Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Secret Life of a Freelance Illustrator


I find it interesting that most people don't know much about freelance illustration. I think most people assume you have to be crazy to be a freelancer - they're probably right. Interestingly enough back when I had my highest earning years back in the late 90's my wife would get comments from women at the park like: "Has your husband found a job yet?" or "It must be hard being married to an artist". My wife would say, "you have no idea!" I think she enjoyed messing with them.

Back then being a freelancer was a much easier feat than it is today. I've talked at length about the current state of freelance illustration on some of my youtube videos- you can watch them here. Today the freelance markets are fractured and constantly evolving. I know illustrators who are now bankers. I know editors who are teaching school among other jobs. I know editors who are trying to become illustrators. I know illustrators who are now graphic designers. I even know art directors who have been laid off and re-hired by the same companies to freelance graphic design. I know art directors and editors who have lost their jobs to down sizing and are still looking for their next job.

The world has probably changed more in the past 10 years than it ever has. That probably sounds naive and over-reaching but can you imagine any other technology that has changed the world in such a short time as the internet? Remember the last time your internet when out and you sat in fetal position sucking your thumb waiting for the horror to end? We can't do anything without it!

But I digress. Let me divulge some of my secret activities! Sometimes I don't get dressed until the afternoon. I've skyped without pants- maybe with you! - but I promise, not with your daughter. I go shopping on weekdays while the world is at work. I work longer and harder than most people with a job. I can't remember the last week that I put in less than 70 hours sometimes over 90 - BUT - they were the funnest hours I could imagine putting in. Most days I wake up pinching myself that I get to do this. It wasn't always like this however. It took me about 15 years to learn that my life is so much better off when I say no to bad freelance jobs. What are bad freelance jobs? The kind that have you cringing when you wake up. I can't tell you what they are because your bad jobs will be different than mine.

I've wished I could stand around the water cooler and catch up on the latest chatter. I used to get really lonely painting all day and got hooked on General Hospital for about a year back in 1993. I've called other illustrators randomly from the old directories just to strike up conversations. I worked on Christmas day once because the client had to have it two days after or they were going to go with someone else. I was paid $13,000 for that Sprint job. It took me about a week to complete. I could do it now digitally in a few days and enjoy Christmas with my family. And I once earned $20,000 for a phone call (remind me to go into detail on this one on another blog post).

I've learned to spend less than I make. This is probably one of the most important skills you can learn. Stress is a killer...no really...STRESS WILL KILL YOU. I've had about 3 really stressful times.

1) Back when I was stupid I got down to about $800 in my account for the entire month and I didn't have any assignments! I was so nervous I made a few calls to art directors I had worked for in the past. A few of them gave me work and then of course I got a deluge of assignments the week after.

2) Back when I was really really stupid - we were spending more than we were making because we were making lots of money. It was right after a year where I turned down over $70,000 worth of freelance work because my plate was already too full in 1998.Yep - we spent all the money in our account and couldn't get paid from any of my outstanding accounts for about 3 weeks. (Please don't think I'm seeking any sympathy - in fact you should leave a comment with your best synonym for dumb ass)...Luckily I had been saving quarters, nickels, and dimes in a jar. I got that puppy down off the shelf and counted out $90. Later that day I had my car filled up and groceries in the fridge. I Kept checking the mailbox but each day there were NO checks. We stopped driving unless it was absolutely necessary. Did I mention that our two credit cards were maxed? The following week when the fridge was empty I went for the back up plan - the penny jar! SHOOWEE - $20 later and I was back with groceries again - amazing how far you can stretch your last $20 bucks. Eventually we got paid - crazy thing was that I was owed about $28,000 in outstanding checks but this is the lesson: Don't spend it until it's in your account and even then - DON"T SPEND IT!

3) Back when I was Ultra Mega Stupid - we got in over our heads again. (notice a pattern here? some of us have to learn the same lessons over and over) I had about a year when we were going through a really really dry spell for freelance - this was also a transitionary time -it's a long story - but basically I had to learn all over again how important it is to save money. We survived! We downsized. We learned what we needed to have to be happy and what we could live without.

The good news is that in the past 5 years I've had more money than I did when I was earning much more. We wasted so much money back then. Now I keep enough money in the bank to pay all of our bills for about 9 months. This is enough time to really make drastic changes if things aren't working out.

So there you go - the secret life of a freelancer isn't so secret anymore - it's the best job I've NEVER had.

