A foot in the door: helpful links and tips for aspiring illustrators and designers

Photo by Dima Pechurin

Photo by Dima Pechurin

Getting your foot into the creative industry has always been a challenge, but with the added difficulties of the pandemic this has left many feeling isolated and lacking support. It can also be hard to find exactly the right help, especially as creative work is so variable and there is no one set path to success (sigh!). Though times may feel a little uncertain, there is help available – you just have to know where to look. To save you hours trawling the internet for opportunities and guidance, I’ve done the hard work for you. Here’s a list of links, tips and useful resources to help you find your feet in the creative industry.

Job opportunities

It is often a frustration that work experience is required for getting a job, but getting work experience in the first place can be a challenge. For that reason, don’t dismiss opportunities just because they aren’t perfect. Learning lots of skills will broaden your outlook and help you to experiment with avenues you may not have thought of. Be realistic that a dream job may take years to achieve – be patient and learn, setting yourself personal projects where paid roles are lacking. Personal projects also demonstrate where you want to take your work and help potential employers to see how you think. When writing to companies and individuals for opportunities, show you’ve taken the time to research their work and be clear and concise about what you are looking for. Always attach a link to your work (this is the main thing a potential employer will need to see) and if you are attaching a CV make sure it is well designed – don’t be afraid to be different! When seeking out opportunities, be wary of any unpaid internships unless you are simply shadowing or gaining short-term work experience – more intensive placements should always pay you a living wage. Be equally wary of job application processes that require you to fulfil lengthy briefs unless they’re essential for demonstrating specific skills that can’t be seen in a portfolio or through an interview. Expecting a large amount of unpaid labour from everyone who applies to such opportunities may indicate further issues with unpaid labour and overtime in employment. Below are some links you may find helpful for seeking out opportunities:

  • The Kickstart scheme has enabled many employers to provide placements for young people through government grants. Search for the hashtag #kickstartscheme on social media to see what  opportunities are available. 
    https://www.kickstartsimple.com

Check out these job lists that are regularly updated with creative opportunities

Don’t take social media for granted either - regularly search for terms relevant to what you’re looking for, such as ‘illustrator needed’ or 'illustration commission’ and see what comes up. Don’t overlook platforms like Linkedin for jobs and commercial commissions - although it may seem a bit stuffy, many art directors use it to connect. If you’re after private commissions or selling products online, platforms such as Instagram can work better. Think about the audience you are trying to get work from and tailor your posts to appeal to them.

You may also find these articles helpful

Photo by Jazmin Quaynor

Photo by Jazmin Quaynor

Portfolio development

As well as trying to reach potential clients or employers, working on your portfolio is key to making sure you have a strong body of work. Don’t sweat it if you don’t have any commercial commissions yet, use your folio to show the best of what you can do and your processes. A website is important, but if you don’t have one use platforms like instagram or Behance to reference your work. Think about what your ideal briefs would be and set yourself some mock projects to complete. If you’re stuck for ideas, check out these creative briefs:
https://www.ideasfoundation.org.uk/resources/creative-briefs/

For further tips on building a portfolio, check out this helpful article and links on the UAL site:
https://www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-careers/career-skills-and-support/how-to-build-a-portfolio

Competitions

Competitions can be helpful to reach a wider audience with your work. Be wary of competitions that set a high fee to enter, or ask you to ‘pitch' work that will be used commercially. Such competitions are usually exploitative and exclude giving a platform to those that can’t afford to enter. If you do enter competitions, check the terms - make sure you retain all copyright to your entry and that you’re happy with the way the work will be used. The best competitors also enable you to enter existing work rather than create competition-specific work. If you do create work for competitions, make sure it is work that benefits you and will help to strengthen your portfolio.

Portfolio reviews and creative mentoring

There are many organisations and professionals that offer coaching and portfolio advice which can be invaluable when putting together your first portfolio or seeking direction. Should you want to invest in paid mentorship, try to get an initial chat or intro to see if you are a good fit before paying for any sessions. Be realistic about what level of mentorship you need and how much you are willing to spend. Always have a set goal in mind and outline these at the start of coaching sessions.

Free mentoring

Paid creative mentoring
Please note, these are mentors I can personally endorse, there are a lot out there so ask for recommendations!

Photo by Jon Tyson

Photo by Jon Tyson

Supportive community

Having a supportive community of peers will help considerably for getting feedback on your work, discussing relevant issues, passing on work opportunities and getting support. If you are a recent graduate I would strongly advise setting up a slack group with your peers to offer one another support and sharing contacts and advice along the way. I’ve been able to pass on work to my peers in this way during busy times and equally have had work passed on to me (don’t be competitors, be allies!). You will of course benefit from finding communities that enable you to connect with more established professionals too so look out for communities that appeal to a mix of creatives. 

Below are some communities and events you may want to get involved in:


Resources to build skills

Although creating your own learning schedule takes commitment and motivation, there is a wealth of information online in order for you to develop skills, Youtube is a great platform for free learning, but make sure you have specific goals in mind. Take the time to research different educators who have relevant content – you may find it easier to follow a series of lessons by the same creator. https://www.youtube.com

  • Skillshare is a great way of learning without the heavy cost or time commitments of full time courses. You can dip in to courses that are relevant to areas you’d like to develop. Prices start at £10.25/mo 
    https://www.skillshare.com

  • Domestika offer ad-hoc courses in a wide range of creative skills at very reasonable prices. Courses start from just £10!
    https://www.domestika.org

  • Superhi offer courses to help you learn how to code, design, and manage projects. Prices range from free to $500.
    https://www.superhi.com

  • The School of motion offer a range of intensive tutored courses, specialising in animation but also covering courses for learning Illustrator and Photoshop. I can highly recommend the courses and worth paying for if you have a design or animation programme you’d like to learn proficiently. Courses start at around $997 
    https://www.schoolofmotion.com

Resources for freelancers

Help for the underrepresented

It’s a sad fact that the creative industry has a much lower percentage of workers who are working class, women, LGBTQ+ or people of colour, despite the fact that the industry thrives where there is diverse work. Below are some organisations that specifically seek to give underrepresented groups a platform.

  • Fuse is a Manchester-based creative platform elevating the voices and work from creatives of colour; dedicated to creating change.
    https://fusemcr.com

Photo by Damir Kopezhanov

Photo by Damir Kopezhanov

Helpful articles and resources 

Helpful instagram accounts to follow:

I hope that helps to open up some doors for you! I will keep adding to it as I find other resources. If you have other recommendations and links feel free to comment on this post.

freelancing, tips, finding work, allLisa Maltbywork experience, creative industry, creativity, success, creative job, design industry, illustrationComment