I wasn't looking for a bargain when I started searching Fiverr for an artist who could create a flag, a flagman, and some kind of background.
Even though the starting price does hover around $5.
I just wanted something fast, convenient, and relatively frictionless. I wanted to get this process going.
After a brisk search at my desk over lunch, I went with Adanguevara, a "Visual Artist / Architecture / Photographer" from Venezuela. His starting rate for the job: $20.
I knew the price would creep up, but I didn't care: I really liked his collages.
Even the ones that his customers hated. Like this one, below, which was not well-received by the guy who ordered it.
The customer's review: "I don't like the work completed whatsoever, poorly done and not up to the standards of examples pictures provided in the gig. Seller can keep the money but I will not use again. Very unhappy."
Hey, I thought it was great.
So I committed my $20 to Adanguevara, with vague instructions to create a Boston collage (I told him he'd get plenty of material by doing a Google image search on "Boston") and a weathered-looking flag guy.
A few days later, Adanguevara delivered.
His first take:
Loved it, but I took advantage of Fiverr's "one revision" policy to tell him that people don't drive through historic Boston like that. His second try was more Freedom Trailish:
I liked the flying cornices -- they look like bats.
Adanguevara, and Fiverr, delivered.
Now: let's put it all together, and make it move.