Freelance illustrators hot spot

[Tigersoap]

After joda's post here
, I thought it would be good to share some advice about our respective freelance careers in the creative industry.
It is mainly based on my experiences so far and the voice of professional illustrators.

One of the main goal for an illustrator is to get as much exposure as possible.
Exposure means to have your own website or blog where you can showcase your “best” works for all to see.
If you don’t feel confident enough to do this yet, don’t underestimate the many forums, specialized websites or communities that are dedicated to this, it is a great tool to build confidence, discover other artists and receive feedback (ex: amateurillustrator, deviantart…)
There are many such places where you can have your own free portfolios and display your works. Even myspace is now commonly used by most illustrators.

The downside of this, is that the quality of works and people's attitude can vary wildly, for good or for worse.
Your works will be drowned amongst many others (teenage angst and mangas) and it is not necessarily a place where you’ll be picked up for a job but it might happen.

Finding potential clients is not always an easy task because it requires to know what kind of clients could be interested in your works.
To be able to check your style against other illustrators style could give you an idea of where your work could fit and go from there.

The best way to ensure clients is to self-promote your works by :

Your website/blog, links and word of mouth

Get the address or email of the Creative directors from magazines, books, children book or anything you think might fit your style and send emails, postcards or eventually a phone call.

Print postcards with your work on it and do a massive send-out to potential clients.

Register yourself to specialized websites that offers portfolios online either for free (ex: illustrationmundo) or for a fee (ex: designtaxi, altpick).

Remark : those asking for a fee can be more or less expensive (except hireanillustrator which I recommand) and do not guarantee at all that you’ll get a job but they are where the AD will go because it’s easier for them to find artists from places they already know about.

There are databases which can be purchased (ex:adbase (US)) with contact details for Graphic design companies, Advertising agencies, book publishing houses and so on. This is expensive and not everyone can afford them (I sure don't)

So basically there are quite a few things to do promote yourself but it requires work or money for some services.

From my experience just waiting for things to happen is not going to get you a regular and steady inflow of commissions as I learned the hard way.
Your talent is not sufficient to attract commissions if no one knows about you and your work.

BUT this is not a guarantee of works in any case.
It seems that the law of accident is particularily having fun with this because I've seen talented people to quit the business event tough they did all these things and more.
It's difficult to keep a light heart, motivation and creative thoughts if you realize slowly but surely that it does not bring you enough money to live decently.

I have a hard time understanding what will work and not because sometimes it looks like a big lottery.

That’s where I have to be vigilant to my negative introject because I always find excuses to avoid promoting myself more actively because I am not good enough, I am not creative enough and so on…
Although I can tell you that sometimes it does pay to not listen to it because if I had fallen to his voice again, I would not have been published recently in a new book from a well known publishing company showcasing contemporary illustrators.

Also, many many people will try to take advantage of you because you’re an artist and make you work for practically nothing in hope of “exposure” and “many future works”.
They play on your fear and they charm you like your regular snake in suit.
I fell for it, many others have fallen for this before me and 99% of the time it is not worth your time or patience.
There are always exceptions of course but it pays to be cautious.

This is really bringing down the whole industry as I can see it through numerous blog and forums around the world where people are taking a stand against this kind of practice
(check out the no-spec.com website for an overview of what is now widely practiced by comissioners, not all of them, thankfully.)
Artists are supposed to “love” what they are doing so they should be just happy to work.
It does not surprise me because we’re living in highly ponerized societies were creativity is considered less and less and where the idea of neo-liberalism is driving economies and thoughts.

Sorry for the long post, I have many other things that comes to mind but I prefer to stop here.
And by the way If I missed or if I am too unclear about something, let me know, I'd be glad to help.

 

[j0da]

Alright, I'll add to what Tigersoap wrote by quoting Mr. Lewis and comment on it a little.

