Study Task 2- 10 Questions

1.When is the best time to start networking within the illustration community?

 I want to understand how much time I should put into networking throughout the course, is it based more towards the end or more mid second year so that I have had more time to develop my tone of voice but I'm not too far along that I am 3 months away from graduating with no networks.

2. If you want to specialise or put more focus on on particular media (such as etching) what is the best way to go around that?

Do I try etching experimentation with all my briefs or is it something I look at doing in my spare time.  I want to know if etching / printmaking in general is something I want to focus more on than other media routes.

3. How do you get you first freelance job?

When is it best to start looking for freelance jobs and how do you go about looking for them. Look in Varoom and other illustrator advice giving magazines/blogs for and idea of where to start.  How to start making an online portfolio and putting yourself put there.

4. How do you work out what rate you should charge for work?

I want to understand what the best way to charge for work is as I don't want to do a piece that I should be charging £50 for but I am only getting paid £10 for. This is so that I am using my time wisely on projects and am getting paid a fair amount.

5. How do you create composition with multiple characters and backgrounds?

I want to know and understand how to create the a scene in which there is a lot going on with characters and background but there is either a clear focal point or the composition of the piece allows it to be busy without seeming not thought out. 

6. How to organise Finances and Taxes?

How do I make sure I am keeping on top of my finances and make sure as a self-employed person that I am filling in the right tax forms so I don't end up in a mess/ horrible debt.

7. How to become better at anatomy and figure posing

I want to be able to play with the way I draw figure by lengthening/ shortening body attributes but I wont be able to until I get a really strong sense of human anatomy, this may mean drawing a lot form life or reference until I become a better figure drawer.

8. Learn how to compose a comic

I want to learn how to create multi-paneled narratives, so I get a better idea about how much I have to show or skip though in a story so that it still remains easy to read and understand. It would also be nice if once learning this I could experiment with the formatting of a narrative like Emily Carroll does.

9. Learn how to colour and draw using tablets

I want to be able to use digital media so that if I need to do work for a client and it has to be digital or I want to use photoshop to colour an image I have that option available for me.

10. How to be less hazardous in my line work. 

My line work can be inconsistent to a degree so I would like to know if there are any tricks to helping improve line work along side continuous practice.