Working as a Professional Notes

By now I am starting to see the areas of illustration I want to be a part of and I am making decisions about how I want to work. Most illustrators end up working as a freelancer and this is the route I intent to go down too. 

Working for yourself - keep it simple.

• What do I need?
• Record everything including spending and contact. 
• Plan and manage. 
• Copyright everything I do. 
• Don't take any crap from anybody. 

Clients - external sources of work, networking, linked, think closer to home too like family and friends. 

Where to work from? Choose a base or whether you even need one dependent on your practice. 

Connectivity - it is possible to use your home address but you might want a separate business address. Will you have a landline contact number or just a mobile. How can people contact you via the internet?

Recording - someone is bound to cause you problems so you will always need a record to refer back to. 

Never start anything until you have an agreement to go ahead with something!

Give an estimate rather than a quote. Consider your outcosts, travel time, working time and how much everything costs. Always keep the receipts!

Ask for an upfront payment or a deposit (30% - 50%) with the final payment on completion of project. 

Laying down your terms:

What was required or agreed. 

My intended plan. 

Total estimated costs. 

When the project will end. 

How will I be paid and when.

Extras will be agreed before I undertake them. 

Copyright terms.

Use a friendly tone in this email and make sure they agree. The email will be date and time stamped. 

PLAN - try to plan projects and allow room for emergencies or unexpected things cropping up. 

Everything is yours until you get paid! This must be made clear in agreement email that copyright will be assigned or licensed when payment is complete. 

Ask for a purchase order number from larger companies.