Top 10 Lies told to Naive Artists and Designers

1 "Do this one cheap (or free) and we'll make it up on the next one."
No reputable business person would first give away their work and time or merchandise on the hope of making it up later. Can you imagine what a plumber would say if you said "come in, provide and install the sink for free and next time we'll make it up when we need a sink." You would be laughed at! Also the likelyhood is that if something important came along, they wouldn't use you.

2 "We never pay a cent until we see the final product."
This is a croc, unless the person is leaving the door open to cheat you out of your pay. Virtually every profession requres a deposit or incremental payment during anything but the smallest project. Once you have a working relationship, you may work out another arrangement with a client. But a new client should not ask you to go beyond an initial meeting and, perhaps some preliminary sketches without pay on the job!

3 "Do this for us and you'll get great exposure! The jobs will just pour in!"
Baloney. Tell a plumber "Install this sink and my friend will see and you'll get lots of business!" Our plumber friend would say "You mean even if I do a good job I have to give my work away to get noticed? Then it isn't worth the notice." Also the guy would likely brag to everyone he knows about how this would normally cost (X) dollars, but brilliant businessman that he is he got if for free! If anyone calls, they'll expect the same or better deal.

4 On looking at sketches or concepts: "Well, we aren't sure if we want to use you yet, but leave your material here so I can talk to my partner/investor/wife/clergy."
You can be sure that 15 minutes after you leave he will be on the phone to other designers, now with concepts in hand, asking for price quotes. When you call back you will be informed that your prices were too high and Joe Blow Design/Illustration will be doing the job. Why shouldn't they be cheaper? You just gave them hours of free consulting work! Until you have a deal, LEAVE NOTHING CREATIVE at the clients office.

5 "Well, the job isn't CANCELLED, just delayed. Keep the account open and we'll continue in a month or two."
Ummm, probably not. If something is hot, then not, it could be dead. It would be a mistake to *not* bill for work performed at this point and then let the chips fall where they may! Call in two months and someone else may be in that job. And guess what? They don't know you at all.....

6 "Contract? We don't need no stinking contact! Aren't we friends?"
Yes, we are, until something goes wrong or is misunderstood, then you are the jerk in the suit and I am that idiot designer, then the contract is essential. That is, unless one doesn't care about being paid. Any reputable business uses paperwork to define relationships and you should too.

7 "Send me a bill after the work goes to press."
Why wait for an irrelevant deadline to send an invoice? You stand behind your work, right? You are honest, right? Why would you feel bound to this deadline? Once you deliver the work and it is accepted, BILL IT. This point may just be a delaying tactic so the job goes through the printer prior to any question of your being paid. If the guy waits for the job to be printed, and you do changes as necessary, then he can stiff you and not take a chance that he'll have to pay someone else for changes.

8 "The last guy did it for XXX dollars."
That is irrelevant. If the last guy was so good they wouldn't be talking to you, now would they? And what that guy charged means nothing to you, really. People who charge too little for their time go out of business (or self-destruct financially, or change occupations) and then someone else has to step in. Set a fair price and stick to it.

9 "Our budget is XXX dollars, firm."
Amazing, isn't it? This guy goes out to buy a car, and what, knows exactly what he is going to spend before even looking or researching? Not likely. A certain amount of work costs a certain amount of money. If they have less money (and you *can*) do less work and still take the job. But make sure they understand that you are doing less work if you take less money that you originally estimated. Give fewer comps, simplify, let them go elsewhere for services (like films) etc.

10 "We are having financial problems. Give us the work, we'll make some money and we'll pay you. Simple."
Yeah, except when the money comes, you can expect that you will be pretty low on the list to be paid. If someone reaches the point where they admit that the company is in trouble, then they are probably much worse off than they are admitting to. Even then, are you a bank? Are you qualified to check out their financials? If the company is strapped to the point where credit is a problem through credit agencies, banks etc. what business would you have extending credit to them. You have exactly ZERO pull once they have the work. Noble intentions or not, this is probably a losing bet. But if you are going to roll the dice, AT LEAST you should be getting additional money for waiting. The bank gets interest and so should you. That is probably why the person is approaching you; to get six months worth of free interest instead of paying bank rates for credit and then paying you with that money. Don't give away money.

