Well my dear chums, off we go! The life of a jobbing freelancer is a sorry tale of great times of famine or feast. You may have a great commission on the go or if you're really lucky, more than one at the same time (although of course this can lead to trouble, afterall, you've only got one pair of hands!) When you have nothing 'official' on, then that is the time to calmly panic. I find the worst part of freelancing is the great balancing act, you must promote yourself as much as possible, emailing companies, updating your sites, checking the various art job webs and of course, producing more samples. You do this with the aim of getting a commission, you may get one, so then, all of this side of your business technically stops so you can concentrate on the brief for your latest job, you do said job and then the whole process starts again! In an ideal world, this would be a fluid transaction, but in reality it never seems to fall like that. For example, last year I had two commissions on the go at once (plus a third small regular one as well) I must have averaged about 4 hours sleep a day if I was lucky, my family nearly forgot who I was and I started to go 'Photoshop Blind'...(you start seeing the real world like your PS work area and wonder what button you have to click to change your trousers!) It was worth it, as that is my choosen job, but just as soon as you think you've made it, it all slows down to a grinding halt. I'm at that stage right now, I've been busy creating fresh greetings card stock to send off and am awaiting various companies replies with baited breath. I know I'm on a countdown again, the money only lasts so long until a new commission, you always have that tiny fear in the back of your mind 'what if nothing else comes through?'....you just have to get on with it and have faith in yourself!
Above is my very latest stock card, I've had a thumbnail sketch of this one for a while now and was eager to do a Tardis (nerd I know but sue me!) I'm pretty chuffed with it! Let's hope it sells!
