I am a specialist illustrator – and a Jack of All Trades

Today I read an excellent blog article by Darren Di Lieto. He is correct: it is important to stand out as an illustrator and professional. But I have to add my own perspective on the issue, based on my personal experience.

Yes, it is true. It is important to stand out. Equally, the term ”Jack of All Trades” doesn’t have to be told to each and every client. I´ve been a full time freelancing illustrator – and designer, since 1997. That is the year I registered my own freelancing company. I have survived a few country- & world wide recessions hitting the world. I have been to meetings were the Art Director I came to meet, starts by informing me he just got sacked – during a recession. When it happened, I stayed and said, let´s have our meeting anyway. And those meetings became very nice meetings.

To be able to make various type of work assignments, has been one of my survival tools, and especially during recession in society. Or when it only hit me, due to people shifting work or being part of bought-up companies. Or when you quite simply is out of fashion, when a company like to change style of illustrations. When a new Art Director moves in. A time when I find new clients. Hence why I have various types of clients.

I am not telling everyone and every company that I am a Jack of All Trades. I am telling my clients I do this, and to another client i do that. In the end it is about bringiing bread and butter to the table. To be able to eat, sleep and have a decent life.

Darren, if you read this, your blog article, excellent as it was, gave me inspiration to write a new blog article. Yes, I do not only draw – I write also 😉

I also wrote this, published on my LinkedIn

Stefan Lindblad
Illustrator, graphic designer – who also writes, and sometimes instruct in how to use corelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT
www.stefanlindblad.com