If you like to draw and prefer working from home, you value independence and diversity and creative tasks, maybe you should consider becoming a freelance illustrator. Sadly, you can forget about big money in this profession, but you can get a lot of satisfaction from your work. People who can live just from drawing illustrations are a small group, usually illustrating books and articles in magazines, their works appear on the covers. Often illustrators work for various companies and create graphic design for clothes, CDs and other stuff like T-shirts or cups.
Below I will try to show you some of the most popular Polish illustrators.
Endo began her career in 2001. She started publishing drawings on her blog. A lot of people still remember Endo from her first pixel art works. Over time, she began working with big companies like Reebok or Samsung and her works were published in a lot of magazines in Poland and abroad: ELLE, Glamour, Forbes, Harper's Bazaar, Newsweek, New York Times. In 2011 Press magazine recognized Endo as the best Polish press illustrator.
Ada's illustrations are published in the biggest Polish magazines. She graduated from graphic design studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and also studied illustration at the Minerva Academy in the Netherlands.
'When I don't have money - says Ada - I eat only porridge and pineapples. I have to wait with my hedonistic pleasures until the next paycheck. Sometimes I sell some of my clothes and then buy a new nail polish and avocado, which I love. From time to time, I make graphic commissions, which save me. It is a little stressful and someone would say that you can't live like this the whole life. But as long as I don't have an apartment loan, I definitely prefer having exactly enough or even a little less money and do what I love over having a lot of it and a frustrating job.’
She worked for big companies like Reebok, Mercedes Benz, Max Factor or SABMiller and she created illustrations for magazines like Commons&Sense, D la Repubblica and Glamour. She designed the first illustrated Elle cover. Reebok shoes of her design are still being sold all around the world.
Born in 1983, Anna Halarewicz graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Wroclaw on the drawing faculty. Fashion and its impact on human are significant elements of her works. She has had several individual exhibitions, her works have been published in many fashion magazines including Twój Styl, Exklusive, Bluszcz, Wprost, Viva!Moda, Take me, Elle, Barrel.
His works are published in many Polish and foreign magazines. He made illustrations for Krystian Lupa and Marcin Szczygielski’s books and he designed CD covers like 'Heavi Metal' (Fisz and Emade) and 'Granda' (Monika Brodka). Arobal worked with a popular Polish retailer Empik on a line of products - among other things notebooks and mugs. He has a distinct style, his illustrations are drawn with crayons.
'I would not say that I'm a rich man. The most expensive thing I have, is my computer. I don't have an apartment or a car. But I live comfortably. I keep two dogs. I have eaten in many expensive restaurants, but there are months when I just did illustrations for Harper’s Bazaar but I’m cooking a 6 PLN soup.'
Niepsuj specializes in poster design, visual identification and infographics. Combining traditional techniques, like pencils, ink or painting with digital drawings she creates eclectic collages. Her drawings are published in magazines like Przekrój, Wprost, MaleMEN, American Put A Egg On It or French Pig Magazine.
As for artists from other countries I follow works from Fran Frannerd Meneses and Yelena Bryksenkova.
Fran Meneses is an illustrator from Chile, who draws in a 'childish' style with her favorite color being pink. She lives from her illustration work, she draws for children books and recently she has released her own book „A punto de Partir” which will soon get translated into English.
Yelena comes from Russia and I think she's a very popular illustrator. I would like to invite you to check out her website because her illustrations are really magical. Her works are handmade and packed with details.
What do you think about being an illustrator? Maybe some of you would like to work like this. Did you like the presented works? Do you have your favourite illustrators? What do you think of their lifestyle?
SOURCES:
Below I will try to show you some of the most popular Polish illustrators.
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| Agata Endo Nowicka |
Ada's illustrations are published in the biggest Polish magazines. She graduated from graphic design studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and also studied illustration at the Minerva Academy in the Netherlands.
'When I don't have money - says Ada - I eat only porridge and pineapples. I have to wait with my hedonistic pleasures until the next paycheck. Sometimes I sell some of my clothes and then buy a new nail polish and avocado, which I love. From time to time, I make graphic commissions, which save me. It is a little stressful and someone would say that you can't live like this the whole life. But as long as I don't have an apartment loan, I definitely prefer having exactly enough or even a little less money and do what I love over having a lot of it and a frustrating job.’
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| Ada Buchholc |
She worked for big companies like Reebok, Mercedes Benz, Max Factor or SABMiller and she created illustrations for magazines like Commons&Sense, D la Repubblica and Glamour. She designed the first illustrated Elle cover. Reebok shoes of her design are still being sold all around the world.
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| Olka Osadzińska |
Born in 1983, Anna Halarewicz graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Wroclaw on the drawing faculty. Fashion and its impact on human are significant elements of her works. She has had several individual exhibitions, her works have been published in many fashion magazines including Twój Styl, Exklusive, Bluszcz, Wprost, Viva!Moda, Take me, Elle, Barrel.
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| Anna Halarewicz |
His works are published in many Polish and foreign magazines. He made illustrations for Krystian Lupa and Marcin Szczygielski’s books and he designed CD covers like 'Heavi Metal' (Fisz and Emade) and 'Granda' (Monika Brodka). Arobal worked with a popular Polish retailer Empik on a line of products - among other things notebooks and mugs. He has a distinct style, his illustrations are drawn with crayons.
