Saturday 2 April 2016

Professional practice 6

starting to build my potential client database, made a nice Excel document to make everything a bit easier, god it's been years since I last had to use Excel, like not since I was in secondary school. good old internet, you wonderful source of tutorials.

a few sources of potential clients for the database:

AOI CLIENT DIRECTORIES - http://www.theaoi.com/shop/staging/index.php/theshop/products/client-directories
alas you need to be a member to buy the collection for cheap (which im not buying until the last possible minute) but £54.00 discounted is pretty reasonable.

I know we have a couple of company databases in the Uni library and possibly some client ones, so i'm going to have to drop in and use up the remainder of my print credit.

literally any company with a Creative Director or an Art Director will need an illustrator at some point or another so those are the guys to find send the promotional material to. they can be found within any company that has Copywriters on staff.

local magazines and newspapers

enterprise centers and yellow pages (if they still exist?)

past clients (may want repeat business)

another nice little resorce for general Professional practice stuff

whilst we are on the subject of promotional material, let's talk about the specific things I could to get made to promote myself.

  • business card (we've covered that already)
  • Artist CV
  • promotional mailer
  • customized letter effects (envelopes and what not) 
  • Postcards / Broadsheets
  • self published book
  • novelty items (who doesn't love a freebie) 
  • newsletter template 
update*

Future Plan:

So what’s next for yours truly?
First lets review, I have my business cards and  on order, the money for the AOI is saved, ive been ive got a good looking portfolio all ready to be eyed by prospective clients, . all in all I am ready to take my first tentative steps into the world of freelance illustration.
There are of course other considerations, like how I am going to support myself whilst I build up a client base, therefore the next thing I need to do is get a part time job, something in the arts industry would be good, but anything with a paycheck will be welcome, ive decided to base myself in my home town of sidmouth for a while as I get truly set up but then it is on to the big wide world.

My diary so far has nothing until September when im off to Japan for a few months on my artist pilgrimage. Its somewhere Ive always wanted to go and this may be my last chance before I get embedded somewhere.

Whilst I was making my artist CV I did notice that I am somewhat lacking in experience, apart from the odd commission and a few jobs in art industries I haven’t really got much I can brag about, ergo I will be first taking any job I can get my hands on so that I can build an impressive résumé and work my way up.
The ideal for me is a steady job, lots of commissions to do, and projects that interest me. Unfortunately Im a realist, I know that I still have room to improve and that the likelihood of me slipping into one comfy commission after another is very slim. My name is out there now and soon it will be time to make my big debut into the dog eat dog world that is professional artistry. Knowing this I plan to go in with an impact, exactly how im going to do this is still being worked out but its coming, you only get one first impression and I plan to make a big one. That and some good old fashioned elbow grease. I have a list of upcoming exhibitions where I can get some good networking done, followed by a few potential venues for myself.

I am part of a coalition of artists from around my local town and we are planning to do our first gallery show early next year.
Although the best laid plans of mice and men often do go awry, I am the most prepared possible to face the challenges that lay ahead. I will be keeping this blog up to date right up until I graduate, but I will be posting my new domain name as soon as it looks good enough to publish.






No comments:

Post a Comment