Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer [Paperback]

Michael Fleishman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2001

More than ever, artists face questions such as how to get started, how to sell their work, how to promote themselves, and what to do once they are working. Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer is the book that will answer all those questions, and more!

Technology has sent shockwaves of change through the world of commercial art. Digital illustration and design, online portfolio sites, and the proliferation of stock art have radically changed the way that illustrators and graphic designers work. What has not changed, however, is the wealth of illustrators and graphic designers hoping to turn their talent into freelance success. For those embarking on freelance careers in illustration or graphic design, the answers have arrived. A twenty-five year veteran in the field, Michael Fleishman, has detailed every business aspect of commercial art in Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer. 50 B&W Illustrations

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A great deal of information obtained only by the ‘live and learn’ method is packed into the book’s chapters.” -- The Artist’s Magazine

“Quick and easy to read, full of examples of humorous illustrations.” -- How Magazine

From the Publisher

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer shows readers how to find jobs and analyze what markets are right for them. Entire chapters are devoted to explaining the nuances of selling one's work to magazines, newspapers, ad agencies, book publishers, greeting card companies, small businesses, Web sites, and more. Freelance illustrators and graphic designers will find the author's Ten Commandments of Freelancing as well professional viewpoints from dozens of industry veterans.

This indispensable guide also details: •preparing a portfolio •making initial contacts •developing a financial plan •acquiring supplies and equipment •pricing one's work •marketing and self-promotion •Internet tools for illustrators and graphic designers

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; 1 edition (December 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581151993
• ISBN-13: 978-1581151992
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers > Vocational Guidance

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great little guide for the wanta-be entrepreneur who doesn't have a mentor to help them go from W-2 worker to self-employed!, April 29, 2007

By 

Jeff Lippincott "JLIPPIN" (Princeton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer (Paperback)

I really liked this book a lot. It was a very good first-hand book written by a small business owner about his experiences starting, managing, and prospering as a freelance illustrator and/or graphic designer. His writing style was not exactly stellar. But it certainly was clear. The 20 chapters included in the book fell into the following 4 topics:

1. STARTING THE FIRM
>>Where Do You Start?
>>Off on the Right Foot
>>Creating a Plan for Your Business
>>Developing Your Financial Plans
>>Forms, Charts & Templates
>>Pricing Your Work and Getting Paid

2. MANAGING THE FIRM
>>Why Should You Freelance?
>>Setting Up Shop
>>Managing Your New Studio

3. RAINMAKING FOR THE FIRM
>>Bring in Clients
>>How to Get Noticed
>>What Goes in the Portfolio
>>Marketing on the Web

4. POSSIBLE MARKETS
>>The Magazine Market
>>Selling to the Newspapers
>>Working with Advertising Agencies
>>Selling to Book Publishers
>>The Greeting Card Market
>>Working with Art and Design Studios
>>Selling to Small Business

Since I am not an illustrator or a graphic designer I did not have much use for the fourth topic. But it was interesting to read about. I regularly counsel wanta-be entrepreneurs about how to start a small business; I'm a volunteer SCORE counselor. And the material covered in the first three topics above are exactly what I talk about with my SCORE clients. I highly recommend this book to anybody wanting to start their own small consulting practice. It does a wonderful job discussing the topics.

My biggest complaint with the book is the tendency of the author to recommend outsourcing so many functions: accounting, taxes, and Web site design and construction. I think these things should be fully understood by the small business owner and probably done by the owner herself. When the business grows to have a few employees, then the employees can do those tasks if the owner wants to do that.

I would have written the section on choice of business structure differently. Keep in mind that LLCs can be either single member or multi member. An LLC can elect to be taxed as a sole proprietorship (single member), a partnership (multi member), or a C Corporation. Also, a multi member LLC will have to file a partnership tax return. A good book on the subject that I recommend you read to supplement this book is Structuring Your Business (ISBN: 1593371772). I highly recommend forming an LLC and electing to have it taxed as a C Corporation. Just give yourself a bonus at year-end so the corporation retains no earnings. If your business is a corporation it is less likely to be audited by the IRS. 5 stars!

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Inspiration, November 28, 2003

By 

M. Swanton (Quincy, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer (Paperback)

If you get overwhelmed by the image you may have of what the life of a freelance illustrator is like, read this book. It is encouraging, while also being very practical. It tells you that you can start a career as a freelancer, but with a few practical IFs attached. Follow his advice and answer his questions honestly. Then ,if practical, take a deep breath, jump in and have a blast at FINALLY doing something with your life that you LOVE.

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars filling a vacuum very well, February 4, 2004

By 

itsjoev "itsjoev" (Kalamazoo, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starting Your Career as a Freelance Illustrator or Graphic Designer (Paperback)

This book is really a must-read for anyone at any age thinking about pursuing illustration as a living. It's a very competitive field, and you'll need more than a cute apartment and winning smile to make it. If you read it and decide not to become an illustrator, it's the best $15 you ever spent.