I was recently contacted by a friend of a friend, a junior graphic designer who was looking for mentorships and internships. I intended to email him back a some advice, and as I was writing, 2-3 pointers became 10, and then more. I wanted to put down these thoughts and experiences as a general reference.
They are based on my own experiences as well as others I read about. I sometimes forget to practice these, and I still make plenty mistakes. But these are good reminders. Hope you’ll find them useful.
Start your ideas on paper, sketch it out. Don’t jump to the computer.
Keep practicing and creating. Focus on the type of work you'd like to do and create personal projects if you don't have actual work.
Do something every day - either a small project or a bit of work on a big project.
Publish your work - social media, artist sites etc. - Ask for feedback.
Only show your best work in a portfolio.
It will take time to get really good. Don’t be afraid to take stuff out once new and better stuff comes in. Two quotes I like: "All Killer, No Filler" , and "You’re Only As Good As Your Worst Piece"
Network with people - look for local events, facebook groups etc. (Freelancers Union is a good start. There are many others within your field of practice)
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others - about finding a job, critiquing a project etc.
Offer your (paid) skills to people you know. Mention what is it you do. People always need content.
Don't be tempted to work for free or cheap unless there's a good reason to do so.
Some good reasons: A good cause, a project that you will be excited about, help you get more jobs, etc.)
But be careful with these . Don’t commit to too much, don’t get sucked in to a low pay gig ( or any gig for that matter) that will blow up of proportions with additional requests.
Don't fall for job ads and requests which mention "Great opportunity", "Exposure", "a chance to work with acclaimed artist" - When someone wants you to work for them for free/cheap, and lengthily describes how it will help you - you are the one doing them a favor.
You will probably work for cheap in the beginning, which is ok. Know to set boundaries.
Remember that it usually takes 50-100 percent longer to finish a job than estimated. If you think it will take you 4 hours, most likely it will be closer to 8.
I can't stress this enough- don't be in front of the computer too long. Get up and walk away very 30-40 minutes. The body and mind need rest. More on that in another post.
Get up and stretch
Books I like:
Steal Like An Artist
The War Of Art (Not the other one)
The 4 Hour Workweek
The 100$ Start-up