Day in the life of an Illustrator and Graphic Designer!
We catch up with London-based in-house graphic designer and freelance illustrator Rosie Chomet to discuss how she got started and what it takes to get into the creative industry. Rosie works full time as a graphic designer while taking on commissions and selling her distinguishable artwork online!
We highly admire her work ethic and find her story very inspiring!
Above : Personal project Jazz!
Hi Rosie! can you tell us a bit about your background?
I did an art foundation year and subsequently a degree in Illustration and Visual Media at the London College of Communication, which is part of the University of the Arts, London. After graduating with a first class degree, I completed an internship as a junior graphic designer at Collage Arts, where I continued working part-time for a year, whilst doing freelance work on the side. I now work full-time as a Mid-weight graphic designer at an education technology company.
Describe your typical working day?
On a typical weekday, I’ll be designing promotional material for the company, such as adverts for our products and competitions we’re running, which we post across our social media channels. I also design a variety of brochures, reports, banners and artwork for stands if we’re exhibiting. I spend time on my own personal illustrations at the weekend, though sometimes do a little in the evenings after work too.
“Don’t undersell yourself,
and try to connect
with as many other illustrators/designers
as possible...”
Putting on the Ritz!
How do you juggle working full-time and freelancing/
developing your own designs?
I think it’s important to maintain a good work-life balance. Once I had a full-time job I was finding that I had next to no free time if I was also trying to manage a business as a freelancer, as of course freelancing doesn’t just involve time spent on the work itself but also on finding the work and negotiating with clients. The stress of trying to manage both a full-time job and freelancing was taking the enjoyment out my work, and so I now do my illustration mainly just for my own personal pleasure, being very selective with any commissions I take on.
What advice would you give to people trying to get into the creative industry?
Keep a sketchbook with you and try to draw as much as possible; developing your style takes a lot of practice. Don’t undersell yourself, and try to connect with as many other illustrators/designers as possible. There’s a strong artist community on Twitter, which I’ve often found helpful if I’ve needed advice, from how much to charge to what graphics tablet to get. Being realistic, I’d also advise against relying solely on freelance work as an illustrator or designer for an income initially, until you’re well-established with a regular pool of clients.
Left : Commission for Penguin Random House
Book Illustration insert for Galaxy of Her Own
You sell your art; tell us a bit about that?
In the past, I’ve sold my work at art markets, in local art shops, on Society6 and Etsy. I still sell my work through Instagram, Society6 or my website and also do custom pieces to order (contact [email protected].) You can keep up to date with my latest work and updates by following me on Twitter and Instagram.
Thanks so much Rosie for sharing your story and providing us with useful tips and advice!
If you are a creative or know someone who you really admire and would love to see being featured, please don’t hesitate to let us know: [email protected]