Freelancing in a Web Based World with Jamie Green

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,