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freelance chronicles Tag

15 Tips from 15 Years as a Freelance Illustrator (PDF)

 

Check it out, this is a pdf with 15 tips that  I’ve learned from, failed at, or screwed up on as a freelance illustrator.  I started making art as a kid drawing for fun, doing graffiti, and then going to college to study and changing my major 3 times. After the second major change and becoming a dad I officially began freelancing, accepting money for my art and let me tell you it has been a bumpy road. 
Feel free to cop this for a young student who wishes to be a freelance artist who works for themself. I wrote the words, did the illustrations, and my lovely wife Joy did the design/layout for it.

COP THE PDF HERE

Is this useful? Check out this post about why I still use business cards
May 19, 2023
in Business Resources, Creative Resources, Educational Resources, Resources
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Freelance Chronicles 8 – Five reasons why I still use business cards

Business cards by Robert Liu-Trujillo

Ok so I have been making business cards with my name, phone number, email, image, and services offered for about 15 years now. How old tech of me right? I get it, there are apps where you can just send someone your contact info, airdrop it, text it, or refer them to your IG I get it. But here are a few reasons why I still keep a business card for introductions. Note: I didn’t have a business card during the start of the pandemic because, well I was in the house :/

Hasan Minhaj via GIPHY

1. No phone:

You forgot your phone at home, it got broken, or you lost it. Damn. Sucks, you can tell the person you’re talking to your name or write it and your number or email on a napkin but a card might be handy. I’ve definitely had this happen before.


Brazilian singer Anitta 


2. Phone battery died: 

Have you ever missed a crucial opportunity to show someone your work, get their info, or exchange info but your phone battery died? Try keeping a business card as a back up 🙂 If you had a great conversation, they will want to talk to you again fam. People fake good work, and some put on a good show, but it’s harder to fake good vibes or energy. Or you can have them wait while you recharge your phone….

The one and only Prince 

3. Getting away from social media:

I’ve been on social media for almost 20 years and I have referred people to my (fill in the blank) but I’m getting kind of tired of it honestly. There are some great artists out there using it to the max but I don’t want it to become my life. And it started to feel like that a few years ago. These companies found ways to make us addicted and that is not healthy, for me. You?

Also, from experience, I know that these apps come and go. For a few years they’re hot, and then people are on to the next thing. And if you’re an artist with a smaller but dedicated following you have to build your audience again. So I still use it, but I keep my distance. If you want to step back a bit from social media I think that a curated website, blog, or page is a great place to refer folks to via biz card.

Tessa Thompson

4. Leave them impressed:

Ok, if designed properly with your information, a sample of your art on it, and a print quality that speaks to your esthetic your business card can leave the person holding wanting more. If I get a well made business card that communicates your taste by seeing it and/or touching it I’m going to remember you. It could be done with letterpress, with metal, or a bright color. The point is, leave the holder with a taste of how dope you are.

Tyler the Creator shot by Cam Hicks

5. Control the narrative:

On your card you can provide the basics like your number, email, etc. But, you can also provide them with coordinates to a location. Weird, right? You can put a QR code on it that when read sends them to a song. You could just have a link to a video. There are lots of ways you can control how the holder interacts with or gets to know you and your work. A well crafted and updated website featuring a portfolio of your work is still a tried and true way to do this. Just saying, show them your true self in your way…. 

Back of the business card (w/o my ph number 🙂

Dig this? Check out my post about how I got 1000 sales on Etsy as an illustrator/author who makes merch!

Who dis? What’s this? Hi, my name is Rob and I’m an artist/author from Northern California. Oakland to be specific. I have been working as a freelance artist for over 15 years. I’ve picked up a few tips on the way and “Freelance Chronicles” is one of the ways I share. Was this helpful? Please share and cop something from my shop. Adios. 

May 13, 2023
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Podcast Interview: Sticker Giant!

 

Yo, this is a recent interview for Sticker Giant, a vendor who I work with frequently to produce some of my stickers like these:
Self care sticker sheet which has gotten a lot of love over the past year and a half!
Pause from a recent series!
“Blasian” from this sticker pack!!
In this interview we talk about why I do what I do and a little bit about the many stickers I make. If you like this interview you can peep this one I did from the Not Real Art Podcast w/ my sis Erin Yoshi
January 29, 2022
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Freelance chronicles 7- 1000 Sales on Etsy

Me vending, photo by Imelda Jimenez-LaMar


Yo yo yo yo (Stretch Armstrong voice), I just crossed the 1000 sales mark on Etsy which I’m very proud of. I know sellers who have less than 100 sales and folks with upwards of 20k. But, I plan to make more. Here’s some tips and things I did to make it this far. If you’re new to selling on Etsy, Shopify, Big Cartel, We Buy Black, or any online commerce site these might be helpful. Got suggestions? Questions? Leave a comment! Shout out to my wife who gave me so much energy, ideas, and feedback on how to make my work pop! If you have ever purchased a book or a sticker from me, THANK YOU.

via GIPHY (Fresh prince of Bel Air)


1. Get Specific

I like when I see sellers on Etsy create a niche. It doesn’t mean you sell something that no one has ever seen or made before only. It means you and your products have focus. If shoppers can see your story not only from your bio and product descriptions, but your over all store; it will help. Why? You want to get to specific people who like what you like. Not every single person. There are going to be a lot of people who don’t rock w/you because its not their thing and that’s ok. Trust me, if you LOVE it there are others out there who will. And your passion, expertise, and knowledge is infectious! So nail it down, and pivot if necessary.

