Guest lecture- Darren Di Lieto
A web designer who studied in Graphic Design and Illustration. Darren creates websites mainly aimed at promoting and connecting illustrators with each other and clients. He initially set up a blog style site called thelittlechimpsociety to have a forum for illustrators to promote and discuss their work and to get the latest news updates. Later he developed the hireanillustrator website to give people the opportunity of finding paid commissions.

The image above is a submission to the Mail Me Art project where Darren asked illustrators to send decorated envelopes and boxes to him. Hundreds of people replied and an exhibition and book was made of all the work. It’s a great idea and a different way of promoting your illustrations. I wouldn’t mind getting one of those through the post.

Many illustrators decide to create merchandise as well as freelance as an extra income. Selling things like prints, pin badges, clothing and toys using website like etsy or on your personal site e.g n8w and Jon Burgeman.
Having an online presence is essential in getting yourself known. It’s important to let people know you and your work, and using ‘mail blasts’ and postcards is a good way of doing this. Darren explained how companies often forget who you are and it’s good to be persistent. I learned that keeping a back catalogue of work is also important as it could be re-used or manipulated for another job later on.