Taking the "Free" out of Freelancer
Hey Friends
Had a great week of client work, St. Patty's day, and some fun personal projects. Excited to dive into this issue with y'all!
How much do I charge??
As freelancers, we all know how difficult it can be to figure out pricing. Do I charge by the hour, is this project worth my time, should I just take the 500 bucks since I need to eat? If you've asked yourself any of these types of questions then congrats you're just like the rest of us. fortunately my talented friend Emma Bers put together an amazing resource for pricing. Link HERE and below is a spreadsheet of different designers in the industry and their advice, rates, and tips for success in the freelance world. Please if you are serious about this field go check it out and if you have some value to add then write in your own rates and whatnot! Again big shoutout to Emma Bers for putting this together!
Graphic Design Rates master sheet! - Google Sheets
No More Design Contests in 2022
I have been seeing a lot more of these predatory design contests pop up again. I understand why people may think they are harmless but if you look at the big picture it normalizes Spec Work and unnecessary competition in the community. If you are unaware these contest basically promise you some monetary prize for submitting artwork and when thousands of people submit only 1 person gets paid for their hard work. If you are a company, design community page, musician, etc please stop doing this and just do it the right way. You don't need all the options all the time. Find an artist you like, contact them, and PAY THEM FOR THERE WORK. I spoke more on this issue in my upcoming solo podcast episode. Early access on Patreon.
Use Your Hands
I recently fell into a Van Nesitat rabbit hole and YouTube and damn did it inspire me. Van is a fixer and it makes me jealous how handy he is. I spend so much time stuck at my desk staring into a box of light. When you work on a computer all day it's hard to see tangible results for the progress you made. This can leave me feeling dissatisfied at times. For this reason, I have tried to do more with my hands. I have been working on more analog collage, trying to fix things around the house, or even organizing my new filing cabinet. I encourage everyone to try to do 1 physical task a day to keep your brain happy and your hands moving. Also never forget the daily walk (yes I am going to keep talking about walks)
Solo Podcast
I recently had someone cancel on the podcast again so I busted out another solo episode, coming out soon! If you don't wanna wait though you can watch it now EARLY ACCESS ON PATREON! I was thinking that it would be fun to do weekly or biweekly exclusive solo podcast episodes on Patreon! I, unfortunately, don't have the time with everything else going on though, however, I have set a new goal on Patreon of 100 patrons, and once we reach that I will do more solo episodes. Thank you to all the current supporters and stoked to do more over there. Like I said, If you don't wanna wait till later this week you can watch the solo episode early access on Patreon rn!
Stuff I currently like and stuff I'm looking forward to!
What it's like to "Make It" by Van Neistat
Atlanta Season 3!
Tweet of the week below by Logo Archive
Closing Thoughts
Remember to take care of yourself as the year goes on, you can't help others until you help yourself.
Much Love, Glue.
Weekly Wrap Up
My tips on succeeding as a freelance designer, Podcast with Louis Moss and some fun Posters
Freelance Graphic Designer - How To Succeed Your 1st Year
Podcast With Louis Moss 2.0 - Episode 65
Louis Moss 2.0 - Ep.65 — open.spotify.com
Audio Version
Podcast Clip - Kesey on Blkmarket getting ripped off
Worlds Collide on Twitter
Patreon
I put out a lot of free content and I love doing it. However, ya boy has student loans and bills to pay. Sooooo If you want to get access to some more exclusive content, you can always check out my Patreon. It helps support your boy and you’ll get some goodies along the way like:
Project Files
10% Off At My Online Print Shop
High Res downloads of my work
Bonus Podcast Episodes
Patron shoutout at the end of my YouTube videos
Exclusive Discord Server Role
Patron-only Posts
Glue's Prints
In addition to freelancing and creating content around design, I also sell prints. Get yourself something nice to hang up in your studio:) Here are some details on my prints.
Limited Quantity, once all sold they won't be reproduced
8x10 or 16x20 inch versions printed on high-quality lustre paper
All prints are hand-signed, numbered, and shipped by me
Art Prints by Jesse Nyberg — jessenyberg.bigcartel.com
Art Prints by Jesse Nyberg