or more in their account and can elect to be paid by a couple of different options.

Voomstock.com

A quality, royalty free vector art site that offers member-generated illustrations, symbols and icons. Membership is free and unlike Vectorstock they do not have an acceptance process, so you can start selling your images instantly. Prices vary per image. Exclusive contributors can earn 60% commission from every image they sell or 40% for non-exclusive contributors. Payouts are offered when accounts reach $50 in earnings. Payments are made via PayPal transfer or by check.

GraphicLeftovers.com

Is a new site that is dedicated to selling only graphic designer and illustrator contributed artwork. Unlike the illustration sites mentioned above, Graphic Leftovers offers a broader variety of artwork catagories such as logos, icons, templates, web layouts and illustrations. Artwork is valued between 0 (free) and 10 credits. Membership is free and there is no application process. Contributing artists receive a flat fee of $0.52 for each credit earned. Payouts occur once members have earned 100 credits ($52) and are issued a check by mail.

iStock.com

Although this very popular site is primarily photography, iStock had started to offer quality member supplied designs and illustrations. All content is purchased with iStock credits and the credit value of every file is determined by the file quality and size (1 to 25 credits). Contributing artists earn a royalty on every credit used to download their file. iStock Exclusive artists and artists with more downloadable content earn higher royalties:

Membership is required and is free. All artwork is reviewed for quality and must be approved before images are available for purchase. Payouts are generated once members reach $100 in earnings.

Think before you sell.

Do your research. All sites have very detailed artist contribution agreements that should be reviewed before you join. Check message boards, forums and blogs frequently for positive and negative membership experiences.

You turn around projects to meet your client’s unrealistic deadlines and in return for your hard work they take 90 days to pay. Your invoice stated very clearly in 72 pt. bold Helvetica type, PAYMENT DUE UPON RECEIPT, yet somehow, it still went unnoticed. After a week or so you give the client a friendly phone call only to hear, “Oh yes, we received your invoice, but the person who signs our checks is in Hawaii on vacation.” So you patiently wait. Weeks go by and your mailbox is still void of that much needed check. You call the client again and find that your invoice was just entered into the accounting system and your check will be cut at the end of the month.

Why is it so hard to get paid? Do clients not value your work and effort? Do they not understand that you are sick of eating ramen noodles and drinking cheap beer? As frustrating as this sounds, many freelancers have experienced this at least once in their careers.

So how do you keep a constant flow of income when you have no idea when the next check will arrive? Here are a few ideas:

Ask for 50% upfront.

State very clearly in your initial meeting that you require 50% down once design concepts have been approved. Make sure they understand that production will not begin until payment has been received. This not only helps your cash flow situation, but it puts the pressure on the client to keep the project rolling. If the project is deadline sensitive, then the client will make sure a check gets into your hands quickly to prevent any delays.

Ask for a retainer.

If you do a substantial amount of work consistently for a client, why not suggest a retainer fee instead of a pay-per-project basis. Not only will this provide you with a lump sum of money at the beginning of every month, it will reduce the amount of time spent invoicing and calling accounts payable. Set a certain amount of hours that you will dedicate to them a month. Be careful and keep track of your time. Clients sometimes take advantage of this situation and may mistake you for a full-time employee.

Sell your artwork online.

Fill those income gaps with royalty checks from selling your artwork on the web. Sites like iStock, Vectorstock, Voomstock and GraphicLeftovers.com sell member-generated artwork to the masses. Gather up some of your best creations (illustrations, logos, icons or web templates) and start earning a royalty every time someone downloads your art. You can make an extra $50 to $1000 a month depending on the quantity and quality of your work.

Get a teaching job.

You’re great at what you do, so why not teach young designers a few pointers? Colleges, tech schools and community colleges are always seeking experienced professionals to teach web design, illustration and graphic design courses. Although compensation may not be as profitable as your hourly design rate, it is still very rewarding and makes a nice addition to your resume.