Computer Arts - Issue 79 / 2001
Setting Up in Illustration
So you fancy a career as an illustrator, do you? Want to create
images for your favourite magazines, record sleeves and book jackets?
Think you've got what it takes to succeed? Prepare yourself for
a shock, it's a tough, tough, tough world out there...
There are illustrators out there, that for them; setting up in
illustration means no more than getting their work out on the
kitchen table and sticking the kettle on whilst listening to Radio
Four. Some of them even go as far as taking the cat off their
laps. If that it is the extent of your interests in working as
a professional illustrator then it is unlikely that you are even
reading your own copy of this magazine, so put it down and get
on back to your cosy existence. If, however, you view illustration
as an important contemporary practice that has moved on from its
cottage industry tag, then please read on.
The very best illustrators, today, are working in more diverse
ways then ever before and from far more exotic locations than
the kitchen table. Whilst the vast majority of illustrators work
as 'sole-traders', running their own businesses as 'guns for hire',
many are increasingly working too as designers within agencies;
not living the freelance lifestyle at all. The opposite is true
too, as increasingly designers are using digital technology to
assist in moving into the territory of image-making, traditionally
held by illustrators. The edges are blurring the walls are coming
down.
For the lone illustrator, planning on setting up in business for
the first time, there are a number of key objectives to keep in
mind whilst heading towards the big day. It is a tough field to
break into, some might say tougher still to stay afloat in.
Illustration - why bother with the hassle?
The 'starter question for ten', why be a freelance illustrator?
If the frustration of trying to get work, when you are starting
out, is not harsh enough then the demands of working long late
hours once the work has rolled in may well be. The financial rewards
can be fantastic but for most this is not the big incentive or
even the reality. Whether represented by an illustration agency
or not, the make or break of a career in illustration rests with
just one person, you, the illustrator. So no pressure there then!
Despite the potential pitfalls, the life of an illustrator is
seen by many as one that holds some truly creative rewards. Brian
Cairns, wwwbriancairns.com, is a Glasgow based illustrator with
an impressive client list in the UK that also stretches coast
to coast across the USA. Cairns states his case for working in
illustration, 'I love the freedom of the lifestyle and communicating
ideas that make people think'. Echoed by Toby Morison of illustration
studio Big Orange is a similar thought; 'I have a genuine zest
for solving visual problems.' Morison adds quickly; 'I also fear
that I have no aptitude for anything else!' His self-doubt, although
humorously put, does typify the views of many illustrators who
claim that they are fit for very little else. Illustrators have
traditionally sat neatly between the tortured souls that inhabit
the fine art world and the clean clinical organised world of design
and many feel almost schizophrenic because of this. Ian Wright,
www.mrianwright.co.uk, best known for his portraits of artists
such as Pete Townsend, Ian Brown and Jimi Hendrix, even refers
to his own fellow studio members as his 'support group'.
Others, it seems, are driven to illustration; searching for a
Holy Grail within their own creative image-making. Marion Deuchars,
most recently known for her illustrations for the entire George
Orwell Penguin Classics series, admits 'I have been working as
an illustrator for fourteen years and I'm still trying to do something
I'm really pleased with'. Wright agrees; 'I'm still trying to
make images that I believe in'. He goes on to add; 'on a good
day it's my chosen profession and some inner strength makes me
believe I can do this.' For many illustrators it is the thrill
of breaking new ground within the discipline as well as simply
wanting to get their work out there and seen. Patrick Thomas of
laVista in Barcelona, www.lavistadesign.com, and divides his creative
work between illustration and design and sees his own approach
as 'a desire to push the limitations of commercial illustration'.
Thomas goes on; 'I still get a kick out of seeing my work out
on the street!'
Winning Clients and Keeping Them
For those new to illustration and faced with the huge prospect
of trying to carve out a career from scratch it can be quite daunting.
Most final year students studying illustration get involved in
exhibiting their work at their end of year show. Often very pleased
with the numbers that attend the private view these keen young
things fail to do the maths. For every person that attends the
opening: subtract the number of people exhibiting. Next, subtract
the same number multiplied by three to cover parents and friends
that are also attending. You will be left with a figure of thirty,
probably. The thirty, accounts for the number of people from the
design industry at the event and who, at this particular time,
are aware of your work. This may seem overly pessimistic and whilst
not wholly based on scientific or mathematical fact or formulae,
it does give some idea of the mountain that has to be climbed
in building an awareness of one's work.
There are no defined career paths for an illustrator just starting
out, but creating a profile and maintaining it is crucial if you
are going to start pulling in commissions. Ian Wright tells it
like it is: 'form your own personal client base and send out postcards
or emails that feature your work and do this religiously, it's
essential as who else is going to know where you are or how to
get in touch with you? Kam Tang, also based in London, www.kamtang.com,
the illustrator behind recent ad campaigns for Adidas and record
sleeves for The Manic Street Preachers, is only too aware of the
importance of keeping clients in touch with developments in his
work. 'Once you get your foot in the door and on the 'circuit'
it does get easier but you still need to work like it's your first
break' says Tang. Marion Deuchars remembers slogging round with
her portfolio for the first months after graduation from the Royal
College of Art 'I made hundreds of phone calls, appointments and
sent out hundreds of mailers too'. There is good news too; 'I
still work for some of the clients I first met when leaving college'
explains Deuchars.
There really is no substitute for getting out and meeting art
directors, art buyers, designers at magazines, newspapers, design
companies, advertising agencies, book publishers... in fact anyone
that commissions illustration. John Lord, author and illustrator
of the million selling kid's book; 'The Giant Jam Sandwich' and
with forty-plus years in illustration sets the agenda; 'go out
and show your work, then go out and show your work again and then
go out and show your work again and again'.
Representation: The Pros and Cons
For illustrators that have got past the initial set-up and have
started to win commissions and build up a portfolio of work the
next logical step to consider is an agent. Illustration agencies
all differ, as do opinions about the quality of the services that
they offer. Patrick Thomas in Barcelona admits 'I've never met
an agent who has understood where I'm coming from'. Michael O'Shaugnessy's
agents grew in size; 'I used to have an agent but by the time
that I left they were representing about 4000 illustrators with
no increase in the number of staff working there'. Michael, based
in Manchester and a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University,
exaggerates to make the point but it is a valid issue, some agencies
represent far more illustrators than they are ever able to find
work for.
Jason Ford, represented by contemporary agency Heart, www.heartagency.com,
sees positive points though; 'an agent can help you with all the
aspects of negotiating fees, copyright issues and chasing those
pesky invoices'. Marion Deuchars, also with Heart, agrees but
warns against approaching agencies too early in a career. Deuchars
believes that unless you have represented yourself, made numerous
phone calls, appointments and 'dragged your portfolio around'
for some time first it is tough to comprehend the work that goes
into being an agent. 'If you haven't done it for yourself I don't
think you can fully appreciate their role' she says.
George Hardie, professional illustrator for some 32 years with
a client list that includes sleeves for Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin
and as Professor for Illustration at the University of Brighton
reflects on his own experiences with agents. 'I used to have an
agent who promised the world, book deals, exhibitions, advertising
campaigns but in reality only delivered quite mundane jobs. I
then went back to representing myself, sending out portfolios
by leather-clad motorcycle messenger. Later I met another agent,
who dressed like a leather-clad motorcycle messenger, but whose
only pretension was to make lots of money!' Now working without
an agent Hardie admits; 'I am seriously lazy about letting people
know what I'm up to, but somehow the phone keeps ringing.' Not
all of us have quite such prestigious projects as part of our
back-catalogue though and would be wise spending time maintaining
contacts.
On Course for On-line
Creating an on-line presence as way of keeping clients informed of new projects and new developments in ways of working and is pretty critical. Art buyers in advertising agencies and designers are increasingly using the web to view images before calling in traditional portfolios. Some like Brian Cairns, www.briancairnes.com, and Allan Sanders, www.loop-land.co.uk, maintain their own web sites and fully believe in the power of the web to generate work. Sanders, in a recent interview for Computer Arts Special, says; 'Loop-land has yielded greater results than I could have expected. Not only has it proved effective in gaining illustration commissions but it has also opened up new channels and new directions in which I can push my work.' Some represented illustrators though are more than happy to leave the creation of their on-line presence to their agents. Heart, for example, www.heartagency.com, have recently re-launched their site following a complete redesign by Automatic and the response according to Darrel Rees, Heart's Director, has been excellent; 'Clients have responded very positively. All thought it had a clarity of purpose, was easy to use and was a great resource for those wishing to commission illustration.'
Studio Set-up
For many illustrators working from the back bedroom, it soon
becomes clear that a studio is what is required. Patrick Thomas
at laVista realised that as his digital needs increased so did
the space that the kit took up. Thomas explains; 'technology was
getting out of hand' and so started to work from new premises
next door to his apartment in Barcelona.
Big Orange was set up by a group of illustrators that all graduated
the Royal College of Art together in 1989 and although the majority
of the personal have changed since the early days the studio continues
to run from a large open-plan warehouse space in London's increasingly
trendy Hoxton. It is often the case that once artists, designers,
illustrators, photographers and other creative types have started
to occupy derelict and run-down industrial spaces on the wrong
side of town, bars and cafes follow suit and estate agents appear
soon after that. Hoxton in 1989 was a pretty sordid experience.
Toby Morison of Big Orange explains the current set-up, 'we have
shared photocopier, fax, light boxes, spray booths, kitchen but
most importantly, we have our minds'. The opportunity to interact
with others should not be under-estimated.
Marion Deuchars, working from a large studio of 28 different illustrators,
designers and architects in Dalston, just north of Hoxton, explains
why a studio outside of the home is so vital. 'I think that clients
can always tell if you have just fed the cat, washed the kitchen
floor and done the shopping before their meeting. Even if 'They'
don't know, 'You' know and I think that it effects one's behaviour
and confidence. If you have just come from the studio and had
some moral support from colleagues for your work, I think it makes
you present your work more convincingly and you are also willing
to defend it against, perhaps, subjective changes.' Ian Wright,
surrounded by a mountain of 'reference' in the same studio, describes
his view of the set-up as 'an alternative space to store collections
of magazines, cuttings, toys, ephemera and the like' and as a
good place to 'borrow' materials when he has run out. It is clear
that a shared studio can offer a range of positive attributes.
For some though, the notion or the reality of a shared studio
brings nothing but dread. Graham Rawle, www.grahamrawle.com, creator
of 'The Lost Consonants' the slot that has run weekly in The Guardian
for the last 12 years, admits to years of shared studio antics.
'I've wasted a lot of time playing pool, table tennis, 'kicky-uppy-with-an-empty-milk-carton'
and going down the pub' Rawle admits. He now works from home,
home being a 2,400 sq ft 'live/work' space in (yes, you guessed
it) Hoxton. 'I couldn't possibly concentrate with the natural
distractions that a shared space generates (Capital Radio, sound
of a circular saw, someone singing Abba at the top of their voice,
and people coming up and saying 'what ya doin'?' every ten minutes)
explains Rawle. He gets serious for a moment though; 'I think
that you have to be fairly disciplined - or highly motivated.
Working on your own, who's going to know if you sit down and watch
the afternoon movie? I get up at 6.00am, start at 7.30am every
morning and work until at least 7.00pm every night. But when I'm
doing something I'm into, I don't want to do anything else'.
Keeping the Faith
One problem that faces many illustrators is the ability to remain positive when the chips are down, as all illustrators can face periods of down time between jobs. Kam Tang worries; 'I know that someday the phone won't ring so it keeps me on my toes' and Michael O'Shaugnessy feels even less convinced of his future. With tongue placed firmly in his cheek he says; 'most of my clients say... Michael who?' It is not all doom and gloom though as Jason Ford testifies; 'it really is fun, being able to roam through your own imagination, thinking and drawing ideas'. The career of the freelance illustrator is never easy and even less simple to kick off from scratch. The last word, however, has to go to Ian Wright; 'Keep the faith and be persistent, it will pay off!'
In-depth Interview
Name - NEW
Email - via their Website
Website - www.new-online.co.uk
Austin Cowdell and Matt Hamilton are NEW. They met whilst studying
HND Graphic Design at Berkshire College of Art and Design in Reading
before both going onto study at Camberwell College of Art, setting
up NEW in 1996. NEW studios opened in 1998 based 20 floors up
in a South London tower block and www.new-online.co.uk went live
in 1999. Their work could be described as a mix of low-tech urban
street art mixed with a dash of raw new-tech edginess but that
just wouldn't do it justice.
NEW's recent illustration clients include: The Face, The Guardian
Guide, Time Out, Lo Down magazine, The British Council and The
Illustrated Ape.
So, why illustration?
Austin - I think illustration chooses you, well that's
conclusion we came to working in the studio until 4-00am on a
recent project.
Matt - Because I wake up everyday
with another idea in my head...
Why the NEW studio?
A - We have a great 360 degree
view of London being on the 20th floor. Fresh air and sunlight,
of course - you get that up here. We can see for miles on a good
day.
