I had the pleasure of hanging out with and being interviewed by Shreyans Jain a few months ago, and it was all kinds of lovely (obviously!) — not just because he’s great to chat with, but also because I absolutely LOVE talking about what I do. I mean, what a privilege — and a bit of winning the cosmic lottery — to adore what I get to do for a living and still enjoy it as a hobby in different ways!
Anyway, chatting with him made me want to write and talk so much more about the nuances of this field, working as a freelancer, and the big ol’ juggle that comes with it. But for now, just a few thoughts — because I did the very difficult thing of listening to myself (on 2x speed, no less — which, if you know how fast I talk already, was... intense) to see if there were things I wish I’d phrased differently.
Turns out — yes. A few small things I’d elaborate on. But one thing in particular got the most messages after the interview:
Salaries and illustration costs in India.
In the interview, I mentioned that ₹5K per illustration isn’t a lot. And when I started out, I worked on a project that paid around that (actually ₹6K) — but it was for an entire book. Which, yes, is a whole lot of work for very little money. But weirdly, it was also one of the best things I did.
It helped me get on my feet. The client truly couldn’t afford more (but they were lovely, and wonderful to work with), and it gave me something solid to add to my portfolio. It made sense at the time.
So, it depends. That said — if you’re looking to make illustration your career, you have to charge realistically as you go on. Ie, increase as you grow. Otherwise, it just won’t be sustainable. Take that ₹5K project if you need to. Take many of them if that’s where you’re at. Just keep an eye on the fact that, eventually, you need to move forward. (Also, a little note- it’s A-ok to take if it’s fitting to how quickly you finish a drawing, who it’s for, size, usage etc.)
What I didn’t stress enough: There’s no one right answer.
(Okay, there are some wrong ones — like working for free. Except maybe in a few very specific, personally meaningful scenarios — like a cause you care about deeply.)
Ultimately, you’ve got to do what works for you, at your stage. Most freelancers go through that muddy patch of figuring out pricing, fees, and boundaries. It’s confusing. It’s awkward. It’s normal.
That’s all for now. Thanks for listening (and for putting up with 2x-speed me)!