Reverie performing, photo via 

@justraw5


2. Flow/ Rhythm 

I’ve found that if there’s a regularity to my posts about my merch (merchandise) people not only come to expect whats new from me, the awareness that I make products grows. When I wasn’t making very many sales it was because I posted a product once here and there. Once I sat down and made a schedule each year including multiple series of products I began to see much more traction. Create a rhythm of when you release products. Could be 4 times a year, or 12. Create a schedule and try to stick to it.

Doc OG Lowrider painter (RIP)

3. Customize 

One way to set yourself apart from the crowd in terms of sales is to make custom items. The challenge with these is that they are time consuming and require skill to make them. As a result they will cost more, but if folks get to know you and they think what you make is unique and special they will buy them because they mean something. So, how can you flip what you’re making now to have a flair, color, tone, or message that is custom (your style) or customized for the individual. This way, folks can’t get it anywhere else but from you.


via GIPHY (In the heights)


4. Build Community 

A great way to gain more knowledge and eventually more sales is to build community. How do you do that? Join an Etsy team if you’re on the platform. Make friends with other sellers like you. Reach out to people and ask for help, offer help, etc. By building friendships in this area of life you not only earn more money, but you can help your community of sellers by sharing what you know and you all grow together. This community can be virtual or in person. The point is to get out there and make genuine friendships, give, and receive. Support other sellers by buying stuff from them that you like, and they will do the same. Shout out to SF Etsy (Etsy Team), The Black Owned Etsy Shops, and my local community for having my back!

Vendor at Unique Markets via Forbes


5. Do events

Before Covid and after events in person will always be a great way to market your work, meet new people, to product test, and to drive future traffic to your shop. Events are not just for selling your stuff that day, sometimes retailers or shoppers will take note of your stuff and hit you up at a later date. If your immediate family already has everything you make its good to go to the other side of town and show em what you got. If you can talk about and share your products with people who stop by your table/booth you’ll be able to see real quick what people gravitate to and what they don’t. Test! If folks buy from you once make sure to leave them with a way to follow you, see more, or to share what they got with their friends. Business or postcards are great for this and you can also ask them to sign up for an email newsletter….

Tony Leung/ In the mood for love

6. Email newsletter 

I started doing email newsletters seriously over 3 years ago and it has done wonders for my regular sales and for connecting to my folks! Why? I can reach people at their personal emails and the majority of them actually see it and open my message. With social media it can be difficult to reach people because of algorithms, or the latest features a platform is highlighting. I started with one email a month, thats it. I do not spam people because that gets annoying. I make the newsletter short, to the point, and balanced with image, text, and sometimes video. If you have one consider making a website of your work with a pop up and having an actual paper form that people can fill out at events to get new sign ups. I use Mail Chimp but there are many such as Mad Mini, Constant Contact, Substack, etc.



via GIPHY (Marshawn Lynch)

7. Press 

Both paid and earned press is key. You sell at events, you post on social media, you email everyone. You tell all your family and friends. Folks support and then the sales slow down or stop. Don’t quit. It just means folks have bought all you have or they’re financially tapped out. You gotta reach new folks. How do you do that? Get eyes on your products who don’t know you at all. Maybe they support Black owned businesses, maybe they’re Queer friendly, maybe they’re a teacher, entertainer. Whatever it is, they’re looking for folks like you. Which blogs do they follow? What podcast do they listen to? Do they read newspapers? Make a note of these places (especially the ones you know your audience would love) and reach out. Sometimes you will have to pay, but I’ve heard its best to reach folks who write about work like yours and get it for free. You’re helping journalists and they’re helping you. This takes a lot of time, years even. But the more you prepare your information, links, and photos so it is easy to share with journalists the easier it will be to cover you and your work. You can see some press I’ve gotten for books or merch here. Shout out Papalodown who helped me tremendously with this.

Aaliyah / Romeo must die


8. Trial & Error

Some shit will pop and some will not get any traction at all. That is just how it is. Sometimes it takes awhile for things to gain traction too. There have been times where I made something and got it reproduced. It never really sold, and I was left with tons of products. A few times I just followed my gut and made something that sold really well! This to me means making what you want and thinking of what would best serve your audience and or supporters. There have been times where customers have told me what they liked, didn’t like, or what they wish I would make. If it made sense, I’d try it out. Sometimes they were right, sometimes not. Try new things related to your core passion. And take your time, because it takes time.

via GIPHY (Maitreyi/ Never have I ever)


9. Extras

Here are a few extra things I would highly suggest. 
-Get good photos of your merch. Either your study YouTube tutorials and figure it out or you hire someone like Sunset Shutterbug. A product photographer can help make your work shine! 
–Brand your stuff and your social media. Meaning, use the same font, colors Key Words, logo, bio, typography, etc. That way when they look at your card, site, merch, social media it is all consistent and says something about you. I should note that a logo and an illustration are NOT the same thing. If they seem too similar or you don’t understand the difference, hire a graphic designer! 
-Search your app or selling service for help. Many of these platforms will have helpful articles, blogs, or videos to guide you. Take advantage!

