IS YOUR FREELANCE ILLUSTRATION PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE?
In this article, Nate Padavick 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.
Introduction
Freelance illustration can be a deeply fulfilling career, but like any profession, it comes with its own set of challenges. One of the most important questions to ask yourself as a freelance illustrator is whether your practice is sustainable. But what does sustainability really mean in this context? It goes beyond just making ends meet; it’s about creating a practice that supports you financially, creatively, socially, and personally over the long term.
1. Financial Sustainability: Does It Pay the Bills?
The first and most obvious aspect of a sustainable freelance practice is financial viability. At its core, your work may needs to bring in enough income to cover some—or all—of your living expenses. This means having a steady flow of projects, clients who value your work enough to pay fair rates, and a pricing structure that reflects your skills and experience.
Financial sustainability also involves good business practices. Budgeting, saving, and investing in your career—whether through new tools, courses, or marketing efforts—are crucial. If your freelance income is unstable, it may be worth exploring multiple income streams. This could include selling prints, teaching, or taking on different types of creative work that still align with your core strengths.
2. Creative Sustainability: Does It Nurture Your Creativity?
Beyond just paying the bills, a sustainable freelance practice should nurture your creativity. As an illustrator, your work is an extension of your imagination and artistic skills. It’s essential that your practice allows you to explore, experiment, and grow creatively. If you’re stuck doing work that feels repetitive or uninspiring, it can quickly lead to burnout.
Ask yourself if your current projects excite you. Do they challenge you to push your boundaries, or do they feel like a creative dead end? Sustainable creativity often means balancing commercial work with personal projects. It’s about finding a rhythm where client demands don’t stifle your artistic voice, but rather, give you the freedom and resources to pursue your own creative interests as well.
3. Social Sustainability: Does It Deepen Your Human Connections?
Freelancing can be isolating, especially when much of your work is done alone at a desk. A sustainable practice isn’t just about the work itself but also about the connections it fosters. Building a network of like-minded creatives can provide support, inspiration, and opportunities for collaboration.
Social sustainability in your freelance practice means engaging with a community that understands your struggles and celebrates your successes. This could be through online groups (like Illustrators For Hire or Art Brand Alliance), local meetups (like Urban Sketchers), or industry events (like The Illustration Conference). It’s about more than just networking for business purposes; it’s about finding a sense of belonging and mutual encouragement.
Being part of a community also allows you to give back, whether by mentoring less experienced illustrators or contributing to collaborative projects. These connections can be deeply fulfilling and provide a sense of continuity and support that’s crucial for long-term sustainability.
4. Personal Sustainability: Does It Allow You to Tell Your Story?
Finally, a sustainable freelance practice should give you the space to tell your own story. As an illustrator, you have a unique perspective and a voice that deserves to be heard. Whether through personal projects, social media, or public speaking, sharing your viewpoints and experiences can be incredibly powerful.
Personal sustainability means having the freedom to create work that resonates with your values and passions. It’s about being able to communicate your ideas to a broader audience, making your work not just a job but a meaningful part of your life. This aspect of sustainability ties back into all the others: financial stability gives you the time and resources to focus on personal projects; creative freedom ensures that your work reflects your true self; and social connections provide a platform to share your story with others.
Conclusion: Building a Sustainable Freelance Illustration Practice
Sustainability in freelance illustration is a multifaceted concept. It’s about more than just surviving—it’s about thriving in a way that supports your financial needs, fuels your creativity, connects you with others, and allows you to express your unique voice. By focusing on these four pillars—financial, creative, social, and personal—you can build a practice that not only sustains you but also empowers you to grow as an artist and as a person.
In the end, sustainability is deeply personal. What works for one illustrator might not work for another. The key is to regularly assess your practice, recognize what’s working, and be willing to make changes when something isn’t. By doing so, you’ll be better equipped to build a freelance illustration career that’s not just sustainable, but also deeply fulfilling.
The PRO Series
Sustainability is the foundation upon which we developed The PRO Series, a multi-seminar series that helps freelance illustrators build stronger creative practices. It is a yearly event that happens live on Zoom. If you have already signed up to the IFH Newsletter, then you will be invited to attend when the dates are announced.