After the successful outcome of my suite of rubber stamps, I decided to create some designs for Joey to brand his paintings with. We ordered four total designs including his wordmark (above), but my favorites of the bunch were these two oversized stamps measuring 4 x 4 inches each. Joey’s tagline is NEO POP ART and I came up with a stacked lockup that works well for the backs of his paintings. The circle is an ongoing element in many of his paintings and also a part of his logo and I think it would work great for marking his packages when he mails out his work.

All of these stamps were ordered through Simon’s Stamps which I cannot recommend highly enough (great quality + affordable + fast shipping). I should mention that these stamps are probably too large for a regular stamp pad; I used the Ranger Archival Jumbo Inkpad in jet black for these. Happy stamping!

As of late, the blogosphere seems to have gone rubber stamp crazy. Everywhere I look, I see a new rubber stamp! The uptick in custom rubber stamps makes total sense. Printing promo materials can get get really pricy and the ease of applying your logo and branding to nearly any surface is not only cost effective but adds that personal, hand-done touch.

I’ve been wanting to order rubber stamps for quite awhile but this post took awhile to put together due to some trial and error. On my first custom stamp attempt, I went the Etsy route in an effort to support small businesses but when my designs came, the wood was sub-par and there were no handles or any other way to grip the stamps. The quality just wasn’t there. So, I regrouped, did some googling and came upon Simon’s Stamps. This place is the real deal. Not only do they have super reasonable prices but they ship fast and uploading your designs is a breeze. I cannot recommend them highly enough!

Because of the reasonable pricing at Simon’s, I was able to order a variety of designs and sizes to give a test run. Yeah, I went a little crazy. Most of the stamps are based on elements from my current branding.

Here are some rubber stamp thoughts and tips

1. When creating your design, print it out to scale first before ordering! I’ve ordered stickers and other stamps in the past so I already had a pretty good idea of the sizes I wanted but Simon’s offers a HUGE variety of dimensions.

2. When in doubt, keep it simple. The more clean lines and the simpler the text, the better the outcome.

3. Beyond your logo, think of quotes, shapes, letters and numbers of significance, and your favorite patterns to draw inspiration from.

4. Stamps are MUCH cheaper than business cards. Two agencies I worked for in the past switched their business cards to blanks with just logos and then provided each employee with a rubber stamp containing their personal information. That way, everyone stamps as they go and there isn’t excess, unused stock sitting around.

5. Besides stamping the expected (mailing envelopes and boxes), think of new uses. Maybe you could sign your letters and then stamp your name or logo underneath. How about stamping your logo in the corner of screen prints you make? Or, on the back of photo prints and artwork?

6. Invest in a good, basic stamp pad. Mine is jumbo-sized and features archival ink. Get one here.

Here’s a mood board of rubber stamp inspiration: 1. Olly Sorby. 2. Meanwhile. 3. Semiospectacle. 4. Bigger Than Giants. 5. Lovely Package (unknown). 6. New Amsterdam Gin. 7. Twig & Thistle.

In closing, here’s a trip down memory lane. When I first got into rubber stamps, I was around five. Just for laughs, I dug out my original collection this weekend and, as you can see, back in the 80s I thought dinosaurs, Cabbage Patch Kids and rainbow stamp pads where the ultimate! Should I put that rainbow stamp pad back into rotation?

One of my all-time favorite books that I’ve been referring back to lately is It’s Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden. The book opens with, “Nearly all rich and powerful people are not notably talented, educated, charming or good-looking. They become rich and powerful by wanting to be rich and powerful.” That statement sets tone for the rest of the book which uses the principles of good advertising as a metaphor for running a successful business.

The beauty of It’s Not How Good You Are… is that it’s smart and clever in its execution but not brimming with business jargon. This book makes you think of that one boss who guided you through the jungle of corporate America by day and then took you out for a stiff drink and an inspirational pep talk at night. It leaves you feeling empowered, motivated and ready to take on the world.