Me and my youngest

Peace fam, my name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I’m an artist from the Bay Area and I work in several fields (Kids books, Murals, Merchandise, Licensing, Illustration, Creative writing, etc). If you’re new to my blog, welcome. I share my personal and professional work here. Freelance chronicles is a series of blog posts about what has helped me succeed and the many experiences I’ve had along the way. I’ve been working as a freelance artist since 2006 officially. I have not worked a “day job” since 2014.  If you found this helpful you can support me by copping something from my shop or subscribing to my email newsletter! Feel free to share.

Previous Posts: 

Improve your merch table LINK

Business podcasts LINK

LAST NOTE: I started my Etsy shop in 2009/ 2010. I didn’t really start making full use of it until the past 5 years (I’m writing this in 2021). It takes time, be patient with yourself. Wherever you are in the process be open to growing.

June 12, 2021
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Freelance Chronicles 6 – Biz Podcasts

This is a short one. Here is one way I do research on improving the business side of my art making. I read books, articles, talk to people, network, all that. But when I’m not doing those, I’m often listening to podcasts about business or entrepreneurs. Here are a few I recommend if you make products for people to purchase. That product could be hiring you personally or purchasing a digital/physical item from you.


Why? Making art is only half the hustle, unfortunately we not only have to sell it, but we have to find out how to authentically reach our audience. Enjoy!

Dirty Old Ladies is run by three women in comics and it talks about tabling at events, conferences, distribution, and other insider news to the business of making comics. I started because of C Spike Trotman who is a Black woman who runs the largest indy comics publisher in Chicago. Listen

Ok, this brother Jay Jones gives some interviews, advice, and resources that are very interesting. Listen.

This podcast is run by Sonja Rasula who started the Unique Markets. This is super helpful because each episode is with a small or medium sized business owner and it involves Sonja giving advice about a specific tactic. Listen!

Etsy Conversations w/ Ijemoa Eleazu is a great business podcast whether you sell on Etsy or not. She interviews a wide range of guests about running a shop-physical and digitial. Listen to the many episodes HERE
Check out of the many episodes with Jeff Staples, this is show where Jeff interviews business owners and individual entrepreneurs about their biz journey. LINK
I love this show because the host Katie Hunt talks with small business owners about book keeping, marketing, social media, selling products, and more. She also runs bootcamps and communities online where folks can learn and share resources. Listen.
There are tons more, but check out these. I actually take notes on these. Sometimes I listen to episodes multiple times or follow up on resources I heard about through them. Good luck!

READ THE PREVIOUS POST:  How to work with me!

Here are some other honorable mentions worth listening to:

March 3, 2020
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Freelance Chronicles 5 – Work with me!

Shaun Burner and Myself -Sacramento 2015 – Photo By Kerri Ann Borja

How can we work together? 
Peace, my name is Rob and I’m a professional artist with over 20 years worth of experience. If you’d like to work with me here are a few different ways to start. Through my years I have worn many hats as a creative person and through working with so many different people there are a few things I’ve learned to do well. I love brainstorming ideas and executing them. I have a huge love for projects that relate to music, social justice, parenthood, co-parenting, mixed heritage, literacy, and storytelling. And I enjoy working with people who believe in what they’re doing and are willing to work for it. You wanna collab? Here’s how to start. Don’t be shy, holler at me. If I vibe with you and the project it’s a GO. If not, I might refer you to someone who I think would be better for it. My email is Info@robdontstop.com


Art vs Artist 2018

Freelance Illustration: 

I have been a freelance illustrator for over 14 years. I am an individual business owner and I create work for and with other people. I work remotely but can meet in person if the project calls for it. I have worked for filmmakers, musicians, news outlets, editorial magazines, foundations, corporations, non profit organizations, and individual business owners. Here are some specific ways my illustrations help these folks.

-Portraits
-Spot Illustrations (Editorial, Scene or Interaction)
-Posters
-Character Design
-Hand lettering
-Book Illustration
-Licensing (For products)



Visions from The Inside- Culture Strike

Exhibitions and Galleries:

In addition to working in illustration I am also a fine artist working in watercolor, acrylic, aerosol, and mixed media. I have exhibited my work in over 25 art shows nationwide including one solo show in New York. When I connect with a theme I love making new art and working with curators to exhibit that work either as a solo artist or as part of a larger group show. This includes making pieces that are ready to hang and installations that are specific to the location.


Workshop in Ciudad Juarez

Class and library visits:

I have been working in the children’s book world for over seven years and I began visiting classrooms around the same time. Before I did kids books I was a teaching artist working with hundreds of students from elementary to college. I have visited schools and libraries to read to children, answer questions about making children’s books, and to show some of the process. In addition, I do one day workshops where I engage children in quick exercises about storytelling and art depending on the age group.


Hiero Day 

Arts Vendor: 

Since I started selling my artwork over 15 years ago I have sold original art, prints, handmade items, customizable art, books, zines, clothes, and more at events as a vendor. I currently sell at about 5-10 events every year in my home of the Bay Area and nationally. My focus has been on literacy, children’s books, social justice, music, and ethnic studies. In addition to vending at events I also have had a hand in helping to organize them. Invite me to your event to sell or ask me for help on how to promote your event.You can see current merchandise and art for sale here.

