Roles and Responsibilities for Self Employed Artists

As a self-employed artist and freelancer, I wear a lot of hats.  Below are a few of my responsibilities, divided into major categories.

What does it mean to be a self-employed freelancer, what are your responsibilities:

• Maintaining and updating a professional portfolio of art and illustration (can view it here:
• Maintaining a clean, professional, and engaging social media presence on Twitter and Instagram, as that's how most illustrators are found for projects.
• Responding to inquiries, providing accurate quotes regarding price and timelines, creating draft sketches.
• Creating and delivering artwork in a timely manner, based on timeline.
• Accepting critique and feedback, and making necessary changes.

What does it mean to be aself-employed online art educator?

• Creating content on a regular basis, according to a predetermined schedule.
• Researching, drafting, and writing reviews, tutorials, and demonstrations for an online blog, viewable here: nattosoup.blogspot.com
• Researching, drafting, and conducting tutorials and demonstrations for a Youtube channel, viewable here: youtube.com/nattosoup
• Soliciting and responding to volunteer and paid presentation and workshop opportunities at libraries, schools, and conventions.
• Creating presentations and workshops that include a Powerpoint and demonstration portion for libraries, schools, and conventions.
• Keeping the audience engaged, answering questions, and creating an atmosphere of positivity for creating art.
• Needs to be a positive rolemodel, both online and off.

What does it mean to be a Self Published Comic Artist

• Planning, editing, executing, and promoting content.
• Researching printers, budgeting, formatting files correctly, requesting proofs, and finding storage for books.
• Generating and conducting sales
• Booking promotional appearances such as book talks
• Getting books into local bookstores
• Getting books into local libraries

If a webcomic:

• Responsible for FREQUENT promotion of comic
• Responsible for site maintanence
• Responsible for updates and maintaining schedule
• Responsible for maintaining a buffer of pages
• Responsible for convention and promotional events
• Responsible for advertising

What does it mean to be a Convention Artist
Product research, design, and sourcing.
Product inventory and storage
Demographic market research
Table layout and design for optimal sales from core demographic
Booking travel, hotel, making food arrangements or hiring an assistant
Booking and promoting con appearances
Customer service and customer satisfaction
Responsible for post con fulfillpost-conh as custom orders