6 Lessons I learnt as an independent illustrator so far
Time flies, and wow, I have been an independent illustrator for 1.5 years. I won't lie to you, 2023 has felt a bit slower compared to 2022, but it is definitely a year for me to slow down and recalibrate. During this time, I have learned valuable lessons that have helped me grow both personally and professionally. Here are six key takeaways that I believe are worth sharing:
1. Anchor Yourself with Your Core Values
One of the most important things I've learned is to stay true to my core values. This means being selective about the clients I work with and only taking on projects that align with my beliefs and vision. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of new opportunities, but if they don't align with your values, they're not worth pursuing. Recently I have also learned that sometimes taking projects that could give you a temporary financial relief will not bring you long term value, the amount of time you spent could have been invested in personal projects.
Here’s an example: I will totally reject clients who want me to copy another illustrator’s style, that is just not my core values at all.
Identifying your core values can help you make better decisions about the work you take on and the clients you work with. It can also help you build a consistent brand and attract clients who share your values.
2. Turn Overthinking into Action Plans
As creatives, it's easy to overthink things, especially when work seems slow or opportunities are scarce. But instead of dwelling on what's out of our control, we can use this time to reach out to people, network, and up-skill ourselves.
By turning our overthinking into actionable plans, we can make progress even in the slow seasons. For example, you can use the slow season to update your portfolio, learn a new software or skill, or create personal projects that showcase your style and creativity. I find that personal projects tend to attract more potential clients compared to my commercial projects.
3. Don't Be Afraid of Numbers
As artists, we often shy away from the financial side of things. But the truth is, we're running a business, and we need to keep track of our finances. This means doing bookkeeping consistently and being honest with ourselves about our financial situation. Honest Tip: Please do not do your taxes at the very last minute, you will most likely missed out a lot of taxes relief.
Only then can we make informed decisions about our pricing, expenses, and investments. By understanding your finances, you can price your work fairly, budget for expenses, and invest in your business without going into debt. Its time to normalise artist to be brave to embrace financial awareness!
4. Remember to Have Fun
It's easy to get bogged down in the work and forget why we started creating in the first place. That's why it's important to incorporate fun into our art and our process. Recently when I realised that my client projects has been so slow, I tend to remind myself that I started this design journey for a real reason: I love to turn fun into function.
Whether it's trying out a new medium, experimenting with color, or simply taking a break to do something we enjoy, we need to remember that art is supposed to be fun. When we have fun with our art, we're more likely to create work that's authentic and unique to us.
5. Set Clear Boundaries
As creatives, we often fall into the trap of people-pleasing, saying yes to every opportunity that comes our way. But this can lead to burnout, resentment, and a loss of creative freedom. Truthfully, I caught myself outgrowing certain values I had in 2022, for example, instead of saying yes to everything and lastly resent on it, I have learn to be extra selective. This do means that I’m risky by having lesser income, but I do think I need to make space to manifest projects that I want to really work on.
That's why it's important to set clear boundaries and say no when necessary. By prioritizing our own needs and goals, we can create better work and maintain our passion for what we do. Setting clear boundaries can also help you create a work-life balance that works for you.
6. Choose the Right Voice Instead of Fitting In
A few merchandise I explored this year for QuirkyQing
Finally, I've learned that it's okay not to please everyone. It took me a lot of trial and error to realize that fitting in isn't as important as finding the right audience for my work. One of the biggest lessons I've learned from my merchandising business is that it's impossible to please everyone. Instead, it's important to focus on speaking to the right target audience and designing products that resonate with them. By creating products that are authentic and tell a story, you can build a loyal following of fans who appreciate your work for what it is.
By choosing my own voice and style, I've been able to attract clients and fans who appreciate what I do and value my unique perspective. Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles and find the one that's authentically you. When you create work that's true to your voice, you'll attract the clients and fans who appreciate your work for what it is.
These are just a few of the lessons I've learned as an illustrator so far. I hope they can be as valuable to you as they have been to me. Remember that as an illustrator, you have a unique perspective and voice that can make a difference in the world. Keep creating and growing, and don't forget to have fun along the way! :)
