freelance ?

[cartoon guy]

Hello,

Are there any freelance animators or illustrators out there?

I have been freelancing for a while now, but not us an animator or illustrator, just as a graphic designer. If there are any successfull freelancers out there. Please give some directions to take. And how to go about the business, what types of services you offer? And what is the average hourly rate?


hopefully there are some out there...

[megatoon]

Ya I do some freelance animation work over the web. Not enough to pay all the bills tho. Sometimes I make a few thousand a month. Othe rtimes I don't have anything for afew months. Or just small jobs.I still work fulltime as a graphic designer.

There's really not to many opening first off. And there seems to be alot of competition. So you have to be good to get the jobs. At the leat a really good site that shows off your work. Show people why they should choose you over someone else.

I rarley charge per hour. Unless I'm working on location. I generally charge per project. I tend to stick to only the animation. Leave things like coding and such up to someone else.

My last projects were a charcter for an engineering game (I got this one thre FK). That one led to another charatcer for thr same company. I'm currently working on a fairly large busines presentation. Before that some simple characters for an adult site. These ones seem to pay the best. Maybe there is a lack of animtors willing to do them.

[cartoon guy]

Hi,

Thank you, megatoons. Have you (or anyone) ever done cartoons for local newspapers, kids books, mags,,, etc.?

[fink]

hello- i also am an illustrator, I have an agent based in london who gets me all my jobs (plus 30%) without an agent i would not get the kind of jobs I do.

for a list of illustration agencys and other illustration stuff visit

http://www.theaoi.com/

some of my illustration stuff (if you are interested) is at

http://www.gjango.org.uk

cheers- fink

[Naldoman]

Back in the 80s-90s, I did cartoon illos and comic-strip type work for amatuer newszines. Didn't get paid squat (sometimes got trade value), but it was fun working on them. Comic strips are actually 90% gag-line and 10% artwork. I'd come up with a batch of gags to cover two weeks, then take my time drawing them up.

I also did some comic-book style work with a workshop group for a few years. We published a collection every year. Still, just beans in the pocket. My only real good paycheck came from doing two comic books for a bus company. They were given as a freebie to the employees' kids at some parties. They actually flew me to the factory and put me up in a hotel to start the dialogue. Heh, heh...what an adventure.

Still...I dunno jack about freelance....I'm too much about the art and zero about the paycheck...I don't like the deadline pressure...really rattles me, even though I was unsually fast with my work. I just prefer to be buried deep in some company where I have no idea when things need to be finished.

My only piece of advice is this: GET THE WORK DONE EARLY. Artists have kind of a reputation (deserved?) for working too slowly or not making deadlines. Get your work done early, your clients will love you. Bombard them with ideas, samples, layout work, etc. The average Joe has no clue about how artists work. They think it's totally automatic like assembling widgets. The more you deliver product to them that's steady and consistent quality, the more they love you. They are oblivious to the contortions you have to go through to deliver your art, and most likely would not understand if you tried to explain it. Just give them their product on time, and vent your woes to friends and colleagues like the folks here on the animation board.

Good Luck!!

[cartoon guy]

Thanks guys,


So, from this I understand that most people here are working, and not self-employed.

Any books you guys would like to point out on this issue?

thanX in advance

[justice strike]

i'm thinking of freelancing myself. I already have all the stuff, i'm going to get a 19"inch tft and a 17" inch crt, (in trade for a 15" inch tft) and i've got the wacom pad etc... it's for dtp and site development.... but i think about using it for freelance work... websites... and artwork... i'm thinking about getting a a3 printer too by the way. but that's just for the dtp work.. i have to make covers for books, so it's actually a bit of a prequisite

anyway i think i'll have to work really hard... have to be able to pay my educatioin cost afterall

[xup878]

i'm to scared to try freelancing... dont mind doing stuff for my friends and family, but when it comes to being paid proper ammounts and getting jobs forget it...

[argonauta]

i freelance from time to time, although it's pretty riring, as i got a fulltime job aswell. So if you freelance, you gotta have a lot of time in your hands

[modulater]

About freelancing.Is this the same like having your own company.I mean it's like a fulltime job with the same payments to be independend.Or is it like a secondjob,doing graphic work after your normal fulltimejob.These difference can make a lot in cost to be independend or how call it...I could use some information about freelance.How get started,the costs,who are your clients.What is the difference with having your own buisness....Thx