1. It is going to be hard to get clients and work at first.
When you take that leap of working on your own instead of for a studio, unless you have made many connections from previously working at a studio, you will not gain work right away, especially if you are fresh out of school or are self taught. This is because you are being compared to other freelance 3D artists who have worked longer than you and have more experience and more work in their reels. To combat this you need to have more complicated and detailed personal projects that show your skill set and be active in showing your work online.
2. Always ask for a down payment.
When you get your first client you will be so excited that someone sees you as a professional and you will want to get started right away. However, especially since most of your clients you will meet and communicate with online instead of in person, you need to ask for a down payment first. It does not matter how trustworthy your client seems, the last thing you want is to put in so much work in a model and send it to a client only to hear crickets afterwards and not receive payment. This also helps in making sure that you were paid for your time just in case the client decides that they no longer want your services before the project is finished.
3. Be honest about how much time it will take you to finish a model.
If your client asks you to model a complicated fortress by the end of the day and you know that you need at least a week, tell your client. Do not make promises that you know you cannot keep which can tarnish your reputation as a freelancer. Also there are going to be clients that will think that you are a magician and expect you to produce work at super speed. It is okay to turn down a client who has unrealistic expectations of how much time a project takes.
4. Do not take on projects that are against your morals.
You will come across projects that, of course, you will not like but it is a job and you have to complete your tasks but if a project does not sit well with you because it is against your morals do not take on the project. They want you to model for an animation that sexually objectifies women? Say no thank you. The animation glorifies a destructive lifestyle? Let them know that you are not the freelancer for that project. Money is important but your core values are more important.
5. You can do more than you think you can do.
As a freelancer you should know your capabilities but also know that there are things outside your comfort zone that you can model that you may not realize. If you mainly model just assets and a client asks for you to model a whole room? Go for it. You can be honest and tell your client that you have not done such a project before but do not sell yourself short.
6. Do not take on way more than you can handle.
As a 3D artist you should be coming out of your comfort zone but do not be unrealistic of your current skill set just to say yes to a client. If you have never made a character before and only have made environments do not character model for a client until you have studied how to and practised character modeling on your own. If you are not able to model something it is not because you lack the ability to do so you just have not developed that skill yet. Just continue working on your skillset while only taking on projects that focus on your strengths.
Conclusion
As a 3D artist you want to be able to take on as many opportunities as you can but always remember that not every opportunity is a good one or a good one for you. Know when to say yes and know when to say no.
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