Dear AD, I recently finished a large editorial project that included a series of full-page illustrations. I am really proud of them and it's the largest editorial project I've ever worked on. I just saw the final publication and realize I was not credited alongside the work. I've worked with the AD before and they've always credited me in the past, and other illustrators in the publication are credited, so I assume it's an oversight. But I'm beyond sad and frustrated. What should I do?
Well, that sucks. If they credited everyone else in the issue and not you, then I would say it was definitely an accident. I would send a polite email to the AD and say something like “I couldn’t help but be disappointed that I wasn’t credited in the issue, was there a problem I wasn’t aware of?” and I’m sure that will spark an apology, and maybe an extra job to make up for it!
This is a good time to remind everyone that you shouldn’t be afraid to communicate with your AD! They are your collaborator. Why wouldn’t they want to know? If they noticed THEY probably are having mega anxiety wondering whether YOU noticed. Or maybe they didn’t notice at all and alerting them would make them check in on the designer whose mistake it was, potentially helping it not happen again. Remember that professionally polite emails are always points gained for you. We then know you are the kind of artist we can count on to communicate even when there’s problems. That’s a bonus!
Also, why suffer in silence assuming the worst? Just ask!
