How to Get Started in Illustration Part 2
This post offers tips on how to get started in pursuing a career in illustration for beginners and aspiring illustrators.
Welcome to Part 2 of the How to Get Started in Illustration series! If you missed the first part, I highly recommend that you take a look at it before reading this post. If you’ve already read it, then let’s dive in!
When I started my journey into children’s book illustration years ago, I was a sponge wanting to soak up as much knowledge as possible about the industry. I knew that to succeed, I needed to have a unique style, a polished website, hone my craft, and be on social media for the right people to find my work. Yet there were things I didn’t know that I had to learn along the way.
Fortunately, this journey gave me plenty of learning experiences, and now I can share them with you.
As you begin your illustrator journey, remember that everyone starts as a novice. Mistakes will be made and rejections may happen, but if you put in the work and give yourself time to learn, you will become a seasoned pro. So, without further ado, here are four more tips that can help you get started in illustration.
Learn About the Industry
If you want to have a successful career as an illustrator, then you need to commit to learning as much about the industry as you can. I naively overlooked this piece of advice in the beginning, but had I invested in learning more about the inner workings of the industry early on, I would have made better choices later in my career.
However, like the late Maya Angelou stated, ‘when you know better, do better.’
Whatever niche of the illustration industry you’re interested in be it children’s books, science illustration, fashion illustration, character design, surface patterning, or editorial illustration, dedicate your time to learning something new about it as often as you can. Read books about your niche or join a local group that caters to it. Heck, do both!
For example, I learned so much over the years by being a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and reading their newsletters. Hands down, joining has been one of the best career decisions I’ve made.
If you’re interested in illustrating (and/or writing) children’s books, then I highly recommend that you join as well.
Click to read How to Get Started in Illustration Part 1
Put in the Work
There’s no getting around it; Having a thriving and sustainable career in illustration takes a lot of work. This path requires your commitment, dedication, and unwavering effort, and you’ll need to work hard to get results. But don’t get discouraged; knowing what it takes now to have a career in illustration can prepare you for the journey ahead.
As an illustrator you are your own boss, and you business is providing your art to others.
This journey isn’t for the faint of heart nor should you expect to be overnight success, either. Building a career in illustration takes time. You will need to have a plan (so don't quit your day job just yet!) and learn some new skills to succeed.
For example, being organized, having knowledge in business administration, and having great interpersonal skills will be of great use to you. Not only are they great assets to have for running your business, but also for dealing with clients. And let’s not forget the perseverance you will need to meet deadlines and create quality art at the same time. Whew!
Having a positive mindset will also be beneficial. There will be setbacks that will make you doubt yourself and question your progress. It's inevitable. But with a positive outlook, it will be your grit, self-motivation, passion, and faith leading the way.
Essentially, you are your own boss, and your business is providing your art to others. And as a boss, you’ll be putting in a lot of time and energy to keep your business afloat. It’s a lot of responsibility, yes, but it’s also very rewarding.
Once you see the fruits of your hard work and labor, though, there will be no stopping you from making leaps of progress.
Know Your Definition of Success
What does having a successful career in illustration mean to you? Do you aspire to illustrate children’s books for a living, or do you want to make picture books for your kids? Do you want to work full-time, or accept gigs as they come?
Whatever your reasons, your definition of success should be unique to you based on the personal goals that you want to achieve.
So, if you want to illustrate books that will be on the New York Times bestseller list or if you want to illustrate comics for your local newspaper, knowing what success means to you will make it easier to achieve it.
Remember, success can have many definitions. You may be content with a modest but steady income or you may want to make a living from your art. Each desire is completely respectable! Take time to think about what success means to you now so it will be easier to keep your eyes on the prize down the road.
Stay committed to your definition of success so it will be easier to stay focused on achieving your goals.
If you need help in figuring out what your definition of success is, then ask yourself some questions like; What is your ‘why’ for pursuing a career in illustration? What do you want to achieve by embarking on this path? And if you could not fail, what would be your ultimate dream life as an illustrator? Your answers will direct you to the path you should take.
Believe in Yourself
This is possibly the most important piece of advice I can give, yet it is often the most overlooked; You need to believe that you can make your dreams of becoming an illustrator come true.
You need to have faith in yourself.
Easier said than done, I know, but believing in yourself is a must for this line of work. Sadly, though, this is usually the reason why so many decide to quit early on. They let failure deter them, make excuses, doubt their talents, or worry about the opinions of others. But what they really need to do is build their self-confidence.
“The more you know about who you want to be in the future, the more it's possible for you to arrive there.” - Dr. Joe Dispenza
Having faith to pursue a career of your dreams, though, is paramount to fulfilling them. Nothing worth pursuing in life is free. It’s the obstacles and challenges that we face that give us the opportunities to grow into the people we want to become. And our hopes and dreams for the lives we want to live are on the other side of fear just waiting for us to seize them.
So, if you want to make a living as an illustrator, you need to have faith that you can do it. You need to believe in yourself. And you need to keep that internal flame of your creativity, passion, and faith ignited.
To Recap, here are my total eight tips for getting started:
Find your Artistic Style
Hone your Craft
Have a Website
Be on Social Media
Learn About your Industry
Put in the Work
Know your Definition of Success
Believe in Yourself
Beginning your illustrator journey can be exciting as much as it is nerve-wracking, but it’s ultimately a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Know that you can do this. You can make a career for yourself as an illustrator. And the challenges you face are your teachers helping you to become better at your craft.
I hope these tips that have helped will be of use to you on your journey. So, tell me, what has your experience been so far?
Until next time, best of luck to you and keep creating.