How to get into the industry as an artist/graphic designer?

[Szechuan]

I'm an artist with a concentration in graphic design and I was wondering, does anyone have any advice on how to get a foot in the door for creating things for companies? I've been obsessed with skating forever and would love to make art for the thing I love full time. I live nowhere near Cali or NYC hence why I'm asking, as I figured if anywhere would have advice it would be SLAP.

[chodekaka]

I dunno what forum you’ve been on for the last 72 posts but you figured wrong if you think anyone here has tangible advice on how you can break into the skateboarding industry. You don’t know how to market your art and reach out? Jamie Thomas was just hiring a graphic designer and a filmer on Instagram like a month ago. Get a job in shipping or warehouse or whatever you can and work your way in. Also being obsessed with skateboarding doesn’t make you at all qualified or entitled to make money in the industry without skills that pay the bills and you’re pretty naive because it’s a lot to do with who you know and friends/networking if you don’t have any skills on a board. Maybe doublesteveburger would have something to say because he’s had his art on a board but there’s no secret it’s like trying to be an artist anywhere else everyone successful has usually followed a different path. Sorry if this is mean ignore me if you want what the fuck do I know anyways.

[Szechuan]

I dunno what forum you’ve been on for the last 72 posts but you figured wrong if you think anyone here has tangible advice on how you can break into the skateboarding industry. You don’t know how to market your art and reach out? Jamie Thomas was just hiring a graphic designer and a filmer on Instagram like a month ago. Get a job in shipping or warehouse or whatever you can and work your way in. Also being obsessed with skateboarding doesn’t make you at all qualified or entitled to make money in the industry without skills that pay the bills and you’re pretty naive because it’s a lot to do with who you know and friends/networking if you don’t have any skills on a board. Maybe doublesteveburger would have something to say because he’s had his art on a board but there’s no secret it’s like trying to be an artist anywhere else everyone successful has usually followed a different path. Sorry if this is mean ignore me if you want what the fuck do I know anyways.

Nah I totally get all that. I know it's all internet presence and being around the right people mixed with alot of luck. I just figured maybe someone on here might have made it happen without being on the inside and had some words to share. I knew my chances were low but it was worth a shot 

[franc]

Start by drawing boards, wheels, tees or things like that for local companies. Those small companies are probably going to be stoked on having a local skater creating something for them and once you'll have done this, your portfolio is gonna look better, at least in the eyes of people who run bigger brands.

Deluxe were hiring a designer a year or two ago, so keep looking for any ads they might post on Instagram.

And try to contact the companies you like the most, send them projects you specifically drew for them. Sending the same illustration with a different logo is gonna look bad, but you know that.

[Szechuan]

Start by drawing boards, wheels, tees or things like that for local companies. Those small companies are probably going to be stoked on having a local skater creating something for them and once you'll have done this, your portfolio is gonna look better, at least in the eyes of people who run bigger brands.

Deluxe were hiring a designer a year or two ago, so keep looking for any ads they might post on Instagram.

And try to contact the companies you like the most, send them projects you specifically drew for them. Sending the same illustration with a different logo is gonna look bad, but you know that.

Thanks man those are all solid ideas. Sadly I live in northern Alabama so they're aren't really any local companies, but Nashville and ATL are only a few hours away so I'll definitely look into that.

[franc]

You're welcome! Good luck.

[Jehoshaphat Augustus]

Your best bet is to keep your eyes on the prize, make as much appealing skate content as you can!

Even though it's great for ladies with big asses, instagram is intended for people like yourself who want to show people their design skills. If I were you, I'd try to start "brands" (separate instas/twitters/even slaps) for certain motifs that people can immediately identify as yours.

As stated, I'd straight up DM the dudes on social media you think would be psyched on and tag the rest you don't have the balls/energy to contact...that being said, i'd prepare to lose heroes. I can only begin to imagine this is a grueling, soul-selling, whoring, process, however, if your work is dope, you probably won't spend long haggling.

it seems that showing your Passion/Skills while showing your thirst (3rd as important) will do nothing but help your "portfolio" grow before someone comes to calling.

Just got to pull the trigger & start doing it & don't give up and don't listen to stymied hurtboys who obviously press a big green "cycle start" button, 50 hours a week for a benefit-less occupation.

Good Luck! let us know how you dooo! 

[TwisT]

When I was younger I got interview offers, but I was not in California. You really need to consider moving closer to industry. Atleast Nowadays online interviews are more common. Also look for positions at giant brands that are Skate adjacent doing work other than creating art. Layout design, photo retouching, marketing.

[Willie]

Show them a portfolio of your stuff. Don't just ask if they need an artist.

[Sleazy]

work for money, skate for fun... at least that's what i do. no point in taking a hit on your hustle so you can tinker with your hobby all day.

[WarmUpZone]

I'm an artist with a concentration in graphic design and I was wondering, does anyone have any advice on how to get a foot in the door for creating things for companies? I've been obsessed with skating forever and would love to make art for the thing I love full time. I live nowhere near Cali or NYC hence why I'm asking, as I figured if anywhere would have advice it would be SLAP.

Don't do it. Maybe if you build a big enough reputation as an artist you can get a contract gig for a series of boards or t-shirts and that sounds great, but being a staff artist for a skate company is brutal. It may seem prestigious since a lot of popular contemporary artists were house artists before their careers took off (Jeremy Fish, Don Pendleton, Mike Giant, Twist...), but the reality of the situation is often quite different. The Jim Philips career just doesn't really happen unless you are part owner of the company or something.

