Blog Archives

The AOI Business Masterclass

10/28/2020

On Tuesday 27th October, Rachel Hill from the AOI (Association of Illustrators) gave a business Masterclass aimed at informing illustrators of how to making a living out of creating illustrations. It was very helpful and insightful, with a lot of the information either new to me or I had a vague idea about. I will go over my notes here to give me a place I can come to in the future when needed!

Self-Promotion

Online Portfolio:

Let your work do the talking, keep it simple, clean and clear for the viewer.
Only include work you are proud of/ want to be commissioned for.
Have it curated/ tailored to suit the work you want to be doing.
Keep your best work at the top.
Make it look like you are an illustrator not just a student.
Functionality important, fewer clicks make it less time consuming for viewer.
Work on all electronic devices.
Simplicity of number of pages, categorised well.
Landing page as your work portfolio.
Contact page simple, email or agency contacts.

Sourcing Clients:

Pitch yourself as an artist of quality.
Focus on personal projects to show what you can do.
Study the industry and find where you fit in, be ambitious!
Contacting client, be direct, simple. Personalise, not just sir/madam. Be warm/friendly. Website link, low res JPEG’s.

Managing Finances:

Register with HMRC as self-employed, as soon as possible after first commission.
Income tax applies over £12,500, including other work.
Keep all incomings and outgoings up to date.
Have a separate business account.
Keep all contracts with clients and receipts for expenses (sort then into categories).

Social Media

General points:

Today it is the widest form of promotion, free and used by majority of people all over world.
Can be a community, connect with other creatives, they may invest in you.
An extension of website but more up to date, more persona/ blog aspect to it.
A possibility of of being found by clients = commissions.
Some projects might not be able to share on the platforms = contract terms.
In the end it isn’t about likes/follows (they might help to an extent), it is a place to post and share experience/ work.

Platforms:

Twitter - Opportunities for commissions, clients might call out for illustrators, keep it professional.
Instagram - vary content (sketchbooks, series’s of images, time lapses), use of stories, need to be more consistent, engagement with followers and other artists, only use DM’s for casual not business, insights to understand how your posts are performing.
LinkedIn - an online CV, connect with clients, can contact them through this media, also able to post on there.

Do’s and Don’ts:

Do - be consistent, engage with a community, make it your own, take a break if needed.
Don’t - DM art directors directly, not too personal, be only in it for likes/follows.

Copyright and Your Rights

Copyright:

You own the work itself, 70 years after death it enters the public domain.
Depending on the contract you may own the art itself, but cannot reproduce it.
It is the image itself, not the style/idea that you can claim ownership of.
Intellectual Property Right that protects your work.

Copyright Assignment:

When the copyright holder sells/ transfers ownership of the copyright to someone else.
Selling your work meaning you no longer own it is corrosive to the industry, strongly advise against it.
The money offered would not be the actual value of the work.
You then lose control of it and they can use however they wish (against your morals, they receive all profits).

Moral Rights:

They are automatic to yourself.
In contracts be aware of them trying to remove your moral rights.
You have the right to be correctly credited for your work.
Right of Paternity - being identified as the creator of the work, recognition.
Right of Integrity - not be subjected to derogatory treatment, client can’t change your work.

Infringement:

Infringes on your work, someone benefiting from your work without your permission.
It is illegal, charge them for profiting off of your work.
Protect your work by using low resolution images online, name on the file.

Contracts

Types of Contract:

Written down, more official/professional, all terms agreed so everyone happy!
You have to negotiate, client will always make it in their favour.
Exclusive - only the client can use the work.
Non-exclusive - both you and client can sell/use product at same time.
Silent agreement - client doesn’t have to sign, you have to make sure they say yes to make it legally binding.
Usage/rights - make it specific to what exactly the client is using the work for.

Benefits of Contracts/Licensing:

Evidence for possible disputes/disagreements in future.
Clarity, certainty and confidence in word, so everyone understands.
Payment, organised in instalments, one at start, middle and end of project, royalties.

Important Clauses:

Look out for - moral rights waiver, copyright assignment, irrevocable licenses (client might take your work without payment).
Crucial clauses - payment if cancelled or rejected, sub-licensing.
Sub-licensing clause - if client/ publisher/ third parties make more income with your work then you will receive payment.

