Just a quick planet doodle, it's been a while since I've done one. Space still fascinates me, our own little world is wonderful, but damn, that stuff gets me every time. The planet is a more physically accurate version of Lah'mu from Rogue One with a realistic atmosphere.

I've made almost a quarter million freelancing and selling products the past 2 years, here's some things I've learned: 1. Just posting artwork is not always enough... Networking is 100% necessary! If you're not making genuine connections with other (working) artists, producers, art directors, it's going to be hard to get picked up by these people. 2. It's usually not enough to just show your finished result; show off the value you bring as an artist - how efficient your workflow is, how skilled you are in specific skills, that you understand the current needs/pain points in the industry and that you are confident at approaching those. 3. Again, connections are everything, but being a nice and easy person to work with is 1,000x more important than being a skilled artist but a horrible person to work with. I've hired artists before, and we *always* ditch the bad eggs, even if they're the most talented artist we've ever had. People like that is how you erode the team, and can ultimately splinter the studio you're working with. 4. Once you're hired, most studios do not care about "your style", they care that you're competent and skilled enough to bring their vision to life, and to follow their direction, even if you feel or know that it's traditionally wrong. (Unless they specifically mention they want something in your style) 5. Always feel confident to bring up concerns about the workflow/project. If you *know* that the current direction is going to be problematic down the line, but your superior doesn't see it, tell them. Communication is probably the most important skill you can have. If you're worried about upsetting your client by presenting a problem ("hey this isn't going to work, it's a bad idea"), offer a counter solution ("Hey I don't think this is the best way to do this, it's going to cause deeper problems. We could maybe take this approach instead, it would ensure we can stay flexible and still nail the vision.") 6. Follow up and stay engaged with your network. Become genuine friends with these people if you are able to. This can require a lot of confidence and social discomfort to step outside of your comfort zone, but it's really not that scary once you do it. Most people in this industry are just like you and have very similar feelings. Most people love to be reached out to in these ways. ----------------- For products/online stores: 1. Don't ever stfu about your products, if you're not doing paid marketing. It can take someone seeing a product 7 times before they finally decide to buy it, so make sure they have every chance to see your stuff. 2. Dont *hope* that people will buy something just because it's for sale, actually show off its value and how it can solve someone's problems. The best way to find these products, is to find your own problems, develop a custom solution, and sell that. 3. Don't expect one off models or random/niche asset packs to sell. If not "problems", figure out what people need the most, study the market, and cater to that. But point 2 is still the most reliable. 4. Listen to your customers and their needs, and help and talk to them as if you were helping one of your loved ones. If you're not loyal to your customers, they will not be loyal to you. ------- Tips for both: 1. Save your money - expect long dry spells, because they *will* inevitably happen. Have as much of a safety net as you are able to afford to safe. 2. Don't spend your money before you've been paid, some clients can be flakey and not pay you for months. 3. Put money aside for taxes as it comes in, as much as you reasonably can. Talk to an accountant, and especially if you're operating at a loss and spending 100% of it all. 4. Just be you! Don't try and be the next (big name here), just be authentically you, and then you'll be your own big name. :) If anyone has any questions or wants to dive deeper into something, feel free to comment or dm me! 🥰

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