'I would not say that I'm a rich man. The most expensive thing I have, is my computer. I don't have an apartment or a car. But I live comfortably. I keep two dogs. I have eaten in many expensive restaurants, but there are months when I just did illustrations for Harper’s Bazaar but I’m cooking a 6 PLN soup.'
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| Bartek Arobal Kociemba |
Niepsuj specializes in poster design, visual identification and infographics. Combining traditional techniques, like pencils, ink or painting with digital drawings she creates eclectic collages. Her drawings are published in magazines like Przekrój, Wprost, MaleMEN, American Put A Egg On It or French Pig Magazine.
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| Ola Niepsuj |
As for artists from other countries I follow works from Fran Frannerd Meneses and Yelena Bryksenkova.
Fran Meneses is an illustrator from Chile, who draws in a 'childish' style with her favorite color being pink. She lives from her illustration work, she draws for children books and recently she has released her own book „A punto de Partir” which will soon get translated into English.
Yelena comes from Russia and I think she's a very popular illustrator. I would like to invite you to check out her website because her illustrations are really magical. Her works are handmade and packed with details.
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| Frannerd |
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| Yelena Bryksenkova |
What do you think about being an illustrator? Maybe some of you would like to work like this. Did you like the presented works? Do you have your favourite illustrators? What do you think of their lifestyle?
SOURCES:
Comments
Your article should have a title : " Confidences of independent ilustrators." :P
Lifestyle which lead many of independents artists is very hard in my opinion. I wouldn't wont to live like they. They must be people who don't worry everything. Their work may be very fascinating but also hard, I think
I really like their works, the most I like Agata Endo Nowicka's works. It makes me impressed.
I think that polish illustration for children is really good as well.
Do you know this website: http://www.polskailustracjadladzieci.pl/ ?
There is many good works in my opinion.
I don't follow many Polish illustrators, but I can recommend you a Russian artist who makes creepy, very original illustrations:
https://www.facebook.com/lesimillustration/
Poland but in whole world. I am not a specialist since I am computer
specialist not illustrator, but I see that in Poland art is not so
popular as it is in other countries. We can see it not only from
number of muzeums and people who visit them, but also from public
knowledge about art. It is like with music, people prefer to go to
cinema instead of Philharmony when ticket is cheaper for concert then
for movie. For sure being illustrator when it is something you like
and you are good at it is cool, and I really believe that if you have
talent you will find a job no matter how hard is it.
In general I prefer more working as freelancer then having job from 9
to 5, because I can work when I want and where I want. I don't have to
waste time in traffic and I can plan my day.
industry in hard in general, you have to be either terribly lucky,
have contacts or be very talented. I don't know what in the salary and
what other options of work Illustrator does have, but working as
freelancer is for me the best option. I understand that people who
work in art are working better when they are inspired or when they
come up with some ideas and not when they are told to work in this
particular moment.
I think that the best option they can have is to design clothes and
gadgets it seems to be good business nowadays. They can propose
cooperation with popular YouTubers or public figures.
Unfortunately the competition is huuuge today, what with the development of social media and the Internet. One has to really try hard to become popular because "anyone can be an artist today". Like the artists you've mentioned in the article, one has to have a really distinctive style, exactly because of the sheer number of talented (and not so talented) people out there. At the same time it's super easy to show your art and connect with hundreds of people, so it's no wonder many people try. It's a bit paradoxical.
I follow tons of illustrators :) Too much awesome art, too little time. One of my favourites is Abigail Larson [link]. She's famous for her creepy illustrations full of ghosts and monsters. I even bought a pillow with a drawing by her on it :)
Here's a typical week for an illustrator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8OJnnOYitI
There are many videos about illustrator's work on Fran's channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8OJnnOYitI
I don't think every illustrator / freelancer has to be chaotic. If your professional work picks up you probably can fill up your whole day with it.
Example of such works are here:
https://agakobylinska.wordpress.com/
Becoming popular is hard but I think it's great that everyone can become an "artist". Everyone should try, you never know what people might like. Sometimes it's your personality that makes you popular, or your engagement with what you do (being nice, available, regularly updating your portfolio, contacting your fans).
Many thanks for that link to Abigail's works :) I too love gadgets with my favorite artists drawings.
I think is great that she made illustrations primarily for themselves and for fun.
They gain customers around the world. International corporationsl like a Maxfactor are an example. I like most illustrator Anna Halarewicz. She has cool style to create graphics. She is a fashion illustrator. There is nothing surprising in this, that she creates for fashion magazines such as Elle.
You've stressed one important thing about being an illustrator and that is making money with your work. From my personal experience I can say it's quite hard and it requires a lot of determination because not only you need to have a certain skill level, but you also need to be noticed. And this isn't easy when anyone with Internet has access to basic tools (free art programs) and can advertise in social media. That's a lot of competition unfortunately. :)
BARTEK AROBAL KOCIEMBA work is really amazing, I didnt really like others, well maybe Ola Niepsuj work is nice as well. I am not really into art that much.
Sometimes people don't believe me when I tell them about how much you can make by taking paid surveys online...
So I show them a video of myself actually getting paid over $500 for doing paid surveys to set the record straight once and for all.