An Audience with Hazel Mason and Rachel Tunstall

On the 18th of March 2021 our uni held a talk with graduates Hazel Mason and Rachel Tunstall who both have worked with editorial clients.

Hazel Mason

• How long after graduation to get work - had small magazine/ editorial commissions soon after, lucky to be followed up by client from London graduates exhibition.
• Portfolio development - through spec work, self based work helps you develop, picked a book not already illustrated and do work for that.
• Getting clients - looked at other illustrators what clients they are getting/ portfolio, commissions from Instagram was contacted by the clients this way.
• Approaching clients - Nothing came from physically sending out samples/ examples of work, emailing 4 - 5 low res images, be direct not vague, go to the editors/ publisher names more personal.
• Working with clients - send initial 3 ideas/ thumbnails, gravitate towards the one you want to do, confirm it then start work. Be polite, if known them for 2-3 years can be less formal as friendship develops, figure it out after awhile.
• Pricing - Work part time 3 - 4 days a week/allows time to do freelance work. With clients set prices so figure out hours + minimum wage + £10ish, go higher so they bring it down less, be appropriate with pricing for the client so smaller business less money, bigger client means more, some clients have added more money to initial proposals.
• Agencies - not looking for one, getting by with client work, would rather build up a portfolio then look for a better agency to join rather than an agency that is not suited for your work.
• Social Media - post later on 6 - 8pm, important to get engagement in first hour = Instagram, store online small, do it from home if you can afford to.
• Kickstarter - wanted to print more than what she could afford, easy to fulfil an end product, had help with packaging and bulk bought envelopes, printed out addresses on stickers, be prepared for it.

Rachel Tunstall 

• How long after graduation to get work - took 6 months for first paid commission, wasn’t happy with work so built up portfolio then sent to clients.
• Portfolio development - found articles to create work for, improve on it when you can, Olly Hurst example?
• Getting clients - looked at other artists on social media, what clients they were creating work for, track them down email the editors etc.
• Approaching clients - Nothing came from physically sending out samples/ examples of work, email every 3 months, check out Sonny Ross contacts list layout use it to file who you are contacting/ want to contact. Email be keen to work with them and their themes, be specific in what you say/ brief but approachable, say to have a look through you work, send examples.
• Working with clients - Composition then colour then final, depends on client however, Shopify no colour rough because of time scale/ deadline, if any major changes just check in with client. 
• Pricing - Works another job, no option for changing price in editorial, either yes or no, they have a set budget. Want to get into publishing, just have to find time to make work for it. International pay better, American clients easier to work with.
• Agencies - was getting representation unsure of it, nothing coming from it. AOI was useful to begin with but stopping the pricing structure help, no longer that useful. 
• Social Media - found Twitter more useful to connecting with people, posts better in evening, LinkedIn not received any work.

Take Away Thoughts

It was insightful hearing from both illustrators and how they have managed to start their careers in getting client commissions not that long after leaving uni. Also it has put in perspective in how they still have part time jobs even thought they have illustration work coming in, something I think is important to have as having a job gives you an income when you might not have client work yet or at a certain time. Also they are getting work through contacts/ emailing themselves rather than being with an agency, as they are learning how to communicate and balance their own work/ pricing.