The job market has been a roller coaster during the last few years, to say the least. As clients and businesses reevaluated their finances, most job opportunities came to a standstill, which led to many workers getting their hours reduced, being laid off, or having their positions eliminated entirely. But this has not been the case for freelance artists, that contrary to other traditional jobs has experienced massive growth for many reasons.
In this article, we will give you an overall review of this particular career, from what a freelance artist is, to where they work and what the steps to become a freelance artist are. Working as a freelance artist is an extraordinary career path that comes with many benefits, such as flexibility and the ability to manage your own work schedule. If you have a passion for art and are considering turning your creativity into a job by working as a freelance artist, you may as well keep reading. Here is a list of the contents involved:
- What is a freelance artist?
- Top 7 general websites for freelance artists
- Top 5 Industry-Specific websites for freelancers
- 5 steps to become a successful freelancer artist
- What does the future look like for freelance artists?
- How did the COVID-19 pandemic change the freelance industry?
- How can Connect Freelance help you?
1. What is a freelance artist?
A freelance artist is basically a self-employed person who works on a project basis in the field of art and has freedom in terms of time, rates, and clients they choose to work with. The salary of freelance artists will depend on how many hours they are willing to work. They usually do not have a regular employer but might work with several clients at the same time. Freelance artists can work in almost any medium, but most of them work in graphic fields such as design, illustration, or photography.
The field of freelance art can be both more fulling and more challenging than typical jobs. A freelancer must be a highly self-motivated person in order to succeed, as she or he must effectively handle artistic tasks as well as run a business. Like all artists, freelance artists must have a combination of innate talent backed by knowledge of popular artistic styles and trends. People skills and patience are also assets for the career, as some contractors may not know exactly what they want or might not be able to express their desires clearly.
The most important tool for a freelance artist is its portfolio. This is a collection of the artist’s most representative work, arranged professionally for potential clients to view. Nowadays artists use websites to show their portfolios and woo contractors. However, for some clients, traditional portfolios are seen as a mark of true professionalism.
A freelance artist can also work for animation studios, publishers, and similar companies. The work must adhere to the client’s criteria and is usually deadline oriented. The freelancer must therefore be capable of producing quality artwork at a consistent rate in order to thrive.
2. Top 7 general websites for freelance artists
In the digital age, freelancers have found many ways to market themselves. Social media and portfolio sites are usually the common outlets for freelance artists to showcase their art and advertise their services to clients, but these are not the only outlets available. Freelance artist websites can help you advertise your craft on a larger platform to a more diverse pool of potential clients.
To help you, we had made a list of the best freelance job sites you can use as an independent artist:
2.1 Upwork
Upwork mainly caters to those searching for high-quality freelance gigs in industries such as web development, marketing, and consulting. Contrary to other sites, this webpage uses a high-profile vetting process before artists can start bidding on projects. It also tracks billable hours, invoices, and client communication.
2.2 Freelancer
Freelancer is one of the largest biggest marketplaces for freelancers. This website allows freelance artists to apply for both local and remote freelance jobs in several fields, including content writing, social media, design, and marketing. Like Upwork, this website keeps track of your working hours, invoices, communication, and payment.
2.3 Fiverr
Fiverr is probably the best site for people who are looking for a job to get started as freelance artists in the freelancing world. The site caters to those in the design and creative space and has a great reputation for offering low-cost gigs that can help freelance beginners build up their portfolios. Fiverr also lets freelancer artists offer their own packages and custom services to clients.
2.4 Guru
Guru is a website that targets more seasoned professionals instead of entry-level freelancers, making it the ideal option for those with some experience under their belt. The platform skews to independent contractors in creative areas such as design, programming, sales, writing, marketing, and translation. Similar to Upwork, users on the platform can bid on projects.
2.5 LinkedIn ProFinder
LinkedIn ProFinder is an extension of LinkedIn that connects freelancers with quality gigs and opportunities. The platform works wonders for freelancers with some expertise in areas such as marketing, editing, graphic design, and photography; however, you must go through a vetting process in order to be eligible for gigs. Once approved, freelance artists will receive alerts regarding potential projects and clients.
2.6 Working Not Working
Working Not Working (WNW) is a platform launched with the purpose of connecting talented creatives with top innovative companies such as Google, Apple, Nike, Airbnb, and Facebook. WNW has built a massive reputation for offering both freelance-friendly features and high-quality gigs. Unlike other websites, instead of you having to seek out potential companies and clients, companies will come to you if they think that you are a good fit.
2.7 SimplyHired
This popular job search website is great for both novice and experienced freelancers. On this site, you can look for freelance jobs in your area, narrowing your searches using filters such as distance, salary, and date posted. The salary tool can also help you get a rough sense of how much freelance artists make in your area.
