How you approach working with your clients will determine how much you enjoy and succeed as a freelance illustrator. Here are just some early thoughts on the topic. Not crazy about the “thou shalt” format, but it gives me something to work with for now. I’m workshopping this list, so please read with a grain of salt, and feel free to chime in with a comment!
- Thou shalt steer thy ship. That means you should always operate as an equal collaborator with, not a servant to, your client. Yes we serve our clients. But we should never operate from a place that undermines our creative authority.
- Thou shalt meet thy deadlines. Set deadlines that are reasonable, and then meet them. I get the sense that many illustrators early in their careers feel like they have to take on jobs with very unreasonable deadlines. While there are many clients who do expect overnight turnaround, you’d be surprised at how many illustration projects are out there that actually let you have a life. I made it a goal when starting out as a freelancer that I would never take on jobs with unreasonably short deadlines. My sweet spot has always been around 2 weeks from start to finish. Occasionally, I have taken on rush jobs, but it was always my choice and for clients I was super excited to work with. The important thing is that you want to set deadlines you can…
