VIDEO // business Q&A - part 3
Added 2020-07-27 18:08:49 +0000 UTCHere’s part 3 of the Q&A videos about the business side of being an artist! Again, some people walk by in the hallway behind me, sorry about that.
In this video I talk about:
• Planning and organizing: particularly about weekly / monthly self-reflection to figure out where you’re at and check the balance between client and personal work.
• Budgeting for fluctuating income
• Maintaining passion for your art.
Some links based on stuff I mentioned in the video:
• The friend I mentioned is Rengin Tumer! Find her work here: https://www.rengintumer.com/
• The book that I based my overall organizing approach on is called GRIP and it doesn’t really have an english translation yet but it’s on its way and will hopefully be published soon. The dutch version can be found here: https://gripboek.nl/
• The financial stuff I was talking about is called Financial Independence and there’s more info about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_independence. To be clear, I don’t think this is a realistic path forward for most people since it involves saving a HUGE amount of your income which is just not feasible in a realistic situation. But some of the principles, like lowering your expenses, are really good ones to live by for people who need to brace themselves for income fluctuations!
I hope you find these useful and can get something out of it! I think I tried to tackle a HUGE range of topics in one go, which might have resulted in some generalistic answers for some of the topics. I would love to do more of these types of videos in the future but then focused on a smaller topic, so I can really dive into the details. Let me know what you thought of this!! Any feedback is welcome. Thanks guys!
Comments
Thanks so much Loish ! I've just subscribed to get an email notification when it's out and look forward to reading it 😊
Rohan
2021-04-20 11:13:25 +0000 UTChey rohan! I'm so happy to hear that you found it helpful!! there's really only one book that helped me with that and it's GRIP by rick pastoor (I think I talk about that in the Q&A). the english version is on its way and should be out really soon so keep an eye out for it!
Loish
2021-04-20 07:57:56 +0000 UTCHey Loish ! Thank you so much for all the tips and advice 😊 The time slot method /blocking out hours for specific tasks has truly revolutionized my work flow over the last 8 months and helped me get less overwhelmed by the work I need to carry out . In addition to the books you've listed above would there be any other self help books that you could recommend ? Ones that you have personally found to be useful in maintaining routine and discipline 😅
Rohan
2021-04-19 07:58:35 +0000 UTChehehe it is a soothing kind of social interaction! i want to do another one of these soon, it felt so good to talk to you guys, even if you all weren't in the room.
Loish
2021-03-05 10:41:03 +0000 UTCI have to say, in these strange times it just felt really great watching you talk at length over a cup of coffee, while I was enjoying my own coffee. Like, pretending to be in a café. Hmm, that could be a pandemic business model :D
Kolja Kähler
2021-03-04 09:07:56 +0000 UTCthat's so good! I feel like the more regularly you do it, the more you get into the flow and know that you can't always keep up with everything. you learn to prioritize better.
Loish
2020-10-16 10:23:24 +0000 UTCI feel the same way! I try to forecast my week or day - but I also try to reflect on it. At first I was really harsh to myself - beating myself up for not completing every single task of my initial planning. Now I look at it in a more organic way - allowing myself to have some "wiggle-room" in how the day or week goes.
Steven Bouwens
2020-10-16 09:12:42 +0000 UTCgood one! will definitely cover that topic in the future.
Loish
2020-08-06 09:18:55 +0000 UTCThank you so much for taking the time to make these videos and try and answer these questions! One of my frustrations about art school is how little of this stuff they cover and I'm currently getting my Master's so I've been in school for several years now lol. I was wondering if you could explain your plan/how you planned out your Patreon? I know so many artists are doing these now and it seems like it's going really successfully for you.
Charlie Carter
2020-08-05 20:19:46 +0000 UTCglad it was helpful! :)
Loish
2020-08-05 09:08:41 +0000 UTCHoly cow, that "intense anger" and irritation about briefs and client emails is something I've been feeling a lot recently! Luckily, I came to the same conclusion - to take a break from client work. Thank you for these videos - they're really insightful!
Lucy Lin
2020-08-05 01:56:36 +0000 UTCloved watching these. I've been struggling with the idea of freelancing for a while now and you covered a lot of stuff I had truble with before. So it was really helpful and I also liked just having a glimpse into a part of your life as a creator and business owner.
