NEW YORK -- July 29, 2004 -- TrendWatch Graphic Arts today released two new segmented reports detailing the growth, use, and acceptance of stock imagery. According to the reports, use and acceptance of stock imagery continues to rise steadily among all segments of the graphic arts, creative, publishing, and Internet communities. From traditional rights-managed images to royalty-free versions of all styles and price ranges, to new pricing models like flat-rate, limited distribution, stock photography, illustration, and video have truly matured into a first-choice option for a wide range of graphic arts, advertising, publishing, and Internet projects. As the quality of today's stock imagery has grown, users increasingly prefer to work directly with digitally-captured or pre-scanned high-res digital images that can be injected immediately into their digital workflows. Stock imagery includes photography, illustration, and video, which is sold for limited use in advertising, publishing or promotional applications. And though the rights of the imagery is retained by the stock photo provider, it allows the campaign designer or creative director to acquire just the right look, at just the right price, without the time and cost penalties of creating their own original artwork. The two TWGA reports are available for online purchase at the TWGA eStore in PDF format (http://www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com). Researcher's Quote... "Stock has become one of the most high-quality, easily accessible, cost-effective tools for document creators today," notes Heidi Tolliver-Nigro, TWGA Analyst. "As a result, stock photography is one of the few categories that seems to benefit whether the U.S. economy is strong or not. When the economy is good, clients do more projects, which equates to a greater need for more images. When the economy is bad, clients do fewer projects, but tight budgets mean less money for commissioned photography and artwork, which translates to increased need for more stock photos. Thus the strength of the stock photography market." According to the Report... -- CREATIVE BUYS: 38% of creative professionals plan to purchase rights-managed images (rising to 48% of ad agencies) in the next 12 months; 64% plan to purchase royalty-free images and 34% plan to purchase stock illustration; -- PUBLISHER PLANS: 32% of publishers plan to purchase rights-managed images in the next 12 months, while 42% plan to purchase royalty-free images; -- GRAPHIC ARTS PLANS: 17% of trade shops plan to purchase royalty-free images in the next year and 13% plan to purchase rights-managed images; -- NEW PRICING MODELS: On average, creative professionals purchase five images per month using new pricing models (this rises to 7 among ad agencies); -- HOLDING OUT: 27% of creative professionals say they have never used royalty-free images and never will. About the Reports... TWGA has divided its new research into two segmented reports -- "Stock Images 2004: Still The One (Publishers, Graphic Arts Firms, Internet Designers)" analyzes the stock photography market from the perspective of publishers, commercial printers, trade service providers, and Internet designers (129 pages); -- "Stock Images 2004: Still The One (Creative Markets)" investigates the demands, needs and wants of graphic artists and designers, ad agencies, illustrators, and commercial photographers (134 pages). Methodology... These reports were drawn from the most recent TWGA market surveys and resulting data. The "Stock Images 2004: Still The One (Publishers, Graphic Arts Firms, Internet Designers)" report is based upon the latest data from TWGA Printing #19 (Spring 2004), TWGA Publishing #15 (Summer 2003), TWGA Internet Design & Development #7 (Summer 2003). The "Stock Images 2004: Still The One (Creative Markets)" is based upon the latest data from TWGA Design & Production #17 (Winter 2003-04) and TWGA Design & Production #16 (Summer 2003), as well as comparison data taken from TWGA Design & Production #15 (Winter 2003-04). Historical charts are taken from the TWGA Design & Production Historical Database. Additional material was taken from TWGA proprietary interviews and consultant analysis. Availability... The two reports, "Stock Images 2004: Still The One (Publishers, Graphic Arts Firms, Internet Designers)" and "Stock Images 2004: Still The One (Creative Markets)" are available for purchase by visiting the secure TrendWatch Graphic Arts eStore online at www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com or by phone at 866-873-6310. The reports are available at TWGA's new pricing structure of $995 per report. TWGA is offering a package price of $1,895 for both. TrendWatch Graphic Arts eStore customers can download this report in PDF Acrobat format immediately after purchase.