How To Become a Freelance Illustrator: 10 Tips for Beginners

If you're just starting as a freelance illustrator, you'll be glad to know there's a thriving market with many opportunities to explore and showcase your artistic skills. The demand for talented illustrators is on the rise, and companies are open to working with new and emerging talents.

What exactly does a freelance illustrator do? Freelance illustrators are self-employed artists who collaborate with clients to create visual content. Their work can encompass a wide range of projects, from designing book covers and digital illustrations to creating characters for animations or visuals for marketing campaigns.

While having a remarkable portfolio will help you land projects, there are many additional strategies you can implement to help you land your first assignment or those elusive, larger clients.

In this article, we’ll provide you with some guidance on becoming a freelance illustrator, strategies for attracting clients, and advice on running a successful business.

How to become a freelance illustrator

Here’s a breakdown of some of the basic steps you can take to become a freelance illustrator:

• Education and skill development. While formal education isn’t always required, obtaining a degree or taking relevant courses can enhance your skills and knowledge. Explore art schools, universities, or online platforms that offer illustration programs or courses. Take advantage of workshops, seminars, and online tutorials to learn new techniques, refine your skills, and stay updated with industry trends.
• Building a portfolio. Compile a diverse and well-curated profile showcasing your best work. Include a variety of illustrations that demonstrate your range of skills, styles, and subject matter. Consider using an online freelance platform to showcase your work to potential clients.
• Joining professional organizations and networks. Joining professional organizations such as illustrators' associations or societies can provide valuable resources, networking opportunities, and industry insights. You can also participate in local art communities, attend industry events, and engage with fellow illustrators through social media platforms, forums, and online groups.

10 tips to help jumpstart your illustration career

From setting up your small business to finding your artistic niche, becoming a freelance illustrator is an exciting journey. To help you kick-start your new freelance career on the right foot, we’ve compiled a list of 10 tips to guide you along the way.

1. Set aside time for running your business

Remember that this career path means that you’re running a business. There’s more to it than just creating excellent illustrations. Make room for all those extra things that need to be done.

Give yourself dedicated time each week or month for project management, administrative tasks like sending invoices and budgeting, and finding new illustration jobs. This can prevent you from getting overwhelmed or having to work late to finish these tasks and your projects.

2. Learn and explain your total value

Potential clients know that they want an illustrator for a specific project or task. However, expert illustrators and clients say that people often don't understand what illustrators can offer beyond an image.

One of the best tips for starting as a full-time freelance artist is to understand where you can help a partner and how you can add value. There may be additional services you can offer. Look at best practices around using images online that you can help clients with, such as how high-quality images can improve e-commerce sales or improve SEO by keeping people on a website longer.

"I want to share a simple trick my illustrator used on me to get over $8,000 in orders to date. The trick: explain the value of your services," says Michael Dean, co-founder at Pool Research. "Here's what my hire did. When we talked on Upwork, he listed all the ways he could help me and make my website better for users. Until that point, I hadn't even considered the value of an illustrator's work. I just thought of graphics as something I needed to have, and what I preferred to save. If you can do this for your prospects (once you have their ear), you're likely to increase your own business too."

3. Turn your expertise into an extra offer

When you look for work, finding contracts whose stated scope isn’t enough to fulfill the client’s goals is common. And so is the urge to take that contract even though you know you’ll be doing some additional work for free.

Experienced freelancers say to resist that temptation. Instead, turn your industry knowledge and skills into a valuable addition to your project and negotiate the scope of work. You want to be seen as a beneficial option, not a cheap option.

According to industry expert Steven Snell, “By offering additional services, you’ll be able to increase the revenue you earn from the average client, meaning that you can make more money with fewer clients."

Snell highlights that "Your clients can also benefit from having one provider for multiple services rather than needing to find and hire several different professionals."

4. Find a niche and specialize

After you assess what you can offer to potential clients—both your general design capabilities and those extra offers—narrow your focus to what you like to illustrate and where you shine. Targeting your efforts to a specific niche or industry helps you build a portfolio that speaks to your audience. Generally speaking, companies want to see work that looks similar to what they want for themselves.

Here are some examples of niches that illustrators can specialize in:

• Fashion design
• Graphic design for magazines
• Logo design
• Medical journals and healthcare
• Product design and product packaging
• Website design and user interface design
• Children's book illustrations
• Editorial illustrations for newspapers and publications
• Digital art for advertising and marketing materials
• Character design and concept art for animation, comic books, or video games

"Find a niche and specialize," says Reuben Yonatan, CEO of GetVoIP. The company has worked with freelance illustrators several times to build and improve its website user interface. "An illustrator can work in various industries—from fashion design and magazines to medical journals and websites.”

“When my business looks for illustrators,” says Yonatan, “I try to find one who has worked with websites like mine before. It proves they have experience with the kind of work I desire. Being a general illustrator might open more opportunities, but it will lower a business leader's confidence in you. That reduces the chances of getting hired."

You can perform research on niches and start finding clients by simplifying your work process, starting with an Upwork account that lets you sort work by industry, job size, and more.

5. Get comfortable selling

As a freelancer, you’ll be tempted to put your nose to the grindstone and focus on churning out work. However, to make that practical and ensure you have work to do, you'll need to sell yourself and promote your work. This can be difficult, especially in areas like illustration where much of the process can happen internally.

Read articles, listen to podcasts, and check out books. You want to find something that talks about the sales process that resonates with you. Match these to your situation, especially if you're one of the many people working from home.

