Lecture notes: RESOURCES

Resources
Resources can take many forms. Money is a resource, as is time.
Both are invaluable to a freelance illustrators.

Time
Time management strategies:

• When do you work best?
• Lists and goals can be helfpul. List software is available which can help if you like to be really, really organised!
• Daily duties-it can be helpful to work to a timetable. For example, Monday could be marketing, Tuesday could be emailing and invoicing etc.
• Set realistic, attainable goals and expectations
• Segmentation- break projects into smaller pieces.
• Pomodoro technique http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/. This website explains this in more detail, but this is a superb little technique which involves choosing a task, working effectively and efficiently on it for 25 minutes (setting a timer as you work), work until the timer stops, take a five minute break. This enables effective time management and allows you to feel you're making progress with your workload

Create a budget
The importance of budgeting cannot be overemphasised. It can be useful to create a spreadsheet which details expenses such as start up costs, monthly expense etc, and to detail how much you need to spend on each item. Items might include:

• Office supplies
• Art supplies
• Phone/internet set up
• Utilities set up
• Promotional materials
• website/hosting
• Studio space deposit
• Other
• Rent/mortagage
• Utilities
• phone/internet (monthly)
• Insurance
• Membership fees
• Office supplies
• Art supplies
• Shippig
• Repairs/Maintenance
• Transportation
• Accounting- will you employ an accountant?
• Loan payments
• Food
• Recreation.

There's a lot to pay for.....!!

Savings
Try to have at least 3 months worth of expenses in a savings account.....SECURITY/PEACE of MIND.

Accountants
Help with tax and legal matters but of course they too need paying!!

How much should I charge?

• Usage and rights
• What is your budget?
• 'Pricing and Ethical Guidelines' (useful book)
• It is inadvisable to charge by the hour- privately estimate your hourly rate based on expenses.
• Expenses- minimum earnings for survival.
• Charge difficult customers more!

Remind your client that....................
fast + cheap= not good
good + fast= not cheap
good+cheap= not fast!

Useful websites I've come across in relation to the topics covered in this and similar lectures:
How to be a freelance illustrator
How to budget- Times Money
Living the Creative Dream

Vicki Gausden- hand lettering and illustrator- just beautiful, nothing to do with money but beautiful work!!!
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Evaluation:
I admit that I'm not very confident with money management. This lecture was very useful if a little frightening as there is a lot to understand!