3. Top 5 Industry-Specific websites for freelancers
If you think that general freelance websites are not niche enough to capture your talents and you are looking for more specific platforms, well, we also made a list of the best industry-specific freelance websites for you:
3.1 Freelance Writing Gigs
Geared specifically toward freelance writers, Freelance Writing Jobs is a website that curates the best freelance writing gigs on the internet. Unlike other Freelancing web pages, you do not need to bid on jobs instead, you have to apply directly through the original job posting.
3.2 Designhill
Designhill is a platform built for freelance designers to post their work and sell their products. It also helps companies to search for designers’ services through the platform’s database. One particular bonus of this page is that designers can create, print, and sell their merch through a personal store.
3.3 Behance
Founded by Adobe, Behance provides creative inspiration while showcasing high-quality artistic work in areas like animation, illustration, and web design. The platform acts as both a social media network and a portfolio site, allowing like-minded individuals to connect, exchange ideas, collaborate, and find quality gigs.
3.4 99designs
99designs is another design-oriented platform that connects freelancer artists with both international and domestic businesses. The site helps independent designers by showing them job opportunities and encouraging them to collaborate with other freelance artists through online communities.
3.5 Aquent
Aquent is a website that helps connect talent with video game companies on a project basis. If you create, program, or design video games, you will likely find interesting opportunities here. They have one of the strongest presences in the gaming field.
4. 5 steps to become a successful freelancer artist
No matter which kind of freelance artist you want to be, it takes 5 steps to become a supporting artist:
4.1 Create a Business Plan
Like any corporation, independent artists must have both short-term and long-term plans to guide their careers and find success. These plans should include important details such as your responsibilities, a list of the services you provide and how much you will charge for them, costs of operation, and revenue.
This plan should also align with your goals as a freelancer, whether you want to work fewer hours than you usually would in a full-time job, put your name in the spotlight, or increase your net income.
4.2 Sign up on a Freelance website
As we discuss before, Freelance websites are probably the best place to get started as a Freelance artist. We recommend you sign up at least for two or three websites from the lists displayed in the last sections.
4.3 Create a website or Online Portfolio
The best way for freelancer artists to get the world to know about them is to create a website or online portfolio. You might build this showcase from scratch (assuming you already know how to design and code webpages) or use a site such as WordPress or Squarespace that helps you craft your ideal website. Be sure to include a list of your services, examples of your work, and your prices.
4.4 Form a Dedicated Creative Space at Home
Freelance artists need a dedicated workspace to create due to the fact that clients will not provide them with an assigned working space. You have the option of either renting an office or finding a quiet area at home where you can work. In this space, you can complete projects, store supplies, and meet with clients.
4.5 Sell Your artwork
Once you have done all of the above, the last step is just to start selling your artwork or other crafts. Building a client base can be tough at the beginning, but once you have a foundation, it becomes a spiral that just goes upwards. Many freelance artists advertise their products on popular sites in order to increase their reach.
5. What does the future look like for freelance artists?
According to CNN News, freelancing will grow aggressively in certain sectors such as entertainment, design, and media, due to the flexibility it provides. And this increasing reliance on freelance services is not a new trend. The Intuit 2020 Report, which was published in 2011, expected that more than 30 percent of the U.S. workforce would-be freelancers, temp workers, and contractors by 2020. And this number is just will increase to 50% by 2030. In other words, the future of the freelance field looks brighter than ever before.
6. How did the COVID-19 pandemic change the freelance industry?
The pandemic has affected many workers, including artists. Since the pandemic started, 35% of artists and related workers have been fired. However, it is not all doom and gloom. Many independent contractors and freelance artists are thriving in areas such as marketing, fashion, advertising, and communication where full-time staff positions have dwindled.
Due to the new work-from-home policies, most businesses have shifted to being partially remote. For the majority of freelance artists, staying home is part of any regular business day. However, companies still need work to finish work and are starting to get a better sense of what a remote, on-demand workforce can achieve.
7. How can Connect Freelance help you?
Obtaining a freelance visa in Dubai will allow freelance artists to move to Dubai and become UAE residents. Dubai is an aesthetic city known for its art and has one of the greatest scopes to start a career as a freelance artist. By acquiring this visa, you will become a resident of the country and you will not have to worry about renewals for the next 2 to 5 years.
Also, you can hire our insurance package:
- Car insurance
- Maternity insurance
- Term life insurance
- Accident insurance
- Property insurance
- Fire insurance
- Travel insurance
With Connect Freelance, the process of obtaining a visa has never been smoother. Our team will help you through the documentation and necessary requirements to ensure you secure this visa. Do not hesitate in contacting us. If you want to know more about working as a freelance artist, feel free to call us at +971 43 316 688 or send us an email at contact@connectfreelance.ae.
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