Dear AD’ I am currently in art school studying illustration and I keep hearing all the negative about the industry in regards to work. What I want to know is is ANYONE MAKING MONEY AS A FREELANCE ILLUSTRATOR. I am not shouting but this is how my question looks like in my brain. Am I just chasing something in the wind. Is there anyone making a sustainable living on going freelance. Can you provide me with a number in regards to how much income a successful illustration can make
LET ME ANSWER YOUR BURNING QUESTION FIRST:
Yes many people are making livings as freelance illustrators. I work with a ton of them. However, you must understand, a life of freelance (for any creative person, not just artists) is about hustling. Doing multiple streams of income at the same time. Marketing and social media and networking. Work doesn’t just come to you. Not everyone is cut out for that.
As far as price goes, the amount of money you can charge varies upon the size of the job, the size of the company hiring you, and your experience/skill/demand. In other words, a book cover has a different price if a self-published author is commissioning (usually $500-$1500), a small press ($1000-$2000) or a big house ($2000-$5000). Within those ranges the price is affected by how in demand you are as an artist, as well as how well we think the book is going to do. At the beginning of your career, you’re going to usually take smaller jobs to get experience and notice of the bigger companies. (If you’re really really good then you can skip right to the biggest companies, but most people take a little development time.)
And that’s just books. In industries like gaming there tend to be more set prices, like a Magic Card illustration was around $1000 last I heard, but smaller companies like Fantasy Flight are only $100-$300 each.Â
Successful freelance artists mix a few industries together. Maybe book covers + game cards + gallery work. Maybe editorial illustrations + concept art. Multiple streams protect you from changes in industries. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
P.S. Also, let me tell you a secret. Some art schools are very good at insisting their teachers are successful working professionals. But a lot of the most successful freelance artists are so successful they don’t have time to teach. So there are a portion of teachers in any art school who teach because freelancing was too hard for them. Whether they mean to or not, they pass that fear on to their students. So remember to take what you hear in school with a grain of salt. Go find your heroes who are out there making a living. See what they’re doing, and saying (everyone is on podcasts these days). Do that.Â
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