The 10 Commandments of Working with Illustration Clients

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!

1. 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.
2. 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 actually meet. Ask for as long as you can get. If as the deadline approaches you think you’re going to need more time, just ask! But never miss a deadline before first discussing it with your client.
3. Thou shalt have boundaries. Boundaries define your comfort zone, what is your home and what is outside of it. Boundaries give you a sense of who you are and what you do, and by extension, who you aren’t and what you don’t do. If you are a watercolour illustrator, don’t get yourself tangled up in a job that requires vector art (unless you really want to). You also need to know when you are open and closed. You don’t have to field calls, emails and texts through all hours of the day and night. You are allowed to have a 9–5 job, even if you wear your pyjamas all day and your boss has a fur coat and whiskers.
4. Thou shalt know thy job. While there are boundaries that define who you are and what you do (and what you want to do), there are also…