"Get comfortable with the idea of promoting and selling your work," says Jennifer Willy, editor at Etia.com. "For many people, it can be uncomfortable and cringe-inducing, but you have to get over that insecurity. No one will come to know about your work if you don't show them that."

6. Find other creatives in your niche

Multiple experts told us to look at LinkedIn and Facebook for local and industry-specific freelance groups. Their users tend to ask for help when they need it and share leads or openings that they discover. You can increase your chance of landing a gig if another freelancer, such as a writer or web designer, makes an introduction to a client. Engaging in these spaces with other freelancers can help get you that introduction.

"As a freelancer, I often need help from designers and illustrators and would love to know more people in my network who I could count on," says Grace Baldwin, a freelancer and content marketer. "Make sure to network with other creative people in different disciplines, and you'll be surprised who may have work for you down the line."

7. Add context to portfolios and pitches

If you're using a service like Upwork to find potential clients, use the proposal process to explain your capabilities. Don't just show someone your final work. Tell them about the client's goals, the process you used, and how you worked together. Do this in text elements on a website portfolio as well.

"Context is important when showing illustration work," says Ian Sells, CEO of RebateKey. "I like to see how a client has used the freelancer's illustrations as part of the portfolio. It would be helpful to see a screenshot of a website, for example, with the illustrations present. Context helps me understand the possibilities of the illustration work."

8. Ask for testimonials and referrals

For some freelancers, early clients trickle in slowly. You might be able to win a few project bids based on an existing relationship or when a client wants to support a new freelancer. Freelancers can ensure that those early wins support long-term growth by asking for referrals and testimonials from any early client. If you've done volunteer illustration work or have had your illustrations featured anywhere, ask people from those opportunities for testimonials.

"Potential clients will want to know that you can do the work, but also that you can deliver it on time, and that you are pleasant to work with. That can be demonstrated by your past clients," says Matt Bertram, CEO of EWR Digital. He says his company has both hired freelance illustrators and worked with them to build out their marketing.

"Reach out to anyone you've done work for in the past and ask them to give you a testimonial. You may find that people in the past have already given you positive feedback on your work, so all you need to do is ask their permission to turn it into a testimonial. Now you have your testimonials, feature them prominently on your online profiles to give potential clients confidence in your abilities."

9. Sharpen skills outside of work

Whether you're a novice or have been an illustrator for some time, you've likely developed your style of art. Sometimes, you may have to adapt that style to meet a customer's demands. It can be hard to develop this flexibility in your work without practice. Many experts said that the best way to explore new techniques and tools popular today is to take some time outside of billable projects.

"In your free time, hone your creative skill as well as your customer service skills by participating in a design competition platform like Crowdspring or 99 Designs," suggests Nicole Garcia, chief marketing officer at Mostcraft. "These are good places to experience design pitches from clients while in direct competition with other designers. This will give you an idea as to how well your creative process will fare in real life."‍

10. Do your best on any project you take

When you start landing clients, no matter where you start, do your best on each illustration and handle client communication as professionally as possible. Treating others the way you want to be treated can help you determine what types of clients and projects you like the most.

"Doing the best job possible within the budget, no matter how small the job, is a way of showing respect to the person you're working with," says R. Jean Cooke, owner and illustrator at Ornament and Interest. "Consider commissioned work as a form of collaboration between you and the client. Take a stand if you feel you must, but leave room to let the client surprise you."

How you handle early clients can set you up for long-term success.

How much does a freelance illustrator make?

Freelance illustrators earn an average of $45,505 per year, which roughly translates to $21 per hour based on a 40-hour workweek. However, it's worth noting that many freelancers work fewer hours, resulting in a higher hourly rate. Earnings can fluctuate depending on factors like years of experience, client base, and the types of projects you take.

With increasing experience and a solid client base, freelance illustrators have the potential to earn more. By delivering high-quality work and meeting client expectations, the best illustrators can command higher rates for their services. Taking on more clients and projects can also contribute to increased earnings.

To expand your client base and explore additional opportunities, consider using platforms like Upwork. Upwork provides a vast marketplace where illustrators can showcase their portfolio, connect with clients worldwide, and increase their earnings.

What skills do I need to be a freelance illustrator?

To be a successful freelance illustrator, you’ll need various technical, creative, and soft skills to succeed in the competitive market. Below are some of the key skills you’ll want to have.

• Technical skills. To excel as a freelance illustrator, you’ll likely want to have proficiency in illustration software like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, or Procreate. Strong drawing and sketching abilities, along with a grasp of color theory, are also important. Plus, being able to create diverse styles expands your client base and opportunities.
• Creative skills. The ability to tell compelling visual stories, generate original ideas, and bring concepts to life can help you create professional-looking illustrations that captivate viewers.
• Soft skills. Effective communication with clients, excellent time management, and strong organizational skills are vital. Also, self-motivation, discipline, and the ability to collaborate with clients and incorporate feedback contribute to client satisfaction and success in the freelance world.

Start your freelance illustrator career today

Freelance illustrator tips can help you learn the industry and prepare for clients, but you still need to take the leap into building a profile and pitching for work. Make that process easier on yourself by signing up for Upwork, where you get access to a structured profile and a place to house your portfolio. And with Upwork, you can connect with a variety of clients and find numerous freelance illustrator jobs available that align with your unique skills and expertise.

Thankfully, the digital landscape has made it much easier to find work as an illustrator, and you've got many tools at your fingertips to master your skills and your business.