Intro and question
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Im new here. Just saying hi.
Ive been using SU for about a year without any real determination. Over the last few months I dropped the ball and decided to integrate it heavily into what I do, which at the moment is being a student in architecture. But that's coming to an end here shortly and I just was wondering on how viable an option it is to be a freelancer in architectural visualization.I suppose my question is you guys that have your own business or freelance, do you stay busy, and hows the income. I don't want it to seem like money is a huge issue...but we all got to eat, and hotdogs are only okay for a short while.
Thanks
Logan -
Solo is a big one, Look around and you might find him.
Other people around here do it but I see Solo as the best role model, just don't tell him I said that
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@awakenedart said:
I suppose my question is you guys that have your own business or freelance, do you stay busy, and hows the income. I don't want it to seem like money is a huge issue...but we all got to eat, and hotdogs are only okay for a short while.
Hi Logan,
Welcome!
If money is not a huge issue for you, I wish I were in your shoes.Self employment is about money. Don't get me wrong, passion, freedom, self expression,
not working for the man, are all wrapped up in the freelance game, but if you are
not making money the creative spirit is a lot harder to turn on.My advice to you if you are just coming out of school is to maybe spend a little time working
for someone else while you develope a game plan and get a feel for how your skills can fit in the market place.
As for income level, your skills and your ability to market those skills will largely determine how much money
you can make.
If I sound like I am trying to discourage you, I am not. I just think its better to go into the freelance game with your
eyes open.
It aint easy!Good luck.
Paul
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Logan,
Do you love rendering? Do you go to sleep dreaming of textures, lights, modeling the perfect object?
Is this something that you are prepared to spend 80 plus hours a week doing?The reason I ask is this is like being an artist, it’s a passion, well at least it is to me.
It’s not easy, it can be very frustrating, you have to love it so much that you are willing to sacrifice a lot in order to make a living.
I do a lot of very boring jobs that require zero artistic interpretation in order to earn a living, I do not get to pick and choose what I want to do and what’s beneath me as if I do I will not get paid.
I have to compete with other freelancers and boiler room studios in the east that can live on a lot less than me in the States, thus they can undercut my prices every time.I have to spend a lot of money keeping current with software upgrades, new software, resources and hardware, and then learn all these new apps and keep work going at the same time.
Customers are gold, and must be treated that way, you must always make deadlines and exceed expectations, communication is key to a good customer experience. I have been very lucky to have retained many of my customers, as they could easily have gotten a better price with a comparable image but I believe my communication, understanding, consistent quality and reasonable pricing has been the reason for them returning.
You are not going to get rich doing this, I have done the math, if money is a driving factor then forget about it.
My honest advice is now is not the time, the industry is still not out of the recession and things are not that great.
You say you are still a student and will be completed with your studies soon right? My advice is to get a working experience, join a company that you can grow in, one that you can get a portfolio together in, understand that initially you are going to do the grunt work and accept it, use this as a learning time.Once you have a decent portfolio then get your toes wet by doing some part time work, start gathering a client base, and be sure that this is what you really want to do before committing to it.
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Wow Pete, that's an excellent post - pretty much sums it all up...can you make that a sticky somewhere?
Logan, some of the guys here use SU as an integral part of another job. Earthmover, for example has good success selling landscaping designs that are modeled and rendered. I think you will have a tough time just freelancing as a modeler.
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Thanks Marcus.
The thing is this is such an involved and for me an emotional topic with so many factors to discuss, maybe this should be a corner bar separate topic and one that all freelancers can chime in on. I wish I had answers before starting on my own, had I known then what I know now I probably would not have done it.
The last week of every month is the scary time, this is when I wished I worked for 'the man', getting a fixed income, sleeping at night knowing that my bills are going to be covered.
Not only does one need to keep the pipeline full but also collect payments of completed jobs.
I'm not suited at this as I'm very weak at negotiating and even weaker at collecting, I undervalue myself all the time and trust too much, that's where my wife comes in, she knows my value and she knows the amount of work I put into every project. I trust her to handle my finances as it distracts from my creativity. She is a registered builder and certified NKBA designer, running her own construction company, hence she has the financial skills and strength that I do not posses, without her I would probably starve.The next thing is one needs to diversify, archvis alone will not support you, especially during these times, learn prodvis, L.O.D modeling, as many things as possible and make yourself available for all associated work. Recently I am doing more furniture catalogues than archvis, it's work and it pays on quantity.
