Creative Ways to Get Illustration Jobs - Part 1
Too many times, this is the mantra I hear from illustrators:
“I am a frustrated artist who is tired of making low pay and being asked to provide free art. The problem is, I just don’t know how to find authors who will take me seriously.”
I used to be that person. Now I’m here to offer illustrators new hope!
Let’s talk about some unexpected, TOTALLY CREATIVE, out-of-the-box ways to find self-publishing clients that want to hire you!
PLANT SEEDS
First thing’s first, your goal should be to make connections with small business owners. They are some of the most creative and entrepreneurial people out there! The kind of person you should be searching for doesn’t need to meet celebrity status and they definitely don’t need to have thousands of followers on social media. Does their business appear to be successful? Are they active in their community? Do they do speaking engagements?
Begin to think about how you could apply your art skills to their customer base.
Building relationships with small business owners is more than just networking, it’s about offering up your skills to someone you identify with and admire while hoping to meaningfully contribute to what they are doing in the process. Not every connection will result in a contract, but that shouldn’t be your only goal.
It’s Not about what you can Get, but about what you can Give.
Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you giving away custom artwork for no pay! Instead, a heartfelt compliment, a meaningful ‘share’, a referral, or a purchase of a product can go a long way to building trust and doesn’t cost you much.
CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN BOOK ART AND BUSINESS
There are lots of ways businesses need art. They need logos, signage, marketing images, event art, art for products they sell… and lots more! However, today I am talking specifically to picture book illustrators.
At this point you are probably wondering:
“Why would a business person want to hire a children’s book illustrator?What does a book have to do with a small business?”
One unique thing I decided to do when planning out one of my books was to feature a select number of small businesses within the illustrations. We featured a handmade toy company, a local coffeeshop, and a children’s dress boutique.
The toys were cloth dolls that I drew into scenes with our little girl character, shown tossed on the floor, displayed on shelves in a bedroom, and snuggled next to her in bed. The coffeeshop was shown in a beautiful 2-page spread, complete with signage on cups. Also, there were several product placements for the children’s dress boutique with little girls wearing the cute designs.
Scene from “Mom Left Dirty Dishes in the Sink” by Holly Carrington
You can approach business owners about book art in several ways:
Get “Sponsors” for an Existing Book Project. This idea allows businesses to purchase a chance to be featured in a current book project. You could use this approach as a form of crowd-sourcing to help pay for book production costs on a personal project or a self-publishing project with another author. Be prepared to have a strategic marketing strategy in place.
The Business Owner as Author. If your ideal person happens to be an aspiring children’s book author, you might pitch an idea to collaborate for a book about their business. Let’s use my coffee shop example above… Suppose the owners wanted to make a book about the process of air-roasting their coffee. It could be an educational booklet included when giving tours to patrons. A coloring book is a great promotional or gift item to sell. If they have a special occasion coming up, you could collaborate together on a picture book or booklet customized especially to sell at the event.
A Neighborhood Book. Imagine a heart-warming story that takes place in and around the neighborhood of an iconic area in your city or town. Getting several businesses to collaborate and sell the book would spread the costs out and be a tribute to a community. (You might even be able to look into receiving grant money to fund your project!) Selling the book at each location is a marketing strategy sure to win contributors!
You-Tubers or mommy-bloggers… teachers or coffee shop owners… pet groomers or ice-cream makers… personal trainers or pediatric dentists…
These are all people who might have an idea or a dream for a picture book!
YOUR SEEDS WILL GROW…
One day, I was listening to a podcast interview of an adoptive mother who has a successful company geared toward providing services to other adoptive and foster families. During the interview she mentioned her desire to one day write a children’s book. I decided to take a chance and email her through her website. I sent her a few samples from my art portfolio and let her know that if she ever thought of writing a children’s book to give me a call. We had that phone call and she responded very positively. We exchanged emails back and forth. While she wasn’t ready to take the first step just yet, she thanked me for offering up my skills. We ‘follow’ each other on social media and I keep up by commenting on her posts from time to time.
The key here is not to offer a sales pitch, but to offer to help. Casting a vision that would result in a potential client’s financial success is an excellent way to plant a seed!
I just shared an example that didn’t actually produce a job immediately because I wanted to demonstrate how to be content regardless of the outcome. Make it a way of life.
A great amount of illustration jobs I have received have come as a result of this very tactic. Check out my portfolio: nearly all the art you see is a proof of success!
HOW TO PLANT A SEED:
BECOME A FAN. Follow, support and become a genuine FAN of your target-person’s business! Take time to read the information they offer on their website. Comment regularly on their social media posts. They will begin to recognize your name and you will become viewed positively as an active supporter. If they sell a certain product, BUY IT! In all of this, make sure your motives are authentic. No one likes flattery.
EMAIL THEM. It’s hard to say how long you should wait until the time is right to contact someone, but if you are unsure, wait a few weeks or a couple of months. Contacting someone through the email providing on their website is probably the best way to go. I don’t recommend reaching out through Facebook or Instagram direct messaging. Not everyone checks their inbox regularly and sometimes a message goes unseen. It is also viewed as a bit unprofessional if you are discussing business matters.
KEEP IT SHORT AND OFFER TO HELP. Remember to keep your first contact about offering not asking. Use their first name. Everyone responds well to being recognized personally. Introduce yourself in one sentence. Use several sentences to offer examples of how their business is interesting to you or has benefited you. This is a great way to lead into how you think your art would serve their customer base well. End the email with a firm offer to help out in any way you can. You will want to include 1-3 samples of your art as attachments. (Make sure the art is low resolution so it can easily be sent.)
BLOW THEIR SOCKS OFF!
One way to stand out from everyone else is by sending your potential client a care package full of art goodies! I keep a stash of art prints I’ve made over the years, some sticker sheets and pins featuring my art, as well as my previously published books. I box a few things up that I think would interest my potential client, add some fun tissue paper and top it off by hand-lettering their address in a fun way on the outside of the package.
I don’t do it every time, but it’s a great tool to have in your back pocket when you need it the most!
Who wouldn’t love to get a colorful package of cool stuff to show how awesome your art is? And better yet… who wouldn’t remember you when the time came to hire an illustrator or recommend one to a friend?
By now, your mind should be swirling with inspiration and new ideas! If you want to keep reading on this subject, there is a Part 2 where I give you more tips on how I have received some of the best paid jobs of my career… Check it Out!
Beth Snider is an illustrator in the Kansas City area of the U.S. with over a decade of experience in art and illustration. She works with business owners and authors to develop their brands and strategize creative marketing solutions. Right now, Beth is scheduling personalized portfolio reviews for a special offer of $26 each… Sign up here.