Freelance creativity isn’t always the ones where we take the brief from the client. Arguably, some of the best freelance jobs are the ones we do for ourselves.
Here’s a wrap up of all kinds of freelance creativity Freelance Jungle members have done in May 2020 to learn, for creativity, for sale and of course for our clients
Learning by doing
Part of being a successful freelancer is making time to make your freelance creativity shine. One way to do that is to learn by doing. That strengthens are our abilities and skill base. Plus, we produce better quality work.
Let’s head to the play area and see who was learning by doing in May.
I launched a new YouTube channel with resources for my vocal students. But I made them public, so they are free to use for anyone. If you’re a budding singer, give it some subscription love.
The designer behind Green Peas for Breakfast has been blending her fashion and animation skills in a learn by doing freelance fashion fest.
Monica Higgins screen shot of video
Danielle Said
I’ve been dusting off the design skills and attempting to build my portfolio of freelance creativity. Frost draft logos done this week.
This week I set myself a challenge to do 5-days of FB lives on my page to help me get over my fear/ anxiety of being on video! It’s not a super polished production piece but I’m so proud of stepping out of my comfort zone and actually doing it! Here is the link to yesterday’s video I did about reducing stress and overwhelm in your business if you want to check it out.
Continuing adventures in game development. I made my first code based animation. It’s REALLY simple stuff I can start expanding on to limit the rotations etc. But it works, it is code driven and I made it.
Fiona Hamann
Claims she is trying to teach herself to paint. We fellow freelancers and creatives believe she is definitely succeeding!
I was playing with automation features in a character rigging software and made this gorgeous gif.
Y’all proud of me?
It’s been relatively quiet over the past few weeks, and so I’ve been using the time to do some personal work. I’ve really been wanting to experiment with new techniques and integrate more 3D and use tools such as Substance Painter in my workflow.
Elizabeth Gilmore
I’m learning to illustrate on a platform that finally gets me, and last night discovered the ease of shape making. Now my unsteady hands can have the circles I intended.
Here’s a link to my Instagram because I used my iPad to post the results and not my Android phone.
Hey team! I did my first gold leaf sign in a while. It was a real challenge but super fun.
I’ve been putting some effort into actually posting on my social media which I’ve never really done before. (Whoops) Also I’m learning how to paint digitally with a Wacom and am pretty proud of this one: https://www.facebook.com/409639115848976/posts/2101623773317160/?d=n
Pure freelance creativity
Sometimes, we need to leave the freelance creativity and study behind to focus on creativity for the sake of it. Here are some of the results of that putting pause on freelance creativity in favour of freelance play time.
Naomi Porter
Purely sharing because it is one of my only remote learning wins. It was not in the activities sent home or online, but it was me and my daughter creating together. The thing I love the most is how you can see the black texta where my 9-year-old traced the template. I wanted to fix it, but decided it was her project. Perfect imperfection.
Christine Rice
Usually I pour all of my creativity into creating content for clients and the occasional blog post for myself, but with the lockdown I’ve gotten back into furniture painting!! I finally finished this vintage headboard I have had in storage for 8 years! It’s now on my bed and I feel like a queen when I sleep in it. I painted a dresser and nightstand the same colours years ago so now it is a full bedroom set. So pleased with how it turned out.
Seren Trump
Had my last COVID enforced day off yesterday and finished this beauty. I’ve definitely improved over the two months since I started.
I’ve started a new personal project – digital portraits of famous people – which I’m posting on the anniversary of their birthdays.
Laura Russo
Crochet yarn bomb for end of my (rural) road. Started 4 years ago, got it 90% finished then left it. Finally finished and installed this week.
Sam Wade
I’ve been getting back into stand up, but when the inside times shut everything down, I decided to use my skills in design, editing and animation to make some comedy sketches with a few friends!
I’ve got the video linked on my performer page below. Have a look (defs nsfw) and if you like it you can like the video or the page if you want to see more.
Simon Lissaman
I built and painted this bust of Frankenstein’s Monster, sculpted by Jeff Yeagher for Typhon Studios. I bought it for myself, although I have a collector who may be interested in purchasing it.
My day job is in events, my freelance art practice is illustration, my side hustle is statue repair and model building for collectors.
Tracey Lloyd
Digital artwork reminder of a night out at Wentworth Park Greyhounds in a time that seems so far away now. I made a goal for the year to commit more to my creative practices and so far, I’ve featured in 2 art exhibitions and completed 20,000 words in my Camp NaNoWriMo historical fiction novel project.
