#gettingwork

People rarely get jobs directly from talking to art directors at award parties, conventions, meet-ups, and the like. It would have to be serendipitous that you happened to talk to an art director exactly when they had a job they hadn’t commissioned yet that were you perfect for. Not that it couldn’t happen, or it hasn’t happened, but it is rare. Going to those events are about making connections and friends within the industry that will lead you to future jobs. It gets your face and your business/promo card in front of art directors and others in the field. It leads you to resources you didn’t know existed. It gets you community within your industry. These events are more of a long game than a short one. Your goal at these events should be to introduce yourself and have a short conversation with at least three new people, even if they aren’t an art director. If you are super shy, start with just one person. There is a good chance that person might even know the art director you are trying to get the attention of. Getting involved in a professional illustration community at first can seem very overwhelming and large, but it actually can be pretty small and intimate at its heart and a lot of people know each other. Because that is the secret of networking that people often times don’t say. It doesn’t have to be a scary or boring formal event. It’s about making friends with people who share a common interest with you. In this case, illustration and art.   Agent CMD+Z

If the art directors are hiring these supposedly “untalented” yet somehow successful artists over you, maybe, just maybe the problem is not these other artists. Maybe… hold on to your horses here… the problem might be you. Art Directors don’t hire people who make poor quality work or whose work would reflect badly on their company and products. If you aren’t being hired maybe you have an unrealistic opinion of the work you are doing? Have you had a portfolio review recently? 

Art directors also don’t like working with people who have bad attitudes. There are several freelancers I have stopped working with throughout my career as an AD not because they don’t make good work, but they were so miserable to work with it wasn’t worth it. There are tons of other amazing freelance artists, photographers and designers out there that are a pleasure to work with.

You have one thing right at least. You should focus on yourself and what you can do to improved your own art, as well as your networking, research, and marketing. Getting work is all about making good art and getting it in front of the right people. 

Jealousy, spite, and arrogance never look good on anyone. 

—Agent Cmd+Z