💰 How to protect your time, energy and income as an illustrator

Summary

Podcast Summary: 💰 How to Protect Your Time, Energy, and Income as an Illustrator

Hosted by The Good Ship Illustration, featuring Helen Stephens (A), Katie Chappell (B), and Tania Willis (C)
Release Date: June 27, 2025

In this insightful episode, Helen, Katie, and Tania delve deep into the challenges illustrators face in safeguarding their time, energy, and income. With over 70 years of combined experience, the trio offers practical advice and strategies to help illustrators navigate the often murky waters of creative careers. Here's a comprehensive breakdown of their discussion:

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1. Navigating Requests for Free Work

One of the primary concerns for illustrators is the frequent requests for free or volunteer work. The panel discusses effective ways to decline such offers without burning bridges.

• Setting Professional Boundaries:
  Tania shares a tried-and-true response:

  "My quota for not for profit work for this year has been used up." (01:17)
  This approach is succinct and professional, making it versatile for various situations.

• Defining Your Causes:
  Tania emphasizes the importance of aligning volunteer work with personal values:

  "You are not there to be dictated to about what your causes are. Define your causes first." (01:23)
  By setting clear criteria, illustrators can selectively choose projects that resonate with them.

• Non-Elaboration Strategy:
  Helen adds that minimal explanations can be effective:

  "You don't need to even elaborate on this. That is so perfect for every situation." (01:18)

2. Managing Student Inquiries and Overwhelming Questions

Illustrators often receive a barrage of questions, especially from students eager to learn from their experience.

• Utilizing FAQs:
  Tania recommends compiling common questions into a Frequently Asked Questions section on your website:

  "You could repurpose that onto the FAQs on your website." (05:35)
  This not only saves time but also provides valuable resources for others.

• Selective Responses:
  Katie suggests answering select questions and repurposing them into blog or Substack posts:

  "I've done that before... Sometimes people have sent me such good questions that I've said, I'll answer it. I'm going to make this into a Substack post today." (05:54)

3. Free Pitching and Development Work

The podcast addresses the often ambiguous nature of pitching in the illustration and publishing industries.

• Setting Time and Compensation Limits:
  Katie shares her experience with development work:

  "I've been paid... I made sure that I did no more than a day's work." (09:34)
  This ensures that the time invested is fairly compensated.

• Avoiding Long-Term Free Work:
  Tania warns against prolonged unpaid pitches:

  "In publishing... They need to pay you for that." (10:41)
  Establishing clear boundaries prevents illustrators from being exploited for extended free work.

• Industry Standards:
  Tania highlights the informal "no free pitching" ethos among illustrators and graphic designers, likening non-compliance to scabbing:

  "It's like scabs if people deny that and start, because it ruins the standards of the industry if you don't stand with the unofficial union or agreement of design." (10:55)

4. Establishing and Upholding Professional Boundaries

Maintaining clear boundaries is crucial for long-term career sustainability and personal well-being.

• Taking Time to Decide:
  Katie emphasizes the importance of not making hasty decisions:

  "You should always give yourself time." (13:21)
  This prevents rushed commitments that might not align with an illustrator's goals.

• Language Matters:
  Tania discusses the significance of professional language:

  "You do not play with an idea. You're a professional designer or illustrator..." (15:33)
  Using assertive and professional language reinforces the value of one's work.

• Overcoming the People-Pleaser Syndrome:
  Helen reflects on personal growth:

  "If someone's going to fall out with me because I won't work for free for them, then they shouldn't be my friend anyway." (08:02)
  This mindset shift helps illustrators prioritize their professional integrity over maintaining every personal relationship.

5. Maximizing Opportunities Without Undervaluing Work

The hosts explore strategies to engage with charitable causes and other opportunities without compromising income.

• Auctions and Special Editions:
  Tania suggests providing unique prints for charity auctions:

  "They can go up to 1,000, 2,000... you've just provided artwork for it." (07:58)
  This approach allows illustrators to contribute meaningfully without extensive time investment.

