Megan Rafferty

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your business?

Hello! I’m Megan Rafferty, freshly graduated with First Class Honours in Graphic Design and Illustration! I’m working to become a Freelance Illustrator, so in-between commissions, I like to work on my online store full of original illustrated goods.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I’d spent my whole summer post-grad looking for part time work, but had very little luck. Job hunting had completely sapped the creative energy from me, but after a few months I felt ready to pick up the pencils again. I reached a point where I decided if I couldn’t get a job, then I’d just have to make my own! After that decision, the drive to create came back full force, and I’ve been focusing on growing my business as a Freelance Illustrator ever since.

Can you tell us about a typical day in your business?

I have a giant to-do list of things I want to either create or achieve. I thought post-grad life would be this terrifying unknown, but it’s actually given me the time to work on things I’ve always wanted to do! Every day, I take something from my to-do list and work on it. Other things tend to spring up, like commissions or new opportunities, but I always find something to work on. A typical day might include working on a new illustration, scanning it in and digitising it. I pack orders for my online shop as soon as I get them, note my sales and always stay organised. On some afternoons, I like to light a candle and create some clay pieces, just to work in a different medium every now and again.

What do you love about what you do?

It’s all about the satisfaction of seeing my work out in the world! It’s the excitement of flipping through a magazine to find the column I illustrated, customers sending me photos of my prints upon their walls and zines I helped create out in the open. For the longest time, I kept my work to myself, hidden away in sketchbooks. Teen Megan would have been mortified at anyone seeing her work, but I’m so proud of myself for improving my Illustration skills to the point where I’m both comfortable and delighted to get to share my work!

What do you find most challenging?

So far, I didn’t expect to feel so lonely as an Illustrator. At Uni, I either worked in the studio or at my student house, surrounded by my incredible artsy flatmates – now, it’s just me in my bedroom studio. I miss being able to just turn around and ask for a second opinion, or just the idle chit-chat as we all worked together! Connections are so important as an Illustrator, so it’s challenging to not have as many in-person meetups anymore.

Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years?

I’d love to get more involved in the publishing industry. It would be a dream to pop into a bookstore 5 years down the line and see books I illustrated, or even better, a book entirely written/illustrated by me! I’d love to see myself as an established Illustrator by then, maybe signed to an agency or with a range of illustrated goods in stores all across Northern Ireland!

What do you wish you had known when you started your business?

Since I’ve just started my business, there’s a lot I’d still like to know! The financial side of things still scares the hell out of me, but I keep detailed records of everything and know people who I can turn to for advice.

What do you enjoy outside your business?

I love creating all kinds of things! I enjoy sewing, baking, reading and have an especially soft spot for ceramics. I enjoy trying to make my living through Illustration, but I feel it’s important to have other creative outlets that are solely for me.

Our theme this year for Womenfolk is Balance - how do you bring balance to your life? Any advice for other creative business owners?

Maybe it’s because I’m a Libra, but balance is something really important to me! I treat my business like any other 9-5; I’ll do what I can within those hours, and outside of them is for me. Same with my other creative hobbies – sometimes I’ll sew something and think about selling it; then I have to remind myself that I’m allowed to create things and enjoy my other hobbies without constantly thinking of how to monetise them. Same with my sketchbooks; they’re a safe space for me to draw, just for fun. Balance is absolutely everything!