Self-Taught Illustrator Shares Her Secrets to Freelancing Success

Industry

Youthful ambition turned into a dream come true

Adriana always had big plans for her life. But as a college student, her original vision for her career looked very different. “My plan was to be my own boss by running a marketing agency, or to work in advertising. So that's why I studied economics and marketing,” she reminisced.

However, she soon discovered working in advertising didn’t fuel her creativity the way she had imagined. “I learned that advertising isn’t always creative and things can be quite rushed. Everything has to be done yesterday! That doesn’t leave much room for creativity.”

The rushed timelines and lack of real creative work opportunities left Adriana disillusioned. So she started working at a few different small businesses to try and find her path in life. She was always interested in art and technology and how the two intersect. This is what led her to graphic design—and eventually, illustration.

But in the 2010s, design and illustration was still a relatively new world. “There were no courses in graphic design or illustration at my university—or anywhere in my small town. So I turned to YouTube. I learned a lot from my various jobs and finally found my area of interest—illustration.”

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Working for a small business at the time, Adriana found herself bored on the quiet days. She struggled to understand why she had to show up for eight hour work days even on the days there was little work to go around.

“Don’t get me wrong. I liked my job. But there were days when we didn't have much to do. And I would really have liked to just be told—okay, you can go home now. And on the days we had a lot of work, I would have been happy to stay more hours over the regular nine to five. But it didn’t work like that. Eight hours, no matter what. It made no sense to me!” she shared, still incredulous.

Enter Upwork: An opportunity to learn, grow, and work

Adriana remembers someone introducing her to Upwork around this time. And as the cliché goes—the rest is history.

“When I got my first design job for an illustration (that I did on paper!) on Upwork, I was like, oh my god, someone is paying me for illustration! It blew my mind. I got so enthusiastic about it,” she said, remembering her first ever freelancing project.

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Success didn’t come overnight of course. Like many other independent professionals, she started out part-time while still working her full-time job.

“It took me more than a year on Upwork to really start getting work. But this was also because I wasn't very skilled. I was self-taught and I just learned some basic stuff on YouTube. Upwork gave me the opportunity to learn on the platform. I was able to get a lot of different projects where I learned on the job and it helped me grow much faster,” said Adriana.

Adriana always wanted to work for herself, and Upwork made that possible—much sooner than she had expected. “So many people told me this isn’t going to work. You should really stick to your job. But I was young and so enthusiastic so I didn’t stop. My freelancing career took off before I finished college so I’m very fortunate I never had to get a ‘real job.’”

Today, Adriana is a top-rated plus freelancer on Upwork. She has worked with clients from around the world, including Fortune 500 companies like Johnson & Johnson and HP.

4 essential tips for new designers and illustrators

Since starting out, Adriana’s business has gone from strength to strength. She has taught herself design skills, and also how to run a successful freelancing business. So what can aspiring designers learn from her?

1. Identify a need, become skilled at it, and build your portfolio

Adriana recommends starting out with a niche as much as possible. You don’t have to be experienced with this niche but you have to make it look like it.

She shared her exact process. “I started out with infographics. I went on Upwork and saw a lot of projects looking for infographic design. So I just built three pieces for my portfolio. I created three infographics, and started applying with these pieces and I started getting infographic design work. And soon that helped me build a portfolio of infographics.”

Adriana realized clients don’t always want a generalist. They want to see specific examples and experience when looking for a designer. “When I started out, my portfolio was diverse. But clients don’t always see things visually. They don’t understand that if I could design a poster, I can design a logo. So for them, it's always important to see stuff that is similar to what they're looking for.

“So once I started niching and just focusing on infographics, a lot of projects started rolling in. My business grew quickly and I learned a lot through each project.”

Helpful read: How to Get Work on Upwork as a New Freelancer

2. Always communicate with the client

Adriana’s other most important tip is to always be honest and communicate everything with the client. It helps build their trust and confidence in you and your work.

