Opportunities are Out There, Here’s How to Make Sure Your Work is Seen

Are you an illustrator looking for open calls and opportunities? The work is out there, and you are not invisible, although sometimes in such a competitive environment, we understand it is natural to worry that you are going unseen. The fact is, you just need to know where to look and how to show up and make your work stand out. We’re here to help you with this!

The following are the best places to start looking:

Newsletters: Often, a key place where opportunities are shared. You might be the first to hear about something if you are signed up to a newsletter, and it can be beneficial to get applications in first.

Jobs boards: These are regularly updated with briefs and commissions; keep an eye on LinkedIn, Indeed, and Creative sites such as If You Could jobs, Designs Jobs Board, and The Dots.

Social media: Especially Instagram & LinkedIn – don’t forget to look at stories, you will find posts reshared here, often with direct and easy links to allow you to view content and submit

Consistency matters. The more present you are in these spaces, the more likely you are to catch the right opportunity at the right time.

All agencies and jobs have their own key points that are important to take note of when submitting.

When competition is so strong and vast, you want it to be clear that you have read the submission requirements. Thoughtful, tailored submissions that have respected the guidelines tend to stand out far more than mass emails with fifty other agencies in the cc line, and they make it much easier for us to properly review and appreciate your work.

How to submit to ITSme:

Whilst we will often specifically advertise open calls for Advocate Art, Astound Agency, Illo Agency and more, we’re always open to receiving submissions via hello@itsme.com. Don’t feel confined by an advert – the industry is constantly evolving, and we’re always looking for fresh voices, new energy, and work that surprises us. 

For ITSme submissions, we recommend keeping it simple:

A short, friendly introduction – let us know who you are, what makes you tick, and where you want to take your work! We also love to hear about your hobbies and interests; these can be incredibly important in the sort of work you attract.

A link to your portfolio or a small selection of images – If you’re sending a PDF, please keep it low-res and ensure the file size is small; it makes a big difference when we’re reviewing a high volume of work. We also recommend not sending links via WeTransfer. We receive a high number of submissions, and whilst we make a conscious effort to review these as soon as possible, this can be difficult when links usually expire quite quickly! A link to your website/socials is fine, or just attaching a few small, strong images to the email that we can easily view upon opening it is perfect!

Remember, it’s competitive! Your work will likely sit amongst hundreds (sometimes thousands) of submissions. But that should never hold you back – it’s just more reason to be clear and intentional:

• Show the work you want to be hired for
• Keep your portfolio focused
• Make your strengths obvious within seconds

It’s also important to make sure your work is appropriate for the type of projects and audience the place you are submitting to represents. At ITSme, multiple agencies focus on children’s, middle grade and young adult publishing, alongside agencies that specialise in licensing, so showcasing work that aligns with the space the agency you are applying to specialises in helps us understand where you would best fit. We do also represent advertising and editorial illustrators, so we are keen to see work that has an older audience in mind.

We take real care in reviewing every portfolio – that’s why clarity, relevance, and thoughtful submissions matter so much to us. We have a small team that works hard to ensure you hear about the outcome and status of your applications, but with the volume we receive, we’re unfortunately not able to provide individual feedback. That doesn’t ever mean that your work hasn’t made an impression. Strong and memorable work is always noted and often revisited and we love to hear back from people who might not have been successful the first time and to see the updates they have worked on.

The ITSme Mentorship Program and Be a Pro at Curating Your Portfolio are excellent places to look if you are interested in more information and building up these areas, with insight from working industry professionals.

For more free tips for how to improve your creative skills, subscribe to our ITSme Learning Newsletter! Or take a look at our courses here.

Questions? Email us at learning@itsmegroup.com