Early in the book, Arden sets forth his first challenge: “So how good do you want to be?” Most of us usually set a goal of wanting to be good, or, if we’re really confident, perhaps the best in our field. But why not aim higher? A few years back, I was talking to another designer, saying that I wanted to be a really good at what I did. I was naming off the people I really admired. The designer thought for a second and said, “You’re comparing your work to the top 10% of designers in the world. That’s why you feel like you’re never good enough.” They had a point but if you want to improve in an area of your life, aim high. Push yourself harder to get to that level. Otherwise, it’s too easy to settle for just being ‘good.’

On this subject, Arden says that, “Talent helps but it won’t take you as far as ambition. Everybody wants to be good but not many are willing to make the sacrifices it takes to be great. You will become whoever you want to be.” It’s a simple statement yet consider the power of what he’s saying. What you put forth in effort is what you will get back.

One point that really hit home for me personally is, “Don’t look for the next opportunity. The one you have in hand is the opportunity.” We are always waiting for that perfect project. That perfect collaboration. I’ve been on design teams where we loathe the client to the point that we just give in to mediocracy to get the project out the door. It’s easy to lose sight of the potential when you’re full of disdain (and sometimes, rightly so!) But, back up. Arden says, “Whatever is on your desk right now, that’s the one. Make it the best you possibly can. It may not be great, but at least you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you did the best you possibly could, and you may learn something from it.” I love this.

I’ve kept this page in mind ever since I first saw it when designing business cards for both myself and clients. Often, less really is more. “The person in the left column is the same as the one in the right column. But we regard them very differently,” Arden says. The person in the left column is saying what he is. The person in the right column is more ambitious. It’s how he wants others to perceive him. How you perceive yourself is how others will perceive you.”

Another powerful sentiment that seems to evaporate as we get older is, “When it can’t be done, do it. If you don’t do it, it doesn’t exist.” Follow through on that crazy idea. Arden says, “A new idea can be either unfamiliar, or silly, or both. It can’t be judged by description. It needs to be done (made) to exist.” The next time you have that brilliant idea that pops into your head at 2 am, write it down, run with it and make it happen.

Finally, the book ends with a list of famous quotes. My personal favorite?

“It’s better to fail in originality, than succeed in imitation.” -Herman Melville

I distinctly remember picking this book up on a lunch break in 2004 when I was working at a shoe store in the mall. I was looking for guidance for my next big move and I remember this book being a breath of fresh air. Arden proclaims that, “Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal it’s difficult to score.” It’s Not How Good You Are… is there to help you make the most of yourself. Are you ready for the challenge?

Every year, as December winds down, I set aside a chunk of time to update my corporate identity. I use this as an opportunity to ask myself what has changed about my brand in the last year and to explore new design influences. Though, this isn’t all for fun — as a freelancer, I require updated invoices and presentation decks, both of which are sent out multiple times a week.

In case you’re curious, here’s a look at my branding from the last few years: 2010, 2009 and 2008. My 2009 identity was featured in a book called Super Identity.

When I update my corporate identity, my goal is to keep it simple — I never want my branding to overpower the work that I am presenting to a client. I did a predominantly black and white identity for many years but in 2010, I needed a big change and added some soft, cool grays into the mix. But, I really do adore the classic simplicity of black and white. It was time to get back to my roots.

I needed a little modification from the past incarnations of my corporate identity, a little something that made it unique and not so slick. In the end, adding bits of handwriting was the answer. Firstly, our handwriting is unique to us as individuals and secondly, we don’t see nearly enough of it now that everyone does everything digitally. Also, I’m not gonna lie — the Bumble and bumble. identity is one of my all-time favorites. All of that scribbly handwriting all over minimal packaging is too much for me to resist.

On nearly all of my branding this year, I made it a point to include my semi-new tagline, Design, Marketing and Style Magnified. Taglines can be incredibly hard to create but they serve a valuable purpose by summing up your brand in a handful of words.

There are some subtle changes in my branding from last year. First off, I’ve dropped the DIN family of type for Trade Gothic, mostly of the Bold Condensed No. 20 variety and the serif is Austin Medium. The ‘light gray,’ while flat last year, has been changed out to a metallic silver swatch. Much of the client information now is stacked in a simple list form instead of dragging on forever in a single line.

