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KIT MILLS: We didn’t really learn very much about what it’s like to actually interact with clients, how to get jobs, how to advocate for yourself, how to negotiate - I undersold myself a lot until I figured out how unsustainable as a practice that is. #How to be a mac freelance artist trialKELSEY ALPAIO: Kit said he only ever went to one class about the business side of illustration and he learned the rest of it just through trial and error in the early days of his career. So if you have other ways of obtaining those things in your life, I don’t think that it’s necessary. That said, I learned a lot from getting a degree, learned a lot about technique and about working and about discipline. No one cares as long as you can produce good work and you are reliable. No client has ever asked me if I have a degree, where I went to school, or what my GPA was. But an age-old question here - do you need a degree in art to be successful in this field? KELSEY ALPAIO: Kit went to Syracuse University and studied illustration there. And then we take it incrementally from there. And so then I take that and I do a more worked out sketch-type thing. And then the client will look at them and be like, I like number 2, or I don’t like any of these, please start again. And I negotiate around all of those things on what I’m capable of doing and how much I want.Īfter we have our initial agreement and contracts are signed and everything, I will do some initial sketches or designs for what I think that the project should look. KIT MILLS: I’ll have an initial interaction with a client where they give me a brief on what sort of thing that they’re looking for, what the turnaround time is like, what their budget is for the project. So yes, art has deadlines, workflows, feedback. He’s also doing all of the project management. KELSEY ALPAIO: As a freelancer, he’s not only doing the illustration work. But then, like a magic switch, 4:00 PM rolls around. And then I take a break in the afternoon because, for some reason, my brain just can’t focus for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I like to work from 8:00 to noon or 8:00 to 1:00. Unfortunately, I usually sit on the couch, like a little gargoyle, and sketch away with my knees up and hunched over in probably the worst posture position I allow myself to indulge in. So I like to go for a little walk around the block or do some yoga or something just to get my blood flowing and make sure that my brain is functioning properly. KIT MILLS: I focus best if I have done some kind of physical activity before I start working. What does your day look like? Spell it out for me. #How to be a mac freelance artist fullAnd full disclosure - Ascend has commissioned him to do some work for us before. So you wake up in the morning. KELSEY ALPAIO: Kit specializes in illustration. ![]() And there is a different goal and type of communication involved in each thing that I do. KIT MILLS: I love that it’s basically problem-solving with pictures. #How to be a mac freelance artist professionalKELSEY ALPAIO: What does it actually take to be a professional artist? KIT MILLS: It can be a delicate balance between whether they wanted you specifically because of some personal spirit that you are bringing to the piece or if they hired you because you are a pair of hands and can draw. In this episode, Kit and I break down what it actually takes to be a professional illustrator. And like him, I also do my best work while sitting like a gargoyle. He’s a professional illustrator and comic artist. ![]() And something about this - the gravity of this position makes it easier for me to feel like I’m really attacking the thing that I’m making. But my back is braced against the back of the chair. KIT MILLS: I sit on my chair, like this. I’m on my toes. From figuring out what to charge to dealing with clients and being your own boss - it’s about a lot more than making great art. In this episode, I interview Kit Mills, a freelance illustrator and comic artist, to find out what it’s really like to pursue art professionally. How do you figure out how to value your time and price your work? What is it like to deal with clients and manage yourself? What does it actually take to be successful as a professional artist? I start freaking out about how the business side of it works. It’s always been a fantasy of mine to start selling it, but something always stops me. ![]() I have a hard time personally calling myself an artist - but I do love making art. ![]()
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