This month in my newsletter I talked about love. And what you’re about to read is, for me, 100% love: the constancy of devoting yourself to a goal every day and committing to reach it can’t be called anything else.
Chasing a creative goal can be hard if you don’t have a plan. The 100-day challenge is a way to move forward steadily, step by step, towards any goal: improving your technique, creating more, publishing content or getting in touch with clients and collaborators.
I want to share my process with you in the hope that, in some way, it might help you.
1. Define your goals
My goals have changed over the years. My interests used to be more one-directional; now, after a lot of trying, I realise I’m not an illustrator made to work in just one field. I like change, taking on new challenges and approaching illustration from every angle.
I work in different fields, so my goals are:
- agencies
- magazines
- books
- posters and advertising illustration
- product illustration / packaging
- shops and stockists
If your goals aren’t clear yet, I invite you to dream big, brainstorm and put it all in writing.
2. Move through the world like a gold prospector
Keep your ears open and your eyes alert. Scrolling through Instagram, searching on Google or walking down the street, you may come across potential clients.
Things I pay attention to:
- posters
- shop windows
- Instagram posts
- Google searches
- other people’s work
Every time you find
something interesting: write it down!
3. Transcribe and organise
In my case, I write everything down in Google Sheets and I created separate lists for:
- agencies
- books
- posters / advertising illustration
- product illustration / packaging
- shops and stockists
And one last list called 100 Days Challenge, where I write down the names of all the people or companies I’ve contacted.
I also have a folder on Instagram called “collaboration” where I save potential collaborators.
4. Give each daily action the right amount of time
I spend about half an hour every morning.
Every day I write a personalised email to a client. Trying to save time by copying and pasting the same message doesn’t work: this is an act of love and it has to be done with attention and care… although, to be honest, sometimes I get carried away by too much love and write 2, 3, even 5 a day… what matters is writing at least one a day.
5. Look at the results
The results can be surprising.
By day 5 I had already received:
- a positive reply that led to a signed contract
- another positive reply that I decided to turn down because the budget was too low
- a negative reply from an agency that still valued my work very highly
On day 10 I signed a contract for a very big job (which I’ll tell you about later) and started working with a new shop in Barcelona (a goal I’d had for a long time). Some of the companies I wrote to replied saying they’ve added me to their database for future work… and I’m sure much more is on its way.
For me, that already proves the method works. Even a negative reply can turn into something positive.
The contract I signed is for a project I’ve always dreamed of doing. If I hadn’t made the first move, it would never have come to me ♥
Artist of the month
Every month I devote a space to an artist connected to the theme of my newsletter. This month’s theme was LOVE.
Let me introduce you to Milana.
Clara Fernández, known as Milana, born in Hellín (Albacete), has been making collages for nine years, exploring the technique publicly and steadily for eight.
Her work grows out of contemplating women, old crafts, childhood, motherhood and love, always filtered through the magic of nature. From it spring imaginary worlds where nature is at the heart of everything, a stage where fantasy and reality intertwine.
A lover of analogue photography and illustration, Milana turns her collages into a language of her own, a space where the deepest feelings and ideas take shape and delicately intertwine, creating universes where everything has a place.
And I’ll leave you with this wonder. If you take up the challenge, let me know: leave a comment or email me. And if you’d like to subscribe to my newsletter to receive my letters, reflections and discounts, click here.
a hug,
Andrea