Probably the most important component of my collateral is the invoice because without it, I wouldn’t get paid! I never need to print these. Since my clients are scattered all over the globe, I always format them as a PDF and fire them off via email.

CDs and DVDs deserve a bit of drama, don’t you think? Nothing like a splash of black to make these stand out in a sea of paperwork!

For the last few years, I’ve been using mailing labels on all of my packages — they add to a polished look and a great first impression. I print them out on my home printer and use packing tape to attach them. Perhaps someday, I will invest in some with sticky backs but at this point, I don’t use more than a few a month so it wouldn’t be very cost effective.

Branding-wise, not everything got a facelift. Those striped Kors Firebird wedges adorning the backs of my business cards and cover sheets have been a permanent fixture since 2007. To this day, they still sit on a shelf above my desk.

By returning to my identity every year, I can explore areas of growth and experiment with new ideas. As you’ve probably gathered, by the end of the year, after I’ve seen it a million times, I’m ready for the next round of tweaks. And then, the process starts over.

I just finished up the 2010 identity for Nubbytwiglet.com. As a challenge, I create a new version each year. Last year’s can be seen here. The original exploration of the 2010 identity began last October. All of the type is done in two weights of DIN; 1451 Mittelschrift and 1451 Engschrift.

From top to bottom: 1. Double sided square business cards, 2. cover sheet, 3. CD, 4. letterhead, 5. invoice and 6. mailing label.

On Sunday morning, I had the pleasure of taking part in the CRAVE Business Chat: Local Inspiration alongside Sheryl Stewart, Kami Gray and Sandra Colton at Little Urbanites in Portland.

For two hours, we shared our stories with the audience and answered questions about entrepreneurship. CRAVE did a great job of picking an intriguingly diverse cast of speakers. Sheryl Stewart is a local radio personality on 105.1 The Buzz, Kami Gray is a TV / film wardrobe stylist, professional image consultant and author while Sandra Colton is a well known professional dancer, singer and author. Once we began talking, it became apparent that although each of us has taken markedly different career paths, the one thing that tied us together is a sense of passion for what we do.

What I found especially helpful about the CRAVE chat is that each panelist explained how they got started in their respective industries. Often times, when we meet someone and see them for what they are in the present tense, we are left wondering how they achieved their level of success. The women were open and completely willing to share their experiences, both good and bad. The general consensus was that each has put in years of hard work and drilled down their focus to a specific niche. Though highly accomplished in their respective fields now, it was refreshing to hear that none of the panelists were overnight successes. And, some had previous careers that bear no direct relation to their businesses now.

Sometimes, professional networking events can gloss over the hard work it took someone to get where they are and simply refer to a larger-than-life bio of accomplishments. All of the CRAVE ladies kept it real, answered every audience question and even admitted that the balance between work and family is as tough as it seems.

We all noted that while it’s okay to have multiple interests, there still needs to be a commonality that pulls them together into a more defined niche. For instance, though I blog, it is often about design and marketing; the focus tends to revolve around my interests and lifestyle. If you try to cover too many areas and be too many things to too many people, chances are that you will spread yourself too thin and lack a general direction.

To promote their careers, each of the panelists has taken an increased interest in social media to promote their businesses and most of the questions I answered pertained to this topic. I was lucky that I got an early start with blogging (back in 2001) and many of the people I befriended during those years later became influencers in their niches. When I began blogging full-time in 2007, I was still in school and also interning at an ad agency. I didn’t wait until my image or theme were perfect; I didn’t wait until I had more free time; I just jumped in. As time progressed, I was able to drill down to specific topics, columns and content that I wanted pursue. Just like everything, blogging is a natural progression. Online content is constantly shifting and changing. My advice to a few of the audience members was to get started as soon as possible; you can always make refinements as you go.

Entrepreneurship is amazing because it’s completely open-ended. It’s up to you to dream up an idea for your business, to define boundaries, to develop a name and to set your sights on the customer base you’d like to target. Sure, there are general guidelines that you may want to follow, but beyond that, the sky’s the limit. This is precisely what makes entrepreneurship so exciting….and scary.

