My Freelance Journey
How I got started
Melissa Donne Studio began officially as my full-time gig in October 2019. I had just left a PGCE teaching art and design in a local college, after deciding the world of teaching was not for me. I yearned to start my own business and begin an illustration career. I had some creative experience, having studied fashion design at University, however digital illustration was entirely new to me. I already had an iPad, so I purchased an Apple Pencil and the app Procreate and set about teaching myself how to draw. I quickly got to grips with the app and started designing art prints to sell. By early 2020 I had opened an Etsy store and began selling my work. When Covid hit in March 2020, I had already established my business and during this period my visibility grew and my Etsy store started to take off.
I created my own Website and started selling internationally also. I secured my first stockist and my first commission with Passion Planner, a USA based bullet journal company, designing some stickers for one of their sticker books.
Fast forward to the present day and I am now a full-time artist and illustrator, with an illustration agent and am licensing my artwork for all sorts of products around the world. It has been 4 years of hard work and having pivoted away from mainly selling products, to focusing on licensing and commissions, I finally feel in a place where I have a good grasp of the industry and the direction I want to go in.
Some of my career highlights include:
February 2021 - Featured Artist collection with Casetify launched
August 2022 - Needlepoint kit collaboration with Unwind Studio launched
January 2023 - Collaboration with Beau Nuage which saw my designs on a limited edition Umbrella
June 2023 - My first cookbook cover was published
July 2023 - My first pattern collection in the form of wallpaper launched
September 2023 - I signed with a licensing agency
As you can see from these dates, it’s been a fairly long process from initially starting my business to securing commissions and licensing agreements. This year has been my busiest yet, with more freelance projects in the pipeline.
But how to get started? These are some of my top tips.
Stop worrying about who will see and buy your work and set about creating a collection of artworks. No need to think about it in terms of a polished portfolio, rather a library or catalogue of art that could be used for art prints or for licensing.
Procrastination truly is the thief of time - it is a barrier to getting stuff done and allows you to hold back from reaching your goals. Set a target for what you want to achieve by a certain time and just go for it. Usually it is just ourselves holding us back, but if you set actionable tasks and goals then focus on these and let the rest take care of itself.
Create a website to showcase your work. I use Squarespace which has a range of stylish and professional templates. I have broken it down into different sections to showcase my work and collaborations. A slick website is a must to attract potential clients and create trust with your customers who are shopping on your site.
Reach out to brands to license your artwork. This is a really good step towards achieving your licensing goals, since often you can submit designs for brands to review and get a feel of your overall style. I have compiled a spreadsheet of brands I would like to work with, and make an entry when I contact them. Be sure to try and find a contact name for whoever deals with submissions or an Art Director.
Develop the necessary technical skills. Get a Skillshare subscription, or look at courses on Domestika or You Tube and really hone your skills. Technical awareness of popular programmes will give you a really good advantage. Some of the software to learn includes: Procreate, Adobe Fresco, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.
Take a course - I have just started a course with the excellent Inky Goodness, called Make Your Mark, which is a 12 week course dedicated to different aspects of freelance illustration. Never stop learning!
Make connections with other creatives - use apps such as Instagram and Threads to build strong networks with fellow artists and support each other. There is so much value in making contacts, to share ideas, gain feedback and even collaborate creatively.
All of the above will help you grow as an artist and a creative and put you in a good position to start making money from your practice. It isn’t a quick fix, but with time and dedication you can find yourself in a place where you feel fulfilled and always ready for the next challenge.