Q & A
Here are some answers to commonly asked questions, either from clients, students or the general public. If you have a question that isn't answered here, please write to me at contact@myriamwares.com. I'm always happy to hear from you!
Work Process
How long does it take to create an illustration?
The time I need to create a single illustration depends on the complexity/size of the illustration, the amount of back-and-forth with the client, and how busy my schedule is at any given moment.
As a general rule, I generally ask for a minimum of one week per illustration (from sketch to final), though more is better. That said, I always try to accommodate my clients as best I can. If you have a project in mind, write to me as soon as possible and we'll figure it out.
What is your process like?
My process for commission work is pretty straight forward. When starting a new project, the first step is to determine the project scope, timeline and budget. Once that is settled, the client briefs me (either over video call or email), so that I can get started the first rough sketches. I usually send over 3-4 sketches per illustration, then modify them according to the client's feedback. At this stage of the process, the sketches a pretty rough. The point is to figure out the general concept, composition and color palette. The details will come in later.
Once everyone is happy with a chosen direction, I proceed to illustrating the final piece.
I still accept small changes on final illustrations, though it's way more time-efficient to make major changes while in the sketching phase of the work.
You can see examples of the sketching process here.
What medium do you use?
I create all my commercial work using either Adobe Photoshop, or Adobe Fresco. I never use vectors. Once in a while, I paint with oils or gouache but do it purely for pleasure and not for commission work. You can check out some of my paintings here.
How much does a custom illustration cost?
You can reach out with your project brief and I'll send over a quote within a day or two. In order to create a quote, I usually need the following information:
⁕ How many illustrations do you need?
⁕ When do you need them for?
⁕ What size/format will each of them be?
⁕ Where/how will they be shown (web, poster, billboard, merch, tv, etc.) ?
How early should I write to you for a potential project?
As soon as possible. The more time I have to work on an illustration, the better the result will be. Keep in mind that, even though your project may be short lived, my schedule is sometimes fully booked for weeks in advance.
Using my work
As a teacher, can I present your work to my students?
Sure! You don't even have to ask me, though I'm always happy to hear about it. Please just give me proper credit and links back to my website. If you're interested in having me over to present my work in person or by zoom, write to me at contact@myriamwares.com.
I'm an aspiring illustrator/student and I'd like to reproduce your work for practice/homework. Do you mind?
I don't mind at all, but if you publish the work online, please clearly state that the work is a reproduction and give me proper credit.
Can I get your illustrations tattooed?
Sure, but please keep in mind that my work was not designed for that purpose and might not translate well into a tattoo.
Can I post your work on my personal blog/social media page/website ?
If your page is 100% non-commercial and not linked to any commercial or promotional activity, then yes. As always, make sure to give me proper credit.
I'm a writer for a magazine/blog/publication and would like to write an article about your work. Is it okay?
Sure! Please just let me know so that I can share it on my website and social media.
I'd like to get your illustrations printed on a mug/carpet/tote bag/t-shirt/phone case, for my own personal use. Is it okay?
I don't currently sell merchandise with my illustrations on them, nor do I share print-quality files of my work. That said, if you're interested in getting merch, please write to me and I'll see if I can get it done myself.
Otherwise, if you want to own a piece of my artwork, you can check out my print shop.
Can I use your work for my Bandcamp/Youtube channel/Podcast/Medium/Writing Blog/Instagram page/Self-published book?
Part of my income comes from selling usage licenses. A usage license grants you the right to use a given artwork for a specific purpose and timeframe, for an agreed-upon fee. This goes even if you aren't making profit yet.
If you'd like to use one of my artworks for commercial purposes, you can write to me at contact@myriamwares.com and we'll figure something out.
I'd like to sell a product with your illustrations on it. Do you accept a percentage of sales as payment?
I personally don't do speculative work, meaning that I would prefer not to work without a guaranteed remuneration. In the case of merchandise, I usually propose an advance on royalties. You can write to me with the specifics of your projects and we'll figure something out.
