Now that the school term is winding down, graduating illustration students everywhere are freaking out about how they’re going to pay the rent. A few rockstars will be able to launch their careers right away as full-time illustrators, but for most, the process of establishing oneself takes years. Which means, if you’re an aspiring illustrator, you’ll need to find a day job to support yourself until then. But, which day job should you get?
Having a contract is essential for any illustration assignment. But what should go into that contract can oftentimes be confusing and downright scary, particularly for those of us who are more artistic-minded rather than business-minded. In this post, we’ll take a look at a great resource to help with your contracts and discuss the different things that should go into a standard one and the reasons why.
When doing any kind of illustration work, it’s important to have a contract. Sure, it may seem a bit daunting for a beginner to delve into legalese, but contracts don’t need to be scary. They can be as simple as a plain-language document that outlines the general business between you and the client. In the world of illustration, they’re important for the following reasons:
In last week’s post, I discussed building a contact list. While I mentioned Art Directors as the primary target for your mailings, they’re not the only people at a company who can commission work. Let’s explore the other folk you might want to send your promos to if you’re so inclined: