When I first became a freelancer, I had already been posting my work online and building a following for about 6 years. This meant that there was already some interest in my work by the time I graduated animation school. However, the jobs I did were all over the place and not always the best fit for me! It was often low-paid. Sometimes I had enough work, and sometimes I had nothing for months. I filled those gaps by doing commissions on DeviantArt and making personal work so that I could continue to grow my online presence. It took about 5 years before I had a steady stream of interesting work that paid well! Getting there involved gradually building work experience, gaining confidence in my professional abilities, and continuing to make personal art to show what I was capable of. For tips and advice on art education, check out my work and career tips in this FAQ!