• Selective Charity Work:
  By offering limited voluntary work, illustrators can support causes they genuinely care about without stretching themselves thin.

6. Realizing the Importance of Self-Worth and Professionalism

A recurring theme is the journey from undervaluing one's work to recognizing its true worth.

• Embracing Professionalism:
  Tania recounts an experience of encouraging clients to respect her work:

  "You are a professional designer or illustrator and the client is paying money." (15:33)
  This assertion helps in setting expectations and ensuring fair treatment.

• Personal Boundaries Lead to Professional Respect:
  Helen shares her transition from over-pleasing to confidently enforcing boundaries:

  "I think as I've got older, I just don't care anymore." (08:15)
  This evolution is pivotal in maintaining both personal well-being and professional success.

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Conclusion

Protecting one's time, energy, and income is paramount for illustrators aiming for a sustainable and fulfilling career. Through setting clear boundaries, leveraging resources like FAQs, and valuing their professional worth, illustrators can navigate challenges effectively. Helen, Katie, and Tania provide a wealth of knowledge and actionable strategies, empowering creatives to thrive without compromising their integrity or well-being.

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Timestamp Reference:

• 01:17
• 01:18
• 01:23
• 05:35
• 05:54
• 09:34
• 10:41
• 10:55
• 13:21
• 15:33
• 08:02
• 08:15
• 07:58

Transcript

[A]

Okay, we've got two questions. One is a picture booky one, and one is a money ish one. Which one do you want first?

[B]

I don't know, but I've just eaten a biscuit and I'm worried. I can still. You can still hear me?

[A]

That's all right. I'll dare you.

[B]

Let me have the other question, not the picture book one first, while I get over the biscuit.

[A]

Okay, you get over the biscuit. Don't talk about money. So the question was, how do you tell people nicely, I don't do volunteer work. I'm assuming illustration volunteer work and the context. This is an anonymous question says people know I'm an artist. Therefore, many ask me to do free work. What is the best way to say no, capital letters. And perhaps are there times when I should say yes, capital letters. Thank you.

[C]

Oh, well, the one I was told, which was a nice script for getting out of it professionally and politely, was that my quota for not for profit work for this year has been used up.

[B]

Perfect.

[C]

Easy.

[B]

What else? You don't need to even elaborate on this. That is so perfect for every situation.

[C]

Which points out you're not mean and horrid. Occasionally do work, but you only do it for things that you want to do it for. You are not there to be dictated to about what your causes are. Define your causes first. Decide who you will work for. You don't have to take all comers. They're willy nilly causes because what's important to them isn't necessarily important to you. And actually, even though I didn't have a not for profit quota per year, it made me create one. I was like, okay, I'll do 5 to 10% voluntary work, but I'll only do it for these particular causes that.

[A]

You really care about. Yeah, yeah.

[C]

Because all the fundraisers that come to illustrators saying, this is good for your profile, could you contribute to this, this or that? A lot of people say fundraisers are given a salary. If the whole act of fundraising is a salaried act, why is mine not? And I'm not connected to your charity or your cause, so there's got to be something in it for you. And I would probably just say to those people, yeah, you'd have to pay me for that one. Or if you want it completely free, that's the other one. The other thing is to say you can't art direct any of it. If you want free work, I'll do it as a portfolio piece for me. But you have no creative input, which is what the advertising agencies do for a lot of charities. So you see those things online where you see an amazing wild ad that you can't believe got passed. It didn't get passed and it was done for the awards ceremonies only. That's why it will appear on a TikTok or on a YouTube and you can't really tell what the brand was for. But that's the advertising agencies having a great opportunity to showcase their creative talents without any client input would make it mediocre. So you can make it work for you that way.

[A]

Nice. It's scary telling people no though, as well, isn't it? Because I know when people. Sometimes you'll get a very casual message and they're like, oh, hi, Katie, I've just got this project.

[B]

Those are the hardest ones. Especially somebody you sort of know a bit.

