Freelancing Graphic design

sarah_a

sarah_a

Member
Hey guys,

Do any of you know where there is a good website or something where you can apply for freelancing graphics jobs in the uk? I have found some but i am not to sure about them.....

Thank you for any help :icon_biggrin:
sarah
 
Freelancing sites are good for experience but be prepared to drop your prices to such a low level that you eventually feel worthless as a creative. :)
 
Eagle said:
Freelancing sites are good for experience but be prepared to drop your prices to such a low level that you eventually feel worthless as a creative. :)
Click to expand...

Mark's right there are many that just aren't worth bothering with but freelancers.net has been good to me over the years. I have a current a client who found me on there and has been with me for around 2 years now. They use me for 90% of their design and always have interesting projects and appreciate good design, so its worth alook on there in my opinion.
 
Just visited them again (first time in about three years!). :icon_smile: Used to pick up a fair bit of work there but it tends to be populated with clients who tell you what the project will cost rather than the other way round! I'd definitely keep an eye on that site if starting out though. :)
 
wow thank you for your replies. Yes freelancer.net was on of the sites I found, so thank you for the good review. I think ill stick to that site :)

Thank you
 
Gaining clients

Mark is right, you really will be forced to work for low prices to win the projects in such places and if you want to making a full time living out of design it's much better to invest your time in acquiring your own clients who are happy to pay for a designer to spend some time on their project.


Amanda
 
okay so a little mixed in the answers....

so if I don't use like websites and things for freelancing...how would you get clients? I am new to the freelancing world and I haven't had a lot of help from my tutor at university. Sorry if it is a stupid question lol

Thank you for all your help :)

Sarah
 
Alot of people aren't going to agree with me but I think its very difficult to be a confident freelancer unless you have worked in the industry for some time in a design company or agency. I know jobs are scarce at the moment though and this is tricky.

But there is alot more to the role of a graphic designer than just be able to put together some designs in Adobe CS or similar.

My 5 or so years in two different design companies taught me a hell of alot that I took with me when I started Dot Design. But those were different times as this was over 9 years ago and now there are 1,000's of design students finishing courses every year, though there was a great deal of competition back then also.

It might be worth you joining a local networking group or similar to build up your local client base, as freelance sights are highly competative and you can be working for peanuts as mentioned. I don't think freelancers.net is in this category though I haven't looked at it for some time now.

Don't know if this is particularly helpful Sarah but its my opinion I sure more will be along to offer their opinion very soo, all the best sarah and I very happy to answer other questions if I can help.
 
Have to agree with double d, I found spending time in various studios invaluble. Managed to pick up some really good working methods and saw some dubious examples of work practice which i will never try to emulate.
 
Getting your own clients

sarah_a said:
okay so a little mixed in the answers....

so if I don't use like websites and things for freelancing...how would you get clients? I am new to the freelancing world and I haven't had a lot of help from my tutor at university. Sorry if it is a stupid question lol

Thank you for all your help :)

Sarah
Click to expand...

You can get clients like this: Truly Ace Graphic Design Blog

I've had a steady stream of clients for around 6/7 years and work full time freelance every year. If you read that blog you'll see my methods in there for keeping a steady stream of work.

Amanda
 
Freelancing

dot design said:
Alot of people aren't going to agree with me but I think its very difficult to be a confident freelancer unless you have worked in the industry for some time in a design company or agency. I know jobs are scarce at the moment though and this is tricky.

But there is alot more to the role of a graphic designer than just be able to put together some designs in Adobe CS or similar.

My 5 or so years in two different design companies taught me a hell of alot that I took with me when I started Dot Design. But those were different times as this was over 9 years ago and now there are 1,000's of design students finishing courses every year, though there was a great deal of competition back then also.

It might be worth you joining a local networking group or similar to build up your local client base, as freelance sights are highly competative and you can be working for peanuts as mentioned. I don't think freelancers.net is in this category though I haven't looked at it for some time now.

Don't know if this is particularly helpful Sarah but its my opinion I sure more will be along to offer their opinion very soo, all the best sarah and I very happy to answer other questions if I can help.
Click to expand...


I disagree with the need to work in an agency first. I taught myself and then went straight to freelancing, never worked in an agency once. Anyone with creative talent can do it if they really want to :)
 
I don't doubt that you do not need to work in an agency before going freelance but I would highly recommend spending some time in an agency if you can. I have had work experience in 3 different agencies (which probably only amounts to about 9 / 10 weeks total) but I learned so much in that short time, and I found it very very different to uni but in a good way. I'm currently trying to go freelance as well but that is due to the fact that I found it impossible to get any kind of design related job and if a studio came along and offered me a job I would pack in being a freelancer straight away
 
Hey ,

I found a freelancing website which seems really good, I get a email off them when new projects are
uploaded however you have to pay to sign up for a year its like 8 dollars which is like 5 uk pounds...

I am just unsure about it.... has anyone used this site before? if not would you? Also does anyone know if it is just for US designers?

Direct freelance - Freelancers & Freelance Jobs

Thank you :icon_biggrin:

Sarah
 
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