(Don’t) Work For Free?

Hello Illustrators!

Here with this week's topic, the dreaded working for free!

Should artists do it? should we not? Let's have a chat...
 

All the talk of 'don’t work for free', 'don’t back down on your fee', 'stick to your guns' etc, is all great in a motivational insta post, but the reality of the industry is slightly different...

Even though I definitely have, I’d generally recommend not to work for free, instead I’d suggest putting any sort of fee in there even if it’s £10. When I was at uni I charged friends and family £5 a drawing, it’s pennies, but even that £5 made people appreciate their decision to commission and respect the process/outcome more. 

Just the process of getting confirmation and sending an invoice will take dealing with you out of the hobby realm and into the professional club.

And like every artist, I detest the ‘do it for exposure’ offer. BUT I would recommend hearing out every opportunity and coming to a decision independently, don’t tar everything with the same brush. 

Drawing a portrait for an influencer(?) who offers to share it with their '2k followers' as payment isn’t going to benefit you, but if a great opportunity comes knocking that perhaps isn’t financially favourable, turn it into something beneficial. 

Not every opportunity will come to you at face value being financially beneficial, but try thinking is this something I can monetise or benefit from in another way.

For example, I’ve illustrated at fashion week for free, whilst there I met someone who works in PR, who a little while later approached me for a job with a brand that I did for a reduced rate. I worked with that brand again, this time at an event abroad but in exchange they paid for my trip, I then worked with them again and they sent me abroad (2 countries this time) AND paid me my usual rate. 

Another time I did a job for reduced rate, it was a live event mixed with an art pop up, so I could sell my originals as well. I sold an original painting whilst there, networked with people and ended up booking another job from someone I met there a year later.

So there is an element of building relationships with brands and planting seeds that you have to consider. I think you get better at sniffing out the opportunities you should be flexible with as you go, but if you’re in the beginning of your career I’d recommend at least hearing out every opportunity.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done jobs for a reduced rate or even free that have netted me absolutely F all. I think I’ve just mentally blocked those out so I’ll ask about it in therapy this week update you guys later…  nah I’m messing.

But genuinely, plenty of times I’ve done work for free, led by the misguidedthought that it was going to be the catalyst for my career ‘once that’s posted ohh my careers gonna pop offff’ and it fizzles and disappears. 

I’ve illustrated at fashion weeks for free, illustrated coverage for free, drawn print designs with the offer of getting a % that don’t ever sell, I’ve illustrated a design for event merch which ended up being merged with someone else’s design and not even visible, I’ve invested time, effort and money into my own ideas that don’t pay off, the list goes on...

So you’re never going to be right all the time when judging these opportunities, but it all comes back to what I keep saying about watering many plants in the garden that is your career rather than focusing on perfecting a single bonsai tree.  

Careers in the creative industry are odd and the route through is different for absolutely everyone, so listen to everyones advice (including mine) but always trust your own gut and feel free to ignore everyones advice (including mine).

A saying I've always liked regarding advice is 'Don't listen unless they're also in the ring taking punches.' AKA everyone's gonna have opinions and advice but don't listen to those just sitting on the sidelines.

 That gut feeling to trust regarding opportunities and things will hone with experience, so your best bet is to go out and load up on experience.