Now, this list wasn't meant to make anyone crazy or paranoid, but is designed to inject some reality into the fantasy.

You are GOING to be dealing with people who are unlike yourself. Their motivations are their own and their attitudes are probably different than yours. There are going to be demands, problems, issues and all the hassles that go with practically ANY work/job/money situation. Too many times I see the sad example of someone walking in to a situation with noble intentions and then getting royally screwed, because what they see as an opportunity and a labor of love, the other party sees as something else entirely, not at all romantic or idealized, but raw and simple.

How can you deal with this stuff and still do good creative work? Good question. THIS is why an education is important. You learn, out of the line of fire, how to deal with the art at it's own level and also how to deal with the crap that surrounds it. You may have tough teachers and think that it can't be worse, but wait until a business person has a hundred grand riding on your art! Then you will know what "demanding" means. You will then thank all those tough teachers for building up the calluses that enable you to enjoy the job rather than just feeling like it is all a big waste of time!

In the end, working commercially, being a terrific artist is about 25% of the task. If that is the only part of the task that you are interested in, do yourself a favor. Don't turn "pro."

Now... In my whole freelance career I have met only FEW clients, who wouldn't try to push one of the above crap arguments.
The worst of the worst are snakes from advertising industry - those usually would like to screw you over royally. But, in general, it concerns other industries as well (publishing, animation, gaming), for it all boils down to people who you are doing business with and their ethics.

I have found Mr.Lewis article maybe three months ago, and even while I figured out some rules on my own, it was a revelation. Funny thing, when I started to firmly apply these advices suddenly I had really hard time getting any job at all.

Few succesfull artists told me the following:

Regardless of one's style, area of expertise, medium used to create one's work - THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE SOMWHERE who might be interested in your work. That someone would gladly hire you or order some stuff not because you are cheap, or that your artwork abides to lastest fashion, but because HE LIKES WHAT YOU DO and/or NEEDS PRECISELY YOUR KIND OF WORK.

But there are barriers to really acknowledging the above, then actively searching for and ultimately finding such job opportunities. What Tigersoap wrote about promotion and exposure and NEGATIVE INTROJECT sabotaging these efforts is highly relevant in this case.

 

[nemo]

Thanks so far for the information! Many aspects are not new to me, but I have to learn to act on them.
The main reason I don`t have a website yet is that most of my jobs are fast food illustration jobs
(visualization of concepts for presentation - not print). Do I really want more of these jobs?
So the main problem is to how I want to market myself.
The few final art things I`ve done are very classic book illustration, which there is no market for.
Since I aim for final art jobs I don`t feel I have enough to show, but that might really well be the
infamous negative introjet speaking.
So *uc* the latter and just do it!!!

As it happens my little bro just send me a price list by a successful illustrator who interviewed a lot of collegues.
He came up with the following list (unfortunately only for Austria, Germany, Switzerland - he says the UK pays
more, and, if I had to take a guess, Poland pays less). So, for all its worth, to give a little perspective, here it is:

simple b/w vignette 25 eur
same in color 30 - 50 eur
more elaborate/figurative vignette 30 - 50 eur
same in color 50 - 100 eur
small freestanding illu 120 eur
big freestanding illu 120 - 250 eur
small cover (cassette) 300 - 400 eur
book cover 600 - 800 eur
front + back cover illu 700 - 1000 eur
1 page schoolbook illus 200 - 300 eur
poster small usage (f.e. children theatre) 500 - 700 eur.
poster big over regional usage 1200 - 2000 eur
game (cover, gameboard, 10 cards) 1500 - 2500 eur
picture book on heavy boards 2000 eur in advance + 5%
picture book 12 double pg. 2000 - 3000 eur in advance + 5%
cd-cover 600 - 1000 eur

As I`ve understood it, the prices are not the star illustrators prices
but more average ones, that means, one should not try to get less
money for jobs, rather more, if you can deal that.
I might get another list which refers to more conceptional work like
storyboards and such.

