Blog Archives

The Printed Peanut Live on Instagram

4/30/2021

On the 29th of April 2021 The Printed Peanut (Louise Lockhart) had an Instagram live with Inkygoodness talking about their career and business.

Journey - studied illustration at GSA, found that there are no set jobs for illustrators for when you finish, lived in Vancouver Canada for a year worked at a stationary store. Pre Instagram realised that they could apply their work to products so set up screen print at home. Had no insight to the business side, was in the deep end starting out, decided to sell traditional party games with a twist while living abroad. Wanted to do it full time, first year was difficult, started creating packaging for soap for a friend. Had to show she could do the work to get the work, even with no experience just set up projects for yourself. Came up with the Printed Peanut which led to work, has created a brand for herself, appears as a team but really it is just one person behind the name.
Pivotal Moments - was really tough at the start, did everything they could to get money, stayed at home with parents to not have to pay too much rent, went around shops with business cards. You have to promote yourself to get work, may feel awkward/unnatural but it is necessary. Small things can lead to bigger opportunities, can be a case of right place right time.
Clients - 7 years on wants to do more personal work and slow down due to being a parent, like how art school was, when you leave you end up doing work for a purpose not for yourself. 2015 did book illustrations led to doing more books, a play tent for anthropology. Stick to your values/morals, keep to your style don’t follow trends, find something that is authentic to you, do what is a natural output to you, your style has more longevity than following the fashionable style at the time, use similar themes.
Work Week/Day - now 2 hours a day because of being a parent, have to work when they are asleep, no other time to do it, don’t want to be too successful keep the business small/manageable, just enough to work from home and take time off when they want. Outsources products now to save time, used to print them herself.
Projects - timescale can be 3 months when was able to work full time now same sort of project could take a year, took 10 years to get to where there are with work/style, had luck getting projects. It is about being prepared/consistent to get work, don’t know what small thing will lead to another opportunity, used to say yes to everything, set projects for yourself.
Online Brand - felt pressure of it, can be hard at start, need to get known a bit before work/income comes in, learnt about it on the way, has an accountant to help, talk to other illustrators/ people for advice, look at what other similar people are doing, took a long time to get where there are now, in a place where she knows what products/ materials/ methods work for her.
Pandemic Effects - used to do workshops/ fairs, maybe do zoom online workshops now, might try selling prints in a gallery.

An Audience with Frances Moffatt & Nick Holmes

4/22/2021

On the 22nd of April 2021 the university held a talk with illustrators Frances Moffatt and Nick Holmes. Both have been involved with education, Moffatt is known for fashion/lifestyle/publishing illustrations and Holmes has done a variety of work such as advertisement/film/editorial/publishing.

Frances Moffatt

Opportunities - Reiterate same as Nick, when you start out you just need one/two clients to get work coming in, used Artists & Writers book to find clients to contact through email/telephone/mailed postcards, don’t expect to hear back, had maybe a 2% reply rate, other clients may keep you in mind get back in contact years later.
Social Media - not fully into it, better to have other media like Twitter/website not just one, don’t expect/wait to be found this way need to email clients to make yourself known that way.
Self Authorship - some published books started out on Kickstarter, self publishing more accepted/available to do now or a way into publishing, have a level of professionalism and find your creative voice, be defined about what your work is and aimed at, be specific to what work you want to get.
Client Work - previous contacts can ask you do work for them, accept projects you might have not originally considered can learn from it, but also don’t scatter everywhere, have a niche that you fit into but can branch out to other work as well. Your portfolio is important to showing to clients what you can do, if you don’t have a certain type of illustration in it they will assume you can’t do it when maybe you can, it lets them know what you are capable of doing.
Negotiating - at the start was just grateful to get work so said yes, if accepted too low ended up being resentful, has an agent but left after a year not enough money coming in, a day rate helps, don’t be paid under minimum wage. You don’t have to take every job if you can be stable financially, have a part time job/keep outgoings low/multiple incomes so you can say no to poorly paid work, have a five year plan and give yourself time to establish yourself. Editorial is low pay at start, publishing the same, only when you start getting a name for yourself, advertising is better pay.