Day job wise I’m a strategic planner and management consultant (which has gone quiet with COVID-19) but this week I’ve got myself together to start working on a strategic planning workshop for creatives.
Annetta Mallon
Baby blanket for a friend’s first child in baby wool, and a royal rib turtleback for myself in alpaca/merino.
Janny Grant
I’m upcycling a rocking horse, black paint and silver ‘tacking’.
Making art on the iPad daily on my Instagram @yazqueen__ and applying for grants for film/tv writing projects
Georgina Auton
More watercolours this week.
Lorna Gordon
I put my first book up on a promo site next week and did a painting!
Alisha Rose Caine
I only ever design for black shirts but this one is going on white… thank you corona for giving me playtime.
Bec Lloyd
I recently bought some seeds to start growing our own veggies, which inspired this hand lettered piece.
Rowan Mc
I’ve been working on my visual arts and illustration skills via University of Wollongong school of creative arts. They’ve shifted everything online, so I have several zoom classes per week and projects to complete. Probably the only thing keeping me sane. I think the best part of that is having virtually all my spare time devoted to reflection and refining my creative process. This series of sketches with gouache paints are taken from minor characters in popular film & TV. Bonus points if you can pick the movie.
Freelance creativity for sale
Moving beyond client work, a lot of freelancers work on products or other such projects to sell directly. These are commonly referred to as a side hustle. These are the moments of freelance creativity we schedule for ourselves so that we can diversify income, stretch ourselves, celebrate our talents, and even move away from more traditional freelance client facing work entirely.
Avalon Lifestyle with Kelly Scott
My latest art project… for my side hustle, a boutique gift store in Paradise Point QLD, called Avalon Home and Gifts. Hand painted terracotta pots to look like a little lady. They’ve been selling out and I can’t keep up with demand. Socials www.facebook.com/avalonlifestyle
Stelista Home with Stella Tzobanakis-Dos Santos
Collaborating with local artists to create beautiful homeware and accessories inspired by Crete (Greece) and Brazil for online store. http://stelitsahome.bigcartel.com
The Local Craftsman with Aaron Johnson
I’ve been doing leatherwork as a side hustle for a few years but I’m now wanting to make it a full time or at least a part time job. And so just last week I launched my new brand The Local Craftsman selling my leather goods and my wife’s recycled silver and gold jewellery. This is my first post on here and so I wanted to say what a huge inspiration you guys are, I have learned so much from all the questions and answers that have been posted, so thank you! My website is still a work in progress but feel free to check it out 🙂 www.thelocalcraftsman.com.au
I’ve wanted to set up my own online store but haven’t because of work and Covid-19 breakdowns.
In the interim I’ve created a society 6 and Redbubble page to house my creative wares.
Check it out! If you don’t feel like buying anything, no dramas just follow me here:
https://www.instagram.com/reese_geronimo
Well last night I realised (the website told me) I had listed 200 items in the online shop. But wait there is more – many of those listings have a variant! So that is closer to 600 or more items all handmade in Newcastle by various creatives. That’s photographing, writing copy, doing a crap job at SEO, and listing them. A shit job when items are one offs – easier when it’s an edition of several. So yeah, I am proud
www.creativevillagenewcastle.com.au
Tracey Lloyd
These are a sample of art cards that I have finally got around to making (thanks COVID-19). They will be added to my Etsy shop this week.
The #1000notesoffriendship campaign by Be Someone for Someone has also received cards from me for distribution to seniors socially isolated at the moment. Please support it if you can (NB I’m not an organiser of the campaign just read about it and decided to support it).
Shop small with Mish
I’ve been doing a Shop Small story highlight on my Instagram with my Australian/ NZ clients work, most of them are small businesses or sole traders and working on ethics/ sustainability. Some of them are made in Australia too. I still have more to post, but people have been buying from it and connecting or collaborating, so I’m really chuffed. Aussie businesses collaborating together is the way we will get through this 🙌 https://www.instagram.com/lovelypeoplestudio/
Community building
Freelance creativity and side hustles come in all shapes and sizes. Including community building activities of all kind. Here we celebrate the moments of freelance creativity that have bloomed and ballooned to invite the neighbourhood in.
