Is there a difference between pro bono and spec work? If so, what’s the difference? First, let’s compare them. With both, you…
The Gutenberg Principle is a lesser-known design principle that describes the general movement of the eyes when looking at a design in…
A color zone is an area where one color influences all colors in that area. This is known as color dominance, and it…
Each December I take a couple weeks off to celebrate the holidays and go through a visioning and goal-setting process in preparation…
Whether online or in hand, your portfolio is the primary means of landing a job or finding clients. Art school graduates have…
From time to time I'll fire off an email to a client during the late evening or early morning hours. Occasionally, an immediate…
In this tutorial I begin with some color theory about skin tones and how we perceive light and shadow. Then I move…
https://youtu.be/0NvDvkfmRvwIn order to form a habit of drawing daily, you can participate in or create your own drawing challenge. The thing is,…
When a client is looking for a creative firm, process and procedures are not obvious priorities in evaluating performance. The prospect is…
Productivity is a popular and expansive topic, and it’s also big business. From apps and books on the subject to courses and…
When you're in business (and freelancers are in business), you build reputation through social and in-person networking. According to the Oxford Dictionary,…
Most freelancers will agree that it’s easier to hold onto an established relationship than begin a new one. And it’s less work to…
[themeone_drop_cap letter="T" color="accent-color2" /]here are, of course, more than 5 ways to create a focal point in an image or design. The…
What is a swipe file? Also known as a scrap file or morgue file, a swipe file is used by creatives of…
Pricing your creative services is one of the most-discussed topics among freelancers. There is no one right way to price your creative services — there…
First of all, let's define who your ideal clients are. An ideal client is one for whom you do the kind of work you want…
Freelancing can be regarded as a great adventure in which you go from project to project following your dreams and pursuing your passions…
Self-promotion is an ordinary and necessary aspect of doing business as an independent creative professional. Unlike social media marketing, self-promotion campaigns are…
My color theory students have asked me to explain hexadecimal color notation. Their most often-asked question is “What is it?" I will break…
[themeone_drop_cap letter="I" color="accent-color1" /]n addition to the face, a person's hands are the most expressive part of the human anatomy. Movements, positions and gestures…
When you start freelancing you become a business owner and are responsible for the success or failure of your enterprise. Honestly, it can…
Creative freelancers spend a lot of time designing stuff. Good design is structured, organized and unified. When you juggle multiple projects, the…
Even if you've worked with it for years — on screen or on paper — you will always be in a learning mode when…
What do you do about scope creep? Should you avoid it? Should you agree to it? The affect of scope creep — when…
Every independent creative professional should have a web site. Hands down, WordPress.org is the most popular self-hosted content management web site framework. Over…
Risk. It's a small word with big impact. Taking risks involves change and the unknown. We're not all that comfortable with either…
Have you ever gotten involved on a project and then realized that neither the project nor the client is ideal? The project that…
With all the options we have available to us for selecting colors, how to create the right color scheme for a situation…
This portrait drawing was developed using a photograph for reference. When I draw, I spend a lot of time looking and analyzing what…
To begin with, social media is not about selling, but about conversations and providing value. Be knowable, likable and trustworthy. To make…
[themeone_drop_cap letter="T" color="accent-color3" /]he current mantra for creative freelancers, and for any independent business owner, is to create or define a niche…
[themeone_drop_cap letter="SHAPE" color="accent-color1" /] is one of the formal elements of 2-dimensional design. By formal we are referring to something that is…
This article was updated on February 8, 2017 by the author. Being always on the lookout for new client opportunities, I thought…
As an independent creative, you get to decide how you will attract clients and projects. One option is via Requests for Proposals…
What is the difference between gesture and contour? In drawing, there are essentially 2 ways we use line: as gesture, and as…
We are always marketing. From the quality of our work to how we talk about ourselves, we are constantly sending messages into…
Filling the Gap Between School and Career So you've gone through school and developed a creative portfolio. You've tweaked it up one…
There is a phrase: ex nihilo nihil fit. It roughly translates from the Latin as from nothing, nothing comes. Generally, this is a…
When you're in business for yourself and you are regularly seeking new clients and projects, you will come across all types of…
If you are a self-employed creative, business networking is a significant part of your marketing mix. While designers, illustrators and photographers naturally get together with other creatives for…
Color schemes work best when the amounts of the colors used in the design are not equal. A variety of proportions creates…
Aesthetic sense and talent are raw materials. They amount to nothing without discipline. Education forces you to add skill, discipline and expertise to your talent. And in order to meet project deadlines, you learn to steward your time.
A proper understanding of eye level goes a long way when you want to draw something accurately. When asked,"What is eye-level?" the…
Did you know that there is more than one way to be a freelancer? Independent creatives — freelancers — can choose a variety…
Avoid awkward moments and misunderstandings about getting paid for your freelance work. Prepare written agreements for each client that outlines the type of work you will do, how much you will charge for it, and how you want to be paid. You cannot make a living by doing favors.
Most problems freelancers experience when working with clients are due to contract mistakes. Do any of these statements sound familiar to you?…
A colleague recently switched from the PC to the Mac, from Windows and Android to OS X and iOS. There's always a…
With value pricing for design and illustration projects, I am able to custom-tailor my services and fees to fit each client and…