HOME | DD

alexiuss — F-ING BEE. HOW TO BE A FREELANCE ILLUSTRATOR

Published: 2012-02-06 08:45:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 55934; Favourites: 2096; Downloads: 496
Redirect to original
Description A TUTORIAL OF INTEREST PER FAN REQUESTS!

"HOW TO BE A FREELANCE ILLUSTRATOR?"

Step 1: CREATE AND POST!
So you has drawing talents?
Don't be scared to post work on deviantart and other websites such as conceptart.org or cghub
Post as much art as possible. Draw 10 hours everyday.
Post an artwork daily or once per week minimum if the art is really detailed.
Forget all other jobs if you want to freelance. It takes incredible amounts of time, dedication and a massive portfolio to be a freelancer.
You will need at least 1-2 years for just drawing and posting. Nothing but drawing. I don't care how, but it must be done. Draw and post work.... everyday... for a few years to get your work known!

Stuck in an art block? Don't know what to draw?
Want to get really motivated by your own watchers from DA?
Start a livestream session and have fun drawing whatever silliness your friends ask of you! It's great practice!
Get some energetic music to go with it!

Want to promote your work nicely on DA?
A collaboration is the best kind of feature on deviantart and they're not hard to get unlike daily deviations!
Ask well known deviants if they would like to collaborate with you!
Their features will give you hundreds to thousands of new watchers, depending on how famous a deviant-artist is.
If they feature your painting, it will get 10'000-100'000 views! That's better than any art gallery in the real world!
For example - want to collaborate with me? Send me a note!

Also, submit your work to groups. Groups is a great way to get watchers.

NEVER, EVER UNDERVALUE YOUR WORK!
CHARGE 100 TIMES WHAT YOU THINK IT'S ACTUALLY WORTH!
Once you start charging 20 dollars for an artwork you will be in a spiral to client hell, where clients give a pittance and expect a masterpiece and then direct similar ass-hat clients your way that propagate the same horribleness that makes value of your art worth very little, providing nothing but shame.
Instead of wasting time arguing with clients/working for a pittance do collaborations with other artists and expand your portfolio as much as possible!
Don't waste time on "ART PROGRAMS in universities". Very often, they will teach you almost nothing and put you in hideous debts, especially if there are a lot of "liberal studies" involved in the course.
Look into colleges or private lessons instead, of you have money to spend and need motivation.
Instead of wasting $50'000+ dollars on a degree, live with your parents and draw non stop everyday, trying new styles, creating new paintings, collaborating with new artists. Make friends on da- as many friends as possible. Learn techniques from experienced deviants!

STUDYING ONLINE IS EASY! Browse AND TRY OUT ALL TUTORIALS: [link]


HOW MUCH TO CHARGE CLIENTS FOR ARTWORK?
Here's an archive page for association of illustrators:
[link]
[link]

Generally you should charge around $250 to $10'000 dollars per artwork. If you're charging less, you're severely undervaluing yourself and bringing down the art market.
The lower range of $250 should be charged for small, easy commissions like personal portraits, simple interior illustrations.
The higher range should be charged for big companies that plan to do something with the work - print/distribute it worldwide, or want to get full exclusive rights for the work, or want "work for hire" (basically they won't credit you), etc. If a corporation makes money off your drawing skills, charge them well for it! Corporations can afford to pay lots, if you know how much your work is REALLY worth to them.

I state this again- it is better to draw personal paintings or collabs than to work for a pittance for companies!

You can sell personal or collab paintings as prints FOREVER and no client will ever tell you what you can/cannot with your OWN work.
A nice personal painting can make you $10'000 dollars in your lifetime if you sell prints of it successfully online!



Found this tutorial of interest useful or enjoyable?
+fav it to spread the word!


WANT ME TO ADD SOMETHING ELSE TO THIS TUTORIAL?
ASK QUESTIONS IN DEVIATION DESCRIPTION BELOW!
Related content
Comments: 312

DashDotDotDash In reply to ??? [2012-02-06 08:53:34 +0000 UTC]

Woah... So.. Much ... DRAWING! *headdesk*

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

StormyPyro In reply to ??? [2012-02-06 08:52:41 +0000 UTC]

I AM BEST EXAMPLE MISTER TEACHER SIR!!
8D

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

alexiuss In reply to StormyPyro [2012-02-06 09:14:58 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

StormyPyro In reply to alexiuss [2012-02-06 09:15:53 +0000 UTC]

Did I ever tell you that you have a very fetching purple jumper?
I think my eyes are bleeding.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

alexiuss In reply to StormyPyro [2012-02-06 09:27:36 +0000 UTC]

it's a metaphor for: [link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 5

Kevlarflounder In reply to alexiuss [2012-02-08 00:11:12 +0000 UTC]

I now love you. Forever. Gotta love the Bordello

Have you also seen Everything Is Illuminated? Eugene Hutz stars as a main character in it.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

SpicerWild In reply to alexiuss [2012-02-06 13:26:29 +0000 UTC]

Purple is the doorway to wonderful insanity!! The world can now be understood

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Alara-Shade In reply to alexiuss [2012-02-06 11:46:09 +0000 UTC]

Totally reminded me of Commander Keen....

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

MalinSama In reply to alexiuss [2012-02-06 10:03:28 +0000 UTC]

HAHAHAHA, This is awesome! -proceeds to create art inspired by this particularly amazing video-

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

StormyPyro In reply to alexiuss [2012-02-06 09:30:10 +0000 UTC]

I think ... you just opened my eyes to the world.
I have to buy a purple jumper. Right. Now.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

BonkiHart In reply to ??? [2012-02-06 08:50:45 +0000 UTC]

thank you VERY MUCH!!!!

I'll try to memorize your advice
for my everyday life as an artist c:

👍: 0 ⏩: 0


<= Prev |