Becoming A Freelance Illustrator

As you might already know by now, I am an illustrator and I am also a freelancer. I might have tried my luck a couple of times, applying for one or two high profile company jobs only to discover that “I did not have what they were looking for in an illustrator”. Namely, not enough of experience, not enough diplomas and completed courses. Even though I felt a bit disappointed by all that was happening around me, I am glad I did not put my weapons down and surrender. My career as a freelance illustrator has been booming ever since. And because I feel I owe it all to the people, I would like to offer you some advice and maybe some extra tips to guide you on the same path that I went on. Provided you are planning on becoming a freelance illustrator.

First of all, I need to tell you that the thing that inspired me the most to write this blog was actually another blog that I came across today. It was talking about the need of a company to be enjoyable, as much as it is well organized and properly financed. So then I started thinking what kind of traits should my small freelancing business have in order to be successful? First of all, one needs to start thinking hard about the type of illustrator he would like to become. Determine your weaknesses and work on eradicating them fast. Work constantly on improving your strong points. Think of the type of art you like to create. Is your drawing considered elegant, dramatic, soft, hard, classy or plain pretty? You could learn a lot from what others think about your work, so you could start from there.

Next, you are going to have to use your current location to the maximum. You are going to have to think about creating your own studio and selling your creations to some major buyers. Living in a metropolis is definitely going to help you a lot in this regard. You could transform one of the rooms inside your flat into a studio, if you cannot yet afford to pay any extra rent. You will also need to get into the possession of a high-speed Internet connection and all the illustrating computer software programs you can think of. Learn how to handle them smoothly and start making an appealing portfolio. Organize it well and start sending it to important publishers. Success should follow.

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