Illustrators have few studio or agency jobs anymore, therefor they must be fierce and creative freelancers. The world of freelance Illustration has it’s own series of rules and practices. However, now that the line between design and illustration is blurring more and more, we can borrow freelancing rules and tricks from illustrators to become the best freelancers we can be. Here is the typical cycle the newborn Illustration freelancer, take what you will designers.
PASSION PROJECTS
So you’ve graduated, you have ample talent but nothing to pour it into. How about a Passion Project? It could all start here. We have heard of the miracle stories of illustrators doing some quirky, fun thing for themselves, posting it online, having blogs pick it up, those blogs turn into studios or agencies and then that turns that person into a legend. (Jess Hische-cough,cough) Well if it worked for them, it could most certainly work for you. Start off creating work that you love and have fun with. Grow as a creator and get the attention from those who are attracted to the same aesthetics as you are. Doing your own projects keeps your work fresh and creative!
MAXIMIZE YOUR VISIBILITY
This is perhaps the most important part of starting off in the freelance world. Here are several tips, old and new.
The Old School Way : Back in the day (like a two years ago) illustrators would send out promotional mailer to art directors all over to get their work seen. Promotional mailers are usually post cards (4 x 6) used show off artwork. The postcard can wish your contacts a happy holiday, let them know about a new website or blog, or simply just reminder that you are a living, breathing person in the world. This method is slowly dying out because of the internet, but perhaps now it is the perfect time to send out these tactile promotions. A person couldn’t ignore a beautiful card the same way they ignore an email. It is a much more personal way to get your foot in the door and I mean, who doesn’t love getting a card?
For some dollar bills you can get a mailing list of art directors, companies and other clients through HERE
HERE are some other options to build your contact list.
Need to be convinced more? Go HERE
The New School way:The more we put our work out there the more chance we have to be “discovered,” however it’s crucial for the freelancers of the world, we already know this. So, start a blog, upload all your goodies to Behance, Dribbble, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr. Email blasts are another great way to promote yourself and also remind people that you exist!
Agency Representation: Psht.. You’re Busy, you have some extra graduation cash, take the “self” out of “self promotion” and get someone else to do it. There’s no shame in finding an agency to market you. Your work will pour through the relevant channels that usually attract bigger companies and agencies because of experience and convenience. This may also cut out having to deal with clients which is a huge plus.
This LIST has a ton of agencies to look through if you are interested.
WORK FLOW
So you got that killer job you wanted, or even several. Time to get to work. Make sure you are organized and prepared for the assignment you are given. Respond to those emails right away, stay on schedule and no matter what, be kind. A good experience with a client could lead to more jobs with them or even better, they will sing your praises more people. Part of doing the best job you can is to not say yes to everything that comes your way. Be reasonable with yourself and your time. These first few projects are vital for your name to connect with good vibes.
PAYMENT
You made that fantastic illustration, but now the bills are calling your name. Payment is usually the trickiest and most awkward part of any freelance experience, especially when your starting out.
Come up with your price: Start off with a base of how much you would like to be paid per hour. Consider how much time it will take you to come up with an idea, how easy it is to make fixes, price of materials, is this for something local or national? When your starting out it is better to give your clients a little more bang for their buck. Just like you have a food place or store simply because they took a little bit more time to make your experience or your product extra special.
HERE is some more information on pricing.
Make some killer invoices: Your invoice is your bill. On it you list all the services and products you provided and you sum up the cost. Think of your invoice as an extension of your resume, cover letter and business card. Design it with care since it will be the last experience your client has with you. Make it clear, easy to follow and memorable!
Click HERE for Invoice Inspiration
Hopefully this can come of help to those seeking a freelance career or just some freelance gigs.
If you want more resources THIS LINK will rock your socks off.
Mariya –
ReplyDeleteI love the inclusion of your own illustrations to enhance your article – nice work! Your article will be helpful for many of your fellow designers who do a lot of illustrating – I appreciate that you provided several links to great resources. Overall, your writing is very thorough on the topic of emerging as a professional illustrator. I do have a few tips, more on the grammatical side:
- In the first sentence, “therefore” should have an “e” at the end.
- In sentence 2, use “its” instead of “it’s”. Be sure to proofread the article to make sure you are using each correctly (its= possessive, it’s=it is). Similarly, I noticed in a few places that you use “your” where “you’re” should be used, and vice versa. “Your” = belonging to you, while “you’re” = you are.
- This section seemed a tad unclear. I would rephrase it as such:
“We have heard of the miracle stories of illustrators doing some quirky, fun thing(s) for themselves, posting (them) online, (getting attention on blogs), (forming studios and agencies), and, (finally, becoming legendary) (Jess Hische-cough, cough). (If) it worked for them, it could most certainly work for you.”
- Under “The Old School Way, there is a typo in “like two years ago”. Also, “mailers” should be plural.
- “A person (can’t) ignore a card…” Use “can’t to keep your writing in the present tense.
- Under “The new school way,” add a comma after “however”.
- Under “payment”, I’m not sure what you are trying to say in the last sentence: (“Just like you have a food place or store simply because they took a little bit more time to make your experience or your product extra special.”) I would just omit it altogether.
Be sure to proofread for details like these. Great work!