I don`t know how it is with you guys, but anticipating our great capitalist
world going down the drain soonish limits one`s motivation a tiny bit.

And yes, jOda, you have to pay your dentist pronto (as in right NOW).
But we sometimes have to wait months to get paid!

 

[Nawd]

Oh so true! All of the above posts. Which is why now I'm working for a company for just enough wage to feed the family using my 'talent' (graphic design) for someone else's vision. In fact, in the past 2.5 years of working for this company, my wage has gone DOWN! At this point I'm trying to get fired as they are forcing other artists to work 60 hours a week, no overtime pay, which on both counts is illegal.

Having tried and not listened to this type of advice, now I no longer consider myself an 'artist.' The creative light is burning, but I'm not using it. My incentive is snuffed out.

Oh and business partners. In my case not a good idea. Likely not a good idea for anyone unless a detailed contract is drawn out, understood and practiced.

Why artists are seen as not nearly as worthy, I have no idea.

Edit: According to this price list, I'm working for slave wages. I do most of these things on a low HOURLY pay rate under this company!!!

 

[Alejo]

wow.. thanks so very much guys, I'm an interactive media designer , freelancer just starting , and let me say this first i never thought i would find this type of conversation on the SOTT site , but nonetheless i does tell me this is the right place i mean you can find anything here great and greater site indeed, now the whole exposure tactic is used almost every time i get a job you know the kind of "well this could go to your portfolio and show your self as a professional so i guess it shouldn't be that expensive...." and there's a part true in that statement and is that when u r starting you do need stuff added to your portfolio (experience) , however as times passes by and jobs and you start to read the very same dynamic with clients over and over again you're faced with making a choice every time , and you can't blame them i mean is just logic in this reality that they would love to just get jobs done extremely cheap if not free , i mean they get paid more if they get to pay you less(commission) , nonetheless not for this realization should pity ever be used when charging them for a job turns out to be valuing your own capacity , skills and creativity.

now creative people are ultimately dangerous for a system that seeks for steadiness , a rigid one-direction-moving environment that tries to control everything by any means possible , it is a scary thought for a psychopath to not have the majority under the rules , and moreover if creative minds and souls make part of that majority , so what is the obvious response of our psychopath in power? well let's put the creative minds on an office , on a hierarchy of power and wage , is the very same principle of employing , any job on the planet from that cashier on the supermarket to the highest position allowed for a human , on that principle anyone can get to the point of hating any job even if it's your career , the whole capitalism "customers always right" philosophy is a dynamic to train your capacity to lie , depending on your conscience level you are going to get promoted sooner or not, if you understand my point.

what to do? be honest , sincere , positive and make your best effort on every job , as a freelancer is the best way to be sure how to value your work , cause you know that you did all that according to your ability you possibly could , and learn from all that... .....

thanks guys for the articles and posts really helpful just today i have a meeting with a client to start a job on a website , really great to know that you're here... thank you

 

[nemo]

According to this price list, I'm working for slave wages

Well Nawd, can`t say I`m Mr.Big Business here either! Makes me sometimes wish I had the late Will Eisner`s mind.
I do wonder which firms hire artists? Would you tell? (not the name, just their general occupation). Even animation firms
don`t hire but usually work with freelancers. Apart from that it sure sounds like you`re being somewhat exploited and might
be better off as a freelancer in the near future. On the other hand I myself work parttime in a craft business. It doesn`t pay
too well, but I can live from it. The advantage is that it allows me to take considerable time off to pursue my own projects, which so
far didn`t bring in any money, alas (and was spent amost exclusively this year doing research on the net and reading SOTT-
related material). The disadvantage is that I feel relatively secure, which prevents me from advertising/looking for clients.
Keyword here is procrastination. The business partner idea: I agree on that one. What about getting an agent? Wouldn`t that
be a logically follow up, once one has a website going?

