Scratch that drawing itch

Fancy making your own briefs to work from?

If you’re like me, sometimes you’ll have a break in between projects, or you will be updating your portfolio and think “I’ve got a gap here I want to fill - I want to create more of ‘x’ type of illustration”, or “I really want to put that idea that has been in my head onto paper.”

Creating your own briefs is a great way to scratch that drawing itch!

They don’t have to be anything complex or in-depth, but I find that writing down a basic structure or even making some notes in bullet-point format can help you keep on track, and to a deadline if needs be. Great practice for when a tight client deadline comes around.

Let’s use an editorial as an example here. I often think that there are some lifestyle-editorial type illustration gaps within my portfolio - (true story, it’s a never-ending list of so many things!) - so to rectify that, and to get me used to drawing these type of illustrations, I typically search for some articles online, or physical magazines from publications I enjoy and would like to work with. I always find this useful, so if a client does commission you to do something that isn’t necessarily in your portfolio, you have very little of that subject or only one example, then you aren’t worried about creating an illustration completely from scratch or from a subject you’re simply not used to drawing very much, or at all.

Say you find an article in a Waitrose food magazine (other grocery mags are available…). Read the article and write a ‘mini brief’ for yourself to create an illustration or set of illustrations. For example, it could be a large article spread over 2-3 pages, and you might want to create a couple of spots, or a header illustration and a spot, to accompany the article. Give yourself a set time limit as well - especially for editorials, since they often come with tight turnaround times from art directors! See what you come up with; if it doesn’t work out or you’re not happy with what you have created, it’s only a self-created project! There are no wider consequences - absolutely no one has to ever know or see what you made, so don’t worry about not getting it right. No stressful comparisons here, please!

If you can decipher my handwriting that is…

I find it’s always useful to go back after some time has passed and do a ‘mini review’ of the work I’ve made. Make notes, jot down things in a list, or get the Post-Its out. Ask yourself what was it about the illustrations you produced that you didn’t like? What did you like? And what do you think you could have done better or more effectively in the time you gave yourself?

It is worth noting here, that you can absolutely do this to previous client work you’ve done. Maybe there are some illustrations you really liked, and others you preferred if you hadn’t changed or were able to change part of it. Use that brief and re-do the project in a different way, see what else you can come up with.

Each time you do a mini project, you will get better, quicker, you’ll get used to producing illustrations ‘off-the-cuff’, ‘on-the-fly’ and you will find out what you enjoy. You don’t have to want to draw anything and everything, it is ok to like particular subject matters or areas of illustration- yes really - becoming a specialist within a specific area of illustration is a great thing too!

Obviously, having a well rounded portfolio full of variety is absolutely the aim, if you really love drawing a particular subject though, put more of that in. There is never any point in forcing yourself to have something in your portfolio that you didn’t enjoy drawing, isn’t something you’re interested in and doesn't fill you with joy or excitement if you get commissioned to do it. Your best work will always come from subjects you love to draw.

Ultimately, getting used to working to briefs will be a challenge if you’re not already familiar, but finding your own way of working with them, rather than against them, will only benefit you and your work in the long run. Plus it will make working with clients less daunting and far more fun.

Any questions - let me know in the comments, and if you have got any other killer tips, do share :)

Happy briefing!