Vendors: Want to learn how to improve your merch table? Read THIS


Bay Area Book Festival Panel

Guest speaker:

I enjoy speaking to people in general, but I especially enjoy a conversation when its on a topic that I’m passionate about. I have spoken at panel discussions, fundraisers, gallery shows, on tv, and on podcasts. I have a great time talking to young people and the general public about the arts and other things. I’m open to speaking in classrooms, podcasts, at events, or to the media. I mentioned some of the topics near and dear to my heart above.


Planning w/ Janine Macbeth and Laurin Mayeno

Children’s book consulting:

Since I began my study of children’s literature in 2007 and officially began working in the business in 2013 I have gathered a good amount of knowledge; especially related to self publishing. I have attended conferences, read books, networked with creators, made books, helped organize events, asked a lot of questions, and helped a lot of people on the journey. If your are an illustrator or author beginning a journey in kid lit I can consult you on my experience and point you to resources that may be helpful to your story.

Painting at Chapter 510

Murals:

I have the pleasure of being one of the members of the Trust Your Struggle Collective, a group of activists and artists who have created gallery installations, workshops, large scale murals, and mural tours for over 17 years. In that time I have had a hand in over 25 murals. I have worked with schools, organizations, businesses, and cities. If there is a mural project you need an artist for feel free to reach out.


My Solo Show at Fresthetic in Brooklyn, NY


Ok?

Alright, you get it now. If you were thinking about collaborating now you know a few ways we can work together. If you got any questions please holler at me at info@robdontstop.com. You can also refer people to a shorter version of this post on my website. LINK


Read my last post about freelance life: Vendor tables

January 29, 2020
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Freelance Chronicles 4- Improve your merch table

My merch table 2011 vs 2019
Recently, I’ve seen people post 10 year comparisons and it inspired me to post about my merch (merchandise)  table in the past 7-8 years. Ok so I have been selling artwork at events for well over 15 years. But it hasn’t been until the past five years that I really started to understand how to make money and make something I like. A few points of contrast below.

And while you’re here: Did you see the previous post about the tech I use? CLICK HERE
Basquiat

1. Original Art?
Ok so let’s talk about art collecting. If you are like most people you like art but you don’t typically buy a piece that is over $40-50 unless it is for a very special occasion like a commissioned portrait. The majority of my table 10 years ago was original artwork that would be considered too expensive for regular working class folks. For art collectors, it would appear too cheap. Point is, its been tough for me to sell original pieces. If you want to sell original artwork over $100 you should try presenting it in a gallery that regularly sells artwork. How do you know? Ask! Do your research. I’ll do a post about making your own gallery show one day.
Oh So Lovely Vintage
2. Focus
I really got into kids books because I was inspired by my son and I wanted to service the little child in me. Through that I found that I was providing a service to lots of other kids. So a lot more of my artwork has been literacy or narrative focused. I think its important to figure out how to make your set up cohesive. Make it look like it all belongs together. Like a collection, an album, or a curated wardrobe.
3. Presentation
https://www.ilanodesign.com/

Another important aspect of my merch table has been working on presentation. A flat table is boring to me. And I started to notice who was buying from me (women). What do they like? So I asked my wife and she gave some great advice about having varying levels on my table. Not all flat. It looks more interesting to me. And I started to look at craft people, jewelry artists, candle makers, etc to take notes on how they set up their tables. I make sure to have a nice large table cloth that is pleasing color wise, but also covers the majority of my table. And I try to make the display interesting. If it’s not working , I move things and experiment.

https://www.katalcenter.org/

4. Salesperson
It is not too hard to sell when you really like what you do. But, one of the key things I’ve learned about selling is that if you work on your presentation people will come to you. They want to see what you got and they want to be engaged. So, I usually turn off my phone, make eye contact, smile, and I ask them about their day, complement their cool scarf, etc. 
I have found that going into a story about me, my prices, or what I make can turn people off. So I try to engage them in conversation about them. It doesn’t always lead to a sale, but it definitely helps me get to know more about the people who stop at my table. At some point, people intentionally started seeking my table out telling me they came to see me :). But I think making it about your customer or supporter is key at first. When they’re interested, they’ll ask you questions.
Hawaii record fair
5. The location
You might sell a bunch of wu-tang clan pins at a knitting conference or get a lot of signatures for the police academy at a Black Panther Party reunion. But, if you don’t do research about where an event takes place and who will be there you’re doing a disservice to your business. For me, this has meant going to that event to see how many attendees are there, if the crowd is diverse, if my stuff fits in, if there are 20 people selling there that do exactly what I do, etc before I sell there. This means really thinking intentionally about what you’re going to present that caters to that specific crowd. Location is also paying attention to the weather report, how far you have to lug your stuff, if you’ve over saturated that event (ie-they already bought all your stuff), or if this is a new event hungry for what you do. 
Melody Ehsani

6. Art that can be sold 1000x times
I have been making artwork for a very long time. I have sold tiny things, big framed pieces, books, all kinds of things. And if it was thing I’ve learned recently with having Furqan’s First, it is that you can make some really great artwork and also figure out how to reproduce it so you can sell it hundreds maybe even a thousand times. This can be a shirt, print, or piece of jewelry. The point is, make something you love, figure out how to serve your customer/supporters needs, make it affordable, quality, and make it easily accessible through in person events and online sales. 
Beat Junkies