As a start-up, it’s okay to not throw yourself 100% into your business right away. The reality is that most of us don’t have the means to survive off of what we do immediately. It takes time to build a brand and it’s not fun to be stressed out over money while you’re getting up and running. A local jewelry designer shared her story about how she also keeps another, more stable job while she is building and expanding her business. For many years, I worked jobs completely unrelated to design while in school and interned at an agency before I really took what I did and turned it into a full-time gig.

Some people have a seemingly unlimited pool of luck and talent and their businesses take off right away. I am a little bit more structured and ‘old school’ in my approach; I’ve always felt that slow and steady wins the race. Take your time, define your focus and don’t expect immediate success. Build your business to last.

CRAVE has made me realize how many inspiring women (and men) are out there making their dreams a reality. It’s not easy, but you can do it all. It is possible to have a career, relationship / family and a house. Sure, there are times when your work & life balance will be totally out of whack, but the people who love you and are really looking out for your well being will do their best to be patient and supportive.

In the last year, one of my primary goals has been to work on this balance and in the process, I’ve grown closer with my core support system. The people that couldn’t handle the long hours and sometimes stressful situations have left my life and the ones that believed in what I am doing have filled in the gaps. You can’t just turn off your dreams. If you believe in what you’re doing and share that vision with the world, eventually that energy will come back to you.

In the meet and greet afterwards, I noticed that almost all of the attendees had brought along business cards. Some people claim that they’re so last century but I cannot stress the importance of business cards enough. From an entrepreneurial perspective, my first ever freelance job came to me after I handed a photographer my card in a New York club. The magazine I designed for him helped me get one of my next jobs. On Sunday, as we all exchanged cards, I ended up with the contact information of many local business owners and students, some of which have services and products that I may very well seek out in the future.

I’d also like to point out that the power of face-to face networking is still very much alive and important in this digitally obsessed society. Many of the business owners in the audience claimed that they’ve made some of their biggest sales and built repertoires by simply walking around their neighborhoods and introducing themselves. You never know who you’re going to meet. People have walked into my living room and changed my life. It’s really amazing how simply opening yourself up and putting yourself out into the world can cause a total shift in your life.

Entrepreneurship is about more than just being your own boss. It’s about getting to do what you love every day. As Sandra Colton noted, everyone has a unique talent and outlook. Anyone can do anything they want. The defining difference is that some people dream and plan while other people actually go out and make those dreams a reality. As an entrepreneur, hard work and long hours are inevitable in the beginning. But when you’re truly passionate about what you’re doing, it doesn’t seem like work at all.

Over the last few months, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Buffalo, New York based photographer Luke Copping. His images are sharp, engaging and stylish and he needed an identity to match.

Of his work, Luke says:

My images are all about style, creating it and changing it. I make beauty and fashion images that are elegant, unique, and sensorial. I love to apply the aesthetics of beauty and fashion to create quirky offbeat portraits of artists and musicians too. I work with clients ranging from the corporate to the counterculture who appreciate the high energy, humor, artful simplicity, and subtle alternative twist I bring to their projects.

When we started the process, Luke provided me with an outline of dream clients, magazines he’d like to work with and various interests to give me a better idea of the direction we should go in. Luke also likes medical imagery so in the end, we went with a red cross symbol made of L’s that could stand in as a watermark on his photographs. We did his name in varying weights of Avant Garde since it is clean and legible at fairly small sizes.

Once the logo was completed, I designed three introduction sheets for each of Luke’s portfolios for music, beauty and style. Each of these were printed on legal-sized white sheets with the logo centered.

Every month, Luke sends out emails with images of his work and a link to his site so we worked to design a template in both horizontal and vertical formats that could be easily switched out every month. These are actually digital but would look great eventually printed as oversized promo cards.

Moving forward, we just finished double-sided business cards. Luke just sent me a stack and I love how he used a gloss finish on the photo side and a matte finish on the information side which is helpful when you need to jot down additional information for a client.

Since the logo has been completed, Luke has pulled the branding through the rest of his business including his website and blog.

It’s been a pleasure working with Luke over the last few months and in closing, the above images are some of his favorites of 2009. Thanks, Luke!

