While visual content isn't the be-all-end-all of online entrepreneurs and small businesses, it attracts the right audience to your website. It increases engagement and brings life to a world you can share with others.
So why not bring your ideas to life? Why not use visual content, digital art, and animation to turn your audience from visitors into customers?
True, creating beautiful and functional graphics for your business is doable. However, with graphic makers that are readily available, you can make it happen.
Sadly, the task isn't always easy. If you're not a professional graphic designer, you'll stumble upon some problems.
Now, this is where a freelance artist for hire comes in handy.
What is a Freelance Artist?
A freelance artist is a professional who provides services by creating artwork.
Popular types of freelance artists
Sketch Artist
They create sketches of desired subjects. They give life to mere ideas. And their work includes logo concepts, concept art, and full-body portraits.3D Artist
They specialize in creating 3D effects. Often, clients reach out to them for help in digitizing artwork and adding realistic effects.Cartoonist
They create scenes and characters used for cartoons. They can be in charge of character design and even work as a concept artist for cartoon animation projects.Anime or Manga Artist
Like cartoonists, they create cartoons, too, but they specialize in creating Japanese-influenced cartoons like anime-style images for graphic novels.Storyboard Artist
They create sketches and storyboards for video production. Their work can range from digital painting pieces and animated stories.Illustration Artist
They create artwork to be illustrated or presented. Their work includes cover art for novels, graphic design works for children's books, and travel and medical pamphlets.What Does a Freelance Artist Do?
A freelance artist provides services to meet their client's needs. Every case may differ, but mostly, their goal is to bring life to their client's vision through art.
If a freelance artist is hired, this professional artist is responsible for creating unique branding assets. Among their lineup of jobs, they'll design a relevant logo, pick the right color combinations, and pick the most effective fonts.
Typically, a freelance artist chooses to tackle the freelance lifestyle for its freedom. And like any self-employed individual, they work on their terms — anywhere and anytime they want.
This also means they don't work for you exclusively. They have a life, too, and will take on and sign up for as many client jobs as they can handle. As long as they submit high-quality work on time, you shouldn't expect anything else from them.
Necessary Skills of a Freelance Artist
Freelance artists need to have essential freelance skills . And knowing about these allows you to find those who share the same goals, values, and aspirations as you. This results in a harmonious business partnership.Here are the necessary skills to look for:
Experienced
Searching for experienced and professional artists is a start. It depends on the specific person that will do the hiring. In many cases, though, a year's worth of experience as a freelancer is enough.What gives an experienced freelance artist advantage over an inexperienced freelance artist is the ability to know what they're doing. An experienced freelancer is preferable, especially for a beginner client.
They're familiar with the common client expectations, the quality of work they should deliver, standard client expectations, and other basic requirements. As the classic saying goes, "experience is the best teacher."
Has Effective Communication Skills
This should be one of the skills clients need to prioritize. Freelance artists with excellent written and/or verbal communication skills make good workers because they can express themselves clearly. And importantly, they can help you express yourself clearly, too.
Especially if it's about to be your first time hiring a freelance artist, someone who can communicate effectively can help make or break your business. They can reduce misunderstandings and can dramatically save you time.
Attentive
Freelance artists need to listen to you. If you have a vision for your brand, their job is to help you with it. They need to respect your instructions and not insist on what they want.An attentive freelance writer shows they care about your project — and you as their client. And while not done explicitly, showing you attention is like they're telling you how appreciative and grateful they are.
Manages Time Properly
Even if you plan on paying them on a per-project basis (and not per hour), a freelance artist should have impeccable time management methods and be punctual. Their punctuality is also a testament to their respect for your time. After all, "time is money", and those who respect your time won't waste it.
The tricky part is it's nearly impossible to tell if a freelance artist handles time well or not if you haven't worked with them yet. So before you officially hire a freelancer, tell them about this.