7. Branding
Branding might sound corny or corporate. But to me it means making your stuff easy to find, readable, and consistent. There are certain items like soft drinks, bed’s, or tires that make you think about an image or story when you think about them. Why? They made sure their name was on it. and they told you their story many times. This does not require thousands of dollars. It just requires spreading the word about your stuff. For my art prints, book, business card, postcard, website, I use the same type, symbols, color, and illustrations. And through seeing this in different places people  say “you’re work is everywhere” when really I have just worked on trying to make it all feel consistent. And if I get tired of an image or style, I change it. And don’t worry, you’re not bragging. You’re taking pride in your appearance and letting people know you’re a working artist who is passionate about what they do.
Dance Africa at Bam

8. Capture Info / Stay in contact
Ok, you’ve finished an event, made a little bit of money and saw a bunch of cool people. Some of them are homies but many you just met. How do you keep in touch with them? Sure, social media is an option but most platforms now use algorithms. As a result, only 20-25% who follow you actually see your stuff. And there are homies that have left social media all together. Your friends would love to hear what’s new with you. The new folks definitely need to get to know you. Both might buy your new work IF they know about the new (insert merch). How? Good old addresses and email newsletters. I know, it sounds old school but everyone is posting on-line. Not everyone is using tools like Constant contact/Mailchimp or the good ole postcard. Get people’s info at your next event with a sign up sheet or your phone. Follow up with them in the new year and compare your sales and engagement with folks at the end of the year. Just a thought.

Busy Bee by Joe Conzo



9. Shout outs
I want to give a big a shout out to Nidhi Chanani who I learned so much from on how to make my work more presentable. Go check out her work here and follow her Instagram to see some of her past set ups at events.

Big shout out to the following events who helped shape who  I am as an artist and vendor: The Berkeley Flea Market, Malcom X Jazz Fest, Life is Living, Carnival in SF, Dia de los Muertos in the Fruitvale, SF Etsy, Renegade Craft Fair, Patchwork, Unique Markets, Zine Fests, Dance Africa at BAM, Afro Punk, and the Alternative Press Expo.

If you’ve read this far, thanks! I’m still learning and growing as an artist and business owner. I’m asking questions, reading this, listening to that, and failing a lot. Hopefully some of this will help you fail less. Leave a comment if this helped or if you have a tip to share.

Here’s the previous post about the tech that enables me to be a working artist and vendor!

December 11, 2019
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Freelance Chronicles 3 – Tech I Use

(Photo: Me by Joy Liu-Trujillo)



When I first started out as an illustrator I was using tech but didn’t quite understand how I was using it. Even a brush that you buy in a store was high technology at one point. Now, I use tech everyday as an illustrator to make my business run efficiently. Here are some of the things I use. Some are free, some cost, but all are worth it in my opinion. These are mostly about the business side of things. If you’re an artist, what do you use to make your business run? Leave a comment and share if this helped you out in any way.


(Scene from Dead Presidents)



Getting paid:




Cash board: 
I just started using this company’s invoicing service and I have my wife to thank for the referral. It is great! I was using Microsoft Word for the past 6-7 years and I love the features on Cash board. For those unaware, when you are selling a product like a book (large quantity) or your services as an artist you need to put it in writing. That writing is an invoice! The invoice states what you’re doing, for whom, when it will begin and end, how much you will be paid, and when they need to pay you. You also want to put down your policy on revisions, rush fees, delivery of artwork, etc. This app is helpful because it allows me to do all of that and to keep track of who I’ve invoiced, if they’ve opened it, and it send them a reminder to pay me weekly until they pay. You can also keep a running list of clients to plug in when making a new invoice and you can duplicate previous invoices for a similar job or client. You can also plug in a discount, send people an estimate. its awesome.

Credit Union:
I use a credit union for my personal account because I’m tired of the huge banks using their money to poison folks. I still have some other accounts with the blood suckers, but the majority of my everyday business is run through a credit union. The feature that I love most about many credit unions (and banks) is that I can take a picture of a check from a client and deposit it without having to go to the bank!

Square:
Square is a great way to get paid and I carry a square reader with me everywhere I go. People always say at festivals, book events, or on the street that they would love to buy a piece of art or a book but don’t have cash. And after missing enough opportunities I got one (reader is free). Now, every time I see someone I can charge them at a restaurant, a game, a flea market, festival, wherever. Square takes a small cut, but the convenience and product interface is very easy to use.





(Steven Yeun)



Get the word out:
Ok, so most of you already are using social media. These are some of the ones I use.

Twitter: 
Twitter is like the pulse of the people, cultivating a community, making lists, and keeping up with the news, creatives, and thinkers. You can take a poll of a question or art piece, you can make a list of your favorite illustrators, perspective clients, donut shops, etc.

Facebook + Messenger:
I know some people hate Facebook and left years ago, and I know many use it everyday. For me, it is a tool to make small groups of people with a specific interest like animation, children’s books, or DJing. The messenger app is what allows you to send messages to people on Facebook or chat without scrolling and getting lost.