One other thing. If I look at the various artforms I like and if I review my own past efforts I realize that I`m sitting between
two chairs, so to speak (between fine (better make it personal) art and commercial art. I`m good at working with other people`s
ideas, but it can be artistically unsatisfying. Do y´all face similiar dilemmas?

 

[nemo]

let me say this first i never thought i would find this type of conversation on the SOTT site

Surprised me too. I hope we`re not getting banned for digressing.;)

Few succesfull artists told me the following:
Regardless of one's style, area of expertise, medium used to create one's work - THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE SOMWHERE who might be interested in your work. That someone would gladly hire you or order some stuff not because you are cheap, or that your artwork abides to lastest fashion, but because HE LIKES WHAT YOU DO and/or NEEDS PRECISELY YOUR KIND OF WORK..

Encouraging words, jOda. It follows one has to get as much exposure as possible, as Tigersoap has pointed out in his opening post!
On digressing back to a subject more fitting to this forum:
What about psychopathic artists?

 

[Nawd]

There are many jobs around my location that hire graphic designers and general artists. Magazines, newspapers and the like. Although they seem to not pay well either.

A co-worker of mine is also a freelance artist, where she works for FREE for a nature magazine drawing bird and fish species. Of course she thinks that action will get her work more 'out there,' but after years of this, I'm thinking she may be realizing that she just might be being used.

Then there are the photographers, of which the company I work with hires. They take pictures of families around the country and then the graphic artist cuts them out of the background and puts them on a different backgrounds. Like on different planets, or on a beach someplace with several of their chosen poses. Calenders, playing cards, fake magazine covers, all of that sort. Sometimes we get 'creative freedom' with some of the compositions, but rarely. Most of the "creative work" the graphic department does is very specific and follows strict guidelines.

I don't know if I could do better doing freelance, simply because the income I have, is the only income in the household.

According to this price list, I'm working for slave wages

Well Nawd, can`t say I`m Mr.Big Business here either! Makes me sometimes wish I had the late Will Eisner`s mind.
I do wonder which firms hire artists? Would you tell? (not the name, just their general occupation). Even animation firms
don`t hire but usually work with freelancers. Apart from that it sure sounds like you`re being somewhat exploited and might
be better off as a freelancer in the near future. On the other hand I myself work parttime in a craft business. It doesn`t pay
too well, but I can live from it. The advantage is that it allows me to take considerable time off to pursue my own projects, which so
far didn`t bring in any money, alas (and was spent amost exclusively this year doing research on the net and reading SOTT-
related material). The disadvantage is that I feel relatively secure, which prevents me from advertising/looking for clients.
Keyword here is procrastination. The business partner idea: I agree on that one. What about getting an agent? Wouldn`t that
be a logically follow up, once one has a website going?

One other thing. If I look at the various artforms I like and if I review my own past efforts I realize that I`m sitting between
two chairs, so to speak (between fine (better make it personal) art and commercial art. I`m good at working with other people`s
ideas, but it can be artistically unsatisfying. Do y´all face similiar dilemmas?

 

[j0da]

I never thought i would find this type of conversation on the SOTT site

Surprised me too. I hope we`re not getting banned for digressing.

I think that this type of conversation definately fits the purposes of our forum. Even more so, when I think about all other members of this forum, whatever their occupation may be, the idea of separate section comes to my mind - section exclusively devoted to activity called "work", "earning money", "covering basic needs".

Ultimately, once the honest Truth Seeker brushes away his fantasies, new age "easy bliss" lulabies, etc. he arrives to the conclusion that first and foremost he needs to get a grip on his own every day life. That does not mean he should abandon reading, contemplation and talks regarding "spiritual" subjects, but rather incorporate this "higher" knowledge in his most "down to earth" edeavours first.

Also, during such converations as this one it becomes clear how deranged and removed from life is an idea of "ascension" attained by sitting at the top of the mountain in funny pants and staring at one's navel. When we deal with earning money, we deal with The Work at the same time, so it doesn't come as a surprise that both activities share the same name, osit.