Teachable
For a good reason, many clients who hire freelance artists focus on what a professional can do at present. More than previous work experiences, achievements, and educational background, they value someone who is teachable and possesses a self-learning attitude.A teachable freelance artist follows your instructions to a tee. They also keep an open mind and are willing to take constructive criticism.
Creative
Freelance artists need to look at matters from a different perspective now and then. While it is liberating, the life of a freelance artist can be highly demanding and challenging.If they want to keep succeeding in this line of work, they need to be out-of-the-box thinkers. On the other hand, it's a great way to get their creative juices flowing, make better art, explore new techniques, etc.
Creativity is also vital to their ability to pursue their work in times of adversity. If faced with challenges, it's how they can brave temporary defeat. Instead of welcoming thoughts of quitting in case of setbacks, their creative mind will guide them and encourage them to see the big picture.
Goal-oriented
This is a precious skill because it gets things done. A goal-oriented freelance artist always finds a way to complete tasks — all obstacles be damned. They have an unwavering commitment to you as their client. And thus, they'll do whatever it takes to work efficiently and deliver (at least) satisfactory results.If you relay clear and realistic goals, they'll achieve them. In the process, they can help you become more productive, efficient, and profitable.
Best Practices for Hiring Freelance Artists for Your Business
Thanks to reliable and reputable outsourcing platforms, hiring freelance artists for your business is not hard. But while you won't move mountains during the process, it's in your best interest to consider the best practices for hiring freelance artists below.
Understand the Kind of Digital Artist You Need
How do you plan to use the services of a freelance artist? What kind of digital art do you want for your business? How will a freelance artist's services help grow your business?Answer these questions, and address other relevant concerns. Before you even consider investing in freelance artist services, you need to set your expectations to avoid unnecessary confusion. This also lets you avoid outsourcing work outside the scope of an artist's services.
It helps specify the kind of digital art you need for your business. It's also best to help them understand what you want the art to achieve. For example, if you need an artist to create cover art for children's books, hire an illustration artist.
Only Find Freelance Artists on Reputable Places and Freelance Websites
Google's search results are a good place to start finding a talented artist. Type keywords like "freelance digital artist for hire" and "freelance digital art services."If you want a more specific digital artist, use search terms such as "freelance cartoonist for hire" and "freelance cartoon services."
You can find plenty of exceptional freelancers on Legiit, too. And if you're thinking of hiring multiple digital artists who have differing specialties, you can do so on the platform. For example, you can hire a concept artist, professional illustrator, web design specialist, and video game creator. You can find all of those if you look through various categories on Legiit.
Check Out Their Digital Art Pieces
Do your due diligence once a specific freelance digital artist is under your radar. Have a sense of the quality of artwork they create, be familiar with their art style, read customer reviews, and learn about the reason for customer ratings.Additionally, ensure you read through their service description. Keep an eye out for helpful information, like their technique for creating art and the deliverables they'll provide. If the content in their service description satisfies you, consider putting them on your shortlist.
Schedule an Interview
Talk to them in real-time — do it via a Skype interview, chat on Slack, phone call, etc. This allows you to have a one-on-one session with the person you'll be hiring.This matters because the way they communicate can help you have a feel for their character. Are they as awesome as you initially deemed them, or do they have any bad habits? If their professional profile wins you over, you should also find them impressive when talking to them.
Tell Them About the Quality of Work You Need
If you want nothing but high-quality digital art, let them know. Be clear and transparent. Better yet, scour the internet and direct to a website with art that resembles the quality of art you want.Then be all ears when they fill you in on their requirements from you. Ask them about what kind of tools they need from you. If possible, provide these tools to them.
Present Them With a Contract
Create a contract for the freelance artist and you to sign. This should contain the obligations, pay rate, pay frequency, deliverables, and every other relevant matter.The contract ensures that you and the person you want to hire are on the same page. It also protects you and a digital artist's freelance business. Plus, it helps you set agreeable terms.