[A]

Exactly. Or a friend. But I think people know not to ask anymore. But in the early, early days, people would send me messages like that and I'd reply with, my fee is blah. And I just felt awful, especially if it was a friend or something. I think sometimes I would say, I'm so sorry, I don't. I can't afford to work for free. That also helped because I couldn't. I didn't have a secret pile of money. I wasn't like, I had my rent to pay, I had bills to pay. And I was like, if I do your free thing, then I don't have time to work on the work that pays my actual bills.

[C]

I also think it's very. Maybe these people don't realize, but it's also incredibly rude to ask.

[A]

Yeah, they don't.

[C]

And they. They don't realize they're putting you in a position asking something that's quite unfair. And then you. You're the one that ends up really bad because you have to say no. And you feel like the whole people pleaser thing makes you feel like a failure because you're turning people down. But it's a lack of understanding on many people's part. This isn't just a hobby. This is the roof over your head.

[A]

You could also say you're fully booked. That one works well.

[C]

But that still. That doesn't see them off. They'll go and ask someone else. They need to know. It's not reasonable to ask this.

[A]

Sometimes you can't be bothered to educate them though, as well, can't you? Like, I've sometimes been like, oh, my God, just, no, I'm too busy, sorry. And that gets them out my inbox.

[B]

What about questions from students. I get quite a lot of that.

[A]

Oh, yeah?

[C]

What kind of questions?

[B]

Well, sometimes it's directly to me, so it will say, dear Helen, I like, name a book or something. They're not as bad as the ones that start, dear Illustrator, I'm studying at whatever, here are my 20 questions. Like, okay, I'm gonna put my day aside now and answer your 20 questions.

[C]

So hard.

[B]

But sometimes it's from a student or sometimes I'll say out of. If they genuinely are asking me and they know my work and they've made that obvious and they might send me a lot of questions and I'll say, I'll answer one of them on my phone now and send it. And that's all. That's all you're getting. But sometimes I just don't reply at all because sometimes they get my backup in some way. And the way it's worded looks like they've sent it to everybody.

[C]

And yeah, some illustrators are really smart and they've done those questionnaires from students and then repurpose, unlike me, I've put it in an email and left it in the outtrade somewhere and forgotten all about it and the student has got the answer. You could repurpose that onto the FAQs on your website.

[B]

Yeah, I've done that before. It's really. And sometimes people have sent me such good questions that I've said, I'll answer it. I'm going to make this into a substack post today.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then that's dead useful, actually.

[A]

Yeah, that's. It's such a good way to do it because I've had people get in touch about pricing and they're like, how much did I charge for this? How much did I charge for that? And it used to get me really annoyed because they're like, I had to figure it out. You figure it out now. But then eventually I was like, actually, I'm going to write a whole thing about this. And then if anybody ever asks, I can send them to this blog post.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

And I think that's probably a good way of maybe even covering your prices. Like, if somebody gets in touch, are you available to work for free? If you had a page on your website about your availability, your prices start at. And then you can send them to that page and that page does all this embarrassing, you know, like, how could.

[C]

I have asked this person for free work?

[A]

When they outline your boundaries, how far in advance you need to be booked, blah, blah, blah. And then they were like, oh, shit. They're actually doing this. Seriously, I can't just ask them for random freebies.

[C]

But if you did want to help, and you did, someone's got in touch with you from a course that you really care for, but you don't have the time to give them two free days work, what you can do is. And it doesn't always work because you need a auctions or sales. Quite often these big charities will do those charity dinners and they'll put things up for auction. That is such a winner because. Because if you've got something in the plan chest that you can give away, they'll often raise huge amounts of money for a print that you may sell for 150quid, auctioned with your signature or, I don't know, maybe you can add something extra to it, like, you know, you can gold leaf a print or some tiny extra edition which makes it different from the stuff in your shop, but they can go up to 1,000, 2,000. Because people at these charity dinners want to be seen to be spending money and supporting a good cause and they'll pay a lot more than something is actually worth. And it means there was nothing that you had to do. You didn't have to give working hours away, you've just provided artwork for it. And that's one of the easiest ways to help, I think, identify your charities and give work to them.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

If it's things that you don't want to use or sell, prints are the easiest.

