Here's a tricky question I've been asked a few times.

"What's the best advice you have for an illustrator?"

Don't get me wrong; I've always liked talking about the business side of making art. The problem with this particular question is that it's too vague. There are so many directions the answer could go. I could discuss reaching out to art directors, developing a style, or building a portfolio. There's no single nugget of wisdom that I (or any other artist) could give that would magically kickstart an illustration career.

(I do happen to have a class for that. More on that later.)

See, I never went to school for illustration. I didn't know that you could do that. I knew that I wanted to make children's books, greeting cards, and other stuff with drawings, but I didn't realize it was a way to make a living. I had to figure out a lot to make it my career, so I have a lot to say.

Here's an easier question for me to answer.

"What's the WORST advice you have for an illustrator?"

Unsurprisingly, no one has ever asked me this. Regardless, here's my answer. This is something that I actually heard an artist say when asked about finding illustration clients:

"Just keep making art. Eventually, people will find you."

Yikes. This is terrible advice.

Unfortunately, I believed this for a long time when I was starting as an artist. And sadly, this is what a lot of illustrators still think.

Making art is only one part of making a living as an artist, and yet it's nearly 100% of what our education and training tend to focus on. Yes, learning HOW to draw is important, but it's equally important to understand WHY we are making art and what to do with it once it's made.

In school, I only had one class that dealt with self-promotion and the business of art. ONE. (None were offered in my Grad School program.) 

Later, I learned:

1. People need to see your work to know it exists. I don't mean followers on social media. You need to get your work in the hands of the Art Directors who hire illustrators for their projects. 
2. It's equally important to make work that Art Directors are looking for. I don't mean stylistically; I mean making work that they can actually use. 

Once I started promoting my work in a thoughtful, strategic way and included projects that showed off my ability to solve problems, I started to get illustration assignments.

Do you a question about the world of illustration that you would like me to tackle in the newsletter (or a question that I can artfully not answer like today!) send it over.

Thanks for reading!

GETTING PAID TO DRAW (sneak peek!)

In two weeks, my Illustration masterclass, Getting Paid to Draw, starts enrollment. It's an eight-week deep-dive into finding your style, building a portfolio full of work that Art Directors are looking for, and how to connect with new clients.

It's a step-by-step-guide to freelance illustration. At the end of the course, you'll have at least THREE finished projects ready submit to potential clients and know precisely how to reach out to them. Plus, there's a community center where you can post your work and get inspired by other students in the class.

Check out this review from last year:

"I would absolutely recommend this course...Honestly, this class was the best investment I could've made in myself and my illustration career."

- Chris E.

Registration for the course starts on Feb 28th, but you can get a sneak peek right now.

Getting Paid to Draw

Links not working? Just go to www.GettingPaidtoDraw.com