Reading 7: Working as an Illustrator
Single Cycle of Work
- Prospecting
- Communicating with potential clients
- Getting a commission
- Review commission, legal rights, etc. and submit quote and set up schedule
- Negotiate counter-demands, get job number and purchase order number
- Generate roughs
- Deliver and discuss
- Generate final artwork
- Deliver on time and in proper format
- Submit invoice
- Track payment, possibly chasing up late ones
- Receive final payment and record it for tax purposes
Your Business Plan
- Executive summary
- Tackle last: outline of entire business plan in an engaging way
- Description of business opportunity
- What your business does
- Overview
- Start date and progress so far
- Business type and sector
- Future vission
- Legal structure
- Copyright: retain this
- License: usage rights and surrounding parameters
- Press
- Web
- Consumer Magizines
- Trade Press
- Outdoor
- Direct mail
- Point-of-sale
- Collateral
- Buyout
- Moral right: your rights as the illustration's creator
- Key provisos: reiterates the above
- Products and Services: important questions to address
- Marketing and sales strategy
- Your market and competitors:
- Your market
- Your target customer
- You competitors
- Anticipated changes in the market
- Marketing and sales
- Positioning your product plan
- Customers
- Pricing policy
- Promoting
- Website
- Physical portfolio
- Promotional material
- Illustration annuals
- Selling
- Phone calls
- Post
- Face-to-Face
- Exhibitions
- Management team and personnel
- Pros of having an agent
- Established client base
- Up-to-date mailing list
- Secures contracts
- Promotes work
- Buffer zone from clients
- Demand higher fees for commissioned work
- Represents stability and generates a strong group identity
- Additional promotional oppurtunities
- Handles paperwork
- Experience in national/international markets
- Cons of having and agent
- Comes at a price: usually 25-30%
- Contractual agreement
- Doesn't (and shouldn't) do everything for you
- Operations
- Location
- Pros of a home studio
- no added expenses
- no comute
- no limits on when/how you work
- no unwanted interuptions
- no studio politics
- Cons of a home studio
- no home/work seperation
- no variety to the work day
- possible motivation/self-discipline problems
- no company
- Pros of a shared studio
- an "up" and focused environment
- on-tap peer advice
- networking oppurtunities
- after-work social life oppurtunties
- Cons of a shared studio
- additional expense
- potential distractions
- a comute
- limits to how/when you work
- Illustrative collectives are also possible
- Necessary technology
- internet access with a good email
- computer, laptop, or stand-alone
- scanner
- color printer
- software
- Microsoft Office
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- Flash
- Dreamweaver
- InDesign
- Financial forecasts
- 3-5 years estimate
- Cash-flow statements
- Profit and loss forecast
- Sales forecast
- Risk analysis
Final Advice
- Don't work for free
- Don't be afraid to negotiate
- Conduct yourself professionally at your graduation show
- Be tenacious
- Be prepared to stick up for yourself
- Be wary pf clients changing your work
- Be efficient
- Be positive
- Be versatile
