Blog: Insights on Freelance Artist (Patreon)

Hey everyone!

In this blog entry, I wanted to take a moment to dive deeper into the intricacies of starting out as a freelance artist. I'll share the key aspects that I believe are important for anyone new to this industry.

While having a unique art style and continuously improving your skills are crucial, there are many other aspects you need to look into if you want to grow faster as an independent content creator who wants to make this freelancing into a career

What I did personally

When I first started, I asked myself, "How can I find opportunities as a new artist?" At that time, I had basic skills and very little collection of art that could be used as an example I could show to my potential commission clients. You might have the skills, but without finished artworks to showcase, it can be challenging to convince potential clients who might be interested in working with you.

For me, being familiar with MMO communities proved to be very beneficial. By understanding the types of communities within these games, I was able to target individuals who might be interested in having their characters drawn in my style. As an avid gamer myself, spending time raiding and PvPing in games like World of Warcraft and FFXIV, I could relate to their passion.

On my Patreon, you can find my earliest works, which primarily consist of fanart depicting player characters from different MMOs. Many of these characters belonged to roleplayers, while others simply appreciated the game's cosmetic system and wanted their characters illustrated in an anime style. Therefore, if you want to establish rapport and attract clients, focusing on MMO gamers might be the most effective approach.

I ended up joining multiple MMO community discords, forums, and official MMO community sites to browse through their fanart sections. I would often take note of clients who had recently commissioned character drawings and reach out to them. Looking back, I realize that my approach may have been somewhat intrusive. However, as someone who was new and just starting out, I had limited options and needed to put myself out there to generate interest.

The thing I liked about taking MMO genre commissions in the past was that it helped me understand the various preferences people had regarding their unique designs and why they loved their character's aesthetics. Overall, I believe it was a big help for me to understand the growing market for OC commissions this way.

What are some ways artists can generate profit?

I think there are generally five paths you could look into.

1. You could look into setting yourself up as a freelance artist that takes art commissions like I have done in the past. I think this is the general meta for us artists in the West.

2. You can build up a portfolio and try to contact various companies for work opportunities as a freelance artist contracted with the company. I think this is the general meta for artists that are based in Japan and Korea.

3. You could create your personalized brand of character art and sell those through Cons and online shops targetting the goods market.

4. You could eventually create a following and run Patreon/Fanbox/Gumroad on a monthly cycle along with any other methods one could explore in making digital sales.

5. Become a YouTube content creator using your art.

Social Media and Social Skills

Now, let's talk about the importance of social media. While art is important, having a strong presence on social media can set you apart from your peers. Throughout my career, I've learned that interacting with other creators is essential for success. To thrive, we must be open to collaborating with different creators and sharing our work with a wider audience. This is why having a larger social media reach is crucial. It not only provides opportunities to work with fellow creators but also attracts potential companies interested in future collaborations.

I hope I'm not going off on a tangent here, but I truly believe that good social skills are important for artists to build rapport. I understand that this is a personal perspective, as there are plenty of artists who thrive solely on art commissions without focusing on the social aspects I mentioned earlier. Platforms like Pixiv Requests and Skeb, for example, often limit interactions to a short commission description. Some Patreon artists also keep social interactions to a minimum and find success. Personally, I consider myself more sociable and value interactions with my clients and community. However, there is no right or wrong way, and it ultimately depends on your preferences. What works for one artist may not work for another, so I encourage experimentation to find what you're comfortable with.

Alright, let's refocus on the topic of important things you should know if you're starting out as a new creator and want to pursue a freelance career.

Discipline and Deadlines

One of the coolest perks of being a freelancer is that you essentially become your own boss and have the freedom to choose the work you want to do and when to do it. However, this level of freedom can also be a pitfall if you lack discipline and fail to plan your schedule and set deadlines. As a freelancer, integrity, and trust are crucial. When you commit to a deadline for a project, it is important to do your best to meet that deadline and complete the work on time.

In the past, I've heard common complaints from clients about their past experiences with other artists where they didn't receive the artwork they paid for on time before the deadlines. By meeting deadlines and maintaining good communication with clients, I've built a loyal customer base and have clients return for future projects. These principles may seem like common sense when you think about it, but they truly make a difference in maintaining a successful freelance career. Please remember only to accept payments if you truly believe you can finish that project by the deadline you agreed upon with your client because accepting and not delivering on the project is a scam

I hope these insights and tips will help you on your journey as a freelance artist. Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach, so find what works best for you and keep creating amazing art!