I run a charity/non-profit. Would you be open to contributing your work for free?
This is a delicate topic. A lot of artists and illustrators frequently get solicited for charity campaigns, even though most of us are not in a position to volunteer time and money so easily. You can always write to me and I'll see what I can do, but please understand that a lot of time and labour goes into creating illustrations, as for any other type of work.
Life as an illustrator
Is freelance illustration your real job?
Yes, I've been freelancing full-time for the past 6 years. Illustration commissions are my main source of income, though I also sell usage licences of existing artwork and sell prints. I've also done the occasional artist talk.
How many projects are you working on right now?
I usually have anywhere from 3 to 8 projects going on at the same time
How did you get started as an illustrator?
Right after graduating, a found a job as an illustrator for a local clothing company. This allowed me to slowly build my portfolio with real-world projects, as well a personal ones. About a year in, I felt ready to take the leap to freelance work. My former employer agreed to continue working with me as a client rather than an employer, which gave me some security while I started building my own freelance business.
I found my first contracts by sending portfolio samples to art directors. I must have sent hundreds of emails and gotten about 3 responses, only one of which was an actual illustration assignment. It took a bit of perseverance, but after a few months I started getting regular work, which hasn't stopped since.
How do clients find you?
About 30% of my work comes from recurring clients, with whom I've built a working relationship over the years. The remaining contracts come from new clients, who sometimes turn into recurring ones.
Most people discover my work either through social media, published articles and interviews on my work, online directories such as Illustration Québec, Illustration competitions, past projects or simple word-to-mouth. In all honesty, most of the time I'm not even sure where clients discover my work.
If you want to know how to find contracts when first starting out, you can check out the For aspiring illustrators section below.
Where do you find inspiration? How do you find ideas for your illustrations?
This is a question that comes up a lot, and I'm never quite sure how to answer it. I find inspiration all around me, either out in the real world, in the books I read or looking back at art history. I think one's source of inspiration is quite personal and is something every artist needs to figure out for themselves.
That said, if you’re curious about the specific things/genre/people that inspire me, I've created a bunch of public Pinterest Boards that I frequently use as reference.
What's your daily routine like? Do you work from home?
I used to work in a shared office, but recently decided that I prefer working from home. My routine consists of getting up at around 6:00 a.m (I'm a morning person) and getting most of my work done before noon. I take a lunch break and do some chores around the house, then work a second afternoon shift.
By 4 or 5 p.m, my brain and eyeballs start hurting, so I go outside for a bike ride, a swim or a gym session. After diner, I try to work on some personal artworks.
I rarely work on the weekends, by will do so occasionally when a project calls for it.
Don't you get lonely/bored working alone all day?
No. I personally love being able to focus on my work all day and fully immerse myself into my own world. I have an active enough life outside of work that I'm glad so have some time to myself everyday.
For aspiring illustrators
Is it necessary to study illustration?
Studying helps, but I don't think it's necessary. There are plenty of successful illustrators who haven't followed the conventional route.
That said, there is a lot to learn in the world or art/design/illustration. I'd advise any aspiring illustrator to find guidance somewhere. If not school, either by finding real-world mentors or online courses.
Am I ready to start freelancing?
There are obviously a lot of factors to consider before leaving your day job to freelance.
I'd say the first step is to have a portfolio you're proud of showing, and then actually showing it either on social media or on your website. At the beginning, I'd prioritize quality over quantity. If you don't have any real-life projects to show, it can be a good idea to create a few mock projects, such as a beer label or a book cover for your favourite novel.
Keep in mind that your portfolio doesn't have to be perfect to be shown. Most of us started off with a student portfolio and slowly built it up over the years. I'd also advise against becoming too preoccupied with your work's reception on social media, as it's not the best mesure of your work's quality. If you want feedback on your illustrations, it's better to ask a few trusted friends, teachers, mentors or established creatives, rather than relying on likes and shares from strangers.