On Monday night, I was invited to be part of the Creating A Killer Portfolio panel discussion at PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art) and shared my experiences with creating a portfolio and building a freelance design business. The conversation was moderated by Kelly Coller, the founder of OFFICE PDX, a business specializing in portfolio covers and design goods.

Currently a marketing director at a multidisciplinary design firm, Kelly has worked with clients including Apple, Starbucks, Nike, Purina and Whirlpool. She has been doing business development, marketing and branding for over fifteen years for internationally-recognized design firms in architecture, industrial and retail design. During this time, Kelly has has put together over 2,000 portfolios for client pitches. And, as if that’s not enough, she has met, critiqued, hired and / or turned down 500 to 1,000 creatives. In short, this woman knows what she is talking about!

Kelly started out the discussion with a quick summary of how to create a killer portfolio. I found her information about formatting do’s and dont’s especially helpful. Kelly relayed that a simple portfolio cover is fine for showcasing your work (I am a big fan of Pina Zangaro). Projects mounted to cards and fancy, handmade books are much harder for an interviewer to navigate and can show wear. Additionally, a portfolio cover with pages is nice because projects can be quickly reprinted without much fuss.

Also, Kelly had some advice regarding how much work you should show when making initial contact with a client. She said that the first correspondence should be kept short and sweet; emailing a PDF ‘teaser’ with 1 to 3 pages is fine. If a client shows an interest, it’s then okay to show more. But, save the full scope of your work for the actual meeting. If you give it all away immediately, there are no surprises left!

For the second half of the discussion, Kelly and I had a Q&A session. Here are some of the questions she asked and a quick summary of my responses:

I’ve been actively freelancing since 2005. Some of the clients I have worked with both on my own and in an agency setting have included Forever 21, Virgin, Nike, New Line Cinema, Skullcandy, Smith Optics and Fuel TV. Currently, I run my design business full-time and split my time working with my own clients as well as a handful of agencies around town.

Originally, I wanted to attend PNCA for fine art, but my lack of interest in drawing or painting made that route difficult. In 2000, I wasn’t aware that graphic design was an option and decided to go to school for business instead. In 2006, I decided to go back to school for graphic design and graduated in 2008 from a two-year community college program.

For a print portfolio, I try to limit the content to no more than 10 to 12 single page projects with an absolute max of 15 pages if there are some with multiple layouts. It’s important to remember that the interviewer’s time is extremely valuable and that you may have a half hour total to meet. Because of this, you should be able to talk your way through the entire portfolio in 15 minutes or less. If you’re in New York, chances are that you’ll have less than 5 minutes, so be prepared and practice!

For initial contact, I email a PDF version of my portfolio and resumé. Agencies are busy and these days, art directors and the people in charge don’t have time to flip through many unsolicited books; a PDF is quick and relatively painless. Once a meeting has been set up, my print portfolio and a selection of physical samples (products, catalogs, etc.) come out at that time.

It’s nice to include a brief description about each project in your portfolio. One to four sentences should be sufficient. Remember to include the project title / overview and client name as well. If you’re going to include any in-depth sketches and further insight regarding your solution, this may be better suited for an accompanying process book.

I have always used an 11 x 17 format for my print portfolio with a Pina Zangaro presentation book in Vista Snow. I had a unique situation when I graduated because I didn’t have to show my portfolio to potential employers. I was hired immediately by the agency I’d interned with so my portfolio was literally delegated to the back of my closet until a year into my career. This spring, I finally began the process of reworking and updating the contents and I am probably on my fifth revision.

When you’re in school and building your portfolio, chances are that you want to ‘wow’ everyone. But with time, you may realize that simple really is better. Plain backgrounds and minimal type will let the projects that you’re showcasing speak for themselves.

When I began showing my portfolio, I was really conscious of replacing most of my school projects with client work as soon as possible. I wanted to show that I could handle real world briefs, feedback and deadlines and I think that this helped me immensely. One note: when showing your portfolio, ALWAYS turn it to face the client, even if you’re flipping through the pages for them.