I painted the image above a few months back for National Geographic Learning. It was one of about 8 paintings I completed for an educational project they had for ESL students. I was given the assignment from Cynthia Currie - an art director I hadn't heard from in about a decade. It was really neat to get a job from her again - I hope she reads my blog so she can see how exciting it was - hint hint! :)


24 comments:

  1. You're a good writer too, besides being a fantastic artist! This was interesting and inspiring, and very enjoyable this morning. Do any of your books or videos talk about the process of approaching publishers, and how to submit and get noticed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Katherine! No - but it would make a good video - I've actually had it on my list for a while so maybe I need to make it next! Thank you!

      Delete
  2. Living below your means = FREEDOM

    You can't put a price on freedom.
    My wife and I were looking at buying a house. To our amazement a large majority of our friends said, "don't do it - don't be fools". They envy us because we have freedom. We lust after their granite counter tops and spacious homes...they lust after our ability to pick up and go anywhere anytime we want.

    Great post!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES! FREEEEEDOM! - I really had to learn the hard way...I had been warned - rewarned and warned again and again - but I had to touch the flame :( ...and yes - I admire the freedom way more than the granite counters!

      Delete
  3. Will, you article is so true. When there is no work it sucks! and when the checks come in a reason to celebrate. It's a crazy world out there and freelancing is just so nerve racking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's been less nerve racking the more I've gotten involved in more of my own projects ironically - I think I've been able to smooth out the ups and downs.

      Delete
  4. So true, Rob! I miss my big house but love my freedom. My hubby and I live with his dad and I work where I live and love it! Will, it is amazing how much money you can live on when you have too. I was looking at my old pay checks from the big corporate company I worked for and yes, I would love to make that money again but I live on so much less now and I am afraid if I made that kind of money I would slid into that old pattern again, I hope not! Keep going and writing. Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hear you Susan - doesn't it feel good to reset and understand that you can be just as happy with less?

      Delete
  5. I do think writing makes a difference in how well an artist does financially. Besides being a good artist, you're a good writer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Theresa! I really appreciate that! I would have never thought I would ever receive compliments on my writing - if you only knew how bad I was post college! My wife helped me learn to write with lots of practice.

      Delete
  6. Heh. Learning that lesson now. I hit a dry spell soon out of the gates after the freelance job I got right out of college finished up. But, I am not letting it get me as I have learned so much in the past few months, some lessons and such coming from you, Will Terry. Upside for me, my parents don't mind me sticking around while I get myself to the point I can get on my feet, but I am not taking to keeping to the roost without learning what I can from those around me. My father used to work as a boiler maker in a union, hence he was the mechanic version of a freelancer and I have talked to him to learn the lesson of savings and other useful tips. Also, I been raised by the garage sale generation of Baby Boomers and my mother only realized I am one of the Generation X who will follow in the footsteps of stoestringing with seeing I was having a panic attack seeing she was paying for $60 bucks for my sister's(twin still in college) shoes when I got a pair for $20 at Kohl's a bit back. As well as figured out which of the many ways to make a savings work for me... Though, my recommendation to you Will Terry is to not have all your savings in the bank or in the saying "Don't have your eggs in one basket." goes which you probably know from freelancing. Even though you might think it is safe there, FDIC insurance does not cover all the trillions of dollars in all the banks accounts in the USA that is within it's rules and in the law the government can "bail-in" entities by giving depositors a hair cut from their savings like they did in Cyprus, Greece last year. Seriously, it is in the law to do that and that goes the same for Canadians as they added it the same time to their rules like the USA. Before you have another stupid moment with thinking this would never happen in America, look at the interest you are earning in the bank and what fees they are having you pay. Other than using the bank as a means of exchange, it's more productive to buy a safe and keep your savings in it while keeping enough in the back to pay bills and such. Also, with how much banks have become electronic, you might not even be able to get your money out if the power goes out even if a bail in does not happen. Seen enough panic from "rural newbies" who live in the rural side and in the city nearby with thinking they have to buy all they can expecting their debit cards and credit cards will not work when a seemingly big storm(be it ice storm or hurricane)through to understand a lot of people don't think they can survive without electricity for a few days. I might be 22, but I don't have a panic attack when the power goes out(unless working on a job and I make sure the client knows just in case if the situation looks likely). In fact, I just switch to either cleaning up a bit, switch to working on something in traditional media, talking on the phone(still got landlines) or even read a book or knit. But, then again, power goes out often here to where we make jokes as to how old and flimsy the power grid is to the point some businesses have back-up generators to make sure they are still running.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mandy, I mentioned that I have my money in the bank but it was a generalization. It's tucked away in multiple places because like you I fear what could happen if it was all in one bank. Thank you and make sure you appreciate the ability to live with the folks - I did that for quite a while when I was starting out and it was so helpful!

