Freelance Perk #42: Shaving optional.
I wanted to be in electronics repair.
Not computers, but electronics.
No art. No design. Just circuitry.
NO WAY was I going to be in graphics.
Never.
I could draw, and I grew up in ad agencies with my father, so I had an understanding of press type, Rubylith, Rapidographs and Xacto knives. Ancient history, really. You can still get some of that stuff. Pencils and paper, too! But, there was no way I was following in my father’s footsteps. So – electronics. At the time, the closest thing to electronics in an agency was the radio that the production guys listened to. I should be safe, right?
Well, being all punk rock in high school, I let my grades slip to absurd levels, and no college would have me – until I got a scholarship based on my illustration portfolio. Alright – not exactly VCR repair, but I took it. It was college and it got me out of the house. Savannah College of Art and Design. Big fun – I could draw and live on beer and ramen noodles. I almost flunked out there, too, as I was so opposed to using the new-fangled computers to do any sort of project. Still with the pencils, pens and paper.
But, I wised up, got behind the Mac and got my grades up. Graduated, had a few jobs, landed as a creative director in corporate America, working with Looney Tunes, the NFL and Charles Schultz, was asked to move again with my job and decided that my family was far more important. And so – with very little knowledge, I set out to be a freelance graphic designer and ad agency.
I didn’t know what I was doing, and it took a while to shake out – but it was one of the best moves of my life. I started Independent Studios many moons ago, and I’ve gone through shifts in work style, shifts in my client base, and shifts in my ideology of business. It’s never been easy, but it’s always been rewarding. Many long hours and late nights, and many weeks of being broke – but I’ve always been excited to get into the office and play around.
My experience is varied – and I would like to share it to benefit my fellow starving artists out there. We can all get better, and we can all learn from each other. That excites me, and I hope that excites you, too.
Contact me any time. I’ll answer any question. If I don’t have knowledge about your question, I’ll help you find it. Or, I’ll at least pretend like I know what I’m talking about…
