Art by Braden Hallett
Oftentimes there is a very romanticized picture in people’s heads of what it’s like to be an illustrator, and it really can be so fun and rewarding; however, being an illustrator also has its drawbacks. In this episode we go over some of the difficulties that come with being an illustrator and also share some solutions that we have discovered along the way to overcome them.
SVS Forum: We’d love to hear how you are solving some of these problems in our forum.
Working at home/isolation.
If you work at home create signals for your brain to signify when you are done working and it’s time to “go home”.
Find time to connect with other artists, like a draw lunch. Go and have fun sketching somewhere on your own, Skype different artists and just work and be able to talk and ask each other questions. Find a balance. You’ve got to be doing the work.
Non Ideal Jobs:
Have your own personal side projects.
Infrequent Paychecks:
Always keep a reserve, 6-9 months. Try to have a year’s worth of money saved up.
Everything that comes in isn’t yours to spend, you need to allot 30% of income for expenses and taxes.
Any illustration job is a bonus. Try to develop passive or base income: side job, online shop, Amazon affiliated links, self published projects, etc.
Are you going to focus on what’s urgent or what’s important? Push back on some urgent things and make time for the important things.
Health Insurance for Freelancers:
You may be able to get subsidies depending on your income.
Life Balance:
Family life, physical health, etc. Discipline yourself so that you have time to exercise, take time off, etc. Be wise, have a plan, work smart. Sometimes it takes being rigid with your schedule and creating a deliberate schedule.
Make a daily to do list. Write down how long you spend doing everything. This all helps you be accountable and understand yourself better.
Work first, play later.
LINKS
Svslearn.comJake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44
Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt
Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo
Alex Sugg: alexsugg.com
Tanner Garlick: tannergarlickart.com. Instagram: @tannergarlick
Aaron Painter: painterdraws.com. Instagram: @painterdraws
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If you want to join in on this discussion log onto forum.svslearn.com, there is a forum for this episode you can comment on.