5 things I learned starting my career as a children's illustrator

spoopykat

2/29/20242 min read

1. it requires a lot of patience and learning to deal with rejection.

It requires a lot of patience and learning to deal with rejection. This profession is not something where you succeed and start generating income immediately. It takes time to contact publishers, even more for them to respond, and even more for them to accept you. To give some perspective on the matter, I found a list of publishers and sent about 100 emails in total, of which 20 took the time to respond. Out of those 20, 5 offered to add me into their contact list, and out of those 5, only one resulted in the creation of a book. It is surprising to know how many illustrators keep this as a second job and work or a side hustle and work in something else to pay the bills. You don't make a living from books... at least not at the beginning. I haven't event reached that point where I can live off my illustrations yet.

2. Taking care of your health is important.

It's an inside joke that artists, spending so much time sitting, end up like a shrimp on a chair. And although it may not seem to affect you at the beginning, over time the effects of bad posture will start to show. For a few years now, I exercise five days a week and often do stretches for hands, back, and neck and I must say the effects on me have been tremendous. It helps establish a routine, build discipline, and personally improves my mood. Also, thanks to this, I rediscovered my love for dancing. I couldn't recommend starting an exercise routine more. I'ts more important that you think.

3. There's no need to feel embarrassed; ask for help when needed

The artist community is filled with people sharing their knowledge. we don't gatekeep, so it's never a bad idea to ask for help or seek advice and opinions from other artists. We are usually more than happy to answer any questions. You also have to lose the shame not only to ask for help but also when promoting your art and selling your work. Customers don't come on their own, and I learned that the hard way by not promoting myself due to embarrassment.

4. With the rise of artificial intelligence and new technologies, adaptation is necessary, don't give up and find what gives you an edge

The launch of A.I like Dall-e and Midjourney brought a revolution to the industry. However, at least personally, I don't see this as a threat because the audience using these services instead of hiring a professional to cut costs is usually people who don't value artistic work so they tend to be difficult customers, and that's when a professional artist offers their services and differentiation from what these technologies produce for people who will truly appreciate it. Find your niche and there will be people willing to pay for your art.

5. Be careful with scams!

Always be very careful; both on Instagram and Facebook, there are many scammers trying to take advantage of naive artists excited to find with their first jobs. Don't be fooled. If a deal sounds too good to be true, and a random person suddenly appears offering a large amount of money for what seems to be a too simple work, be very careful because it's probably a scam. I highly advise joining specialized illustrator groups on Facebook, as they often keep updated info about new methods used by unscrupulous individuals to steal, especially targeting artist accounts.