Four agencies provide expert advice on how to choose an agent, how to get an agent to notice you, and how to maintain a good relationship with your agent.
A really interesting article answering a lot of the questions I have about pursuing an illustration agency and wether it is the right path for me.
The article - highlighted:
The article - highlighted:
Key points and advice to take forward:
• Ask myself what I want from an agent. Each agency has different strengths, therefore determining what I want from the relationship will help aid and focus my search as well as increase the risk of getting what I want.
• The more successful you are the more help an agency can give you.
• An agency can help with invoicing, contract negotiations, amends, timing, brief/response structure, marketing, portfolio development, portfolio viewings, social media, artists reputation
• An agency is there to help focus your practice
• An agency should offer a blend of skills that lie outside the artist's own skillset
• Investigate how an agency works before signing with them
• No agency can guarantee they will get you more work, they will however do all tey can in the background to help fill your diary
• Don't wait to be sought out. Use social media, email and mail-outs/samples to get your work n front of as many good agents as possible.
• Follow up with new work, so agents can keep track of your progress and development as a creative
• Look for and target agents that represent the kind of artists I like and admire - check their online portfolio collection
• What stands out to agencies? - A unique outlook, conceptually or style-wise
• Physical post, mail-outs and samples of work such as postcards help to get you noticed, however this can get expensive.
• Alternatively - a simple, well written email and intro about yourself accompanied by a link to my website or a PDF of 10 low res jpg images from my portfolio is a great starting point.
• Send new work to an agent
• Make sure an agent suits your needs and that you feel positive about the possibility of being on their books
• Agencies are consistently looking for something they haven't already got on their books. Be original
• The quality of work is the main thing agencies are after
• Agencies want someone personable, enjoyable and easy to work with. Try to put across elements of my personalty where possible and in correspondence opportunities
• The better an agent knows you and your thought processes, the better they are at discussing your work on your behalf and getting you those all important clients.
• Have professionalism, passion and determination
• Communication is key to a good relationship between artist, agency and client (even when work is due to be late or deadlines are going to be missed)
• Agencies like to see artists who continue to work on personal projects, even when not being commissioned
• When part of an agency, be available for creative calls. Art directors prefer speaking with the artist directly and makes for a smoother job
• Work together with an agency to drive new ideas forward
• If unsuccessful at being signed to an agency, be patient, take on board the advice you receive and go back to them once you have explored and put to work their thoughts.
Further thoughts:
Approaching a creative illustration/design agency has always seemed like the right thing to do post uni - like a natural process and key way to becoming successful at what I do. The more I read about agencies however, the more daunted I feel and worry that I am just not going to be any where near good enough to be signed. Everyone from family members, friends to tutors have all told me this would be a great avenue for me - however I am still not so clear as to how it all works. I was *for some reason* under the impression that becoming part of an agency is where my career steams ahead and how I am to get the majority of my clients, commissions and work. That the agency would do a lot of the hard work in promoting my portfolio and contacting relevant clients with appropriate briefs in order to get my foot through the door and making work for a lot of clients. But I am starting to think me being part of an agency may be more personally lead than I was aware - and if so...is the benefit of having an agent so that they can be your buddy in the background helping you with invoicing, contracts and a bit of promo? If so...what does being part of an agency have over being freelance?
I think it may be beneficial for me to have a career coach meeting with Ingrid Bale in student support and get some answers.
• The more successful you are the more help an agency can give you.
• An agency can help with invoicing, contract negotiations, amends, timing, brief/response structure, marketing, portfolio development, portfolio viewings, social media, artists reputation
• An agency is there to help focus your practice
• An agency should offer a blend of skills that lie outside the artist's own skillset
• Investigate how an agency works before signing with them
• No agency can guarantee they will get you more work, they will however do all tey can in the background to help fill your diary
• Don't wait to be sought out. Use social media, email and mail-outs/samples to get your work n front of as many good agents as possible.
• Follow up with new work, so agents can keep track of your progress and development as a creative
• Look for and target agents that represent the kind of artists I like and admire - check their online portfolio collection
• What stands out to agencies? - A unique outlook, conceptually or style-wise
• Physical post, mail-outs and samples of work such as postcards help to get you noticed, however this can get expensive.
• Alternatively - a simple, well written email and intro about yourself accompanied by a link to my website or a PDF of 10 low res jpg images from my portfolio is a great starting point.
• Send new work to an agent
• Make sure an agent suits your needs and that you feel positive about the possibility of being on their books
• Agencies are consistently looking for something they haven't already got on their books. Be original
• The quality of work is the main thing agencies are after
• Agencies want someone personable, enjoyable and easy to work with. Try to put across elements of my personalty where possible and in correspondence opportunities
• The better an agent knows you and your thought processes, the better they are at discussing your work on your behalf and getting you those all important clients.
• Have professionalism, passion and determination
• Communication is key to a good relationship between artist, agency and client (even when work is due to be late or deadlines are going to be missed)
• Agencies like to see artists who continue to work on personal projects, even when not being commissioned
• When part of an agency, be available for creative calls. Art directors prefer speaking with the artist directly and makes for a smoother job
• Work together with an agency to drive new ideas forward
• If unsuccessful at being signed to an agency, be patient, take on board the advice you receive and go back to them once you have explored and put to work their thoughts.
Further thoughts:
Approaching a creative illustration/design agency has always seemed like the right thing to do post uni - like a natural process and key way to becoming successful at what I do. The more I read about agencies however, the more daunted I feel and worry that I am just not going to be any where near good enough to be signed. Everyone from family members, friends to tutors have all told me this would be a great avenue for me - however I am still not so clear as to how it all works. I was *for some reason* under the impression that becoming part of an agency is where my career steams ahead and how I am to get the majority of my clients, commissions and work. That the agency would do a lot of the hard work in promoting my portfolio and contacting relevant clients with appropriate briefs in order to get my foot through the door and making work for a lot of clients. But I am starting to think me being part of an agency may be more personally lead than I was aware - and if so...is the benefit of having an agent so that they can be your buddy in the background helping you with invoicing, contracts and a bit of promo? If so...what does being part of an agency have over being freelance?
I think it may be beneficial for me to have a career coach meeting with Ingrid Bale in student support and get some answers.