BABE #366: REBECCA MCCONNELL - Freelance Illustrator
Rebecca has been designing for as long as she can remember. She learned early on that she wanted a career in art, but it took a little bit longer before she realized that she can do the damn thing her own way. Today, she’s a freelance illustrator and owner of Rebecca Lynn Illustrations, where she runs all business operations and spends a lot of time creating illustrations that turn into greeting cards, art prints, stickers, and buttons with plans to expand. Read on for all the useful tips on freelancing as a creative, and building a career on your own terms.
The Basics:
Hometown: Springfield, Missouri
Current city: Springfield, Missouri
Alma mater: N/A
Degree: N/A
Very first job: Florist
Hustle: Freelance Illustrator; Owner of Rebecca Lynn Illustration
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
I really admire Maggie Cole from @maggiecoledraws. She is an amazing illustrator who has always inspired me to keep creating. Her work holds so much beauty, and every time you look at it you find something new to love. Plus, she is very transparent on Instagram and it’s so refreshing to see that!
How do you spend your free time?
I love taking care of my many, many, many plants, thrifting clothes and home goods, and taking walks with my dog, Teddy, and husband, Paul.
Go-to coffee order and/or adult beverage?
Usually my go to is a rose water latte or a caramel latte.
What would you eat for your very last meal?
Sushi, miso soup, fried rice, and kimchi.
What’s something you want to learn or master?
I would love to learn and master gardening. I love plants and growing them from seeds. Plus, to have created your own fruit and veg is an awesome thought.
If you could have coffee with anyone in the world, who would it be?
Michelle Obama or Jane Austen.
What tools and resources help you in your day-to-day work?
I use Procreate on my iPad every single day for my illustrating.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle, providing an overview of your job and roles.
Being a full-time, freelance illustrator can definitely feel like a hustle—and it can be, at times. I create illustrations that I turn into greeting cards, art prints, stickers, and buttons (hoping to expand my product line this year into enamel pins, calendars, and other stationary items). I run my online website, package orders for customers, answer emails, keep an ongoing presence on my Instagram account, work and talk to clients about custom work, etc. There is so much that goes into running your own business and it can be overwhelming at times. Thankfully, I have a wonderful husband who is eager to help with runs to the post office, packing orders, or just telling me to take a break.
What does your typical workday look like?
Wake up early with my husband and make coffee. Check my Instagram, respond to DMs and comments. Head to my home office/studio and check my email and respond to those. Make a list of what I need to accomplish that day (this is crucial to keep me on task and off that mindless scrolling through Insta). If I have any personal projects going on at the moment, I usually like to warm up my day with that. Then, move on to client work, family portraits, product designs, etc. Around noon I take my lunch and usually take my dog, Teddy, on a walk around the nearby park. Come back continue on client work or package online orders until around 4:30. When my husband gets home, we may run to the post office to drop off outgoing orders. After that, my official work day “ends,” but when you freelance and work from home it’s easy to just keep working! I’m trying my hardest to separate those two things.
Have you always had a passion for art and creating?
Yes, yes, yes! I have always been a doodler and creating things in my free time. Working with my hands is amazing to me and brings me so much happiness. As a child, my parents always supported my creativity and urged me into art classes. Throughout high school I took many art classes and convinced myself that the only way to have a job in art was to have a career as an art teacher. So, that’s what I started to go to school for. Only after dropping out and working for others for a few years made me realize I could create my own career in art.
How often do you experience creative burnouts?
Whew, sis, lemme tell ya—creative burnouts are real and come at the worst times. However, to cure mine, I keep a note section in my phone where, when I get an idea for a new illustration, I type it out. That way when I cannot think of anything, I can reference that list and go from there. Sometimes, though, just stopping and relaxing or doing other projects helps that creative block or burnout.
What’s your approach to running and growing a successful business?
Consistency is key! Keep setting goals, showing up, practicing, reaching out to others to collaborate and trying new things that are out of your comfort zone. Freelancing isn’t easy and it’s really scary at times, but it was the best decision I ever made. I basically just learned as I grew and compared my work to others and adjusted my price accordingly. Pricing your work is never easy—imposter syndrome sets in and you are more likely to undercharge for your work, which is never good for your business, your mental health, or the industry you work in. For organization, I would suggest to anyone to carry and stick to a planner, physically or digitally. I would forget so many things if I didn’t write them down in my planner. Also, for expanding your audience, it all comes back to collaborating with other makers in your industry. So, pitch a giveaway with someone who has the same amount to more followers than you. It gets your work in front of a similar audience and in return you’re more likely to have more customers or future projects. When I first started, I worked with a lot of other creatives doing art trades, giveaways, or just sharing their work I loved, and they would do it in return. I also recommend trying new and different things to what you are always creating, sometimes your audience gets bored with what you’re continually doing, it’s the nature of humans—we want to see new and exciting things all the time. So, if you’re always illustrating women, try illustrating a man. Or if you’re always using a certain color, try using a color you never use. It may catch someone's eye and invoke a share on social media.
How has being a woman affected your professional experience?
When I was a florist, before going freelance, it was mainly a female-dominated workplace. We were often looked at as “simple-minded flower peddlers,” and it was always so frustrating. Many people (mostly men) would talk down to us and speak as if we were children in describing what they wanted. It was always very satisfying to start talking about the actual names of flowers (ya know, those big, long Latin names) and seeing their faces and eyes go blank. I think we need to master what we love to do and never let anyone treat us as less. Speak your mind, and if that isn’t accepted at your current employer, well, you aren’t in the right place and it’s time to move your talents to where they will be appreciated and recognized—with new projects and pay.
What are some common misconceptions about your job?
Being an illustrator means many outsiders think you’re just doodling all day. I mean, I do get to draw for a living and that’s freaking cool, but it’s not anywhere near the only thing I do. Being a freelancer and owning your own business means you are in charge of everything, which can be a double-edged sword at times. Yes, I get to choose when I work, what I work on, how I run my business, etc. But it also means I am the only thing that is making this business work. If I don’t work, I don’t get paid. It’s hard to balance work life and personal life when you freelance, but it is something that is essential to your mental health and, in the end, the health of your business. Honestly, I am still trying to find that balance, but it all starts by you realizing you work better and create better when you’re happy, rested and in a healthy state of mind.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
A few: Maggie Cole, Nina Cosford, and @tinanass.illustration.
Career and/or life advice for other babes?
Fake it till you make it! It’s really easy to feel like an imposter when it comes to putting yourself in a new industry or new situation. You have to realize you worked hard to get where you are and deserve to be where you are. However, don’t be afraid to ask others in your field about how they do something or for advice. It’s too often we put others on pedestals and feel like we can’t ask them questions, but I’m sure they did the same thing. The worst thing they can say is no.
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