is this a bad deal?

[aks9]

Sounds like absolutely rubbish pay to me. Take the amount they are going to pay you and divide that by how long you think it'll take you to do the pieces. Unless you think you can do these illustrations in a couple of hours each (including every stage in the process: sketching, ideas, comping, painting and finishing them), then no way is it worth it.

Don't take the work on and work extra hours and rationalise it to yourself by saying "it'll be good experience for me, i'm a noob so I don't deserve right pay yet anyway", etc. AFAICT everyone taking on shit jobs or even working for free like this is what keeps the rates and pay so shitty and low in this industry. See Art PACT: https://www.facebook.com/Pactartist

So IMO its a rubbish deal and don't take it on unless you make some very simple illustrations. I mean.. does the job give you a good feeling? Do you feel "Yeah, great, this is a good job I'm happy to have", or will you feel something more like a slave, hoping your master will give you better pay in the completely small and random chance that this book is a success, which is completely out of your and his control anyway.

And I agree with everything said previously about getting upfront payment and contracts.