[A]

Yeah. I used to worry if I said no to doing stuff for free or discounts, people wouldn't be my friend anymore, wouldn't like me. And I was really, I was really worried about that. And I think as I've got older, I just don't care anymore.

[B]

Yeah, I think that's the thing.

[A]

If someone's going to fall out with me because I won't work for free for them, then they shouldn't be my friend anyway.

[C]

Quite frankly, often those people, the people who ask for free work, won't be employing you again later. It's not like, could you help this charity and then we'll give you a paid job? They weren't and just working. Asking which illustrators are prepared to work for free for charities, and it should be an absolute no, no. And for pitching, of course, no free pitching. Do they free pitch in pictures?

[B]

Oh, that was on the last podcast we recorded when I spoke to the illustrator who was having a hard. Just been offered a new deal and they will pay her a small amount for development work and she Was outraged by it because the situation had all gone so wrong that now she was in this situation of thinking, oh, the whole of publishing is a nightmare. But that is quite normal for a picture book publisher might approach you with a text and they haven't decided who's going to illustrate it yet, and they might ask you to pitch for it. So they might pay you a few hundred pounds to do a little bit of work and then if you get the job, they take that off your advance.

[C]

So is. Is the amount you're being paid for that, do you think that is reasonable for a daily rate?

[B]

It's usually really low. So it's a long time since anybody's asked me to do that. But I have done it in the past. For example, I've been paid. I think the last time I was asked to do it, I think I was paid 300 pound to do some development work for a book. So I made sure that I did no more than a day's work, because.

[C]

300 pound barely covers a day.

[B]

It barely covers a day. And I thought, well, they can see my website, they can see my portfolio, they know what they're going to get anyway. I guess they're wanting development work because they've just. I've looked at the text and they are wondering how I might envisage the character or something. So I've just done really, really bas. Character sketches, no more than a day. But, you know, sometimes they do want you to do more than that, but I think you've got to be careful because you could end up putting a weaker side or more. This illustrator thought in a previous project, she'd been asked the same thing, but the development work had gone on for months. So you definitely need boundaries in that you say, yes, I'll take £300, but it's a day's work. But that is normal in publishing. A fee for a little bit of development work.

[C]

Sometimes design groups will ask illustrators to do development work for a brand or a theme. I remember when we were at college, just before BT rebranded itself, do you remember the. The kind of nymph with a trumpet?

[A]

Yeah, the blue and a flutey thing.

[C]

Yeah, that's it. We all pitched in on that one. And everyone was paid, I don't know, maybe a couple of hundred pounds, and told something very vague, like, could you have a male figure that looks slightly mythical with a long trumpet? So There were probably 10 of us I knew at least who were working on that. And there was development work, fees paid. But amongst illustrators and graphic Designers, the ethos is no free pitching and everyone has to adhere to that. It's like scabs if people deny that and start, because it ruins the standards of the industry if you don't stand with the unofficial union or agreement of design.

[B]

In the world of picture books, it is vague. It's always really vague. And there's so many gray areas in picture books. Because if I have a book I want to make and I am going to take it to the publisher in that way, I am pitching, but it's my own project, it's my baby, it's come from my head. And so I will work on it, because how am I going to convince them to do this book in my head without me putting anything on paper? So if I'm pitching it free, obviously. But if they're coming to me with a text, and they're usually doing that because they're asking a few illustrators and then they're going to have a meeting and decide who, then they need to pay you for that.

[A]

Yeah, I had a weird one recently with a client. There was an existing client I'd done a mural for and they want another one and I gave them a quote and then they just didn't get back to me. I was like, oh, well, fine, whatever. They must be doing something else. I didn't think about it. But then they got back in touch and they were like, oh, could you just mock up a bit of the mural so we can see the new mural?

[B]

So it's.