Negotiations

What it is:

Not a favour for a friend or family member.
You are a business offering a service.
You negotiate to a point where everyone is happy as they can be!

Fee Erosion Tactics:

Client will always offer the least they can, to start, so you have to haggle.
”Can you give me a ball point figure?” - too vague, no number/quote without full facts of project.
”What’s your day rate?” - creative work is different to hourly/day pay rates, explain this to client.
”We’re looking at 3 other illustrators” - not worth agreeing to, not a race, if they want to work with you they will!

W.E.B Pricing Technique:

W - what you want to get, opening quote, be ambitious but not overly.
E - what you expect to get, slightly lower than first.
B - what you better get, the minimum you are willing to do for job.
If none work walk away, not worth your time, don’t work for little.

Should I walk away?:

Can you negotiate the license/ contract terms?
Value your time, don’t go below your bottom line.
Do not be tempted by exposure, it doesn’t pay, it isn’t just a hobby, unprofessional.
Do not close door on future work with that client, be honest but pleasant.

Licensing and Earnings

General Points:

What area is the commission? - finance, fashion, education, editorial, publishing, etc.
Audience? - Niche market, generational, gender specific, high end, cultural.
A bigger client should charge more for your work.
Potential budget? - advertising, design agency involved, any production?
Value of product? - retail price, is it just a small illustration or number one campaign for client/company.
Renewing license if work successful, 60 - 70% of original payment, remind client of renewal just in case!

Additional Fees:

Day rates may be applicable to mural installations, live drawings, site specific work.
Additional amendments for extra illustrations done or sample work.
Travelling for research or to the site for the work.
Graphic design for typefaces, layouts.

Areas of licensing:

Editorial - quick paced, fast turnaround time, short licensing durations ( one month, single use), more rigid, upfront fees.
Publishing House - upfront payments, royalties when published + small net profits, house takes a %.
Self Published - Always flat fee, license shorter period, be cautious if approached by author.
Advertisement - lucrative, fewer opportunities, worldwide license, broad usage (posters, billboards, print), short license.
Corporate - visual assets for client, more practical, reports, charts, website visuals, social media.
Products & Packaging - possible range of products, high/ low retail, 5 years average license, coverage of design.

Earnings:

Consider outgoings as business - rent, studio, internet, phone, computer, software, materials, etc.
Living wage £18,700 minimum per year.
Freelance wage £20 - 25 k per year.
Editorial £20k, Advertising £35k, Publishing £25, Products/Packaging £22k, Corporate £25k.

Take away points

Research clients you want to be working with.
Work on personal projects, they are the work you want to be payed for.
Be business savvy and professional from the get go.
Take control of your career, don’t wait to be found!

Looking at Concept Art

10/28/2020

I remember the first job that I wanted to ever do was being a concept artist. I had never, ever thought about what I wanted to do with my life, until I learnt about concept art. I just remember it being 2011, seeing the teaser trailer for Brave and then finding the concept art for the film. I feel like that was the point in my life when I realised I wanted to make art as a living, everything sort of clicked into place! At this point I know illustration is where I sit with my art, but I definitely am inspired by concept art, I am just unsure of what it fully is to become a concept artist or if it could be an option for me as a career.

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Looking at Children’s Picturebooks

10/19/2020

I had never really considered illustrating children’s picture books until recently. It is an area that seems to have a lot of opportunities and way of making money as an illustrator, so I am going to do some research/ find books that are interesting to me.

The Gruffalo and Me: The Remarkable Julia Donaldson

A few months ago I came across the works of Alexander Lindberg and Evaline Ness, whom both I took a interest. Lindberg has a style that uses shapes with texture within them, that to me looks similar to the printmaking technique Pochoir. Little information is available on Lindberg but his style of illustrating is something I am influenced by. Ness took my interest with her colour combinations and how she used printmaking with woodblock/ Lino to create the illustrations. She illustrated so many children’s picturebooks during her life and each one has its own colour scheme that works with the story. Oliver Jeffers is illustrator whose work and way of thinking about art, is a similar direction to what I want to an extent. To be instantly recognisable in your work and have your own ‘style’ is something that takes years, and to be honest might never happen for me, but I can only do my best and hope!