M - All sorts of reasons - it's
like Liverpool Street station when it's busy and at it's best
and just the two of us at 4.00am at it's worst...
What kits out NEW HQ?
M - Macs, scanners CD burners, fax machines (four at last
count), phones, something to play our tunes on, a toaster, a kettle,
TV, video, Playstation...
A - We had a water cooler but
the water was so cold we were having to constantly to stop every
five minutes to take a leak! We got rid of that...
Agent or no agent?
A - I used to think no but now I'm not so sure. Having
someone working on the inside to make you life easier can't be
a bad thing.
M - I think that we have done
a very good job of representing ourselves, editorially we have
achieved a lot but it seems that to break into other areas you
need to have the right contacts, any offers welcome!
Illustration Essentials
Before you get too far involved in illustration get yourself equipped with the essentials. Firstly get talented, without this you can have all the rest but get nowhere. Carve out your vision, it may take years but it is vital to have an identity and vision to your work that is yours alone. Got that? Next get the following, a portfolio - traditional first and digital soon after. A web site ensures clients can view your work without having to even bother you. Get a mobile phone, clients will call you whenever, where-ever and expect you be ready and willing to talk about their project. You'll also need an email address, web connection, ideally broadband to send visuals, artwork and to receive reference from clients without the misery of painfully slow dial-up 56k. Once you have all that and some commissioned work under your belt try an agent for size...
Software run-down list
Photoshop
Nothing else comes close. Even vector-based illustrators need
to drop in and out of Photoshop some time. A variety of formats
to save files in, all compatible with other users and the best
photo image-editing application out there. A must.
Illustrator or Freehand
You choose, because you will need a vector application. Both work
well with most other applications. Stick to Adobe with Illustrator
and feel linked to Photoshop or fly the flag for Macromedia's
Freehand and sit pretty with Flash.
Flash
You'll be asked at some point to make illustrations for the web
as well as for print. Get your head round Flash and increase chances
and your ability to work in other areas. Go for the Studio MX
and get the entire Macromedia product range in one go.
Streamline
If you are using a digital camera to capture reference material
or getting people to pose for figure work, then this application
will have you tracing round your photos and turning into them
vector images in no time.
Browser
Whichever your favourite, make it work for you. Bookmark sites
that you go back to. Look at the image search facility in Google
for very fast reference gathering. Check the stats of hits to
your own site and check how high it rates on various search engines.
Outlook
Keeping an email address book up to date is crucial. Back it up
on a regular basis as it is too painful if you don't and you lose
everything. Getting hold of clients and emailing up to the minute
mailshots of recent work is a useful way of keeping in touch.
Acrobat
Create PDFs of artwork ready for print. Locked layers ensure that
it is impossible for clients to meddle with your artwork after
delivery. More and clients are happy to accept this format of
artwork. Makes perfect sense too.
MS Office
You'll need this for all sorts of reasons. Create templates for
letters, invoices, address labels etc. Also be able to open emailed
project briefs, 90% of which are sent as Word attachments. Create
presentations for clients in Powerpoint. Office can not be ignored.
Database Application
Set up a database of clients so that you can snail-mail samples,
cards, invites etc or just keep an up-to-date record of addresses
and phone numbers. Arrange fields in your database to gather as
much information as you will ever need and set up to print directly
onto address labels too.
Bookkeeping Application
You have a duty to the tax man as soon as you start earning some
cash. Set the records straight right from the start. Be creative
in your image-making not your tax returns!
Hardware run-down list
You'll need the basics straight away and probably already have
most of them if you've been honing your skills before entering
the wonderful world of illustration. If not, get yourself a Mac
or, if you must, a PC and max it on the memory straight away.
With Mac Powerbooks getting more and more powerful with each update,
it may be worth thinking about a portable model plugged into the
biggest flat screen that you can afford. Means that if you work
from a studio, you can take the most expensive piece of kit home
to bed with you at night.
Scanners and digital camera are not luxuries and need to be budgeted
for. So too an external hard drive and, if you have an older computer,
a CD burner. You remember the rule - back up, back up and back
up some more... Being able to print out what you are creating
is important too, so invest in a good A3 colour printer. You can
create numerous portfolios inexpensively this way.
Not strictly hardware but as important - a good comfortable chair
and the right height desk. You'll spend many an hour staring at
the screen, so get as prepared as you can be for those long nights
ahead of you...
© Lawrence Zeegen
