T-shirt Illustration pricing questions

[JL.Alfaro]

This is to the professionals, I have been doing freelance illustrations for a couple years now, mainly crappy cartoons and some RPG, with some character development on the side, nothing fancy or known..,Since I didnt think it was a big deal of an illustration and it was my part time freelancing gig, I just priced it as I went, $50 to $400 some in the $1000's. BUT and heres the question, now a company is talking contract with me, having me do exclusive artwork for their T-shirt market, and I have no idea what to charge on a contractual per image basis...?? I've just learned this morning that the market will eventually expand towards other than T-shirts (posters, calendars, etc).. so should I price my illustrations reflected on that near future or should I price the illustrations on the initial "per image" deal?
I understand that once the illustration is paid for and delivered, its not mine, and the customer can do what ever he wants with it...I just don't want to rip myself off in the long run. help!
what does illustration rates for T-shirts go for? The complexity of the illustrations is moderate to high (think Hot Topics, Metal shirts, Gothic).

thanks,
-JL

[Qitsune]

It would probably be cheaper for them to buy just the right to t-shirts for now but include in the contract what it would be if they want to buy rights for other products, so now they are not paying that much but they know what to expect. Then again, you have to make sure they actually pay when they put your illustrations on other products. It means you would have to keep your eyes open.

[JL.Alfaro]

Thanks for the reply Qitsune!
now what I need to know is what the rates illustrations for T-shirts are, so I can price them reasonably and not too modestly.


-JL