Anoosha Syed and Sha’an d’Anthes are both picturebook illustrators, which in the videos above, both give an informative view into how the process of making these kind of books work. For me it is interesting to hear from their own experience of making them, as even if I was illustrating a book for a different genre they have given advice that can be applied elsewhere.

Back in February this year I visited the Scottish Modern Galleries in Edinburgh and was able to see the exhibition that Picturehooks holds (I think?) every year. It has the work of illustrators who are part of a mentoring scheme helping them to create a children’s picturebook. It something to consider maybe applying for if I ever choose to go down this route, as it would be such a good opportunity to learn and develop from!

Looking at Illustrated Books

10/18/2020

I am going to have a look at books that have been illustrated, ranging from various genres to different illustrators, that interest me.

Reading books is something that I have in recently years not done as much as I used, but the books that I did read during a five year spell while at school were ones that I mostly enjoyed. In particular the His Dark Materials series, Anne of Green Gables, The Book Thief and the majority of David Almond’s books. Illustrating books is something I definitely want to do, either covers or even fully illustrated editions. I don’t have a specific reason why, but I think it is because I enjoy stories and being able to illustrate the characters or environments would be such an amazing thing to do for a job! Also this feeds into illustrated books on history about people or certain cultures from around the world, something else I would want to do.

The Action Plan

10/13/2020

I always find short term goals easier to start with, long term goals I struggle with cause I never really know what could happen (such as coronavirus) in a years time. I would have really liked to have to goals like finding places to put work on display/sell but these kind of things aren’t fully possible in the current climate. So I am looking at illustration competitions and personal development at the moment for goals. Also there is the project for next year which we get to set our own brief, which for me is something to look forward too as I enjoy being able to come up with my own ideas!

Short Term Goals

Goals to achieve by the end of this year.

General University Goals

Complete Illustration Application module :

Brief One - Eden River Brew Co. can design, Wednesday 28th October = present ideas
Brief Two - Unknown at this point
Compile Portfolio

Complete Professional Context module :

Write up Project Rationale - due Thursday 29th October
Write up Dissertation - due Friday 18th December
Exploration of printmaking/drawing techniques discussed in dissertation and applying them to a story

Complete Professional Practice module :

Write up blog here on the website

Personal/Professional Goals

Look into illustration competitions, such as the Penguin book cover design competition and similar
Get my website all up to date and giving a sense of my ‘style’ throughout it
Try to be more active on Instagram, i.e post more, not a set schedule but just when I can
Fill another sketchbook
Look into internships maybe?
Figure out what I want to be as an illustrator at this time, and how to get there

Medium Term Goals

Goals to be achieved by around this time next year.

General University Goals

Complete Professional Practice module:

Write up blog on here
More info in future

Complete Illustration Practice module:

It is work/ idea in progress but I think I want to do a book looking into

important women in Scotland throughout history or on Scottish folktales?

Graduate!!

Personal/ Professional Goals

Maybe have entered some illustration competitions
Have my website all ‘professional’ looking and projecting my work in a

way that represents me as an illustrator

Filled another sketchbook or two

Long Term Goals

These are lifelong goals or goals that may or may not happen at some point

When I think of what would be the perfect way for my life to go without any limitations it would be this:

Being fully freelance and my own boss
Illustrating books others or myself have written
Having a whole art studio to myself with space for

printmaking, ceramics and drawing

Also having animals is a must!
Being part of exhibitions

With that out of the way I now need to think realistically, because money doesn’t grow on trees and it is needed to live.

It hard for me to know what will happen and I have never been good about planning for long term goals, because life changes all the time and I have learnt it is not one path to one destination, it is so many that can come to a dead end. Yet with saying that I will put some goals that I think I could achieve by the end of 5-10 years from now.

Goals For The Future

Work towards becoming a freelance illustrator

working part-time more than likely to start

Maybe join an illustration agency if possible
Take part in any mentoring that may benefit myself
Be able to establish myself as an illustrator in the region
Possibly doing a Masters degree or equivalent

How am I going to achieve these goals? Through time and persistence, using this blog to learn and find sources that can help me achieve my goals. Constantly striving to improve and growing from any ‘failures’ or let downs that will hopefully not happen too much.

Skills Audit

10/13/2020

So now I have completed the questionnaires, where do I think I need improvement?