 

[nemo]

Ultimately, once the honest Truth Seeker brushes away his fantasies, new age "easy bliss" lulabies, etc. he arrives to the conclusion that first and foremost he needs to get a grip on his own every day life. That does not mean he should abandon reading, contemplation and talks regarding "spiritual" subjects, but rather incorporate this "higher" knowledge in his most "down to earth" edeavours first....When we deal with earning money, we deal with The Work at the same time, so it doesn't come as a surprise that both activities share the same name, osit.

You speak from my heart, jOda. It took me over a decade to find that out.
Make that "am in the process of finding that out".

 

[D Rusak]

When we deal with earning money, we deal with The Work at the same time, so it doesn't come as a surprise that both activities share the same name, osit.

Also, I'd argue that the whole idea of self-promotion really means networking of various varieties. There's a lot to be learned here, not just for artists, but for anyone with a goal, be it financial or more fleeting (knowledge, understanding, empathy). Even if you aren't a self-run business, you undoubtedly have to deal with others in the workplace, and you can bet that your relationship, both at work and personally, will affect how you are treated and how you get paid. Take THAT to the bank (okay, I couldn't resist). How you approach this goal can be very revealing- both in your own personal actions/thought processes, and what is "successful" in your field and society. A lot of ponerological factors show up, osit.

 

[Tigersoap]

I have found Mr.Lewis article maybe three months ago, and even while I figured out some rules on my own, it was a revelation. Funny thing, when I started to firmly apply these advices suddenly I had really hard time getting any job at all.

Thanks for Mr Lewis article, I saw similar articles over the web but it is good to be reminded once in a while.
I had to laugh because it's exactly the same thing happened to me once I decided to stick to a certain level of prices.
Let me quote something I saw in a forum :

"I think I quote to high because I never get any replies to my quotes" and the answer was "That means you are quoting fairly".

I had again this experience this week with a Japanese company >.<

I think that's why you need to be on well known portfolios websites or databases because they already know that they can't ask for less than a certain standard.

The main reason I don`t have a website yet is that most of my jobs are fast food illustration jobs
(visualization of concepts for presentation - not print). Do I really want more of these jobs?

I don't think that's the real reason Nemo, because your website or blog (easier to set-up maybe) can be what you want it to be and how you want to present yourself.
There can be a personal works and a client works side for example.

The few final art things I`ve done are very classic book illustration, which there is no market for.
Since I aim for final art jobs I don`t feel I have enough to show, but that might really well be the
infamous negative introjet speaking.

I don't think you can say there is no market for it, there is probably a lot of competition (or maybe lack of !) but that does not mean that you would not be able to find at least one company who would like what you're doing.
Again you would only know by promoting yourself and that would also mean to be able to deal with rejection.
Which i agree is not always easy to take in.

Nothing holds you back from working for clients and for you own personal goal.

Do you think you're not ready to promote yourself more because you 're not confident enough in you works/yourself ?

What about getting an agent? Wouldn`t that
be a logically follow up, once one has a website going?

An agent usually take up 30% of your fees and they don't necessarily will find you work.
Sometimes you have to pay to get on board or to be part of their promotional shots.
Again for some it works very well, for others it does not.

What about psychopathic artists ?

From what I understand, I am not sure you will find an essential psychopat who would be an artist, I think you may find more of asthenic psychopaths in the artistic field.
Also I consider that everyone who is an artist today is first, mechanical (no objective art) and secondly, to various degrees, contaminated by the ambient psychopathy.

Also, I'd argue that the whole idea of self-promotion really means networking of various varieties. There's a lot to be learned here, not just for artists, but for anyone with a goal, be it financial or more fleeting (knowledge, understanding, empathy). Even if you aren't a self-run business, you undoubtedly have to deal with others in the workplace, and you can bet that your relationship, both at work and personally, will affect how you are treated and how you get paid. Take THAT to the bank (okay, I couldn't resist). How you approach this goal can be very revealing- both in your own personal actions/thought processes, and what is "successful" in your field and society. A lot of ponerological factors show up, osit.

