An Audience with Lucy Hadley and Vince Waldon

On the 4th of March 2021 our university held a talk with illustrator Lucy Hadley and graphic designer Vince Waldon, both graduates from the university.

Lucy Hadley 

• Self publishing a book - Had to research into how to do so herself. Found that publishers wouldn’t really accept work unless through an agency. Useful book Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2021 . Published book herself using Mixam printers with a small run, sold through website, didn’t use an ISBN though if selling through third party would need the book to have one. Had to organise the layout and designs herself.
• Agencies - Was approached by an agency to join, sold work through galleries/shops happy working that way, agency offers her to do more of the work and they show your work to clients/ deal with the commissions/money side.
• Social media - has accounts but not a full user of it. Understands it’s benefits and audience engagement being important. YouTube account was for fun, using a printed product/drawings and film to make meaningful conservations/ connections. Continued with it after getting requests from schools that were following along.
• MA Creative Practice - enjoyed it, a continuations of exploring her work. Studied part time, allowing for more time to delve/ focus into a project, reflect on current practice.
• Lockdown - good/bad days, biggest change always has 101 ideas doesn’t know what to focus on, looked into pattern design, repeat patterns, William Morris.
• Approaching clients - have self belief in your skills and the bravery to put work out there, just do it!
• Seeking opportunities - look for art directors, approach small/ medium businesses to sell work. Make contact with them, follow up continue building a relationship with them, ongoing conversations, send samples?
• Communicating with clients - talk them through your decision making process on what they have said to you, explain why you have done what you have, be helpful not judgemental.
• Saying no - fortunate to not have had to do so, worked with similar like minded client.
• Commission prices - ask what their budget is, will impact your quotes, if you really want job will you do it for cheaper? The AOI are useful for pricing and contracts.

Vince Waldon

• Social media - uses it, looks into insights sometimes, posts at lunchtime/ 5pm. More thoughtful content helps, has some personal life aspects but because he connects with local businesses it helps to get people to know him better.
• Eco/ ethical side - slightly more pricey products but clients understanding and it is becoming more important.
• Advice for students - stay keen, keep researching/ reading, don’t stagnate, you aren’t better than your job/ it isn’t the only thing  in your life, if you get more work charge more, don’t under price yourself.
• Lockdown - lost job, started up own studio, made own projects to keep busy.
• Approaching clients - be confident in your abilities, ‘I can do this’ not in an arrogant way but that you can do you job, even if you don’t meet all the requirements you can still offer good work.
• Seeking opportunities - through recommendations/ references from other people you have worked with. Having the persistence to keep trying when getting rejections.
• Communicating with clients - give them something they can relate or understand, a common point of examples, putting across the brand voice/message. Talk with them professionally and calmly.
• Saying no - only recently had to being self employed, was asked for a job, sent price, they said they could get it cheaper, replied saying he doesn’t have he time for it.
• Commission prices - started with undercharging, raised prices as he got more jobs, hourly fees less likely to be can be changed a lot, a rounded fee is more specific and set on. 

Take Away Thoughts 

I have been following Lucy’s work for a while now and it was nice to hear her perspective on the illustration industry and journey into printing a book. I was also aware of Vince’s studio through Instagram and the points he made about not undervaluing yourself in abilities or pricing is something I think is really important. I definitely feel the area I struggle with most is confidence, like if I need to ‘act’ like I am then I will do so, but it is difficult to constantly believe that I could fulfil a career of being an illustrator and that my work is even good enough to sell/ be commissioned for. So it is something I am trying to get better with and not worry about.