11 Questions to Ask Your Art Director
Art by Jake Parker
Client and art director relationships are a key part of your career as an illustrator. But how do you navigate those if you’ve never done it before? Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry break down key questions to ask to ensure you deliver like the professional you are.
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SHOW LINKS
3PP Episode 31: Pricing Your Work
Self-Publishing Pro
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Workshops are a great way to continue your artistic growth. Take workshops from artists whose work you admire. These are great environments to network with other artists and workshop coordinators!
You have a two-way relationship with your art director. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get serious clarity about what they want. The more questions you ask, the better work you’ll make, and the more professional you’ll be.
It takes great people skills to have a thriving illustration career. Become friends with art directors, ask questions, and practice charisma and networking. The easier it is for art directors to connect with you as a person, the more they’ll want to hire you as an artist.
People skills can be learned, just like art skills are: with practice, consistency, and time.
STARTING A NEW CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
When you land your first clients as a new illustrator, you might feel unsure how to proceed. The following questions will clarify your project goals, foster relationships with clients and art directors, and help you act and feel more professional and confident. We still use many of these questions, even as professionals with years of experience!
11 Questions to Ask New Clients/Art Directors:
How did you find me?
Which 1-3 pieces of mine do you like most? (This will inform how you approach the new project.)
Can you verify your contact information? (Emails with sketches and important updates can get lost without this step!)
What parts of this story/project would you like me to emphasize? (Read through the assignment thoroughly beforehand and ask as many clarifying questions as you can. Send loose sketches or even photographs that give your client an idea of the concept you envision so they can accept or correct it.)
Is there a template you want me to use? (Find out if you can move text around the page, how much bleed they need around the images, and what file format and color profile they want.)
What is the deadline for this project? What is the deadline for these sketches? (Always turn in your work 1-2 days early for extra professionalism.)
What is your budget?
To an art director: I’m new to this; do you have any suggestions for me?
To an art director: Do you have any art director friends I could contact for future work?
To an art director: Would you keep me on your list to work with you again?
To an art director: Can I send you some work from time to time?
And that’s it! You’re on your way to professional client and art director relationships. It might feel scary at first, but remember that they like your work enough to hire you, and you can learn people skills just like you learned illustration. You can do this!
LINKS
Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44
Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt
Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo
Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.
Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com
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