Exactly.
How do we value ourselves ?
Do we value ourselves only by what we earn or what we own ?
What about being then ?

Imho it is all about identification.

Artists have a harder time to see all their self-importance and identifications because their art and their idea of themselves are quite mixed up, it is also often quite emotional osit.

We'd all like to do what we love the most and make money out of it but it is often not the case, not everyone makes it, is it only our own vision ouf ourselves that sabotages us in this way ?

In a sense, I am thankfull for the hardship I encounter because without them there would not be opportunities for the work. I'd just like to have a break sometimes ;)

 

[nemo]

There are many jobs around my location that hire graphic designers and general artists

Obviously the market for illustrators is somewhat different in the US. For reasons still quite unknown to me Germany is a third world country
as far as illustration goes (but this is changing now, I think). America has a far greater tradition in illustration; the same is true of the UK, France,
Belgium. Of course, advertisement agencys do hire designers. Illustrators are almost exclusively outsourced. There is even a general tendency in
most advertisement agencys to work with a skeleton crew (including heavily exploiting trainees, which practically cost nothing, are fresh from design
school and can be swapped after a year with fresh trainees, after the old ones have been pressed dry) and to outsource anything creative.
As far as becoming a freelancer it`s not really my place to recommend you anything, especially since you seem to have to support family, if I read
correctly between the lines.

your website or blog (easier to set-up maybe) can be what you want it to be and how you want to present yourself.
There can be a personal works and a client works side for example

I`ll keep that in mind.

Do you think you're not ready to promote yourself more because you 're not confident enough in you works/yourself ?

I do have a bit of a confidence problem. But it is slowly growing (the confidence). This is in part caused by certain family traits and exaggerated
aspirations on my part. Seems that for me a glass half full of water is a glass half empty. I`m about to worm my way out of this one.

nemo wrote:
What about getting an agent? Wouldn`t that
be a logically follow up, once one has a website going?

An agent usually take up 30% of your fees and they don't necessarily will find you work.
Sometimes you have to pay to get on board or to be part of their promotional shots.
Again for some it works very well, for others it does not.

Might be still worth trying out. The disadvantage are the obvious fees to be paid.
The advantage is, that an agent might get one a better deal; after all, it`s in the agent`s interest to charge as much as possible.
I`ve never really learned to be business wise).

nemo wrote:
What about psychopathic artists ?

From what I understand, I am not sure you will find an essential psychopat who would be an artist, I think you may find more of asthenic psychopaths in
the artistic field. Also I consider that everyone who is an artist today is first, mechanical (no objective art) and secondly, to various degrees, contaminated
by the ambient psychopathy.

The question was actually meant to be more tongue in cheek and actually belongs in a different thread.
Just checked out the word "asthenic". I`ve never heard of an asthenic psychopath. I`m not sure what the definition is here?!
At this point in my learning curve I`m not sure about the nonexistence of psychpathic artists. But then again, this subject
should be discussed somewhere else.

I highly apreciate your comments, since they infuse a much needed dose of reality and perspective!
In the past I`ve been confused a lot about the above mentioned. I`ll use this discussion as a wake up call and to get down to the nitty gritty.

 

[j0da]

Attention creative folks!

There is a client, small polish company which creates all kind of games (flash, shockwave, console, etc) which needs more people to work on new projects. I've been doing illustrations for this client since last summer and it proved to be fair and pleasant cooperation.

Guy (owner of this company) is desperate, since he can't find enough skilled people in Poland, so he began looking for artists abroad. That means, he can offer rates which would satisfy folks from western Europe.

Cartoon style illustrators and interface designers are needed as soon as possible, so all of you guys and gals, who are interested - send me a message - I will contact you and give furter info. Let no internalized critics prevent you from trying by the way - who knows when your particular style or skill might be needed.


note: I don't know if it is proper to post this, so if mods have any objections - let me know.