INSIGHTS
This pages contains links to articles written by Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, which provide valuable insights into the world of freelance illustration.
HOW TO ATTAIN A SUSTAINABLE FREELANCE ILLUSTRATION PRACTICE
This article discusses how “sustainability” goes beyond just making ends meet—it’s about creating a practice that provides four pillars of support: financial, creative, social, and personal.
HOW TO LAND YOUR DREAM CLIENT
Discover practical strategies for landing a dream illustration client. From identifying the right opportunities to building meaningful connections and pitching with professionalism, he outlines actionable steps to turn aspirations into reality.
IFH Member-only content.
HOW TO FIND YOUR ILLUSTRATION NICHE
Explore the importance of niche marketing for freelance illustrators through examples of niche markets, profiles of illustrators with strong niches, and highlights of the benefits of this strategy.
HOW TO COMMISSION AN ILLUSTRATOR FOR YOUR CHILDREN’S BOOK
This guide provides children's book authors with valuable insights on how to effectively commission an illustrator for their projects.
HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR WEBSITE FOR SEARCH ENGINES
This guide will delve into why SEO is crucial for freelance illustrators and outline the best practices they should prioritize to enhance their online presence and reach a wider audience.
HOW TO FINE-TUNE THE FEEDS YOU FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM
Following specific feeds on Instagram can benefit your illustration business by providing inspiration, gaining insights into illustration trends, and discovering opportunities for networking and collaboration.
IFH Member-only content.
HOW TO IDENTIFY AN EMAIL SCAM
This article raises awareness of email scams and helps freelance illustrators identify an email scam before it’s too late.
IFH Member-only content.
HOW TO MAKE AN ART DIRECTORY HAPPY
We reached out to 20 art directors and asked them the same question: why would you hire a freelancer a second time? There answers are highly insightful...and sometimes surprising!
IFH Member-only content.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING
The Illustrator's Circle provides extra inspiration for people who love to draw. From on-demand videos to step-by-step guides, this platform stimulates the creative corners of your brain.
HOW TO USE YOUR ILLUSTRATION POWERS FOR THE COMMON GOOD
In this article, we offer a dozen ways illustrators can have a positive impact—on themselves, their friends, their audiences, the world—by creating art that speaks to the heart and mind.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR INSTRAGRAM PROFILE MORE PROFESSIONAL
This guide demonstrates how just a few incremental tweaks to your Instagram profile can increase your professional appearance in the eyes of art directors.
HOW TO ASSESS YOUR NEED FOR AN ILLUSTRATION AGENT
This article helps freelance illustrators better understand the role of an illustration agent, the services they provide, the expectations of the business relationship, and the steps towards finding an agent.
IFH Member-only content.
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SITE’S SEO
This article explains why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is vital for illustrators to understand. It provides freelance illustrators with tips for making quick fixes to improve their sites in the near-term and guidance for designing a new site in the long-term.
HOW TO MAKE AN ART DIRECTOR HAPPY
Art directors play a pivotal role in the creative industry, acting as the bridge between artistic vision and its realization. This essay explores the qualities that art directors look for when hiring freelancers.
IFH Member-only content.
HOW TO BECOME BETTER AT BUSINESS
Take The PRO Series! They don’t teach you this stufff in art school! A series of six seminars, led by Nate Padavick, that focus on the business of illustration.
IFH Members receive free access.
HOW TO CONTRACTUALLY PROTECT YOUR ARTWORK AGAINST AI TRAINING
This article contains contract language illustrators may use to restrict AI companies from using their illustrations as training data.
HOW TO CREATE AN ILLUSTRATION INVOICE
This article contains the key elements that should appear on an illustrator’s invoice.
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