Freelance gigs for designers, artists and creatives are found through a good contact list, from familiar clients of the past and even job sites. But, there is also another alternative – Freelance platforms. If you are a remote worker, in between jobs, looking for work experience or just searching for freelance gigs for designers, these platforms can be a good place to start.
On these platforms, you can discover a thriving community of graphic designers, illustrators, brand and logo designers, product designers, 3D and UI designers too. All these platforms do is create a professional space for creatives and clients to connect and collaborate.
Finding the perfect project in art and design can be challenging at these times. Looking for a creative job online, building a strong portfolio and sending out applications can be just as demanding as an actual job. While it may take weeks or even months to find a good design job, the bills in the meantime don’t pay themselves.
It is essential to choose an ethical freelance platform whose terms and conditions best suit your work ethic. The list of platforms below offer freelance gigs for designers, simply read the terms and conditions to make an informed decision. When you find the platform with the best work model, you can submit your application with samples of your work.
These platforms can be great for beginners to find opportunities from small and medium businesses. Eventually, designers can build up a portfolio and then apply to bigger job positions. Freelance gigs for designers can be a stepping stone to acquiring a full time design career.
This blog post aims to answer the question – Where can I get paid freelance and remote jobs for designers?
Artcorgi
This platform is good for digital illustrators and portrait artists. Instead of skimming through Facebook groups to find a portrait commission, you could join Artcorgi. You will have the safety of an online platform and your consumer base in the same place. The best experiences in paid freelance gigs for designers come from trustworthy platforms as opposed to Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
Artfinder
If you are an artist or illustrator selling prints then Artfinder is the platform for you. Once again, this is a secure platform to sell your artwork and get paid ethically.
KIMP
If you are looking for projects in graphic design, motion graphics, illustration, UI design, content writing and even project management, you can sign up as a designer on KIMP
99designs
This web platform is good for graphic designers who specialise in logo design, infographics and marketing design. If you are an illustrator, you can score a good project in book cover design, packaging illustration and even t-shirt illustrations.
Design Bro
This platform is good for designers who specialise in branding design, packaging design, book and magazine illustration, social media design and web and app design.
Design Pickle
On Design Pickle, the website tells you what kind of creative they are looking for. Mostly, they need creatives in video editing, graphic design, motion graphics and illustration. If you are a young designer looking to fill your portfolio with experience, this platform can be a good place for clients to spot you.
Design Crowd
On Design Crowd, you join the platform and apply for the freelance design project that suits you best. Browsing regularly may get you gigs in social media design, marketing design, branding design, UI design and more. You get picked if your design style and experience fit the project.
Crowd Spring
Crowd Spring is the platform for you if you specialise in website design, packaging design, print design, banner ads, landing pages, book covers, logos, etc. Many small and medium enterprises around the world sign up for design services on this portal. Apply here
Hatchwise
For freelance projects in logo design, branding design, graphic design and UI design, you can join Hatchwise. This site follows the “design contest” structure. While this system has its flaws, it can still be a good learning experience to know what clients want and how to work with them. Apply here
Design Hill
Design Hill covers a cohort of design sectors. They work in logos, branding, illustration, art, web design, UI, animation, 3D and much more. This platform is a household name which means companies are likelier to look for designers on this site. Apply here
Things to keep in mind when you join an online freelance platform
1 – You follow their ethical guidelines, they don’t necessarily follow yours. If the platform’s guidelines clash with yours, it would be unwise to sign up. Remember, these platforms are meant to help you find projects in the initial stages of your career. This is when your contact list is not as wholesome as a designer with years of experience.
2 – Some platforms have tougher acceptance and some are easy, this is not usually indicative of the platform’s quality. A good creative project can come from anywhere.
3 – Some freelance design platforms are contest-based. This usually means that only the winner will be selected and paid.
4 – Other platforms post the projects, members apply for a project of their choice with their samples and only a selected candidate will start designing and then finally be paid for their work. Every applicant doesn’t have to follow a brief and make a design to get selected.
5 – The rest of the platforms are where the work of many designers is presented like a menu card and the client selects the designer based on samples provided. Once again, this is where you don’t have to start designing until you are officially picked.
6 – Sometimes you get good projects and clients and sometimes you don’t. Either way, you learn time management, understanding the client’s needs from a brief and working with a plethora of clients.
7 – Many creative professionals use freelance work to build their portfolios and gain experience to leverage themselves for better positions when they finally apply to full-time design jobs.
8 – You get to learn new design trends and understand the changing needs of the modern design client.
9 – Freelance design platforms come with their forums, discussion boards, social media and newsletters. Needless to say, when other designers talk, there is always something new to learn.
10 – Sometimes these design platforms have designers with 10 years of experience and some with 10 months of experience. These platforms work better for some than for others. You could do social media design for a big company or a logo for a local law firm. For some it can help them pay off a mortgage and for others just an electric bill. Use your position to the best of your ability to learn and grow as a designer.
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