To start I know my knowledge of Adobe programmes isn’t exactly the best, but for me it is the fact I have no access to them at home at the moment and I haven’t had a real need for them in my art practice so far. Yet I know I can definitely use Photoshop with some understanding, and to an extent InDesign and After Effects. I think the challenge of using After Effects last year proved to myself that I can learn quickly with more technical programmes so I don’t worry that much that I can’t use Adobe, I just don’t have the practice or immediate access to it.

Typography. Well for a start I don’t have the best hand writing in the world and my spelling hasn’t always been that great! So these preconceived ideas I have with words, type and font don’t exactly help. Yet through doing projects on the course I have started to understand it better and try to not worry about it like how I used too. For now it is just continuing to experiment and learn to get better at using them within or alongside my illustrations.

Being more ‘professional’, i.e working on my website, Instagram. I want to be able to put my own ‘style’ into my website and make it more engaging for the viewer. I have been working on it recently and still have stuff to add such as a page on sketchbook drawings, but I am slowly getting there with it! With Instagram I try to post there, but I do feel pressure to make it look cohesive and honestly just confidence in general with putting my illustrations out there without feeling that they look not good enough. Again it is something I am trying to not worry about too much, as I like Instagram to find other illustrators and creatives, as well as finding creative opportunities.

In general I can always be improving as illustrator, it is a lifelong experience, but for now I hope to just enjoy where I am with it and keep drawing and creating!

Where to Work?

10/5/2020

Since leaving school five years ago I have taken a path that I didn’t think I would. I went straight into college from school and during my two years there I learnt so much by experimenting with so many techniques. Digital/ traditional, installation art, ceramics and printmaking. I found myself drawn to printmaking because of the whole process of it, having to prepare a plate, roll the plate through the press, etc. I would constantly be in that printmaking room than anywhere else! Then college came to an end and I had no clue what to do with myself, all I had known was education to give me something to do, now I was on my own. I had hoped to go to Edinburgh College of Art to study illustration but even though I got positive feedback it seemed not possible for me to get in after two attempts of applying. Honestly I am glad I ended up not being offered a place at Edinburgh because it made me go out of comfort zone by getting a job, learning to drive, getting to be part of Uplands Modern Maker programme and having time to develop my artwork. I knew I wanted to study illustration still but wanted to stay at home so ended up applying for the course I am on now!

I have always known choosing to go down the art path in life wasn’t going to be the easiest way to get a full time job, yet there is nothing else that I would rather do than be creative. Before looking into illustration jobs, what am I aware of? I know there are agencies for children book publishing, graphic design based jobs and being freelance/ self-employed with no full guarantee of getting work. At this moment in time I need figure out where I sit in terms of what path I could take.

What strengths do I have?

Knowledge of printmaking techniques, use of Procreate, sketchbook drawing, having experience of being part of group exhibitions, having some commissions (pet portraits, card making), producing work for deadlines, taking inspiration from a whole ranges of sources (art history, places I visit, films, music)

What are my ambitions?

At the moment I have a whole range of thoughts about what I want to do. I want to be able to illustrate books, so covers, children’s picture books, history/ nature related informational books maybe? Freelance/ self employment is something I consider, the internet connections with clients are more accessible meaning it would make working from home an option, though it is no guarantee of work. Then there are options of looking at agencies that have branches for illustrators. I also want to maybe write/research and illustrate my own books based on historical people/ places or traditional folktales. Concept art is something I am interested in but not thought about as much, it was what I wanted to do about eight years ago but faded away over time and now I might look back into it!

To begin with I am going have a general look at illustrators, videos, blogs, agencies, mentoring and podcasts that inspire me/ what I aspire to achieve in terms of working as an illustrator.

Illustrators

FURRY LITTLE PEACH

Online portfolio and webspace of Furry Little Peach - Designer, Illustrator and Exhibiting Artist - living and working in Sydney, Australia.

The Printed Peanut | Illustrated Gifts & Homeware | Louise Lockhart

The Printed Peanut | Illustrated Gifts & Homeware | Louise Lockhart | Party Games | Stationery | Made in the UK

Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers is a visual artist and author working in painting, bookmaking, illustration, collage, performance and sculpture.

Home

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Articles/Blogs

Blog - Katie Chappell Illustrator

Build up a visual library. A lot of the time, information will be flying at you very quickly and it's beneficial to have a stock library of icons and images that you can quickly pull out of your brain.