Instagram:
IG is a ix of gallery and personal life for me. I use it to post some photos of my family and myself, but mostly I want to show my artwork there and what I’m working on. I now use the business function too which allows people t email me directly. If you’re a visual artist, comedian, filmmaker, photographer, dancer, it is very helpful to just post examples of what you’re best at. Some folks use it as a running blog of inspiration, meme’s, or brands as well.

Linked In:
LinkedIn is helpful when I want to find out who someone is professionally, where they are based, and what if any experience they have. Say I want to know who an art director or agent is, I look them up here. Never have really gotten work from here, but it’s nice to have an online resume and to be able to see others.

Tumblr:
Tumblr is a great place to keep your work and your inspiration. If you are one of those artists who don’t have a website, you can make one there for free, it just takes a bit of research for the correct layout. You can post and reblog your favorite tidbits thereby filling your creative bank account.

Skype:
When I want to talk to a client in another city, state, or country this is the way to go. You can also talk  and chat with multiple people at once with Skype. Invaluable communication tool.

Keeping track of things:

Gmail + Google docs+ Calendar:
I use gmail. I like gmail, been a user since 2008 i believe. I had hotmail, yahoo, etc but gmail offered the cool features, chat with friends, and sleek design. I have my website email run through my gmail, as well as personal emails. But the best feature for me is Google Docs! So you could make a piece of art, an invoice, estimate, spreadsheet, write down book/project ideas, keep important personal documents in an online cloud that only you and who you invite can access. This takes away the file cabinet in a way, because you can create a document or scan one and never have to worry about where it is. I also use the google spread sheets to keep track of all the books i sell, all the money i spend throughout the year, and all the money I make. Also, the calendar is super helpful because you can keep track of assignments, meetings, or events on your computer and your phone.

Pinterest:
This is where I keep track of things that I like. I use this site to make boards of images. Before, i used to keep folders of images on my computer, but that takes up space. With Pinterest I can make a board for a specific client and keep all reference images for drawing there. I use it to make boards of inspiring stuff and to showcase my work a little bit.

Bit.ly:
I use bit.ly because it sucks having to type out every website or link for my work. And because I upload hundreds of things a year I need to shorten the links so I can post them on places like twitter where the amount you type is limited, and i can keep track of how many clicks the link gets and who clicks it, from where, which country, etc. These analytics help when marketing your work.

Hootsuite:
This helps me blast new pieces of art or important events to several social media at once.



(Photo: Flea market)



Selling work:

Etsy:
Great place to sell artwork for a tiny fee. I sell prints, books, stickers, paintings, and more through Etsy and it helps with shipping, keeping track of who buys what, and has mechanisms for messaging,  buy supplies, sub-contract, and is like running a retail store. There are others like Shopify, Square (which i also use), etc.

Youtube:
I use Youtube to debut my book “Furqan’s First Flat Top”. I’m not a youtuber but I am aware of the huge power Youtube has in showcasing products, advice, tutorials, music, animation, film, tv, and so much more. You can find just about anything on there.

Blogger:
Blogger I’ve used since 2007. I did not know what it was for when I started, but I quickly fell in love with the format. Much like myspace, the blogger site allows you to customize how your blog looks in so many ways. And I like it as a running showcase of personal and client work, inspiration, and more. In the past I’ve had links to favorite artists, or inspiring blogs. Now I just use it to showcase my work and to write about things that interest me or help others. One of the greatest things about Blogger is that you can keep track of the statistics of your posts, that way you know what people are responding to, and where they’re finding it. This has been an invaluable tool and I have used it over the past 10 years to grow artistically and business wise.







( Photo: Me by Halline Overby)



Creating work:

Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator
I use Photoshop and illustrator to draw with. The majority of my illustration is done traditionally, but a huge step for my process is scanning art and cleaning it up. By cleaning I mean brightening art, or adjusting contrast. I also mean taking out dust speckles, or changing things. I use photoshop to draw with as well because it gets great colors, you can adjust the colors, and it saves steps for me to scan.

Ipad + Astro Pad:
So my wife got together with my family and bought me and Ipad pro and pencil, and now I use the “Astro Pad” app to draw directly onto the pad and photoshop the way you would on a Wacom tablet. Its great and saves me a lot of time when drawing thumbnails or comps for clients. I don’t have to scan anything and I have gotten some great brushes for painting that I plan to practice more and more in.

Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher:
I like tolisten to new music and podcasts while i work. Soundcloud is for new music, Spotify for classics, and Stitcher or the podcast app on my iphone is for listening to podcasts on business, marketing, manufacturing, culture, illustration, etc.

Closing:
Other than that, the tools I use are an IPhone, Macbook (doesn’t matter which computer or phone you use though imo) pencils, paint brushes, colored pencils, erasers, and paper. So i started as a freelance illustrator over a decade ago. I didn’t know #$%^ back then and still feel like I’m just beginning in some ways. I’ve worked for newspapers, publishers, magazines, non profit organizations, small businesses, individuals, corporations, and some odd clients. But this is me just sharing some of what little I know. Please feel free to share it with students, folks making a career change, or people looking to run their business more smoothly. You can find me at Robdontstop.com or on Instagram and twitter.
-Robert Liu-Trujillo

Did you see my previous post about how I started in children’s books? Click HERE to see it.

