The end for the freelancer in North America

[ihabkal]

Hi friends,

As you know I moved to Canada a few weeks ago, I have been calling Architects especially in Toronto, and 95% of the time they say they do it in-house. Some said they do it in China. Now regardless if the quality is good or bad, regardless, is this the end of the self employed freelancer?

If I could get my immigration papers I could work as a cashier, whcih was my dream all along.

What do you think?

[AJLynn]

Ihab, did you get my message today? Drop me a note with your email address and URL.

[Jonathan Sanchez]

Yeah things have been tough for a while. Big projets are handled by the bigger companies, and the small projects are shipped overseas. Add to that the fact that the market is oversaturated with artists and it paints a sad picture. Given these facts though, I've had a surprisingly good start to this year, I've had almost as many jobs in these first few months of the year as I had all of last year.. a lot of them designers returning to local artist being tired of dealing with the language/cultural barriers of outsourcing abroad. Let's hope things keep getting better

Edited April 21, 2011 by sancheuz

[ihabkal]

Hi Andrew, i sent you an e-mail,

 

Jonathan you are right, jobs that were usually for the lone artist are sent overseas and big jobs are sent to real companies, it is not even cool, I call someone and they immediatly refuse to see my work or discuss pricing saying they are already "setup".

But one ray of hope: one architect actually told me he is fed up with what you mentioned, about language and cultural barriers, he said he doesn't want to work with China anymore. no offense to Chinese I am and we all are foreigners after all. My prices are as low as China but Canadian Architects don't even want to hear about pricing or see my portfolio. Money is everything here and it is hard to change a mindset bent on saving a few measly dollars. It is sad actually they are wasting an opportunity to work with me they don't know what they're missing lol.

[Andy Hickes]

I have been working for 35 years and the market has always been changing. Someone, somewhere

needs good images and isn't being served. Architects are not the only people in need of good building images. Find yourself a niche. You may have to discover one.

[M V]

I agree with Andy. There are a million other things you can render that aren't architecture or involve working with architects. Dealing with them is a pain in the rump anyway. You would do much better off rendering products or toys for a designer. The other side of the coin is that bigger firms have in-house people and there are a million grads getting out of arch school with 3D and rendering skills coupled with a knowledge of Revit. If that doesnt scare you, it should. The one way to compete is to do it faster, better, and cheaper than China and that college grad or think about moving to CA and working in the film industry.

[adamchase]

lets start our own illustration company Toronto then:D

 

 

no but Toronto hasn't been easy to get work in. I've a couple of interior design companies that I work for but most of my clients are in California. Keep on working on it I'm sure you'll find something.

[pauljcox]

Outsourcing has become a hugely popular trend, but I think people eventually get tired of the language barrier and time difference. I know that for me, last year was terrible and yet this year has started pretty well - I guess it's just a fluctuating market. I also agree with Andy that there are so many other things that you can apply your trade to. There are industries out there that don't even know yet just how much visualization could help them - there are many niche's out there to be found.

[Andy Hickes]

Lancaster! I grew up in Huntingdon north of you. My family is still there.

[Tommy L]

Ihab, you have a portfolio on the web? You'll always find it tough to get an appointment to actually see a real person in an architectural practice, everyone is too busy working on projects. Best way to start trying to find work is get your work online. Then when you have a chance meeting with someone in the biz you can whip out an Iphone and email them a link right then and there.

All my clients have come from real life relationships. Not cold calling. Cold-emailing is better than cold calling.

[Andy Hickes]

There are other clients than architects.

 

There may be many businesses who all want to rent the same desirable retail space.

The realtor can ask all interested for a rendering showing what they had in mind to help him decide who to rent to. No business owner wanted to have an architect

do a complete design job just to have a rendering to show a building owner so he may MAYBE get a lease. Attached are renderings I did "2 get the lease". It is all photoshop work and designed as I went along.

Of course 3d could be used just as well. If the client got the lease sometimes they would go with the look sometimes not. They were not legally obligated by the lessor to do so.

 

Now with the economy changed and retail spaces going begging commercial real estate brokers will use a rendering sell a space- to show

a potential renter how good they would look in a specific space. Attached are also some "renderings to get

a renter".