Illustration Tutorial: How to Promote Your Work

Basic tips to get your work seen and turn your passion into a profession, with Laura Varsky

As a freelance illustrator, it is not enough just to have a unique style, or to master the technique to perfection: we also need to know how to promote our work in conventional and unconventional ways. We'll only get orders when our potential clients see our art.

In the following video tutorial, designer and illustrator Laura Varsky (@lau_varsky) gives some professional tips to promote our work creatively. Discover them below:

Get to know your potential clients

The first thing to do is research: go over, for example, the magazines you would like to work on and find out who their art directors are by looking at the credits. Once you know who you want to approach, you can go to design fairs or other similar events to connect with them (don’t be afraid to take your work along with you).

The idea is to build up a contact list, either in person or virtually, which, as it grows, will get you known among your clients.

Rules for emails

If you want to show your work to an art director via email, remember that your message should not be too long or tedious: maintain a cordial and respectful tone and, above all, be proactive, not invasive. Always attach an image that shows off your work well, but does not require too much memory, and a link to the rest of your work.

The best option is a gift

You’re more likely to be able to impress your potential client with a "gift" or physical object than with a sample of your work. If you are an illustrator, you will most likely have to create objects that are printed, serialized, and easy to ship.

Your options are only limited by your imagination: the classic business cards with a sample of your illustrations and your contact information, the stickers, illustrated postcards, and more. Beyond your basic data, you can also add a list of clients you have worked with, to show your background and experience. On a practical level, you can take advantage and team up with other illustrators or designers to cut printing costs.

More elaborate objects include fanzines (of varying size) which allow us to show a series of illustrations in a simple and well designed way. You can also create a calendar or even a set of badges.

If you liked this tutorial, remember you can learn more from Laura Varsity about how to turn your hobby into a job on her online course Professional Illustration: Turn Your Passion into a Career.

You may also like:

- 5 Free Websites to Publish Your Own Comic
- Freelance Tutorial: Tips to Sell Your Work
- 8 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Live Stream