Tina Kavčič
2020-08-04 14:10:11 +0000 UTCthanks so much :)
Loish
2020-08-04 09:11:44 +0000 UTCLois these videos are SO brilliant. I’ve been freelance for years and didn’t think there was much I could learn here but I was so wrong! This has been so enlightening. Thank you 💖
Poppy
2020-08-03 16:56:54 +0000 UTCIt's a really smart system! That makes sense that it would actually save them money too, not having to chase people who can't afford to pay back tax debt. Thanks again for your insight :)
Kataraqui
2020-07-31 20:11:14 +0000 UTCthat's awesome! sometimes you just have to give yourself permission to take a step like that. sounds like it was the right step! as for that system in the netherlands, yeah that definitely saved me haha! no idea if they still do that since it was already more than 10 years ago. maybe i lucked out! but they have a general culture here of investing in preventative measures to make sure things don't get out of control. they'd rather invest in better resources than deal with the fallout of tons of tax debt from people who have no funds to pay it back.. in the long run the latter is more expensive. anyway i'm glad you liked the videos!! :)
Loish
2020-07-31 12:03:00 +0000 UTCthank you for these.
Axel Oil
2020-07-31 09:41:04 +0000 UTCThanks, Lois! This was super helpful. I've been doing freelance work on and off for about 8 years now and keep feeling scared of not doing it right. It's reassuring to know that there isn't just one way of doing things.
Marina van Eetvelde
2020-07-30 20:22:06 +0000 UTCI just want to say thank you SO much for these videos. After listening to how you approached your work with clients I finally had the courage to tell a really persistent client that I didn't want to continue with the project he had me on anymore. It had been a really stressful job that I didn't feel was a good fit for me for literal years and it feels great to move on. Honestly it never even occurred to me that I could tell a client 'no, not for me,' so thank you!! (Also very envious of the Netherlands having that safety net to teach new self-employed people about taxes, I really wish I had that because I was one of those naive people who really needed it haha! Well done Netherlands)
Kataraqui
2020-07-30 17:14:18 +0000 UTCi've noticed that certain industries are indeed more gatekeeping / hesitant to share information and lift one another up. i feel like if you have your own creative voice, then people can't take that away from you, so there's no need to worry about competition! but i'm speaking from a position of privilege as someone who has always had enough work opportunities. either way, i think that bond between creative people, knowing the struggle of creativity and helping one another out, is one of the most meaningful bonds artists can have with one another.
Loish
2020-07-30 08:11:22 +0000 UTCThat was so good! Thanks for sharing
Júlia Maximo
2020-07-29 20:16:39 +0000 UTCThank for the 3 videos, it's always good to see how other artists solve those things and what you think about them.
Christian Müller
2020-07-29 17:38:21 +0000 UTCNice to hear the thoughts of a fellow artist who is really into time / project management etc :D I always love trying to figure out how I could do better and how to approach things in a way that is both productive AND makes me happy. You have a lot of great thoughts, thank you for sharing! <3
Mowen
2020-07-29 16:49:34 +0000 UTCThis was veeeery insightful, definitely learned a lot with this kind of videos (now I have to check my notes taken from it). Loved the format of the video actually, with that friendly chat and all that background noises and stuff: Specially You being you. Hope to see more of this. Thank u a loooot. <3
Bastian Esteban Cruzat Cortes
2020-07-28 21:37:54 +0000 UTCHonestly, you seem worried about the video length, but the quality of what you're saying is like going to a seminar. :) Don't sweat these videos being long! Personally, I've been very casually freelancing for the past 4 years while working a steady non-art job. And I was able to build those freelance connections based on people I knew while working a studio on and off for 4 years prior. So I agree it's super valuable to meet people and build a good reputation, because people will keep coming back to you if they like your work and work ethic. I'm really curious about your scheduling process though. How you use Google and what your personal weekly schedule looks like. If you don't mind sharing, that would be really interesting to see! Thanks for taking the time to talk about all this. It was super helpful!
Laeyra Nova
2020-07-28 20:58:41 +0000 UTCThank you so much! These casual videos are perfect for the Q&A format. The ‘noise’ of the people outside didn’t bother at all. And I am going to check GRIP! Didn’t knew at all 😱. For me this format of community is new as someone who is within the fashion industry (am I still in it 🤔). We - the fashion industry - totally don’t share information or help each other in this kind of way. There are of course exceptions, but from college you are either in the ‘it’ group. Or you are pushed outside if the gatekeepers don’t like you. I didn’t realize that the Devil Wears Prada isn’t a Paris or New York thing. But it very much happens here in The Netherlands. It really have broke my heart and mind, because I miss the fulfillment of looking for fabrics, making color cards and finetuning patterns on a model or Stockmann. And developing concepts about sustainability and new materials. That is why I was totally shocked about the story of the game industry. And also your experiences insides studios. You would almost start to wonder why creative industries and companies treat creative people so bad? I have no answer - yet.
