© 2008 Independent Studios
Oct
1
When I first started as a freelance designer, I really thought that I should be able to please everyone. I would work extra, unbilled time on projects and put in far more hours than I should have. My number one aim was pleasing the client - and I’ve found out that I was wrong.
I want [...]
Sep
25
There are so many ways to promote yourself as a freelance designer.
Advertising, both online and in analog, is great - but it can get expensive. A simple newspaper ad can run you $1200. That’s a lot of logo work.
Link exchanges, are - at best a crap shoot. You never really know how effective they [...]
Sep
24
I’ve had plenty of folks ask me what it takes to start a freelance design business - and I’ve seen all sorts of tips and pages and responses about that question.
“Get 2 years of salary in the bank before you start.” Yeah. That’s easy to do, right?
“Build your client base before you leave your full [...]
Sep
18
I’m in the process of setting up a free blogging community built specifically for freelance designers. It’ll be a simple WordPress-style setup, and it’ll be fully searchable and tied into a HUGE community of artists. Free blogs and websites (set up as subdomains) and a lot of great features that will help us all have [...]
Sep
14
Well, I’m finally getting around to putting up some free downloads for designers. Joy!
First up is a general contract. If you’re not using an online service that offers built-in contract protection(Guru, Elance, etc,) you MUST have a contract before you start any work. It not only protects you, but it gives your clients peace of [...]
Sep
13
Software is expensive, and as a freelance graphic designer, the latest version of the big name software might be a little out of reach at times. So, I present you with a real - and FREE - alternative to some of the really expensive stuff.
ArtRage 2.5 is a really cool program. Very natural, nice tools, [...]
Sep
13
There are a lot of great services for freelance graphic designers out there - and a lot of junk. I’ve worked with some of the best, and I’ve even dipped my toe into the pool of piranhas. Be careful of the services you align with, as you can spend a lot of dough on something [...]
Sep
11
I am, by admission, a little hard-hearted. Generally, I don’t see much outside my world and my client list. But, I was doing some research on Wolfgang Weingart, and I ran across this site - and it got me to thinking…
Check out “Design for the Other 90%.” Food for thought.
“The majority of the world’s designers [...]
Sep
10
I’ve found that the freelance life requires me to laugh. A LOT.
I think I’ll create a list (lists are a good way to keep track of things - there, that’ll serve as my info for today) to keep track of the things I should do when stresses set in.
Cable Modem Dead: Read an Al Jaffee [...]
Sep
9
I’ve come to realize that making it as a freelance graphic designer is more about being calm than it is about being a good businessman and having a lot of work. You need both - but really, you need to be at peace more than anything. After all, worrying is counter-productive.
There have been times where [...]