Questions to Phillip Harris

• How did you get your agent? Since having an agent, has anything changed?

I got my agent through sending out emails asking various agencies if they would be interested in representing me. I included some examples of my work in the emails and also some links to my website and blog. To be completely honest I have had 2 agents and both of them have got me little to no work. Not sure if I have just got stuck with ones that aren't very motivated but I have heard a few illustrator's mention that they have had similar problems in the past.

• Have you got much work since you left uni? How did you find it?

I have had a few jobs but not enough to use illustration to support myself. Most of my work has come from emailing people or companies to ask if they would be interested in any of my work. Some of the commissions have come randomly through people stumbling across my website or chatting to people when I'm out and about.

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

In my personal experience I have found that keeping a good online presents is pretty essential to getting people interested in your work. Emailing people you would like to work for with examples of work, can be a good way to get commissions. Without hassling people too much, it's always good to updated people with new work. Sending out a kind of mini portfolio round to places can also be beneficial because it's not as disposal as an email can be, if you send a collection of portfolio type post cards they can hang around the office or studio and remind them of your work or get circulated between there colleagues which can also be beneficial.
So I terms of things to do now to help in the future, I guess the best advice I can give is try and build up a web of contacts though self promotion.

Reflection

I know that Phillip Harris is currently with Inky illustrations which is a illustration agency that I have looked into within this unit. That agency seemed the best for me out of the ones i looked into.

He does have a second job and that is a tattoo apprentice working, i believe, 5 days a week. There is alot of money in tattoos and art surrounding that area of art. This is a path that i wouldn't mind heading down if illustration does not pay off.

From both the first and the second questions, I get the same idea that finding a agency that works for you is all about trail and error till you find one. As Phillip says he has had to agencies and got little work from possibly a unmotivated agency. He goes on to say in his second answer about commissions that he has found work of his own back by emailing people and companies asking for work and getting interest around the artworks. Again, Similar to Jack, he says that he has got work from having talked to people and making contacts. He also mentions the website and that getting him work. I need to get my blog up and running properly which will help me to get my name out there and also work.

The third answer carries this on, he says it is important to self promote yourself through the web and blogs. I want to use my blog to collect contacts and get my work and name out there. I would also like to do the sending on post cards to some companies just to get my work known. I will do this before the end of the summer to get my name out there. The main theme and idea i get is self promotion is vital and should always be kept on top of to be successful.