A short story of how I found my illustration agency
Finding my way into the kidlit art publishing
I have pre-announced it in my regular newsletter that I got signed by an illustration agency, Advocate Art. I’m very excited to be part of the Advocate team! Everything happened quite fast - I found the information that this agency is recruiting new artists, I worked on my portfolio, I applied and I got an answer within 4 weeks that they are interested in signing a contract with me.
It has always been my dream to illustrate a picture book or a board book for the littles, and I came to the conclusion that seeking agency representation would be the best option for me (which I will explain a bit more below).
In this insights post I would like to share with you my agency application process, the reasons why I considered getting an agent in the first place, and I will give you a few tips on how you could start conducting your research about your possible agency representation.
Why would you want an illustration agent?
In my case, the answer is quite simple - I have no experience in the publishing industry and I aspire to get to know it and explore my opportunities in it.
I am a busy mom of a toddler girl, I also have my online courses business to take care of, and I am happy to delegate and get some support for the price of an agent commission.
So in general, these are some of the scenarios in which I would advise you to seek an art agent:
when you don’t know the industry +you would profit from the agency’s guidance and industry insights
when you need a bit of career coaching and someone to steer you in the right direction (your agent will give you portfolio advice etc.)
when you don’t want to deal with the business side of signing a project with a publishing house - negotiating your fees, making sure all legal aspects are correct (licensing, copyright, royalties etc.)
when you want to free up some time by delegating the promotion efforts to your agent (contacting possible clients, networking during fairs, sending updated portfolios etc.)
For me personally it was nothing new, I have done it before - I had a PERSON who helped me get work and got a commission for it. I also work as an online marketing consultant and I’ve done it many times. I always got the hourly or daily fee that was at least my minimum and I didn’t overthink it that “I could earn even more” by hustling for the job by myself.
Truth be told - I rather just get straight to work and leave the hustling to others. I know how to take care of client acquisition but it’s not my most favorite part.
How did I apply?
I found the information that Advocate are recruiting new illustrators from a friend of mine who drew my attention to their LinkedIn job posting.
PRO TIP!
By the way, at the time when I am writing this insights post, they are recruiting again! You will find more information about their job posting HERE on LinkedIn.
You can apply to agencies in the following way:
They may post an official job posting, an open call for illustrators, like the one above, and it’s best that you stay tuned: follow them on the social media (IG, LinkedIn, Threads etc,), subscribe to their newsletters and don’t miss any new information!
They may accept spontaneous applications throughout the entire year. To my information, such agencies as Advocate and Astound encourage that you can apply at any time. But when I was querying possible agencies, I also came across a few that explicitly wrote on their websites that they don’t wish to receive cold-email applications. (“cold email” means unsolicited email) It is very important to follow their exact instructions, to make a good first impression.
How do you apply for agency representation?
You might be asked to apply via a special application link, either on the agency’s website or on their social media, like LinkedIn.
It is a MUST to prepare your art portfolio for this occasion. You usually have 2 ways of doing it - you can submit a few (5-10, they specify it) images from your portfolio attached to your application, or you can provide them with the link to your website where they can see your portfolio (and this is what I did).
I have very thoroughly refreshed my kidlit art portfolio and I created many new illustrations that I felt were missing. I will be giving you portfolio advice in my future Substack articles, stay tuned!
If you need very quick portfolio advice, check out this YT video:
So again, this is how the process of getting signed by an agency looked for me:
I found Advocate’s job posting on LinkedIn
I filled in the gaps in my kidlit art portfolio, created new illustrations and refreshed my website
I applied when knowing that my portfolio is strong by writing directly to the email address they provided
I chose to showcase my art through my website portfolio link
I waited about 4 weeks before getting a positive answer
I was offered a contract right away
The contract part is quite important - sometimes you can get a more general answer from an agent who wants to see if you would be a good fit. If there is no contract offered, then nothing is 100% sure and they may still change their minds, which I heard happens frequently - you never know.
The agencies know their strengths and weaknesses and they are familiar with the artists that they are currently representing. They are often seeking specific styles or themes, based on the demand that they see form the publishing markets.
What to do in case of a rejection?
Getting rejected by an agency is by no means a sign that your art is not good enough! It may be not the right time, they may be looking for a different style (different, NOT better), or the economy might change. One example is Lila Rogers Studio - I really don’t think that they would represent me. They prefer very textured and quirky art, and my own art is probably too graphic and “vector-y”. You need to do your own research if you would also be a good fit for them!
My advice about dealing with rejections applies to any rejections in the creative industry, for example also for the art licensing industry (such as licensing patterns or greeting cards). Any rejection should not be perceived as a defeat, but rather a valuable learning experience, as cliche as it sounds...
I always try to imagine it as if you were a duck :D The rejections should flow on your feathers like water - and you just keep swimming and you keep going!
Maybe this year is NOT the year? Perhaps you still need to work on your art portfolio and next year will be more suitable?
Also, I got a few questions from my email subscribers, in response to my agency announcement - and I dread to say it again: guys, please get a website! :)
With these words of wisdom, don’t let me repeat it, just do it :D
Hi! I’m Weronika Salach, a freelance illustrator specializing in children’s books, toy design and surface pattern design. Internationally I’m represented by Advocate Art. Over 35,000 happy students have taken my digital illustration courses and watched my YouTube videos. Let’s connect :)
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