How To Become A Successful Freelance Digital Artist

If you want to showcase your creative skills and earn money on the side, you might as well consider a freelance gig as a digital artist. According to Payscale, freelance graphic designers with one to four years’ experience in Kenya could earn up to KSh 470,000. Meanwhile, independent digital artists could earn even more through overseas clients.

As much as it is one of the most lucrative online gigs for Kenyans, freelancing as a digital artist requires a great deal of investment in terms of time and skills. What’s more, you will also find yourself competing against other more experienced freelancers.

Success doesn’t come easily to digital creatives, but there are ways you make it happen and build a stable career as a freelancer. Take a look at these tips:

1. Focus on a niche

What are you good at? Do you have any experience creating commercial art for the purpose of marketing and advertising? Are you willing to accept commissions from individuals? When getting started as a digital artist, you need to work with what you are familiar with. It’s a great way to acquire experience and grow your network before you can venture into other markets or areas.

2. Develop a social media presence

Platforms like UpWork and Fiverr are ideal if you are looking for work. However, most clients require more than a well-written resume before they can hire you. They want to look at your social media profiles in order to get a better idea of what you can provide. With that being said, you might want to set up a professional page on social platforms like Instagram, Behance, and Facebook and upload your best work there. This adds to your credibility and helps promote your creative services.

3. Become a part of a community

Artists are not always competitive. At most times, they prop each other up and discuss opportunities together. Some may even collaborate on a project or refer clients to each other. In any case, you need to be open and eager to build professional relationships. You can start by joining online artists’ groups and providing resources to beginners in the freelancing world. You need other people as much as need your skills, so it’s important to always be ready to connect.

4. Be adaptive

As the tech landscape continues to evolve, it’s important that you acquire marketable skills as a freelance digital artist. Not only do you need to learn fixing issues such as a Photoshop scratch disk full error, but you should also keep tabs on new drawing and painting tools as well as certain aesthetic trends. You want your art to be marketable, so make sure to focus on what your market wants and use that as a reference point.

5. Be true to your style

As much as you want to conform to current trends, you still need to enrich your style. Your identity as an artist hinges on your output. You are basically your own brand, so make sure to develop your own voice. Chances are, you will be able to set your own trends.

With these tips in mind, you can build a solid foundation as a freelance digital artist, accomplish your goals, and make an impact in the lives of individuals and organizations who need creative support.