I’ve been incredibly blessed to have almost all of my work come to me directly through my blog and word of mouth. After discussing the scope with a potential client, I follow up through email or over the phone. I work remotely with almost all of my personal clients.

With my personal clients, communicaiton is made over the phone or through email. With agencies, we try to set up in-person meetings as often as possible. Each interview is different, but it’s important to dress the part, to be on time, to have a portfolio that isn’t too precious (it’s meant to be flipped through, after all!) and to always be honest about what you can and can’t do; the design world is smaller than you think! Naturally, a big chunk of your interview is based on what you can do and how good your portfolio is. The other part is much more subtle and often personality–based; do you fit in with the corporate environment and can you get along with the team? Are you a hard worker and can you handle agency hours?

I keep a daily planner with due dates and a list of projects that need to be done, dutifully save every business receipt in date order and invoice my clients immediately once the job is finished so that I don’t forget! I am pretty lo-fi in this area and try to keep things as simple as possible.

When I am working with my own clients, I usually do everything on my own unless there’s a need for a web developer. I have a huge network of friends that are all a phone call away, so if more help is needed in the future, I can find it very quickly. I like balancing working on my own with time spent at agencies. Being in a collaborative environment with other designers and art directors really helps push the boundaries of what seems possible.

Marketing is one of my passions, so this is one of the favorite parts of running my business. I always carry business cards and stickers with me and have actually gotten jobs by handing them out. I also blog five days a week, regularly share my portfolio with placement agencies, designed my own media kit and make a point to go out and network with people I know in the industry. My business is very much personality-based and as a designer, it’s okay to let people know who you are. Go out of your way to make that personal connection!

Thank you to PNCA, Kelly Coller and Jason Resch for making this seminar possible.

Often, I receive questions from my readers resembling the one below:

I am a graphic designer that recently graduated and I just got a design job a few weeks ago. Eventually, I hope to be able to freelance. I was wondering how one should go about freelancing. What was your transition like going from working for a company to becoming a freelancer?

Freelancing can be a hugely rewarding experience but it also takes a strong sense of knowing who you are as a designer and where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Looking back, my transition from working full-time to freelancing was about a six month long process. Though I already had my own clients including Virgin Records and Forever 21, it took some serious time to rework my portfolio, resumé and blog. Once these components were updated, I moved on to making appointments with placement agencies and potential clients.

When starting any new business, the first year is usually the hardest. It has the potential to make or break you. You have to be extremely focused and driven; working around the clock should be expected. This is your future, after all!

Below, I’ve compiled a list of tips to help you navigate the often murky waters of freelancing.

Before you jump into the world of freelancing, remember the golden rule: NEVER put all of your eggs in one basket. As a freelancer, do not depend on one source for all of your income. At some point in your career, you’re bound to hit a snag and lose a client; don’t let your business crumble because of it! I am incredibly lucky that I have never had to do a pitch to gain potential clients. I’ve always made it a point to diversify my clients into three areas and because of this, the work has been very consistent. The three areas are as follows:

01. Personal Clients. My personal clients find me via word of mouth or through my blog and contact me directly.

02. Ad Agencies. A few local agencies are familiar with my work and if they are in need of help in the studio, they give me a call. Sometimes, it’s just for a day while other engagements can stretch on for weeks at a time.

03. Placement Agencies. It is always helpful to have your portfolio on file at as many placement agencies as possible. The agencies are a fantastic resource because they WANT to help you to find work. I work closely with three agencies in Portland and New York. All of my agents are super friendly and call or meet with me on a regular basis. Agents are also a great resource for a recommendation if you land an interview since they tend to be on a first-name basis with many of the best firms and ad agencies in your city.

There are other ways of branching out to find work as well including searching freelance job boards and Craigslist, but I don’t have direct experience in either to vouch for the results. Use at your own risk!

There are probably a million other freelancers out there. What makes you stand apart from the competition? Look and act like you mean business and have a clean, well executed portfolio. A solid web presence helps, too. Make sure you have a print and PDF version of your resumé and portfolio readily available. Need some tips? Seven Tips for Creating a Print-Based Portfolio can help!

