Take your freelance career to the next level

[Rss Bot 1]

Maybe you're craving the flexibility and freedom of being your own boss, or you've just had enough of office politics. Perhaps you're realising you can't progress the way you want to in your current role, despite having all the top tools for graphic designers at your fingertips. Whatever your motivations, the lure of freelancing is a powerful one. This is a job where, it seems, you can choose how, when and where you work – all while getting paid to do something you really love.

Freelancing can indeed offer immense creative and professional satisfaction, but there are plenty of challenges too. From the stress of working from home, juggling multiple projects and knowing you're 100 per cent responsible for them, learning how to network to win new clients to clearing your schedule for work that never materialises, freelancing can be as distressing and infuriating as it can be brilliant.

Here, we explain the three main stages of your freelance career, from seeking your first commission through to working on exhibitions, agency commissions and more. To take the stress out of freelancing, we navigate some common pitfalls and challenges, with plenty of tips to help you improve your freelance career right away.

Read on for level one: getting started – or skip straight to level two: build your freelance career, or level three: become a freelance star

Level one: Get started as a freelancer

Illustration: Emmanuel Pajon

Make the decision to go freelance and you'll probably feel excited, daunted and more than a little bit terrified. That's totally normal, confirms designer and illustrator MJ Jackson, who freelances under the name I Am Cheapskate.

As a freelancer, you're likely to become very familiar with that sense of nagging worry, like when you find yourself fretting that turning down one commission means you'll never work again (we promise it doesn't).

Jackson now regrets saying yes to absolutely everything that came his way during the onset of his career. "I wish I had been able to worry less about turning work down, rather than accepting everything on offer," he reflects.

"I took some jobs that I perhaps didn't fancy and therefore didn't enjoy, which just isn't conducive to producing your best work. Now I know exactly what my skills are, my interests and areas of expertise. It's okay to have your own rules about how and where you work and what types of clients you want to work for."

Learn to sell your skills

Art director and designer Pol Solsona started freelancing alongside his day job while working in advertising in Helsinki. "I started off with some small projects, so I was doing them at nights and weekends," says Solsona, who is now planning a move to New York City.

His advice for finding great opportunities on your own? "Freelancing is not just about having good ideas and good skills. The most important thing is how you sell yourself and talk to clients."

Pol Solsona for Cinemaissí 2015, Helsinki's Latin American Film festival

Becoming a freelancer doesn't have to mean opting out of studio life entirely. "There are two basic categories of freelance work for graphic designers," explains Jackson. "You can be a gun-for-hire in a studio, or you can be a one-man/woman band at home." The former option may be lucrative, he says, "as you can get cosy if contracts are extended for months at a time."

Going it alone from home, on the other hand, offers far more in the way of freedom and versatility. "It can be more fun, although getting paid is often a struggle." Jackson suggests trying to mix it up if possible. "Do a few stints in studios to line the coffers and buy yourself some breathing room – and then build up your own clients in the meantime."

Admin counts as work

Like it or not, being freelance means you're running a business, so it's a good idea to treat it as such right from the start. That includes getting to grips with the joys of paperwork, as well as making yourself known to the tax man.

"There are two important things to remember," says Jackson. "Firstly, doing admin is work. Don't be afraid to put aside time to keep on top of it, and don't feel guilty that you seemingly aren't working when you're doing it."

'It’s always best to let someone else pull your cracker' by MJ Jackson

It can be tempting to leave any paperwork to pile up on your desk, but this isn't wise. "Don't go thinking it will look after itself," Jackson warns. "It won't. Either learn to make a simple spreadsheet or ask someone who can. It's essential to have a clear record of expenses and invoices with due dates.

"And the best tip I can give anyone is: don't be afraid to invoice. Get your invoice in the moment you finish a project. If you're dealing with clients directly, rather than through a commissioning studio, make sure you have written terms and conditions. I bought mine from RIBA and adjusted them to suit, but there are plenty of online resources."

For more options, try the Association of Illustrators (AOI) and American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).

Next page: Level two: build your freelance career

Level two: Build your freelance career

Freelancing is a constant process of hustle and flow, which means the need for self-promotion and reinvention never stops. For Stina Jones, a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in Manchester, UK, this meant working out how to promote both skillsets in one coherent way.

"The challenge for me was striking the right balance and showcasing a little bit of everything without spreading myself too thinly," she says.

"There's a degree of crossover between the disciplines, though. In more recent years, I've found using a mix of skills has become second nature on a lot of the projects I undertake, which in turn has made it easier to bring these different skillsets together in one portfolio."

Jones says one of the most important lessons she has learned during her time as a freelancer is the importance of simply being herself. "When I started out as a freelancer, I spent a lot of time trying to present myself as being all things to all people, which made it take longer than it could have to find my niche and create a sustainable and enjoyable work environment for myself," she reflects.

Don't neglect personal projects

"I also wish I'd known the value of spending time on personal projects, over doing free work for others in the hope of a bit of exposure," adds Jones.

Suite of comic and creature themed illustrations for BBC Ten Pieces: Superconductor Mixital App, by Stina Jones

"Personal projects help you to expand your vision and skills, and you also find yourself doing work that you wouldn't usually do as a commission," agrees Pol Solsona.

"Besides that, I try to add something new to any project because I think it's not fun to repeat the same pattern over and over. I also keep myself culturally updated by visiting local art exhibitions and events."

Start networking

Jones points out that networking is also hugely valuable for freelancers, which includes strengthening links with each other. "Don't disregard building relationships with other freelancers – they're not necessarily your competition. Collaborate on projects, share tips and advice, pass leads to each other and just generally be supportive of your fellow freelancers, as more often than not it's mutually beneficial."

