(1/2) know a lot of advice boils down to 'do your research'--the thing is whenever I sit down to actually figure stuff out (finding clients and ADs, especially) I have no idea where to start. Googling "company + AD" has been less than helpful, and...
(Question continued) (2/2) I’m not even sure how to find the right companies in the first place. Are there databases or job boards that I’m missing out on? I’m just not sure where to start! Thanks so much for the help.
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Today is Google-Fu day on Dear AD, where I go thru the inbox and answer all the questions that are answerable with: Use your spy internet stalker skills. Aka learn to Google-Fu. I promise you the info you need is on the internet somewhere. Use your creative skills to come at it from different angles.
Ok, this is even more fun than the “how do I find that specific piece of info” kind of Google-Fu. This is brainstorming and running down cool wormholes and side-alleys.
What you need is a dream client list. First start by what kind of work you are making. Is it full illustrations, like used on book covers? Is it more like illustrations for game cards like Magic? Art more like what you’d find in Dungeons & Dragons books? Is it concept art for video games? Concept art for films? Comics? Figuring that out gives you an industry to aim at. (Note: if you don’t know the answer, then you haven’t made enough work yet, still move on to Step 2)
Next figure out who your present-day art idols are. First figure out whose work you really love, but then take it a step beyond just their portfolio. Who working today has the career you’re interested in? Look on their websites, read their “about” pages, look at the clients they’ve worked for. Research those companies. Look for interviews and podcasts by those artists, you’ll learn a lot about how they got to be where they are.
Then once you’ve pulled out a list of dream clients, look at some of the products hey’ve put out recently. Google for other artists who have been hired by them. Does your work feel like it could fit there? That’s one of your dream clients then! If it doesn’t fit, you could try making a portfolio piece that feels more in keeping with what they hire, or stick to your style and just keep looking for clients that are a closer fit. Or galleries, if you’re feeling more of a fine art career.
NOW once you have a list of potential companies and clients, use your Google-Fu to figure out the art directors and contacts there, and start promoting your work to them.
—Agent KillFee