Though most of my freelance work is generated through working at local ad agencies and taking on my own clients, I also keep my portfolio on file with a few placement agencies. The bottom line is this: if your portfolio is solid and you have a non-abrasive personality, you will get called. Remember to keep your agent in the loop by letting them know when you’ve updated your work.

Placement agencies are noticeably different in every city. In Portland, the agents really want to get to know you. They slowly flip through your book and ask questions about your background, what your strengths are and where you’ve worked. It’s a very intimate, one-on-one meeting. The goal of these longer meetings is to make sure that they find the right fit for you work-wise. The agents know that if you’re happy, you will more than likely make their clients happy and they will want to keep you around.

On the other hand, in New York, it took me longer to fill out an application than my entire meeting. I walked into a well-known placement agency this August and after a quick handshake, the agent flipped through my book so fast that I had to stop her repeatedly to point out various accomplishments. I secretly wondered if she’d even noticed half of it. But, those New Yorkers have a sharp eye. They really are all-knowing. After closing my book, she got up, raced across the office and within five minutes, I had agents offering to pitch me to Showtime, The Food Network, and perhaps best of all, for an art director position at a rap mogul’s ad agency. My mind was boggled. New York, I love you!

If you get offered a fantastic paying job that happens to not be part of your core skill set, it is better to pass versus taking it on, disappointing a client and never getting called again. If the client is looking for a retoucher and you usually spend your days designing logos, ask yourself if it is a good fit not only for you, but for them. I’ve turned down a job to create iPhone icons and days later, picked up another that involved a type-based project for the Wall Street Journal. Never feel bad for saying no; there is always more work lurking around the corner.

This is all common sense but is worth repeating. If you’re freelancing at an agency, show up at the predetermined time. If you’re running late (this happens to everyone at some point), call ahead and let them know when they can expect you. Bring the necessities; some things that I always carry with me are pens, snacks, headphones and a notebook full of tutorials and key commands.

In a way, as a freelancer, you are the equivalent of a guest staying at someone’s house. You are welcome, but don’t overstep your boundaries. Leave your space in the same condition that it was in when you arrived.

First impressions are everything. Though talent is important, personality plays a huge part in getting call-backs. You may be the most amazing freelancer ever, but if you don’t work well with others and are argumentative, people will notice. Remember that you’re getting paid to complete a job, not to change the world!

When I am freelancing, I am never afraid to ask a question. It is ALWAYS better to ask and get clarification than to jump in, accidentally overwrite important documents, screw up someone’s files or waste valuable time in general. Asking a question doesn’t make you look like an idiot. On the contrary, it should be viewed as an affirmation that you are committed to getting the job done right the first time.

If you’re freelancing at an agency, always check in and thank them at the end of the day. Once you’re finished, let your contact know where your finished work is located and thank them for calling you in. It’s okay to reach out and ask if they need any further help at that time as well.

Once your work is complete, as a freelancer, it is usually your responsibility to bill the client. If you don’t invoice them, you don’t get paid. Your rate is based on a multitude of factors including your level of experience, your skill set and how desperate you are for work (let’s be honest!).

Remember to ask who is in charge of payments and forward them a copy of your invoice. Items that you may want to include on your invoice are the number of hours you worked, the dates you worked, your rate, the client or job description, an invoice number, the total and perhaps most importantly, your contact information along with a mailing address.

For more freelancing information, I highly recommend reading Freelance Switch, Freelance Feed and Guerrilla Freelancing. And, How To Be A Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessey is full of timeless advice, much of which can be directly related to freelancing.

Readers: Are any of you freelancers? How long have you been freelancing? What do you enjoy about it? What have been your best, most rewarding experiences? What have been your worst?

I am currently in the beginning stages of formulating the look of my 2010 Identity. I’ve decided to drop Helvetica and switch to DIN for a sans serif typeface. And for a serif, I’m considering Bodoni Ultra. The black and white palette will most likely shift to a series of grays. Some older elements like the Kors Firebird wedges that have been featured in my blog header and business cards will return on some pieces, as will the portrait from my 2009 media kit.

The look I settle on will carry across my blog, media kit, portfolio, presentation decks and promotional materials. More to come as the look progresses!