JoeSB

[Joe]

Hey Daggers, gonna try pop back over here a little more often. quick update!

Tried to get into Freelancing. 

started out on Fiverr and got a couple job quite quickly, a few which were little one off concept pieces and some which expanded out into much larger projects that kept me going for a while. 

the two larger jobs were working on a some background images for some interactive learning program

   

  

and some concept images and storyboards for a guy working on his first  film https://twitter.com/CoffeeIndieFilm

I ended up working with the above clients away from fiverr in the end, the company takes about 20% of your earning and wasn't getting a whole lot in the first place haha. definitely helped in find the initial work though, so I'd say it was worth it.  these two projects along saw me though most of my first year freelancing, they always just seemed to have more work available. Had promises of more to come as I started year two, so I rested on my laurels a bit and learnt how to paint portraits while I waited for the next phase of work to begin. 

I mostly just painted portraits for gifts, but I got a few clients from people finding me on instagram (first time that had ever happened to me, was smiling for days after I received the first portrait request message)

The extra work with the film and the learning software people fell through in the end :( I'd mostly be biding my time waiting for them to start and not looking for for new clients. so when it didn't materialise I entered a bit of a panic. 

I'd decided over my first year that there didn't seem to be much need/demand for lower level concept art, I think for the smaller companies/ solo creators they'd just be getting the people making the assets to design them too and wouldn't be wasting their money hiring addition concept people. so in my penniless panic I decided to try and pivot to doing straight illustration. Only problem was that I had no illustrations in my  portfolio, just portraits and photobashed concept art. 

For the first time I started applying for work on the concept art jobs forum, I didn't really have high hopes but I got lucky and received a response from a small game company based in Amsterdam who were working on their first card game.  I'd offered to do the first illustration for free as like a trail run (since I had no past work I could show them) which ended up taking a whole lot longer than I'd planned and really stretched me to the end of my finances (I really hate that piece now too, don't know why they took me on after it haha) 

(trail image)

The situation with them really worked out well though, I've been working for them for a few months now (getting paid this time) which has been the perfect opportunity to build up an illustration portfolio while earning enough to keep ticking along. Think I've managed to improve quite a bit too 

     

  

I LOVED getting away from the concept art/3D photobashing work to straight up painting too, not something I'd done for a long time I'd definitely missed it. I'm still working for them now, you can find them over at https://www.instagram.com/GrumpyOwlGames/ if you want to keep uptodate with it and see some of the awesome art their other guys are doing

Also doing some new work with an old friend of mine, he started his own business writing cycling copy and wanted to branch out into offering illustration. Been fun working with someone I've known since I was a kid, also had some of my better paying work though his company which is a definite bonus.

  

Think I've been quite lucky up to this point, I've gotten to work with some really awesome people on a wide variety of project and a bunch of different styles, It's been very stressful and I'm definitely poorer that I was working a 9-5 (most through bad choices on my part) but it's been fun!

It's all gonna change soon though! In much bigger and more important news I recently found out I'm gonna be a Dad :0 

I think as it stands I'm currently not earning enough to be contributing my fair share, so as the due date approaches it's looking like I may have to put pursuing art to the side/ abandon it altogether and shift my focus towards regular working and fathering it up to the max. It may turn out differently and I may land on some consistent, well paying illustration work,  but if not, it's not all too sad. I think it's been about 5 years since I started practicing and made it my goal to become a concept artist, but for the most part I think I just wanted to be challenged and to be facing some kind of uphill struggle and that has definitely been the case.

Life is good though, I turn 30 in a few weeks, I'm proud how much I've managed to learn and improve, feel like I've developed a genuine craft/skill, I have my first baby on the way with a woman I've been in love with for over a decade, I couple months worth of illustration work left and to cap off the year, today behance added by untamed work into the illustration curated gallery (not sure if that is a big deal or not, but it definitely made my day!). so what ever happens next, it's okay by me.

Not too sure what I'm looking to do with this sketchbook, or just being back on the forum, I just missed it is all, I think If I end up putting art to one side I'd like to keep the social side of it going, have some fun doodling and seeing wht people are up to. plus my paternal instincts are kicking in, wanna make sure I keep an eye on all you young'ns see if I can help out at all.

Happy to answer any questions if you think there is something I can help out with. or if ya looking for crits? I'll try drop some regular updates too.