How do you make money [as an artist]?
My income has always been an evolving pie chart of many sources, including: book royalties, commissioned illustrations, digital downloads, lecture fees, workshops, exhibition rentals, sales of originals, book and print sales from our online store, consulting fees, merchandise licensing, and options of intellectual rights for entertainment (movies, theme parks, etc).
It sounds like a lot of active sources, but at any given time, 90% of the income will come from just three or four of these, and the distribution shifts every 5-10 years as art markets change.
I have resisted taking direct sponsorship money on my social media feeds; I have resisted Patreon-type crowdsourced models; I have turned certain down job offers for teaching at art schools, art director jobs, private commissions, concept art jobs for movies, and illustration jobs.
These could all be valid sources of income and I've dipped into those wells before, but I have passed on opportunities because of being too busy or because they just didn't match my goals at the time.
Shelf of sketchbooks. One of my goals has been to make on-the-spot sketching
pay for itself without having to sell originals.
Do you do anything else to support your lifestyle?
No, but I'm keeping my dishwashing skills sharpened in case I ever need them.
Is the pay enough to make a living?
Not always. We've had some very good years, but there have been a few lean years where the income didn't match expenses and we had to rely on savings.
The tightest years were when we had kids in diapers, and then 18 years later when those kids entered college. My wife and I have always been savers. We don't spend much; and we don't have employees. I recommend keeping enough in savings to allow you to survive for at least six months without any income.
Although I have sold quite a few originals, I've kept some of the best ones,
which makes traveling museum exhibitions possible.
I worked for an animation studio (Bakshi) for about a year and a half before launching off as a freelancer. That gave me time to build up a reserve of capital, plus I acquired a set of skills and a good portfolio. My initial samples were strong enough to get me just enough freelance work right away, and I turned down an offer from another animation studio (Disney).
The income from working full time as a commissioned illustrator was barely enough to stay ahead, but it's what I wanted to do. After 10 years of working for other people I got it into my head to create my own fantasy world, which became Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time. That was a breakthrough in many ways both in terms of income and creative satisfaction.
Success will come eventually if you do high quality, original work and handle your business responsibly. I'd rather have a steady build than an overnight hit.
What would you avoid?
1. Don't borrow any more than you have to. Don't get stuck in consumer-loan or credit card debt. Don't marry someone who expects an expensive lifestyle.
2. Don't cut corners in your artwork. Every painting you create will follow you online. Always do your best work with every opportunity, whatever the time or money. Be the best at what you do best.
3. Don't be a pain to work with. Don't leave your clients or coworkers in the dark. Communicate clearly, briefly, and often. Deliver on time. Don't complain. Build up other people. Be cheerful, constructive, helpful, and professional.
Hope that helps,
James Gurney
Hope that helps,
James Gurney
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