If you like making graphic art all day for very little pay, then go for it. Then you can also perhaps feel the joy of seeing one of your logo designs get really popular, sell tens of thousands of shirts and hundreds of thousands of stickers, and you get... nothing.

I heard Mike Giant was getting paid less then $10 an hour when he made the Think tag logo they used throughout their entire run as a company. Matt O'Brien got $50 for his Slap angel design logo. No idea who did the Spitfire logo or the Thrasher logo, but rest assured they got nothing. If somebody knows more details or other examples of this, post it up.

This isn't abnormal at all. I'm not trying to shame skate companies for hiring artists and not cutting them in on percentage points on their work. This is the life of an artist for hire in a small and not very profitable industry. It may seem like a grunt job in the skate industry (artist, warehouse dude, sales rep) would be awesome cuz at least you're working in the skate industry, but other than some free gear here and there, it really is just another shit job.

Be careful of bitching up your passion. You just may learn to hate both art making and the skate industry.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

[Big Baby Jesus]

Good luck. Feel like this more than any industry skatings a good old boys club.

[Sleazy]

warm up zone was hitting on the same points as me. i'm a programmer and the equivalent for me would be to go get a job programming video games. it ends up being shit pay, long hours and at the end of the day when you have your production hat on it all kind of feels the same anyway. it's much better to aim at the jobs\contracts that pay the most and then dump into lifestyle projects on the weekend if it's that important to you. i used to run skate websites and zines on the weekends and after ours for a few years and it was rewarding but during the day it was all about making the most money so i could chill in my off time.

[perverted super otaku!]

reminds me of getting drunk and stoned with a cousin recently and he was talking about how he kinda wishes he did something more artistic but then realized that he makes like 20 grand in a couple weeks doing gnarly pipe-fitting shit in alberta then can live like a king and do whatever the fuck he wants for as long as he makes the money last

[Salty Lame Ass Poosey]

Don’t

[Szechuan]

Sorry for the late response I've been working a gnarly double today. Thanks for all the different views and ideas on the subject, I really do appreciate it. I'm just going to continue working on my portfolio and finish up school so I'll have as many options as possible.

[doublesteveburger]

You are not a brand, you are a human being. Have a good work ethic, a solid portfolio and be realistic with your work. Not everything you make is gold so don't treat it like so.

Don't listen to anyone either, including me.

[Allez_Jambon]

I feel most are production designers. Look at some of the catalogs like Real for example. The graphics aren’t great and it’s logo treatments. It ain’t really art but it is putting that degree to work.

Occasionally they’ll do a one off which comes out sick but I feel it might be a guest artist. Idk.

Or there’s art directors who curate a brands style like quasi or polar. Those ideas come from somebody’s brain they particularly trust and like. However a brand can be taken over by replicated horse shit like toy machines transistor doing a bunch of dumb shot or gonz schmoo redrawn and digitized.

Then there’s the other necessary stuff like catalog, advertising, and Web design where I fit in. Again it’s probably under an existing aesthetic from and art director, which is a loose term in skateboarding because then Dill would be the art director for FA. Sure that’s his reaponsobility but I doubt even he’s call himself that title. Idk I’m just eating dinner right now and wanted to reply.

[Szechuan]

For sure and I guess the reason I was interested is of rather be making logos and page layouts for something I care about as opposed to say like AT&T or some other faceless corporation. I've given myself a 2 year window to make my portfolio as good as i possibly can so I've got time to make contacts and network etc.

[Vert Reynolds]

I know one of the Berrics "Filmer" interns was driving 5-6 round trip just to film Pro-Bono STeeze

[lexington]

I agree with whoever said work with local brands first. Find a small brand that you can work with directly. Ideally you'll have less hassle and will be able to do your own thing as opposed to a bigger brand where you have to continue whatever Art Direction is in place. Also local shops, as a lot of local shops produce a grip of softgoods these days. Neither of these will pay the bills, but you should be paid something and at least have all the product that you want. Think of it as being a sponsored designer. Then if you absolutely love designing skateboards, and want to work for a big brand, you've got a portfolio of existing boards and whatever else to show...

[Szechuan]

I agree with whoever said work with local brands first. Find a small brand that you can work with directly. Ideally you'll have less hassle and will be able to do your own thing as opposed to a bigger brand where you have to continue whatever Art Direction is in place. Also local shops, as a lot of local shops produce a grip of softgoods these days. Neither of these will pay the bills, but you should be paid something and at least have all the product that you want. Think of it as being a sponsored designer. Then if you absolutely love designing skateboards, and want to work for a big brand, you've got a portfolio of existing boards and whatever else to show...

That's the route I was planning on in the short term at least. Once I build up my portfolio more I'm going to start shopping ideas around the surrounding areas like Nashville, Birmingham and Atlanta and see how it goes from there. I would love to move to the west coast but don't necessarily have the funds or connections out there to do so currently, so this seems like the most reasonable option for my situation.

[Leaky McBurnside]

https://www.malakye.com/

Start here.

Its the Skate/Snow/Surf/Outdoor industry job website. They host job fairs at Agenda/OR/SIA