Agent or no agent. How to get work and what's your dayjob
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I'm not 100% sure on that, maybe some agents do but my agent didn't really give me feedback on my actual work, but he always told me what my portfolio was missing (e.g more fairytale scenes, different ethnicity etc), which was helpful as they understand the market and what is current and popular at the moment.
It would be great if some did, but in the meantime you've always got this forum and any other illustration forums you can find to get good feedback from
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@hannahmccaffery That's great and helpful. And yes, you are right
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Eventually, I found a studio that could hire me part-time, I would work from home and get about 10-15 hours a week of work from them. I took it, and then looked for more freelance work to fill in the rest of my schedule. I found some small commissions at first, then bigger ones. I continually improved my portfolio and kept sending it to publishers, companies and agents. After a couple months, I had enough work to start dropping the lower paying contracts. I got my first book deal. Then an agent I had emailed contacted me back and signed me. Just last week I received my first contract from the agency. I dropped that very first studio job I had because I no longer have time for it. I kind of fell into this freelance illustration thing and it worked out, and now I'm happier than ever! I'm so glad I didn't get a studio job when I so desperately wanted one...
It makes me so happy to hear stuff like this, because this is pretty much exactly how I'm hoping to transition into freelance. It's great to see success stories, and especially that you accomplished all that in 6 months. I'm terrified of failing as I try to get a foothold in the industry, but this forum really helps give me more confidence that everything might just work out!
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@cgordon I wish you the best of luck with your transition into freelance! It's absolutely possible and you can do it at your own rhythm
I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing it in 6 months hihi... it's quite stressful! But there's no such thing as "failing", if you even get one job in a year that's a success, you gain experience and practice your art and the next year you get more jobs A big success is always built on the back of small successes, and as long as you celebrate those and keep working towards the next small success you will eventually reach your goals Best of luck to you! -
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@irina said in Agent or no agent. How to get work and what's your dayjob:
Thank you muchly again. One more thing
Is it customary for agents to help you develop your work? Like offering constructive feedback or telling you what they find is a stregth in your work and what you need to develop? Is there any help with growth in that sense?
It´s not common for agents to do that. That´s what I understand from listening and talking to other artists as well as my own experience. They may point out illustration styles that sell well (my agent does - though mostly I don’t know what to make with the information), but will not offer feedback. Indeed, my agent is so careful to avoid expressing any comment on my work, that I almost think there is some taboo there....