May 5, 2017
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Freelance Chronicles 2- Children’s books

(Photo: Collider, Muhammad Ali)

Get passionate: You can’t really do this unless you feel deeply passionate about the medium, artform, genre, whatever you wanna call it. I became both passionate and obsessed with children’s books around 2005. Here are a few points to share how I got started in the children’s book community. There is no one way, and this is by no means a comprehensive list of points. Just my experience. Look out for more soon.

 
(Photo: My Son and I, Oakland 2005)

Read a lot: My son is the reason I got into kids books. No joke. I was inspired by reading to him. There were artists who I wanted to be like and there was no where near enough stories telling his story or mine. So, I read to him every chance I got. And when he was able to read, we read together. I felt better equipped after reading lots and lots of picture books with prose, narrative, alphabets, long paragraphs, etc. He’s 12 now!
 
(Photo: Brentwood/Funtimes Guide, Barnes and Noble)
 
Book stores: When I could I would go to bookstores and look through all the new children’s books. I started to write down who was publishing what, who the illustrator or author was, what was there on the shelves, and what was missing. As you can probably guess, I saw no books about what it’s like to be Blasian (Black and Asian), or Korean American (Korean Parents, American upbringing). I went to the stores with my son first, then I started going on my own.

 
(Photo: Denise. A Different World)
 
Reach out: I started making work. Mostly short book proposals that were terrible at first. And then I started to reach out to people and ask for advice. Mike Perry (Daniel’s Ride ,Turntable Timmy), Maya Gonzalez (Fiesta Femenina, Iguanas in the snow), Doug Cunningham (Turntable Timmy), GregChristie ( Bass Reeves, The Book Itch), Simon Silva and so many more were very generous with their feedback. I also reached out to book industry people and let me tell you, I learned a lot. Reach out, ask lots of smart and dumb questions.
 
(Photo: Scbwi)
 
Associations: I have mixed feeling about associations like ALA, Scbwi, and others, but I mention them as a resource if you are beginning. It’s worth checking out because there are lots of people there who can offer advice. There are also grants there. I haven’t been a member for a long time, but see what you can learn. Some members are open minded, some are part of the old guard. What I mean is that when I pursued the old guard their aim was to get people to approach traditional publishers only. The open minded ones looked for any avenue to make and share books. Especially books by and about people whose stories have not been told. Learn from both. 
 
(Photo: African Amer Animators past & present-Jackie Ormes)
 
Make shit and share it: Ok, so after Iattended Scbwi, ALA, and checked out a whole bunch of the “traditional” avenues I realized three things. First, I didn’t fully understand all the parts that were working together, for me, or against me. Two, I realized that there were way too many people going the traditional (agents, publishers, writing seminars,groups,etc) route and they were competing with each other. Three, you have to work on your craft. No short cuts about this. Write, draw, repeat, until you have something you like. Then keep doing it. Then share it.
 
(photo: NY Daily News-Malcolm X)
 
Law of attraction: It sounds corny, but people helped me when I worked up the courage to ask for help. Or rather, they began to send me children’s book related things because I kept mentioning it to people in real life and online. And people will especially help if you are a moving train. People want to be a part of something (a project, a film, a book,whatever) that is happening with “passion”. A moving train is like dancing whether people see you or not. The passion you have is infectious. And when you show rather than tell, more people get hip to your dream and your skill.
 
(Photo: Mission SF branch library-Yuyi Morales)
 
Library: I hit the local library. Not just one branch, but several. In fact, I would go to libraries in other nearby cities just for fun. Why? To read more. To find out what libraries purchased and what kids would sit down to read. I could take home a bunch of books to study them further as well for little to no cost. I researched all kinds of business,magazines, young adult novels, middle grade, comics, graphic novels, and lots of picture books. This to me, was studying “storytelling” as an art form and it was also learning intangible things about the readers I wanted to reach, business, and so much more.
 
(Photo: Joy Liu-Trujillo, Me)
 
Kickstarter: My wife and I shot my kickstarter at the library and at our home to self publish my third children’s book. I’m not the biggest social media user ever, but I’m active on several platforms and building a community with like-minded storytellers came in very handy when I launched the kickstarter. After learning more about the industry, the systematic racism (call it bias if that sounds less threatening), the gate-keepers,sending out lots of work and getting no response, I decided to do it on my own. And I wasn’t the only one. Both Janine Macbeth (Oh Oh Baby Boy, Blood Orange Press) and Innosanto Nagara ( A is for Activist, Counting on Community) had done it and they inspired me. Kickstarter and Indiegogo combined with other crowd funder sare the biggest publishers of books, music, and film outside of the“traditional” companies. It is NOT for everyone though.
 
(Gif: Make a Gif:Stranger Things)
 
Persistence: It took a lot of asking, sharing, emailing, calling, reading, writing, redoing, editing, researching, breathing, promoting, talking, and screwing up to get where I’m at now. And I feel like I’m just beginning. To get anything good going, it takes time. I worked all kinds of cool and very not cool jobs to pay the bills. I got help from family members and my wife and I am still struggling. But, good gumbo takes time to cook, I didn’t want to throw it in the microwave. Persistence to me, is letting a “no” or “i’m sorry, but” or “no response” pass without stopping me. People are going to say those things, but you must keep going because the next milestone or jewel is right around the corner. And this is a marathon, not a race.
 
