Advice to Freelance Artists and Charging Clients

Practical advice that I have picked up from working in the freelance field doing Graphic Design in the last couple of years, nevertheless this applies to all artists. Please never ever do Free work unless it is worth your time and talents. In the end it is your choice =)

• The work I do is valuable, therefore I need to charge.
• Ask your client if it is valuable to them (the service that you are providing)
• Money is exchange of energy.
• Money is essential to growing your business and profession
• What is my ultimate goal for this business? Do I want to be self-employed?
• Fully shift and step into this role, shift your perspective.
• Take your profession and your work seriously.
• Work out a flexible payment plan for your clients. 
• Tell yourself that what you are practicing, doing, passionate about is VALUABLE.
• DON'T UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF.

Should you care about your financial future?

Rich Dad Poor Dad Quote

“To spend your life living in fear, never exploring your dreams, is cruel. To work hard for money, thinking that money will buy you things that will make you happy is also cruel. To wake up in the middle of the night terrified about paying bills is a horrible way to live. To live a life dictated by the size of a paycheck is not really a life. Thinking that a job will make you feel secure is lying to yourself… Please don’t let money run your life.” -Rich Dad, Poor Dad By Robert Kiyosaki

I just started reading this book, it caught my eye at Borders last week when I saw it on sale for $8. I had always heard about it through friends but it never really caught my interest to read it. I had been a one-track minded artist who cared only about doing art and never explored the business part of it. Books on finance and money? Yeah right, I thought that being an artist – I would never have to worry about money. Boy was I WRONG!! Being an artist, especially a freelance artist and illustrator – you have to make sure that you learn the business side of it as well. Because then you can really make money work for you ;) and not work for money. See the difference? Newfound epiphany from reading Rich Dad Poor Dad. *smile*

Why should you care about your financial future? Couldn’t I get somebody else to do the book keeping for me? You could, if you’re really that bad with keeping track of your spending and where your money is going. But don’t you think it’s much more empowering to learn all the tricks of the trade and know where your money is going? Don’t you want to feel like you can be in control of your finances? I do! At least now that I am much older, ahem. I used to not care where I was spending my money and not really planning on how it’s going to be used.

I’m starting to care a little bit more about the marketing and business aspect of branding myself as an artist. I’m much more committed to my art, avoiding unnecessary distractions that just don’t fit in with my interests and the things that I’m passionate about. I admit I’m a bit of solitary/lone wolf these days. But I like it! I get to explore my heart’s desire, study the books I like and really contemplate what it is that I really want out of life. That’s a little deep! Ha. Whatever floats your boat, right? We must seek the things that make us truly happy. I thought that quote from Robert Kiyosaki’s book was truly inspirational, what a profound lesson to have learned at the age of 9. 9 is the number of the dreamer.

Anyway, I don’t really know what the point of this post is… just hoping that somebody else takes something away and really start to care about going into business for themselves as an artist and to really learn to make money from the pursuit of your passion. Do what you love and love what you do. Vice versa. Don’t be part of the rat race, embrace a new paradigm of living, break out of the mold… you’ll be much happier, I promise you =)

Artist as Brand Workshop

It's about time I updated my blog! I promise to update more often =) Anyway, last weekend I was able to attend the Artist as Brand workshop here in San Francisco at the Academy of Art. I had the opportunity of meeting Greg Spalenka at Comicon this past summer and had attended his panel. I had been wanting to take his 3 day workshop for a while and was glad that they offered it at my school.

Taking his workshop was one of the best things I ever did for myself, I've learned so much about narrowing down my personal vision as an artist, learning business and marketing techniques on how to promote myself as an artist, and tons of social media tips. His wife Roxana Villa also gave a lecture on how she started building her business, you can check out her site here.  I also met some talented people in the industry that I connected with. If you're serious about going to business for yourself and really sustaining a living on your own as an artist, check out their site for upcoming events. www.artistasbrand.com