Pros and Cons of Working as an Independent Illustrator in India!

There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages of working independently as an illustrator in the creative field in India.

The advantages are plenty - In India, the need for illustration work has increased over the years so there's definitely a lot of scope and demand for the work, and when you work independently you can work on multiple projects with various companies simultaneously, so it's always creatively challenging.

You also have a lot of the advantages that come with freelancing - flexible schedule, not being tied down to a 9-5 schedule, being your own boss etc. What I like about working independently as opposed to working in-house or as a part of a company is that I can be very hands-on with the work that I do, and be very involved from the start of the project to the end - whereas in a studio setting the work is usually split between multiple people or compartmentalised.

However the same independence can also work as a disadvantage - you often have to take care of everything on your own and wear multiple hats, which can be quite taxing. In addition to all the creative work that has to be carried out, you also have to have at least a basic knowledge of contract writing and reading, invoicing, accounting, etc.

In India, especially, companies and clients that hire illustrators are just starting to understand the amount of work that goes into illustration and the value that it adds to projects.