      Delete
    2. Your welcome and thanks for clearing that up. I have seen it happen to too many people with having their money in one account and even doing some of your mistakes, ending up with a big price tag. And that's without the bigger problems to worry about these days. Though, your well positioned with your personal projects as a lot of artists will jump onto the band wagon for Folio Academy and SVS with the college bubble showing signs of popping. I managed to get out with just a small loan and if I do get some really good freelance gigs, plan to try and wipe it out. Freedom is also being debt free along with living within your means. Though, I am grateful to my parents. They been letting me crash at home during college and don't mind me staying longer. They rather I learn the lesson above slowly and with the least pain than the hard way they learned. We have some family who seem they can't get that lesson your preaching in their heads which contributes to "lesson learned" mostly for me through indirect means. Those "stupid mistakes" can sometimes effect more than just the person who makes them as my family has learned. I'm already half way to my first cushion goal of a thousand for an emergency fund.

      Though, took a little bit out and added it to my refund check to make a big purchase of sometime neat. I will try my hand at a review of my purchase on my blog I started in March and link it to Facebook since this relates to my "^I shall join you in a raid party to Craig's list, Ebay, and Amazon for such a deal." comment after you posted that you knew a guy who snagged a Cintiq in awesome condition for $500 off Craigslist on your Cintiq love affair Facebook post. Should be in by the end of the week, though UPS has shown it can be an overachiever out here and I hope they are like this with my packages as I can't wait to get it along with Manga Studio 5 and my brush cleaner I ordered along with it.

      Delete
  7. You are so freaking awesome! As of October of this year we will have paid off over $56,000 of "stupidity" (refer to your #2)....but being a "weeee" bit older than you, I have learned my lesson and no, it won't be repeated again (that was the 3rd time I had to learn it and the third time's a charm!) We are working on saving up as well and you are so right....DON'T FREAKING SPEND IT! You don't need the latest and greatest new gadget! Oh and about that stress thing? A month ago on March 3 I landed in the ER for stress induced vertigo...yeah, yippy skippy. I'm a super health nut and the stress of the "day job" finally got me. So one month later...much more relaxed...major changes in priorities and a focus on getting to summer so that my "teacher brain" can recharge and my freelance work that is on the waiting list can commence! Great write-up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww - thank you! I congratulate you on your debt pay off! Awesome! Funny how we know this stuff early on but we get a case of the "I wants" and it's downhill from there.

      Delete
  8. Will! Thank you for sharing the hard lessons you have learned and re-learned about living below your means and making it as a freelance artist. I love reading your blogs and your insight into the world of children's book illustrations. It's inspired me to possibly pursue it as a part time endeavor in the future, but for now I'm just happy to be drawing and painting again. :) But this leads me to my question for you, do you think doing children's book illustration as a part time side gig is feasible? Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carlos, I think it's so competitive that if you're not ALL in you probably won't get noticed...that's not to say it's impossible - if your work is exactly what editors are looking for and you get it in front of them you could possibly work on it part time - but to get there will probably require more of a full time effort.

      Delete
  9. I really appreciate your honesty in this blog. Right now I'm just beginning my career, taking almost any client I can get. I've turned down a few, but I've still taken on some that make me cringe in the morning. But it's nice when the checks show up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We all do - I think you just get better at knowing which ones to turn down...and what projects you can even start up on your own that can bring in money.

      Delete
  10. I can't thank you enough for how open you are about life and illustrating. Your sharing has been a blessing for me and so many people.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for sharing your experiences! Of course the overall point of not spending more than you bring in rings true outside of the world of freelance. After 5 years of college, I'll be all done in a couple of weeks. I don't plan on freelancing, rather I'll be looking to obtain a studio job in the animation industry...but I really do love illustrating and hope to one day illustrate a children's book, ideally one entirely of my own creation, story and all.

    Anyway, I'll have nearly $30,000 in student loans to pay off, so that alone will take up a near $300 a month on my end. It really is hard to break away from any "I want" stages, though. For instance, I really desire to live by myself. After 5 years of having roommates I'm at a point where I just want to live alone. Yet, simply having roommates can save a few hundred bucks a month. Be that as it may, when I have to move out in a couple months I will seek a place just for myself, and see how things go from there. If it does turn into a situation where my expenses are exceeding my income I will definitely have to reevaluate my situation and alter it so I don't get in too deep. Can't really tell what the future holds until its already arrived!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Speak on! Wonderful inspiring read for the people out their that try to cut their own cloth! Thanks for sharing…My family thinks I am crazy because I will not settle for a typical 9 to 5;) Literally, I am just bouncing back from a relapse! But I will not quit with this fascination of mine to create art for a living!

    ReplyDelete

Feel free...