A single mailing catalogue can contain up to 80 renders, which is a good weeks work if not two (depending on your speed and farm)
That brings us to hardware, one computer is not an option regardless how fast it is, one needs to have a farm and a main rig.
You work on one and render on 4, that's how I normally work, so while I have my 4 quads rendering my i7 is working on the next project, this is expensive to keep up.I'd like to upgrade to all i7's but business has not been that good and funds are not available yet.Anyway, I'm also not trying to scare, but the reality is that it's not easy, personally I'd accept the first decent related job offer with a steady salary than do this for the rest of my life.
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Thanks for all the replies!
Just a little background about myself. I am currently and have been for 2 years running my own HVAC business, which has given me alot of good contacts within the local construction industry. I have been doing this as I go to school, which has kept my income at manageable levels for the last few years.
As far as rigs go I do have a few, I can model well on my laptop and render on my desktop(recently upgraded) and it does well. I completely understand about having a steady paycheck, haven't had one in 2 years, but those months you 5k seem to make up for the ones that end up being light. I was actually wanting to start this as a glorified hobby, one for tax purposes (i do love new computers and software!) and also because I have been an artist for as long as I can remember and love anything creative. From past experiences it seems my learning curve on most software is about 1/2 of what everyone else is and I have fallen in love with 3d modeling, especially sketchup.
Also, are there a list of resources that freelancers could get in touch with perspective companies. And how many of you are members of http://www.asai.org and is it worth it.
It may not be a steady paycheck, but companies have to start somewhere, and why not with me in this little Illinois town. That is if our current president doesn't kill small business.
Thanks again!
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Seen this? http://www.asai.org/joblistings
Well it seems you have a plan, good luck mate.
Side note, Obama will probably do more for small business than any Republican ever did, keep an eye out for the changes soon (as long as the Republicans do not persist on saying NO to everything)
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@solo said:
Seen this? http://www.asai.org/joblistings
@unknownuser said:
Due to the current world economic situation, we have temporarily removed all job listings.
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@unknownuser said:
Obama will probably do more for small business
Such as forcing us to supply our employees with health care...which the stuff through my wifes work is $1800 a month. I dont know about you but that would be tough to swing on top of wages to a worker.
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You preferred the status quo?
(moved topic to corner bar)
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I prefer not to be owned by anyone, or anything. Governments included.
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@unknownuser said:
Seen this? http://www.asai.org/joblistings
Pete, it is bad here but that makes me think it must be worse in the US.
Being strictly a cad monkey / modeller (- not by any means a visualiser) I have been working freelance for 3 years now. After a very hard / soul destroying first 2 years, in the last year I have been very lucky to find a client that has now given me enough work that I work solely for them, in-house. It keeps me in contact with the local architectural network but it has been quite a move away from what I was doing. Actual design work is about a quarter of the job but in this climate I can live with that and they are very nice people to work for. Just the same as regular freelancing though, currently I have worked 16 days straight and will be working this coming weekend too.
What was my point?, oh yes:
@unknownuser said:
Not only does one need to keep the pipeline full but also collect payments of completed jobs.
I'm not suited at this ... that's where my wife comes in, she knows my value and she knows the amount of work I put into every project. I trust her to handle my finances as it distracts from my creativity.My girlfriend does the exact same thing for me, allowing her to do this (or rather she decided that that is how it has to be done) is the best decision I/she ever made.
@unknownuser said:
Customers are gold, and must be treated that way
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Politics aside, as a freelancer how often do your clients require printed copies of your illustrations. And do you use a printshop for that, if not what kind of plotter do you use?
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All in one solution.
http://www.fedex.com/us/office/?CMP=KNC-REM098&HBX_PK=kinkos&HBX_OU=50
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As a budding Graphic business, would you be willing show us a couple of images?
I love the discussions, but I always like pretty pictures too.
p
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Here are a couple of renders of a project im doing for design class. Im really more of an NPR kind of guy, and traditional style medias. But doing this stuff has been fun. Keep in mind that I only seriously dove into sketchup with this project, about 6 weeks ago, although I have had it on my comp for a year or more. And this is the first time I have done renderings...oh the precious lighting.
Im still not completely satisfied, but all my instructors are in the stoneage and this stuff is beyond them, so I will likely get a B just because they dont know how to grade it (cause it wasnt done with markers and pencils)
Oh well
Any comments are welcomed.
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