[A]

See what's going to look like and live on the call. I was like, oh, yeah, that's fine. And also I was like, oh, and you, you've got all the content, so I'll lower the fee a bit. That's fine. But then I got off the call, I was like, what am I doing? They already know what my work looks like. Why am I making it cheaper? I'm still gonna have to go to London, do the mural. So I email. It was very awkward email to write. I was like, I've come to my senses, I'm not gonna do it for free. Like, if you want to, go ahead and you're signing the contract, obviously I will mock up the design before I show up to do it, but I'm not going to mock it up before you've decided if you want me to do it or not. You know what my work looks like. And also the fee is what I originally quoted. It's not the new one that I just.

[B]

Good for you. Yeah.

[A]

And then. And I also had this attitude of, like, if you don't want to go ahead, good, because I can't be bothered to do it anyway. But I think, like, that's. That attitude is what I was missing in the early days because I was so desperate to do anything and I would have been like, I'm so sorry, the fee is lower, I'll do it for free.

[B]

I think that element of giving yourself time to think about it is really, really important. And I think I'm going to go back to the illustrator I spoke about in the last podcast with the situation with the publisher where she's had a bad time. They were really eager for her to make up her mind, now, do you want to do it? Do you want to do it? Now they want an answer and then she's been offered a new deal and they're doing the same thing. And I think that is a thing that happens quite often. But you should always give yourself time.

[C]

Never agree on the phone or on the spot. People will push you to do it, but never give a promise.

[B]

And if they're pushy, you say, unless there's like a really, really big reason why. Like when I did that book I was talking about for UNICEF and it had to be out in time for Commonwealth Games and they were going to pay me more, there was a situate that was a situation where they were being pushy about time because it was genuine, but most of the time it isn't. So I always think if they're being really pushy and when I've said, actually I need some time to think about it, if they carry on, then I say, I'm out, then I'm out. If you're going to be. If you want an answer now, then it's no.

[A]

It actually feels like a big relief, doesn't it? To be like, if this isn't going to work out, no hard feelings, bye, bye. I will be having a nap or doing something I like with my life. It'd be nice to do the job, but it'd also be nice to not do the job. I don't care either way.

[C]

That great realization when you realize your boundaries aren't going to crucify your career and they're actually okay to have, and people quite often are fine with it. It's only your desire to please in early career times that have cast the client as the baddie. Because you're always, you're always bending to that. You think that you're bending to their will, but in fact what you're doing is just anticipating wrongly what they want. But you're like, yeah, yeah, I'll do anything.

[A]

Abandoning yourself along the way.

[C]

And I used to look at people in companies and be really envious thinking, you know how all this works and you know what the boundaries are and what's reasonable. I wish I knew. And you do have to make them up yourself and then you realize, oh, they're fine about this. I was making it difficult by just being an over pleaser.

[A]

I think we're all extra sensitive to feelings and stuff as well, aren't we? Maybe a little bit broad.

[C]

Creativity is a bit touchy feely as well, isn't it? So it's not like we're in the financial industry doing something we perhaps don't like and people think we loved what we do and we do to a certain extent, especially if it's our own idea. But sometimes people's other ideas aren't such fun to work with and it is just a job. That's when we find it quite hard to say no. Because it's supposed to be something like playing in the sandpit and having fun. And the moment you get over that attitude. Do you remember I used to say one of my clients who's a really lovely designer, I got her to come into the Hong Kong Polyu to create the students so that they could have an experience of working with a professional designer. And they were, they would use language that minimized what they were doing and saying things like I was just playing with this idea and she was like stop that right now. You do not play with an idea. You're a professional designer or illustrator and the client is paying money and so you're just encouraging, encouraging them to think that you're just playing. And this is a kind of hobby so you can't use that sort of language if you want them to respect you professionally. And I thought was such a great point. It is like we all say those words like playing around with an idea or yeah, just stuff that makes it seem valueless. So the language we use is really important. If you're going to convince clients that you've just spent the last 12 hours or stayed up till 3 in the morning figuring out which colour something should be and angsting over it, that certainly isn't playing. So we've done ethics, money and working for free. Don't do it unless it suits you and give away prints for auctions and that's a better way to make money. Bye bye.

[B]

It.