Can A Solo Freelance Artist Make A Real Living?

Another blog post by illustrator agent Lilla Rogers where she answers a question from a commentor on her blog: Can artists make a living?.

The artist who asked the question brought up the idea that many freelance artists/illustrators in fact have a spouse with a full-time job with benefits, and therefore the income from their freelance work is all secondary. The questioner wants to know — from an agents perspective — if a solo freelance artist can indeed make a real living. We’re talking heath care, retirement, the whole deal.

In short, the answer is yes. Rogers is straightforward with her answers with real numbers from her experience as an agent. It’s inspiring to know that she does feel it’s more than possible.

I also brought up a point in the comments that being a freelance artist is no different from any other small business — no one is going to hand it to you. You have to work for it, and there will be others in the field who just have the knack, the connections, the right timing or the good luck to make it work.

Just because you’re out there doing it (and talented), that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get tons of work. The artists that are successful no doubt have and continue to put in lots of non-creative work on the marketing and business side of things to make it happen.

I am always surprised when I find mailing lists or blog posts by obviously successful and well-recognized artists/illustrators to find that they still do all the marketing and network that is recommended for freelance artists. They don’t sit on their name/recognition and wait for the work, they are out there putting into practice regularly and continuously the advice they give.

by George Coghill -
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