Kesha Felipa
2020-07-28 15:43:04 +0000 UTCalso, I'm way addicted to self-improvement/help books too. The amount of books I've consumed over the past few years has been great for my brain. What do you think your all-time favorite self-help book is? Like the one that made the biggest impact? (Mine is "The Obstacle Is The Way" by Ryan Holiday). I'm going to see if I can find an English version of GRIP
Scott Thigpen
2020-07-28 14:10:41 +0000 UTCLois, you mentioned that you build in time for exercise. I'm an ex-athlete (I used to do competitive mountain biking and triathlons) and at most, I walk now-a-days. I try to put as much effort into art and sometimes find that, with a regular job, it's hard to juggle work, exercise and art (what I'm most passionate about). I do know exercise is super important for your brain and getting oxygen through your system. What, if you don't mind telling, do you do for exercise?
Scott Thigpen
2020-07-28 13:57:49 +0000 UTCLoved this format Lois , Thank you for your insights ! Would you be planning to do more of Q and A's that are veer mostly towards a combination of art talk and casual stuff ? 😊
Rohan
2020-07-28 11:16:35 +0000 UTChaha i'm a perfectionist when it comes to this stuff, i cringe when i see later that this stuff was happening. but i think i need to start letting that go a little more :)
Loish
2020-07-28 10:19:10 +0000 UTCyeah. it's tough because there's not 1 rule that works for every person, so advice is always gonna be a bit vague and you have to find your own path. on the other hand, finding your own path is one of the most fulfilling things, IMO.
Loish
2020-07-28 10:18:40 +0000 UTChaha true it felt a bit like one of my workshops, just being able to talk freely with a trusted group. glad you liked it!
Loish
2020-07-28 10:17:00 +0000 UTCglad you liked it!
Loish
2020-07-28 10:16:36 +0000 UTCthank you so much for these videos!!! they were really insightful and yeah i quite like this format!! you can listen to it like a podcast and keep doing your work which is pretty neat !
Theeio
2020-07-28 08:43:47 +0000 UTCI loved this series a lot! I always hoped I could participate in one of your seminars and this has been the closest thing to it! Thank you for all the insights and inspiration that came with these videos! Also the informal format was really awesome, authentic even.
mlara_artescape
2020-07-28 07:54:23 +0000 UTCI knowww, deviantart was such a huge part of me as well back then! Your review is so good, I want to sign under every word 😁
NadiaMakesSomeArt
2020-07-28 07:24:06 +0000 UTCThank you so much for putting these videos together, your transparency is extremely helpful!
Adrien
2020-07-28 06:16:39 +0000 UTCThank you so much for sharing your wisdom. I worked on art while I listened and it was so relaxing and inspiring to listen while doing that. Thanks!!
Artful Harper Studios
2020-07-28 00:54:50 +0000 UTCThanks so much for putting these together and being so authentic with sharing your personal experiences. The casual format totally works imo for things like this. Didn't even notice the shadows in the back or any noises. Great insights into all the questions and topics - I think a lot of the points you touch on are relevant and good to keep in mind for freelancing in general regardless of what industry you're in. Very nostalgic hearing you calling back to DeviantArt days (high school for me I think) - totally remember that and have been following your art and growth since then! Such a big difference looking back (I totally went back to DeviantArt for the first time in YEARS after watching this lol) I have a full-time job right now, and am just starting to pick up art again. It was always an interest and part of me has always wondered what it might've been like if I went down that path and whether I should try pursuing it part time. This gave a lot of things to think about and chew on - thank you for your authenticity and willingness to share your experiences! :) In addition to all the lovely behind the scenes work you share on Patreon (adore your rough work too), I would love to see more of these types of casual videos sharing personal experiences. You touched on traumatizing industry experiences, importance of mental health, keeping up your creative motivations, etc. and it sounded like you had lots to share - personally I would love to hear more. Keep up the great work!! <3
Angela
2020-07-28 00:16:53 +0000 UTCThank you so much for answering all our questions! Even if you couldn't be super specific on all of them, it still gives us direction.
Niquey
2020-07-28 00:08:38 +0000 UTCWell done! Very insightful even for a design veteran. That is the wonderful thing about sharing, no one's experience is the same and we can glean so much from each other.
Brian Delaney
2020-07-27 21:31:16 +0000 UTCoh noooo..... we were so close to learning lots of great stuff, but people in the background ;) These are awesome. thank you for these! Cant wait to consume the knowledge!!
kenneth robkin
2020-07-27 18:50:36 +0000 UTC