Nick Holmes

Opportunities - some out of nowhere, making yourself known to others, right place right time, just be pleasant to work with, people will gravitate towards you, small things can lead to bigger work, work hard at the beginning to hopefully pay off and not have to chase for work.
Social Media - be aware of mental health, use it in a way that benefits you, Instagram more up to date stuff shows how quickly/effectively you work, don’t apologise for not posting. Twitter good for discussion, not as image based, show your personality, more opportunities for interaction on Twitter.
Self Authorship - have more self directed work to keep you moving, don’t stagnate, people use Kickstarter to self publish work or passion projects, you have to grow your work organically and build up a brand. Kickstarter- have to plan, know costs/shipping it is hard work, mostly international sales, know what people want from the work/project.
Client Work - need to be convinced/faith you can do the work and be able to work with you in a professional manner, who you know does help, advertisement biggest payer but takes a lot of work, can be exhausting.
Negotiating - know your worth, don’t be undercharged, go higher and be confident with it, if they offer too little project not worth your time anyway, AOI again can help with aspects of this.

Take Away Thoughts

Like with the previous talks getting work is about putting yourself out there and going direct to the clients, they are unlikely to just find you through a website or social media no matter how many followers you have. Also I found it interesting how they spoke about how it just takes a few projects to lead to more work and how it is important to have an income coming in so you can say no to low paying work and to not feel bad about it.

Freelancing in a Web Based World with Jamie Green

4/21/2021

On the 17th of April 2021, INKFEST Chicago run by ISG Columbia held a talk with illustrator Jamie Green. Green is someone I have been following for a good number of years now and they have been able to use their presence online to create a career for themselves straight after graduating through hard work.

Journey - Used flipnote hatena on DSi (I absolutely loved using this when it was active) , deviantart in early days to post work. Time at art school explored everything they could, took any opportunity they could find. But looking back put too much pressure on themselves, wished they had been easier on themselves and not be expected to pick one thing to do. Yet is fortunate for how things have worked from that. Realised you don’t have to pick and stick with one creative path, you have time to try anything your curious about because life is unexpected. Thought that they would be working for an Ad company, saw it as what a career felt like after doing an internship at the art school. Was applying for these types of jobs then COVID happened and threw a wrench in this and graduation. So ended up deciding to go freelance, was able to do so with following on social media, then contacted to join an agency so said yes and has led to doing book Illustrations.
Growing Audience - Has been present on the internet since they were 12, and has moved from platform to platform to post work. Voice = what is unique to you, identify and brand yourself, be authentic, audience “listen when they see your sound”. Algorithm = it does have an impact/ increases engagement, but can put pressure/ stress/ anxiety on mental health, don’t do it it if not able to efficiently use it, have to find the balance using it to benefit yourself not to make you feel worse. Trends - use drawing challenges/ drawtober/ huevember etc. to try out new things, find other artists through hashtags, in turn they can find you, be creative in what you post, people like memes/ current shows/films etc. Luck = honest truth, it is random who gains a following, just use social media as a space to enjoy. Recently has dropped off Instagram a little bit, there is too many widgets, feels like a chore to post and keep up with posting every few days, in position to do so however with following and work.
Patreon - truth you need to have a following/ prior audience, but don’t be discouraged. Tailor it to what the audience want, interact with them, it is gives them a look into your personal life/thoughts, stuff you wouldn’t show on social media for free, it is an extra source of income, don’t be anxious about adjusting/ changing things with the tiers it needs to suit your needs.
Agent - initially considered it with Ad agencies, found links to agents through other illustrators, left behinds (physical fold outs/ business cards) at places visited. Was found by Chad Bekerman through SOI competition work, but had no book Illustration examples in portfolio so had to create some, don’t make it hard for the clients/agents to figure out what you do as an illustrator. Did have client work in portfolio but no book work, had to learn about it through own experience like scenes/ environments/ storytelling, composition is like a moving film. Make your portfolio professional, set your own projects for what you want to do if you have no client work it isn’t essential to have paid work. Emails are good but can get lost, so brand them, make it different from others, set yourself apart from everyone else in the mosh pit to come out on top, physical things can help in this way if you are able to.
Freelance - at start schedule was all over the place so takes time to figure out a realistic way to work, sleep schedule important, works 6-7 days a week but averages 30 - 45 hours a week, depends on workload, can leave things last minute to have pressure to do it/ last minute decisions otherwise would have second guessed, but that doesn’t mean you should! Still don’t feel like they are working enough at times just want to play Stardew Valley or do something else. Balance is key, do work but leave time for fun stuff too, have business hours, don’t respond outwith them, switch projects up so it doesn’t seem to drag on. Can be isolating working freelance, going to cafes to work helps with that.
Motivation - try and boost your confidence, do what you love to draw/make, go for a run or walk, silly little things, authenticity is important, there are days of feeling crap/ not getting work done just take a break, do something else. Set goals/ deals with yourself, doesn’t always follow them. Can be an endless cycle of comparing ourselves to other. Has life goals rather than works goals, focus on that spirit/ side of life, they dream of having a farm with some chickens (yeah I want that in life too to be honest!)