Building relationships with other freelance creatives, whether it's online through blogs and social media, or in person via meet-ups and events, is also a good way to stave off potential loneliness.

Free Range Cider campaign for Addlestones, by Alex Fowkes

Graphic designer Alex Fowkes agrees that freelancing can be isolating – something he didn't fully anticipate before he embarked on a solo career. "I didn't realise how difficult it would be to work alone when I first started," he says. "I craved working alone and wanted to do everything myself, whereas now I want to collaborate and work with other people."

"Now that I've established my own style and a portfolio, I crave collaboration with people who have different skills who can push me. Trying to do that in the real world is difficult because client projects don't allow for it and you don't necessarily have the time to do it off your own back," he says.

Choose the right hours

Fowkes says that learning when he functions best has boosted his productivity. "I come up with ideas in the morning," he says. "If I need to fulfil them during the afternoon then that's okay, but I can't think of new ideas or finish something to a high level." He sits down to work around 7am. "I love looking at the clock at 10am, knowing that I've got rid of my worries for the day," he says.

"I think working 9–5 is going to be used less and less," he adds. He is about to take a working holiday to the French Alps, where he plans to divide his time between freelance work and leisure pursuits.

"Freelancers sometimes think they have to sit at their desks from 9am, but before or after that is when they actually get their best work done – either before the client is in, or after they leave. What matters is that you're on top of it."

MJ Jackson illustrated Mallorca Dreaming

This flexibility to work whenever and wherever you want is one of the great draws of freelancing, yet you can easily forget to make the most of it. "You need to embrace the fact that you are your own boss," says MJ Jackson.

"If you want to take advantage of the sunshine, then get out there. Just remember that you might have to make yourself work late to catch up," he advises. "Don't be afraid of leaving your bedroom desk to work in libraries or coffee shops. You need to interact with the outside world and get inspired, and if you're working from home then you can miss out on that."

Don't put too much pressure on yourself

The pressure of taking full responsibility for your own business and livelihood can feel relentless at times. "Trusting my own ability as a pen and an imagination for hire seems to put a lot more pressure on me than being a permanent member of a studio," Jackson says.

"Perhaps it's the feeling that you have to deliver to justify the fee, but there's no need to put that amount of pressure on yourself." After all, he explains, design is usually a collaborative process, "and you've been commissioned because they like you and your work."

It's important to remember that existing clients can be one of your best sources of future work. Repeat business will potentially arise from successful projects, says Jackson, "so keep your standards high and do your best work. Make yourself invaluable. If you're choosing the right clients and enjoying the work, then you're more likely to be producing good stuff."

Next page: Level three: become a freelance star

Level three: Become a freelance star

It's hard to predict what will win future work, new clients or positive media coverage, as there's no tried-and-tested formula. Solsona has exhibited his work at events in Barcelona, Helsinki and London.

He says the exhibitions helped him personally, but didn't win him new clients directly. That wasn't the aim, however. "All the pieces I exhibited at the shows were already produced beforehand and were then selected to be part of an exhibition," he explains.

It's also worth remembering that it's virtually impossible to measure the cumulative effect of social media, blogs and other profile-boosting activity in terms of commissions won or money earned.

"What really helps me to keep developing creatively is to have personal projects going on permanently and to be open to any sort of project, even though it may seem a bit out of my comfort zone, since there's always a professional challenge on offer," says Solsona.

Fowkes' freelance career snowballed after he created the Sony Music Timeline – a graphic installation documenting the company's 125-year history.

Since then he's created a typographic installation in the home of singer Olly Murs, worked on an array of commissions for Urban Outfitters, created a London Underground poster campaign for a dating website, and published a book titled Drawing Type: An Introduction to Illustrating Letterforms.

"I've been really fortunate because the design blogs have picked up a lot of these projects," he says. "I work on a lot of special projects and one-offs, and because of that the brand will really get behind the idea and push it. That means I get to play around with it, and then the blogs catch on because it's often something unique. That's great because I like to have fun and play."

Keep it fresh

What's problematic is when new clients expect him to repeat or reproduce a one-off project for them. "I get lots of people saying they want me to do something similar to the Sony piece," he explains. This is an example of why it's so important to have a sense of the person behind the portfolio. For Fowkes, this means creating a clear impression of his style and unique offering.

Many of Fowkes' projects have come through commissioning agencies. For these collaborations to work, it helps if you have a good understanding of where the agency sits in the overall process – and, he says, if you appreciate that the agency may approach the schedule and priorities differently. "Don't be afraid to keep in contact with them," he advises. "They're very hectic and are doing so many things at once."

"The fact that you're a freelancer means they see you as someone who's doing them a favour, and they won't mind if you email and say, 'Hey, I'd like to know what's going on with this project.' Don't assume you would have heard there was an update – they're doing 10 million things at once and the project that could be everything to you isn't necessarily everything to them at that time."

Be versatile

He gives the example of a two-week wait for news on whether a project is actually going ahead. "You might be sitting there thinking it must have fallen through because it's been two weeks, then all of a sudden it's on and they need it by the end of the week. It can be quite a rollercoaster and you need to be versatile."

Of course, the same could be said about almost any aspect of freelancing, but it's particularly important to keep in mind if you're working in-house.

"If you're freelancing at a studio, it's important to fit in and be part of the team," says MJ Jackson. "You'll get more out of it yourself – and the permanent members of the team will be more comfortable with you being parachuted in."

"I never liked it when a freelancer came into my studio and had the loudest voice," he admits, "but by the same token, a timid hermit who never stands the tea round is the very worst type of freelancer."

This article first appeared inside Computer Arts, the world's leading design magazine. Subscribe here.

Read more:

• 11 of the best creative resumes
• 25 tips for staying sane as a freelancer
• 6 ways to save money as a freelancer

View the full article