One way to find a client as a student would be to approach a local charity or association with a project.
There are pros and cons about working with a client.
Strengths
- A closer brief with a clear message
- A tangible outcome. It can be motivating to work for a client and see the result published.
- Receiving honest feedback. A client will decide to use the material or not and give some feedback.
- Learning to communicate and work with other people’s expectations.
Weaknesses
- Client’s expectations. The client might decide that they would prefer different options and might suggest a different direction than the illustrator would choose to pursue. In some cases, the expectations could be unrealistic.
Opportunities
- Working with a client can be a way to build a portfolio and showcase the illustrator’s work.
Threats
- Challenge. Working for a client could mean that they are not satisfied with the outcome. It means being open to criticism.
- Time. It could be difficult to meet the deadlines, especially that it is more difficult to plan how long a project will take with little experience.
What does this tell you about the skills you have and those you might need to develop further? What additional research do you need to do to understand how to work successfully with a client?
I feel more confident that I was at the beginning of this course, but, at this stage, I am no ready in terms of time and skills to work with a client yet.
I need more practice and a stronger portfolio to feel that I can meet a client’s expectations.
Catherine Roux Degree in Illustration 