Take Away Thoughts

Green is someone who I have seen constantly grow and learn from everything they could find. They have always been open to new things which I think is important as a creative, it can get dull or too consistent if you do the same thing all the time, and you can’t learn from what you already know. It took them over ten years to get to where they are now from using the internet as a way of showing their work and it paid off in the end for them to do what they have done. We may be the same age and it can be hard sometimes not to compare myself to them in terms of what they have achieved, but I think there are so many paths in being able to make a career out of illustration I just need to continue on my own and take any advice I can get on board to get where I want to be, hopefully! Social media has been key to them getting noticed and I am just wanting to use it as something to post work and not worry about analytics things too much,

An Audience with Jill Calder & Sarah Coleman

4/15/2021

On the 15th of April our university held a talk with illustrators Jill Calder and Sarah Coleman. Jill has created illustrations for publishing/editorial/advertisements and Sarah is known for her typography work on books/advertisements/editorial pieces.

Jill Calder

Contacting clients - find clients through social media, art director’s are tagged sometimes in illustrators posts etc. follow them/find their contact information, better to contact them this way than through contact information on website, clients can find your work through social media/use specific hashtags, have to show yourself/life to an extent as people like seeing those aspects as well, just start contacting now.
How they got into picturebooks - only recently fell into it through doing the Robert the Bruce book, learnt along the way and from the SCBWI , takes a year or less for completing a book.
Agencies - majority of work through them, they take 30 - 33%, built up client life before getting an agent though tried after graduating, it is a relationship you have to communicate with them can’t just expect them to do everything, talk to them about what clients/work you want so they can help.
Negotiating - AOI can be helpful, have to learn the business of it, keep a lower sum in mind but go higher to meet in middle, not an equal relationship if they ask for free work/they are probably being paid why shouldn’t you?, don’t be taken advantage of.

Sarah Coleman

Contacting clients - go out hunting for the director’s, don’t wait until graduating, make contacts, they still like seeing physical printed stuff, don’t expect any response they will contact you if they want to, doesn’t mean they don’t like your work, she had contacted one person took 8 years for them to respond as they only got a project suitable until then, no correct way. When email only use a link not attached images, can be marked as spam/ junk, send images if they ask. Have key pieces in portfolio that bring clients in, some paid work unhappy with the outcome the client chooses, while personal work more happier with.
How they got into publishing - asked to do a cover when at university, was used without her knowledge, did hand lettering which wasn’t a thing done much in the industry at the time, a cover can take 4 - 8 weeks.
Agencies - work 60% through agent and 40% them self, didn’t want an agent at start, felt like she had nothing to offer them, 13 years of work then approached, “it doesn’t matter how bad the news is as long as the client knows what is going on”, there to enhance not replace the work, advice get experience first then get an agent to show you can work with clients/deadlines, the agent negotiates to get more money as it is in their interests, they take about a third of pay so you have to keep that in mind you want to get as much money as you can in the early days.
Negotiating - you need to cover your life costs, not the minimum but the fees should reflect the life you want/ need to live into later life. Your fees should go up with experience and demand for your work, some set prices are for editorial/ packaging/ publishing.

Take Away Thoughts

It was really insightful hearing about how to go about contacting clients, that you need to go to the art director to get the best response and not through contact information on websites of the company they work for. Also I think emailing is still the best way to contact, as again if you print something that costs money/ more time, even if they do like seeing physical work it is wether you can afford to do so. Both of them saying about the agencies and having them later on in their careers puts it into perspective how it is probably better for myself to contact clients and get experience first. Though I think I still might contact agencies now and just expect nothing back. Katie Chappell had a goal of getting 100 no/rejections in 2019, which is something that I think will make it “easier” when I start sending emails out, it is a way of not getting disheartened and also as Sarah said no response or not yet as a reply, isn’t always a bad thing as they could come back to you later on.

The Printed Peanut Live on Instagram

An Audience with Frances Moffatt & Nick Holmes

Frances Moffatt

Nick Holmes

Take Away Thoughts

Freelancing in a Web Based World with Jamie Green

Take Away Thoughts

An Audience with Jill Calder & Sarah Coleman

Jill Calder

Sarah Coleman

Take Away Thoughts

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