(Photo: Mi Vida Loca)
 
Give back: I’ve also helped out otherauthors/illustrators with their books. And I have a few in the works. I’m still learning, but I plan to share more information as I go. If you’ve read thisfar, that means you want to make books too. Do not wait for acceptance or permission, make your book (or film, or album, you get the point). There is no short cut. Once you get in, give back to the next generation.
 
(Illustration: Tony Purvear & Erika Alexander: Concrete Park)
 
POC/LGBTQ: When looking at the numbers for books written AND illustrated by people of color/queer folks it can get depressing. It feels like no one cares. But, as Fredrick Douglas said “power concedes nothingwithout a demand”. We’re showing the “traditional” industry what we can do for sure, but we’re also showing parents, librarians, caregivers, teachers, and kids themselves what else is out there. And Mira Nair said “If we don’t tell our stories, no one will”. The act of showing a child a beautiful story that they can relate to, or of showing them the story of someone who is different from them is revolutionary because there is so much mistrust, misunderstanding, mis-education, and stories that are invisible or erased. So tell your story, and do it with skill and quality.
 
(Photo: Halline Overby, Me)
 
Hello: My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I am an author illustrator from Oakland California (Born and raised in the Bay Area). I started my journey in children’s books 11 years ago. To date, I have illustrated four picture books. In 2013 I began work on “A bean and cheese taco birthday”, published by Arte Publico Press and written by Diane Gonzales-Bertrand. In 2013 I also began planning for Furqan’s First Flat Top abook I self published with my wife (designer) Joy Liu-Trujillo (Come Bien Books)translator Cinthya Munoz and a team of folks. The book came out in 2016. In 2014 I began work on “I am Sausal Creek” written and coordinated by Melissa Reyes. It was later published by Nomadic Press and released in 2015. I began work on “One of a kind, like me” published by Janine Macbeth’s Blood Orange Press in 2015. The story was written by Laurin Mayeno and released in 2016. In 2018 I contributed to the book “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy” by Tony Medina. And in 2019 Sam!, a book I illustrated for writer Dani Gabriel came out. Both Sam! and Thirteen Ways were published by Penny Candy Books. Stay tuned for “Fresh Juice” written and illustrated by me and published by Lee & Low Books in 2021.
 

2024 EDIT: I’ve worked on over 13 books for children (Picture books mostly) Want more info? Check out  this PDF I made with my wife for newbies. 

Do me a favor, if you liked this, please share and request the books I’ve worked on at your local library, classroom, office, or store. Another great author who is doing it independently and talking about it worth checking is Zetta Elliott (Zetta made me feel understood, when I was losing my steam for the art) -Rob

April 11, 2017
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Freelance Chronicles 1- Starting out 2006

Wow, it has been 10 years so my LinkedIn says. It feels like
it has been a lot longer since I started doing this y’all, but I’m just
beginning to have some success. I would like to just speak on my journey thus
far as a freelance artist. This is for your new kids (18 or 58) starting careers in illustration art, whatever. In 2006 I had been painting, drawing, sketching, etc
for at least a decade for fun. In 2006 I was 26, uninterested in fame, the internet, or keeping
track of my expenses. 
What I take away from looking at this? It reminds me to draw, paint, and practice. Try lots of things. Reach out to cool people with like minds and give your art freely when learning. Form a crew-it could be two people or 20, but the more you work with other people, the faster you’ll learn, and the more your skills will be pushed. What does this have to do with freelancing as an illustrator? I learned to work with many different types of people. I learned o have a good attitude and be open to new experiences. I learned to really work on my craft. A lot of the stuff I did back then did not make its biggest impact via the internet. So different now. Oh, and let people know you are an artist for hire and sell your work. Here are some pieces/sketches from that time.
Starting from left to right, top to bottom: 1. All City Sacred! This was a group show that Trust Your Struggle did at the old Rock Paper Scissors in Oakland when the art murmur/first fridays was just beginning 2006.
2. Eric Sermon’s eye-one of my first watercolor paintings ever. At the time (pre 2005), I was coming from lots of marker drawing and decided to try something new. 
3. Onierokrites-A greek term for dream interpreters. At the time i thought it was Egyptian, but its not. The idea of having dream interpreters in ancient Egypt is true though. Pen, colored pencil.
4. Illustration for an organization I was working for called Coleman Advocates which does serious organizing for the rights of young people in San Francisco. They worked on securing budget for children, teens, and young people. Even then as a youth advocate interested in social justice, i was leaning towards the art. 
5. Dj Haylow‘s mix of Pete Rock songs, samples, and tracks. This was one of the first freelance art gigs that I ever had. Today me and Haylow/Halline are still friends and among his many talents (Design, DJing, Video Production, Photography) he’s sill busy doing his thing in LA.
6. Crown City Rockers– I actually volunteered to do this graphic for them because I was learning programs like illustrator and photoshop, I loved their music, and I wanted to experiment with people I liked. They all have done many individual projects, and are still making music individually!
7. Sketchbook- Always keep a sketchbook. If theres one thing that keeps me going over the years, its trying weird things, doodling, planning, and drawing in my sketchbook. Keep one. Paper first.
8. Big Daddy Kane-another of my early watercolor pieces.
January 22, 2016
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