Art from Jake Parker’s Protip Video — available on Patreon
Can I succeed as a jack-of-all-trades? In this episode, Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry address finding your niche, the difference between pros and hobbyists, how to organize your business, and more!
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SHOW LINKS
3 Point Perspective Patreon
Ep. 87: Watch Out for These Art Scams!
ClickUp
Deep Questions podcast by Cal Newport
Lee’s arm device
KEY TAKEAWAYS
There’s no shame in being a hobbyist if it brings you more joy than full-time illustrating.
To turn pro, you need to know what makes your work stand out from the crowd. Discover what sets you apart, and capitalize on it!
If you’ve hit a wall creatively or you’re not getting work, invest time (and money) into art education. Take an online class or reach out to artists and ask for lessons or critiques. Never stop growing!
QUESTIONS
Kevin asks: “Could you give tips on what artists should look for to avoid scams, and how to check that a new client is legitimate?"
Watch out for any non-standard behavior; offers to pay for a job in full before it’s complete, requests for money or refunds, and Gmail addresses instead of professional accounts are a few red flags. It’s standard practice for clients to slow-pay, and once you’ve received that money, it’s yours. If you’ve been paid for a project and the client cancels it, retain the money as credit toward another project with them. This prevents you from falling prey to any bouncing checks scams.
Before working with an unfamiliar client, see what you can find about them on Google and LinkedIn. If you can find other people they’ve worked with in the past, even better.
For more, check out our conversation about scams in episode 89.
Marla asks: “How do you keep track of everything? I'm struggling to stay organized, whether it's expenses, deadlines, or payments from clients.”
Free project management platforms like ClickUp, Trello, or Asana (Lee likes ClickUp) are amazing for tracking tasks, due dates, invoice status, and more. If you prefer analog, utilize a paper calendar and a notebook.
Time blocking is super helpful for creative entrepreneurs. Dedicate certain days, or chunks of the day, to specific types of tasks. E.g., Mondays through Wednesdays are for art, Thursdays and Fridays are for admin; or, mornings are for creative work, afternoons are for business, and evenings are for family. Find a pattern that’s practical and sustainable for you and enjoy knowing you have dedicated time for every type of work on your plate.
Marc says, “I just turned 42 and I want to make a living with my artwork. I’ve been sending portfolio pieces to potential clients for 3-4 years and haven’t received any jobs this way. I struggle to see where my work belongs.”
In this specific case, we recommend more art education. Your work is good, but you need to discover what makes it different or better than others’- why potential clients should choose you over everyone else.
The first step is to master your craft. Decide what precisely you want to pursue (i.e., caricatures or book covers), and find the top artists in that niche. Compare your best work to theirs and see what they do differently from you. What could you incorporate into your own work?
Set aside a budget for your continuing education. Reach out to artists and ask for lessons or a portfolio review. See if any of the top artists you found teach online classes.
Rebuild your portfolio with the type of work you’d like to be hired to make. Focus on telling a story with each image. Prospective clients want to see that your work is current, so consider creating caricatures of people popular now, like TikTok or Instagram stars.
Scott asks, “I have been doing art since high school, and after 20 years I have found myself questioning what kind of artist I am. I’ve dabbled in comic books, digital drawing, painting, and more. The question is, is this okay? I have heard that you should choose a path or a specific style that you enjoy and want to pursue, but I have trouble being the ‘mechanic’ when I am happy being the ‘handyman’ of art.”
It’s completely okay to experiment with many art forms! The question you have to ask yourself is, “Is this a career or a hobby?” As a hobbyist, you’re free to explore any style, any medium, at any time. As a career illustrator, you can still dabble behind the scenes, but client-facing work (on your website and social media) needs to be cohesive.
Another question to ask yourself is, “Do I make art because I love creating, or because I love solving problems?” Illustration is all about solving problems for clients, making images that tell their stories. If you don’t have the desire to provide those solutions, or you’d rather make whatever work you feel like in the moment, you’re better off as a hobbyist.
Note that neither choice is better than the other; the best path is the one that matches your temperament, skills, and desires. Make the choice that provides you joy in creating, whether that’s for clients, for art fairs, or for yourself.
LINKS
Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44
Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt
Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo
Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.
Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com
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