Questions to Jack Teagle

Have you got an agent? if so, has anything changed? if not, why?

Yeah, I've got an agent, I used to have a very relaxed relationship with the YCN, I was on their books, but I only got about 2 jobs in a year. Handsome Frank approached me, and I signed up with them about a year ago. I didn't get much through from them, only pitches and no paid work. The YCN then started to change direction, and wanted people to go onto their books full time, since I was with them longer, I decided to leave Handsome Frank and go with them. I've had a few jobs with them, and it's been worth sticking with them, but they do take quite a hefty cut of 30% of the jobs for tracking them down for me.

Do you make more money from your commissions or the stuff you sell on your shop (comics, prints)

I make a lot more from commissions, they're bigger jobs, and you're only putting money into materials like paints, instead of production costs and prints. The online shop is worth doing though, sometimes you'll have slow weeks, and shop sales can help to keep you going.

Is there anything I could do now to help me in the future?

Getting in touch with people in the industry is a good start. Get to know other students at other universities and across the world, use the internet to share your work and ideas. This is where I started, and as a result, I've been able to meet other artists I spoke to online, take part in exhibitions, and in some cases it got me jobs. The best thing you can do is to work your hardest and have fun with it.

Reflection

As you can see from the first answer, Jack Teagle is with he illustration agency YCN. He says that the commission % is rather high at 30%. It is not an agency i have looked into but i definitely will in the future.

I don't think Jack Teagle has a another job other than illustration. When he started out he did get job seekers allowance but now can support himself thought his illustrations and is doing quite well.

From the answer to the first question, It seem that the relationship and your approach to your agency is vital to getting work regularly. Also it seems like there is a great deal of trial and error at the start when finding a agency that works for you. It seems many people move from one agency to another before settling at one.

I would like to try and act on what Jack has said in his last answer about getting hold of people. I want to start getting in contact with other people with the industry. I want to get my blog properly up and running and use that as a way to meet people. I will try definitely over the summer to contact some people as I'm quite busy and the blog is bait thin on the ground.