How to Become a Freelance Artist

Whether you are a talented artist stuck in a boring graphics job, or you draw as a hobby and want to change your career, becoming a freelance artist is the way to spend every day your way. Here are some ideas for selling your talent and turning yourself into a freelance artist.

Instructions

1. Create your own logo and have business cards printed with the logo, your name and at least one phone number where a potential client can reach you. Include your email address. Identify your services somewhere on the business card with a phrase like "Freelance Artist."

2. Work at a mall drawing portraits.

3. Send a package to every ad agency in town with a client list and samples of your work.

4. Create a website displaying your work and have clients give testimonials. If you don't have any clients, have friends and family give testimonials so the potential customer can contact a reference, but make sure your family is willing to talk about having used your services.

5. Try to get an exhibition at an art gallery.

6. Volunteer your services at a children's hospital. Kids love to watch artists draw and you'll give them something to smile about.

7. Freelance for a publisher of children's books. Send them a package with a client list and samples of your work and keep calling every couple of months.

8. Partner with a friend who is a writer and create a children's book.

9. Contact major book publishers and talk them into letting you design a paperback book cover.

10. Send samples to major cartoon animation companies and see if you can work on a freelance basis for them. Do the same with comic book publishers.

11. Network with other artists. They may be able to refer you to someone looking for your particular talent.

12. Find a service that collects freelance art opportunities from all over the country and combines them into a website or sends them to you by email on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. This is a great way to find jobs as a freelance artist.

13. Enter your art into a contest. Awards look great on your resume.

Tips & Warnings

• Volunteer to draw for a crowd whenever you see an opportunity to get a lot of exposure.

• Artists have a reputation for being poor and struggling. That could happen. Be prepared to manage financially.