Study Task 7

Camille Chew replied also

 Hi Jenny,

Here are my answers,

1.What inspires all your work?

This is a very broad question since pretty much everything I encounter in my life has the potential to give some inspiration. But some things I always find inspiring are witchcraft and the occult, mythology, street fashion, interior design (for color and pattern inspiration), and of course the artwork of fellow artists.

2.How have you found working freelance? What have you found are the biggest challenges? Have you needed to have other employment alongside this?

I really enjoy working freelance, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some great clients on projects that I really love. The biggest challenge for me is time management. As a freelancer I’m my own boss and have to figure out how to schedule my time between client work, gallery work, and personal work. In addition to actually making all this art I also have to deal with the business side of things; emails, invoices, contracts, etc. all of which I wasn’t taught about in art school and had to figure out along the way.

I had the privilege of living with my parents and having them support me after I graduated, so I did not need other employment as I worked towards freelancing full time. This is certainly not the case for everyone, and if not I would encourage getting a full or part time job, whether it’s art related or not, while you work towards a freelance career. Currently about half my income is from freelance work and half is from my online shops.

3.How did you start getting commissions or getting your name out there within the illustration/art world ? How would you suggest I go about making contacts?

I first started getting commissions after gaining a following on tumblr. Nowadays all my clients find me through social media (Instagram and tumblr are where I’m most active), my online shops, and other places online where my work has been featured. To get your name out there I would very much suggest you take advantage of social media—it’s free and it’s where tons of art directors, clients, and potential customers are looking. Focus on one or two platforms, have a separate professional account that is specifically for sharing your art (of course some personal posts to let your audience get to know you are good too), post as regularly as possible (I aim for once a day when I have new work to show), follow and engage with fellow artists to build community and make contacts in the industry. Attending conventions and participating in group gallery shows are also ways gain an audience and start making contacts.

4.Do you think it’s important to find a niche and have particular style or be more versatile? What makes a strong portfolio?

If you’re working inhouse being more versatile may be beneficial (I don’t have personal experience in this though). If you’re freelancing I’d say it’s better to have a distinct style, that’s what will set you apart from other artists and give clients a clear idea of what to expect from you. But don’t get too caught up in “trying to find your style,” which is something I think a lot of young/beginning artists worry too much about. An artist’s style is something that develops over time through just making tons of art. There’s no need to force a style or impose one on yourself, If you feel like you haven’t found your niche just keep experimenting and making more art. And you should never feel limited by your style, it’s something that will always be evolving and growing.

A strong portfolio is about quality more than quantity, include only your best work and regularly go through to add new work and get rid of work that is no longer relevant/doesn’t show your current skill level. You should put only the kind of work you want to be hired to make into your portfolio. A strong portfolio site will be easy to navigate, cleanly display your work, have links to social media, and have your professional email address easy to find for clients.

5.I know you make and sell a lot of your own work. Do you prefer working like this as you can have more free reign? Or do you prefer working on a project like the Basic Witches book and working with others?

I like having the balance of both. Client projects give me the opportunity to collaborate and work with others, often resulting in final artworks that I wouldn’t have come up with on my own. It also lets me work on a scale that I can’t on my own, like having my work published in Basic Witches and sold in bookstores across the country. Personal work is great because I only have myself to please, it allows me to explore the things I’m really interested in, and to experiment and play. Most often it’s my personal work that draws in clients. It’s important to take time for personal work as it helps you grow as an artist, and it’s a reminder to yourself that art isn’t just work, it can be fun too. Any personal work you make can also be monetized by selling or licensing it.

6.How was working after education and what tips would you have for me as an illustration student graduating next year?

The biggest change after leaving school is that you no longer have anyone telling you what to do, no one giving you assignments and no one making sure all your work is done on time. Freelancing takes a LOT of self-motivation and self-discipline, these are important skills that you should cultivate as you’ll need to be able to initiate and complete projects all on your own.

My tips for you as a student pursuing illustration are to:

• Utilize social media to connect with potential clients and customers, as well as fellow artists. (You're off to a great start with this on your IG account!)
• Try selling your work. This can be through conventions, local craft shows, online storefronts like Etsy or Big Cartel, or print-on-demand shops like Society6, Redbubble, etc. (POD sites can be a great way to earn a passive income, once a design is uploaded they take care of everything else. If you gain some popularity this has the potential to become a fairly steady stream of monthly income, which is nice with the unpredictability of freelance). I’ve also had several clients find me through my online shops.
• Find a way to support yourself while pursuing your illustration career, whether that’s living at home, getting a part or full time job, and/or creating passive streams of income.
• Fill your portfolio with the kind of work you want to be hired to do. Think of your dream projects and give them to yourself as assignments.
• Seek out resources on the business side of being an illustrator and educate yourself (invoices, pricing, contracts, taxes, etc.).
• The blog dearartdirector.tumblr.com has a lot of good information on having a career as an artist.
• And most importantly, keep making art! I began my career by just drawing constantly and posting it online. Creating consistently is what will improve your skills, get your name out in the illustration/art world, and help you start your career.

Hopefully this has been helpful!

Wishing you the best of luck in your studies and in your illustration career!

Camille :)