Armed with a college degree in physics, Nik Ainley has become a well-recognized and talented designer with an impressive roster of clients. I talked to this UK-based designer about the challenges of freelancing full-time, using a technical application as a niche and how to leverage the press to boost your business.

Tell us how you got into design?

I’m a pretty late starter, only really getting into art and design at the age of about 20 or 21. I was at university at the time studying for a completely unrelated scientific degree when for some reason or another I obtained a copy of Photoshop (version 5.5 I think). I fell in love with it immediately and soon was devoting way too much of my spare time to playing around, learning new stuff and getting into design in a more general way.

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An old German proverb, “The devil is in the details,” was contradicted by the famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe who said, “God is in the details.” I don’t know which saying is true, but I do know that freelancers are often caught in the middle of these two points of view.

Many freelancers like me are afflicted by an obsession with the details of their work. We fuss over the fine points until we lose track of the objective reasoning that tells us when to stop. I am a freelance illustrator, and for whatever reason – whether it’s my personality or a side-effect of my trade – I’m particularly vulnerable. I’ve seen writers, photographers, designers, accountants and other freelance professionals suffer, too. It can be devastating because if it’s not understood and controlled, the hours wasted sap our energy and erode our fees.

Details are the shelled pistachio nuts of our craft; once we’ve started in on them, there’s just no stopping. The problem is that, while there’s usually a finite supply of pistachios in a bag, when it comes to putting the finishing touches on our work, there may seem to be no finish at all.

Added details come in three varieties: those that are necessary to address the essential concept of the work, those that add a touch of elegance to it, and those that are there just to make you look good. Developing a keen awareness of which variety we’re dealing with is an on-going struggle for many freelancers like me. The key is honest self-examination of our motivations. Who or what purpose is being served? Who’s really in control of the process? Here are some important introspective examinations that will help you turn a weakness into strength – without blowing your fee.
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Henry Martinez loved comic books from a young age and aspired to be a comic book artist early in life. After valiantly trying to break into the industry (following graduation from the High School of Art and Design and the School of Visual Arts in New York City), he found himself picking up freelance work from his jobs as a messenger and in retail. This led him to advertising, which in turn helped him finally achieve his dream–working for Marvel Comics. Because of the turmoil in the industry at that point, he only stayed a year and a half, and then went back to the nine-to-five for a few years before going into full-time freelancing, which he’s now pursued for fifteen years. His experience in comics, storyboarding and advertising has given him a combination of reinforcing skills that help him in his graphic storytelling.

JB: You mentioned book cover illustration, sales and advertising—what was it like to work within such different job descriptions?

HM: Well, the book cover illustration was something I wanted to do and was convinced I could do by some very supportive teachers at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). I hadn’t considered a career in illustration until after taking a few classes there. The reality was that it was a tough field to get into, there are a handful of artists that made a decent living at it. The handful of guys I knew that tried it were living with their parents while they dabbled in illustration. While I was pounding the pavement dropping off my portfolio at book publishers, I had a fulltime job at Continuity Inc., a studio run by comics legend Neal Adams. It was an amazing learning experience; I’d never heard of storyboards and would stay late to ask questions and learn from the artists there. That lead to a job at an advertising agency and the beginning of my career as a storyboard artist.

JB: How did you enjoy design school? Do you recommend it for those looking towards a career in art, design and/or illustration?

HM: I personally enjoyed the social aspect of it, and it was a great place to feed off of creatively. However, I didn’t learn any new skills, it was more a place to practice them. You can’t expect to go to art school and leave with a new skill set, maybe a fresh perspective on art or more of a focus on what direction you want to go in creatively. And as I mentioned before, it’s a great place to feed off of other talented people. By feed I don’t mean “steal”, but getting a fresh perspective on your work, which always makes you a better artist. We are always growing.
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THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

Ever wish you could draw pretty pictures all day and get paid for it? What if you had the opportunity to one up that lifestyle and even go at it freelance style? Von Glitschka, a freelance illustrator behind some very impressive art projects has recently released his Keyboard Characters into the wild. We sat down over coffee, chatted about Von’s world and now present 10 questions (and of course, answers) with this freelance art maven…

DA: Where is your office located these days?
VG: I work out of my home studio. I enjoy it and my cats like to visit me during the day which is nice.

DA: How did you end up moving into freelance work?
VG: Technically I have never referred to it as freelance. I started my own business, and incorporated back in 2002. I’ve averaged about a 15-20% growth each year but that is now starting to level off since I am my only employee.
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Laith Bahrani is author of the unbelievably popular Low Morale series, a talented and Hercules-esque freelancer, and all round alpha male. FreelanceSwitch had a chat with him about what it’s like to have Sony and MTV knocking at your door, and the perks and pitfalls of freelancing…

FreelanceSwitch: Hi Laith, thanks for joining us. How did Low Morale come about?
Laith: Before I quit the rat race and flung my liberated carcass into the abyss of madness that is freelance artistry I occupied a respectable job as Creative Director in a large multimedia agency in Reading, England. Despite the decent wage and comfort of an established job, 3 years of pandering to the dollar-driven depraved demands of degenerate sales teams and clueless clients had taken its toll on my soul.

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