At least in the past magazines like NG did publish their daily/page rates for assignments, and they were GOOD (I mean like 30 years ago). Now not so good anymore. So I was hoping somebody would have some sort of idea what to expect or ask without being a fool in either way.
Petrus,
Forty-three years ago (1976) when I was still in school and almost 21, I did my very first illustration for McCall's magazine. It was an double page spread for a short story and I was paid $2,000. I thought I was dreaming and so it went for years, and then in 1987 a "slight" economic correction changed all the rules. No more double page spreads and rate cuts went across the industry. As the years went on all magazine rates became impossible to justify, so the paperback cover industry became my game...That paid very well for quite awhile. With the late 90's the illustration world that I wanted to work in was all but gone. Thankfully I saw this coming, and I evolved. I started doing landscapes as solutions for many a paperback...I got paid to learn a new genre and weened myself away form the industry.
In 2000 I started to paint, show, sell and teach. The work I do is on my terms and I should have done this much earlier.
Doing what one likes is a wonderful gift, of which I am very grateful.
Peter