Financially speaking, there's no way to know when contracts will start coming in consistently. Some people start working right away, while other wait years before they find stability. It's best to have some sort of security when starting out, either by keeping full-time or part-time employment, have sufficient savings or applying for local grants. Whichever is most accessible to you.
How do I find contracts?
There are no set rules when it comes to finding work. Some illustrators find their first assignments directly within their communities, while others work exclusively online. Here's more or less what worked for me:
The first step is to get your work out there as much as possible. Nowadays using social media is necessary, whether we like it or not. It's best to focus on using one or two platforms consistently, then spreading yourself thin over all of them. In my case, I mainly use Instagram and Behance, though you could also use Art Station, Tik Tok, X, LinkedIn, etc. All your platforms should link back to your main website. If you don't have many projects to show, it's perfectly fine to show personal or student work. The important part is to only post the work you're proud of. Quality matters more than quantity. If you want to add in a few mock projects (Fake book cover, beer label, poster design, etc.), that's a nice plus. Just make it clear it's not a real project.
If you're still not sure how to present yourself online, you can always study what established illustrators are doing. What website builder they use, what they include in their about page, how they present their projects, etc.
It can be a good idea to look into your local illustrator's association. Most countries and regions have them. In my case, I'm part of Illustration Québec. Many local clients find my work thought their online directory.
Once your online presence is well established, you can start building a list of potential clients, with the art director's contact information (when public). These infos are usually available on the company's website or on magazine mastheads. Potential clients can include: Magazines, design studios, advertising agencies, publishing houses, record labels, local events, etc. It's best to start with smaller scale clients, as bigger names tend to get inundated by unsolicited emails. Obviously it's best to targe clients for whom your think your work would be a good fit.
Now comes the time to send your portfolio samples. Art directors get a lot of emails from creatives pitching their work, so it's best to keep it short and sweet. You can present yourself, let them know you're available for freelance work and include a link to your website. I've always included JPG or PDF samples of my work in attachment, though I've been told this increases the chances of your email ending up in the spam folder.
Keep in mind that sending unsolicited pitch emails doesn't guarantee you'll get a response. It's best to keep your expectations low about any specific potential client and not take it personally if they don't respond. Sooner or later, someone will have work for you.
Can you give me tips on my portfolio?
I'm always happy to help out with your portfolio. I can give you tips both on the illustrations themselves, as well as the overall presentation of your work. It doesn't matter if you're a student, aspiring illustrator or working illustrator.
I do charge a small fee, but want to keep it as accessible as possible. Please write to me at contact@myriamwares.com.
The illustrator
Did you study illustration?
Yes, I completed the Illustration program at Dawson College in Montreal, which is a non-university technical program.
I don't have a university degree, even though I took some Art History classes at l'Université de Montréal during the pandemic, mostly out of passion and to keep my mind occupied during the pandemic.
Is it best to write to you in French or in English?
I was raised in a bilingual french-canadian family, so either is fine. You can even write to me in Italian if you want.
Do you still live in Montreal?
Yes and no. I've been quite mobile in the last few years. In this precise moment, I'm currently in the process of leaving Canada to settle abroad.
How old are you?
I was born on April 15, 1995. Be sure to wish me a happy birthday now that you know the date!
Aside from illustrating, what do you do?
When I'm not illustrating, I'm either reading a book, studying languages, cooking, doing sports (Cycling, MTB, swimming, gym, etc.), or spending time with my partner and friends. I know a thing or two about bicycle mechanics and sometimes travel with my bike.
What books have you read this year? What are you reading now?
⁕ Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie
⁕ Lord of the Flies, William Golding
⁕ Le Otto Montagne, Paolo Cognetti
⁕ Seta, Alessandro Baricco
⁕ Il Cavaliere Inesistente, Italo Calvino
Currenltly reading:
⁕ I Nostri Antenati, Italo Calvino
⁕ The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell
⁕ Il Contrario di Uno, Erri De Luca