About this blog - Marloes De Vries | blog

Photo by Audrey Victoria Who am I? Hello! My name is Marloes De Vries and I'm an illustrator based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. I've been working as a freelancer since 2004 whilst still in art school.

Picturebook Makers

Welcome to the Picturebook Makers blog - where the world's finest picturebook artists take you behind the scenes.

Rebecca Green - BLOG

WELCOME WELCOME, step right up! Today we're talking about balancing acts. Almost sounds like we're going to the carnival. (Now I want funnel cakes!) Nope! But we are exploring a different kind of skillful balance trickery: being an illustrator!While this post could seem somewhat sporadic, what I aim to communicate is the creative processes we experience as commercial artists.

Blog | Miss Magpie Fashion Spy

Blog | Here at Miss Magpie Fashion Spy, Niki writes about the latest fine art prints for sale in the shop, events, commissioned work and live illustrations.

So you want to be an illustrator? 12 helpful tips - LISA MALTBY

I often receive emails from students and aspiring creatives asking me what the secret to becoming an illustrator is.

Agencies/ Mentoring

Plum Pudding Illustration Agency - Children's Illustration Agency - Illustration Agency - Illustrators

As one of the leading children's illustration agencies in the world, Plum Pudding Illustration Agency is known for being one of the most dynamic, passionate and proactive agencies, representing some of the most talented children's illustrators from across the globe.

About - The CAT Agency

Owner and agent, Christy Ewers, has been rooted in the children's literature industry since her mother, Chris, started the agency in 1994, and joined as an agent in 2013. Although Christy is not an artist herself, art has been an integral part of her life and career, even before joining the agency.

The Bright Agency

Bright is a collective of specialist agents, working across all areas of children's publishing, art licensing and illustration for design and advertising. Through the Bright Agency you can connect, commission and work with a huge variety of illustrators, animators and creatives. We are an experienced and widely used resource for sourcing incredible award winning content.

The AOI - Home

The AOI provides contract and business support to illustrators. We champion the rights of illustrators, and run competitions and events.

About | Orange Beak

to share knowledge and offer insight and encouragement for creatives. The Orange Beak Studio tutors have varied but complimentary skills. Maisie, Ness and Alice are all practising specialists in their fields of illustration, design and editorial respectively. In addition to this, both Maisie and Ness have teaching experience at post-graduate level.

Picture Hooks

At Picture Hooks we are tremendously lucky to work with exceptional illustrators who do a wonderful job mentoring our emerging illustrators. We can't wait to see the work our pairs will produce together and individually before our next exhibition launches, and look forward to our events throughout 2019.

Upland

A 6 month programme of mentoring and a bursary of £1,000 for emerging artists or makers under 30 years who have a connection to Dumfries & Galloway. Two Emerge Bursaries are available in 2021 for emerging artists and makers 30 years and under (funded by The Holywood Trust, the Archie Sutter Watt Trust and Creative Scotland).

Folio illustration agency | Illustrators and Artists portfolios

Skip to main content The Showcase is where we present some of the most exciting new talent we've discovered, and let their work speak for itself. It is a place where newly established artists, illustrators, typographers and studios can display their work, their skills and their ambition, and show us what the next generation of graphic art and design has in store.

Videos

BBC Arts NI presents - Oliver Jeffers - Here We Are...BBC Arts NI Presents

A profile of the multi award winning international children's picture-book maker.

Podcasts

The good ship illustration podcast

You're one of the first to hear it. Learn more about The Good Ship Illustration and how we each found our creative voices. Grab a cuppa, listen while you draw, and let us know what you think. (Instagram is our favourite place to hang out.) p.s.

Drawing Club Podcast

The Drawing Club Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by two illustrators and friends, Mia Minerva and Sasha Kretova. We get together to draw and chat about ar...

Podcast - Women of Illustration

In this episode with illustrator with Sravya Attaluri we go over all the best ways to prepare to leave your day job before you go full-time freelance. How you can build up a side hustle, put money aside, landing your first illustration clients, and getting all your ducks in a row before you give your final notice.

CREATIVE PEP TALK

Creatives have the super power of seeing infinite possibilities but this super power can easily become a confusing burden when it comes down to actually choosing a direction. In this episode we talk to Lulu Miller about how to navigate these decisions and so much more!