Know your process and communicate this to your client. Explain how you work. “For example, I deliver two concepts in five days and then, I offer revisions. I make sure my clients understand when they can expect samples from me.” This highlights your professionalism and puts the client at ease.

Likely to miss a deadline? Adriana says it’s okay, but you must let the client know. “Often they won’t need it exactly on the timeline so they can be flexible. But if you’re going to miss a deadline, it's important to just communicate beforehand to make sure they don't have a rush project or that it might delay a project.”

Helpful read: 10 Ways to Improve Client Communication Skills

3. Be open to feedback

Adriana believes good feedback and revisions can really help to establish you as a professional, especially when you’re new. Don’t let your ego get in the way of your growth.

“Most of the time, clients really understand their business and they understand their audience better than I do. So their feedback is really relevant and it helps me to create better work to serve the final purpose,” she shared.

Helpful read: 10 Tips for Upwork Success from Experienced Independent Professionals

4. Make use of Upwork features

Upwork remains the main source of clients for Adriana’s business. As a top rated plus independent professional, she tries to make the most of various Upwork features available to freelancers.

Two key features Adriana has made use of are the profile introduction video and the portfolio.

Upwork’s portfolio feature has been especially useful for growing her business. “Often, when a potential client reaches out to me, they send me screenshots of pieces from my portfolio. So it's a really good reference for them and also for me to understand what they want, as I also work in different styles.”

Plus, the introduction video has helped Adriana create a connection with clients even before they choose to work with her. “Clients want to know how easy you are to work with. Through my intro video, I try to convey my personality and process to them.”

Helpful read: How Does Upwork Work for Freelancers?

But that’s not all. How does a creative person stay motivated and inspired?

A balanced, multipassionate life fuels creativity

As a creative person, Adriana’s passions extend beyond just design. She attributes her creativity to having multiple interests.

For example, she’s a self-confessed movie buff who watches “a movie every night.”

“I have a lot of hobbies. I’m a beginner dancer. When I start something new it really helps me get into the beginner mentality and mindset. This really translates into my work because it helps me to understand that it's a process. It helps me stop chasing perfection and reminds me that I’m still learning.”

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Additionally, freelancing has given Adriana the freedom to work when and where she’s most creative. This means her days often don’t have a fixed structure, and this works for her. “It's very difficult for me to say I'm working X number of hours from this hour to this hour. I never do that. I have a different schedule every day, depending also on my hobbies and other stuff I'm going to do that day.”

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While her lack of schedule may seem chaotic to some, for Adriana, it’s what fuels her creativity. “As an illustrator, I need to have wiggle room in my days for inspiration; to check my notebooks or gather my ideas.”

Adriana resents the myth that “all freelancers are sitting on a beach somewhere, relaxing with a cocktail.” As a digital nomad, she may travel a lot but “when it's about work, it's still work. Even if I'm on a beach, I’m not relaxing. I'm thinking about the concept.”

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She has worked hard to create this work-life balance in her day-to-day. One that includes her design work, travel, pet sitting, and time with family and friends, as well as other creative pursuits like acting and dancing.

“My work is an important aspect of my life. It’s not something I want to escape from. I want to cherish it, not resent it.”

Forever learning, forever evolving

Stagnation bores Adriana. Her drive to keep learning has helped grow her business, and she’s not about to change. When we asked her what was next, she shared plans to diversify her business further. “I’m interested in how moviemaking and illustration can work together. So my goal is to learn animation and make an illustrated animated illustration.”

So what does Adriana look for in a new client? Clarity and openness. “I really look for clients who are open—to negotiate and to understand what's behind the process. I like when they write a detailed job description. When clients approach me directly, I also appreciate details and maybe some references from my work to understand what they want and why they want me in particular. This helps me understand if I can deliver to their expectations.”

Think you’re the right client-fit? Adriana is open to new projects. Send her a message or invite her to submit a proposal if you would like to work with her.