It’s likely that you’ve come across drawings that seem to have been created from the same template–where’s the creativity in that? Each piece of art should be unique and represent specific intentions, thoughts, and emotions. When looking for a freelance artist to draw a particular piece of work, many professionals struggle in finding the right person for the job.
To pick the best-suited candidate, there are several details you need to have at the back of your mind, including:
The project’s scope: Is this a long-term or a one-off project? Asking yourself this crucial question will help you decide whether you want to hire a full-time or freelance drawing artist.
The level of detail you require: Every artist is different—some excel in certain areas and some are generalists. Understanding the level of sophistication you need in your illustration will help you decide on the best candidate.
Your brand identity: What do you want customers to think of when your brand comes to mind? The drawing artist you hire needs to know what your brand stands for—this way, they’ll be able to accurately capture your company for your existing and potential customers.
What to Consider
Cost of the project: Budget is one of the most important factors because you don’t want to break the bank to hire a drawing artist, nor do you want to cut owners and end up with an illustration that doesn’t please you. It’s essential to set a budget and stick to it.
Timeline: Communicate with prospective artists about their workload and your deadlines. You can consider hiring more than one drawing artist on a single project, as long as they’re willing to work collaboratively.
Responsiveness: A responsive drawing artist is dependable. It’s important to communicate how regularly you expect updates on the project’s status and what workflow you prefer.
Timezone: In most cases, you’ll need to collaborate with your drawing artist to bring your vision to life and it can be important to know what timezone they’re in.
How to Find Artists
There are several methods regarding how to find a drawing artist, the most powerful being an online search. Here are a few ways to find a prospective drawing artist:
- follow blogs in your niche to keep up with new developments in your industry
- leverage social media
- through word of mouth
- use freelancer hiring platforms like Guru
- outsource the search to a hiring agency
Choosing the Right Person
The last and arguably the most crucial step is making the hiring decision. After reaching out to prospects, you should review their portfolio and compare their qualifications against the job description.
When reviewing a drawing artist’s portfolio, determine if they possess samples relevant to what you’re looking for. Regardless of how good the portfolio is, you shouldn’t hire a drawing artist if they don’t have the particular skills or experience you need.
The Process of Hiring
If your preferred hiring method is an online job board, here’s the process of hiring a freelance drawing artist:
Write an ad: Researching other similar ads can help you craft your job advertisement. The ad should be as detailed as possible and list prerequisite qualifications, including education background.
Reach out to your prospect: Once you come across a resume and portfolio that catches your eye, reach out to them. Provide information on the project and wait for their input.
Prepare a project brief: Once you’ve agreed to work together, you can prepare a detailed brief on the project’s desired outcome, which should contain such information as the timeline and the budget. Wondering how much it costs to hire a drawing artist? Check out our recent article.
Contract: This is the final step in which you and the artist sign a contract that details, among other things, ways to mitigate breaches and terminate the agreement in case either party doesn’t abide by the outlined rules.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a drawing artist does not have to be daunting, especially when you define the scope of the project and the qualities you’re looking for in an artist. The hiring process does not end when you and your newly hired drawing artist sign contracts—establish open lines of communication for feedback on the project’s progress and any assistance they may need.
