Going Freelance

Steve Schulze

Hey gents.
I've been thinking a little lately about where I want to move to once I'm done with my current job. Ideally I want to move to a studio that allows for character with more than 300 polys and maybe some of them fancy pants normal maps. The problem is, I'm having difficulty getting my portfolio together while working full time. I've been thinking that perhaps I could shift to freelancing for a bit so that I can support myself while knocking out a bunch of pretty environments for my portfolio. Thing is, I don't really know anything about freelancing. How does one set oneself up to do freelance art? Is there a useful "So, You Want to be a Freelance Game Artist" webpage or something? Am I naive to think that I'll be able to get my portfolio done while doing the freelance thing?

Any hints you could give me would be most appreciated.

ebagg

Well, you can either be successful at freelancing, and not have time to work on that portfolio you want to, or you can be unsuccessful and get a portfolio together and apply at places like crazy, hoping and praying that you'll get hired. Or you take a step back and rearrange your free time a bit to start working away at your portfolio in your free time, if you're working full time about 8-10 hours a day, that still leaves quite a bit of time to work on the 'folio.

Steve Schulze

That is true, but I want to try something new and exciting. For the sake of keeping the thread on track and without me filling half a page with whining, let's pretend that staying where I am and pushing through to eventually get a portfolio together isn't an option. You really think that working freelance on a part time typed basis while getting the portfolio together isn't a viable option?

gavku

PM'd you dude....

Gav

Hey man,

I did freelancing for a year until a nice offer came along for some studio work. I really enjoyed it but eventually got frustrated with the non-artsy side of things. If you're not overly picky about what "sort" of work you do, check out an outsourcing place like Liquid. I also recommend Shadows in Darkness, as I've said before on these forums, the guys who run it are easy to get along with and the projects are fairly interesting.

Personally, freelance work almost literally fell into my lap. Multiple offers came at a time where I was very frustrated with my job at the time. I kept those clients, more or less...off and on...for my entire stint while picking up a few new ones along the way. I think that changes for everyone...but in my case I think the timing just worked out perfectly (both beginning and ending the stint...)

As for doing a portfolio while you work...I'd say it's pretty near impossible. At least for me it was. I could never stop thinking that "this much time = this much money, so why make things for free when I could just do more work for clients." That could have been a rookie mistake, not wanting to turn down money...but on most days I found myself over worked and had no time for the fun stuff. That being said, b1ll ( ) always seems to have doodles on the go and I know is popular with the ladies...i mean.....what?

<edit> If you DO decide to go this way, spend the money to get a good accountant and get him to inform you on the proper things to keep track of for expenses, etc.

Asmuel

If I was in aus, I probably wouldn't bother with freelance. Our industry is pretty much dead here, so I don't have much choice. You probably aren't going to have more freetime while freelancing, just means you'll be getting up at all hours talking to clients, working alone all day, pretty boring really. also expect to be treated like trash, because your competing with people in india and china who are willing to go beyond what is reasonable as far as work hours and pay is concerned.

I'm not trying to put you off. I just hate my current situation. bored shitless.

Ninjas

Freelancing is awesome IF you can find the right clients, and that could take weeks or years depending on your portfolio, luck and personality. I am not sure if there is a right way but this is how I did it:

-I took every job I could find-- I was living in Oklahoma and the cost of living was very low, so I could afford to take low paying jobs. It was better than flipping burgers

-I followed up every lead. You chat with people, find out about work, get them to hook you up etc. In return you don't forget to call up your buddies when you have too much work to do.

-Save money. I could never figure out in advance how much I was going to have to pay in taxes, not to mention that sometimes work dries up. It is totally random.

-Have more than one project. Unless I was doing something big, I liked to have a few small jobs going at the same time. That way if people have more work, you are the first person they think of, and if one job fails to pay you can still make rent (hopefully)