Hire the Right Person According to Your Gut
If they won you over with their professional profile and how they handled themselves during the interview, you shouldn't let these factors dictate which freelance artist to hire. If there's something off about someone and you're not comfortable in their presence, it's best to put off the hiring process.
After all, working with a freelance artist has a lot to do with a robust professional relationship based on trust and respect. And it's nearly impossible to make that happen with a freelancer who doesn't radiate positive vibes from the get-go.
If you don't vibe well with someone, the relationship will negatively affect you and your business. Remember, there are many available freelancers looking for jobs, which means you have a choice.
Best Freelance Artist for Hire on Legiit
Legiit is a reputable marketplace for freelancers and people who need the services of freelancers.However, unlike other platforms and freelance marketplaces, it doesn't work with you posting a job, and freelancers can simply make bids. Instead, it works by searching for a freelance artist who offers your desired service.
Here are some of the top-rated freelance artists on Legiit:
AmedAbraham
This one-of-a-kind freelancer designs irresistible graphics. He has many services that revolve around graphic design (and digital marketing). Some of them are "All Things Graphix! (Agency-Quality Graphics)", “Quality Sayian InfograF!X”, and “2x High-End Sayian Logo”.
According to customer reviews, his array of services is among the best on the freelance platform. He has over 1,500 customer reviews, and all of them are about his work and the satisfaction he has provided them as a freelance artist.
GFX_king
He's a full-time graphic designer with 7+ years of experience in graphic design and marketing collateral design. But, as he says, his creative and excellent design ideas keep coming. His services include "Minimalist Typography T-Shirt Design," "Vector Tracing, Redesign, And Clean Up Logo," and "Billboard, Yard Sign Design For Your Business."
His past clients are delighted with the quality of work he has done for them. Many of them praise him for his unique approach. And others are impressed by his responsiveness and how quickly he delivers work.
Inspire-Loop Technologies
The team consists of 10 people specializing in concept art, logo design, graphic design, and development. Their services include "5 Creative Logo Concepts", "Create Amazing Social Media," and "Professional and Modern Business Cards."
Clients should consider hiring Inspire-Loop because everyone on the team is highly qualified. Their previous customers have nothing but praise for them. According to their customer reviews (700+ of them), they deliver stellar work.
art_king
As the "art king," this professional graphic designer has a lineup of freelancer digital art services. "Professional Infographic," "Awesome T-Shirt Design For You In 24 Hours", and "Book Cover Design Or EBook" are some of these services.
Customer reviews are mostly positive. While these reviews contain different words, they share the same sentiment. They all talk about art_king's commendable work ethic and how glad they are for finding this freelance artist.
MarkoBear
The high-quality services he offers demonstrate his expertise in graphic design. For example, he provides "Business Banner," "Quality Photoshop Image," and "Advertisement Banner + Quality Content."
By reading what his previous customers say about him, it's apparent he wins over his client by the kind of work he delivers. As many of them can attest, he has a knack for outstanding output. And to complement things, he has a pleasant personality, too.
Qamar
This freelance digital artist promotes himself as someone who creates designs to outperform competitors, which is a bold claim. But based on the reviews these people left on his profile, his customers adore him. Furthermore, many of them lauded him for the help he gave in actualizing their dream.
He has a knack for digital marketing. And his array of services includes "Stunning Social Media Covers," "Legiit Services Cover Canva," and "Professional Style Guide For Your BRAND."
Artvengers
According to his profile, this freelance digital artist goes by Baber and has four years' worth of experience in logo design and graphic design. His services include "Design Flat Minimalist Logo" and "Design Beautiful Custom Icons."
So far, he has 88 customer reviews. And all of them are patting this artist's back for his unique take on graphic design. Some even compare him to the "best occidental designers" out there.
Conclusion
Hiring the best freelance artist for your business can take a while — even more so if you're about to do it for the first time. It also requires you to invest other personal resources like energy and money.Savor the moment, though. In the end, you'll reap the rewards. Because freelance artists can offer services that have a high demand and can help you grow your business, the investment will be worth it.
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