Blackwood Times with Jinny Coyle
I finished the ‘Blackwood in ISO’ copy of our local community paper yesterday. This is a not for profit bi-monthly paper I’ve put together for the past 13 or so years. Pick it up from the printer tomorrow for distribution. Although we have always had a digital version, we still print it. We have people who have kept every single issue to refer back to.
The Foundry Central Coast with Melanie Archer
I’m reopening my coworking space The Foundry Cowork on the Central Coast. I can’t wait. And I’m giving everyone a month free so that hopefully it helps some freelancers get their mojo back without having to worry about finances. I’m really looking forward to adult company.
Matthew Packwood and Masters of Motion
We recently held an online discussion with 20 senior freelance artists from across Australia. It was an interesting discussion and a good update of how the community is recovering from the shutdown. We also had a few drinks and a great chat after the formal discussion. If you would like to be invited to the next meeting, head to www.mastersofmotion.com.au
She Hunts Op Shops with Anna Spirals
I create op shop & nature adventure guides for Victorian country towns niche, I know, but they are pretty awesome. I’ve also created a huge Melbourne op shop guide on my website too, no reason other than, I’m an op shop fanatic!
Amy Bingham
In amongst all the work videos we’ve been doing, this was a little love project for us earlier this year pre-Coronageddon, to test out a new camera and lenses. I love it. And it has weird analogies for today – take it slow, keep doing what you’re doing, and life will be sweet. https://www.facebook.com/itchyfeetdigital/videos/258564882215833
Freelance client work
No exploration of freelance creativity would be complete without celebrating the work we do for our clients. Here, members of the Freelance Jungle share some of their favourite client work and freelance jobs from the month of May and beyond.
Family-focused freelance creativity online with Gemma Waite
I (finally) made a website for my mother in law (freebie) – granted, it’s a Shopify site but it’s done! www.riverflatsestate.com.au
Freelance creativity stalking Sydney with Xyz Dimensions with Robot Space Land
This is a show-reel of Robot Space Land – a series of 5 installations we exhibited in Darling Harbour during Vivid Sydney last year. We just got this edit of the video and we are super proud to show off all that hard work. Plus, a big shout out and thanks to the talented Kearon De Clouet of Plushtown Studios who shot and edited this baby. He is a true master at what he does! How you can support us: jump over to our Facebook page xyz dimensions and follow us. If you happened to see this work at Vivid last year post a picture and include the hashtag #vividsydney
Since Vivid was postponed this year they are calling people to tag their favourite works from last year and I’m hoping to flood the socials with our giant robots!
Big splash client work with for the Adnews cover by Adrian Elton
It’s the cover I was engaged to design for the June edition of AdNews. An unbelievable honour given that their covers are most typically designed by much bigger outfits than lil’ ol’ sole trading me. It was also a huge challenge as this was put together just as the lockdown began so I had to assemble the finished art by comping together a bunch of stock shots. As you can see, the perspective of the bank notes doesn’t 100% match the angle of the tray. But whatcha gonna do when a global pandemic strikes? On top of the visual concept and finished art, I also wrote the headline/subline too. Which all up constituted a huge challenge as the edition is all about gaming and e-sports which is a topic I have close to zero familiarity with.
Getting creative for the worms with Composting with Cyn Coco
For International Compost Awareness Week this week I created a super cute illustrated letter Instagram story sequence for it, for Compost Revolution. Costa the gardener kicked off the week on Sunday, and since then, we’ve gone through the letters C, O, M, P, O, S and (soon) T. It was great fun to create these dozen characters, including the happy, bearded Costa! You can check it out on Insta compostrevolution https://www.instagram.com/thecompostrevolution/
Freelance creativity for kids with Meet Gus with Davin Blumensteid
I am working at the moment on some short animations to help explain COVID-19 to kids in foster and residential care. Parents generally might find them relevant too?
Client work that works with Pinterest Dentistry with Katie Paul
I made a Pinterest profile for a dental company which was agonizingly boring but looked fabulous. Pinterest is going off in this current situation.
Freelance creativity supporting the creativity of others with the Gallipoli Art Prize with Jacqui Bonner
With my fab designer Bettina Kaiser & videographer Luke (not a minkie yet!) We put together a new website & virtual gallery for one of my clients. The Gallipoli Club for their annual Art Prize. We all learnt heaps, especially about creating a virtual walk through, but most importantly, the 70+ year old diggers & all the artists can see their work exhibited. COVID stopped the traditional bricks and mortar formal opening and exhibition. https://www.gallipoliartprize.org.au/