Dave Perillo (’00) drew cartoons everywhere … especially in margins of his schoolbooks when he was supposed
to be listening—a concern for his teachers.
As he grew, it made even Dave nervous. By college, he wanted a job doing art, but it was scary to consider.
“Nobody,” he chuckles, “ever says ‘starving doctor’ or ‘starving lawyer’ … but ‘starving artist,’ that’s a term everybody knows!”
Dave tried entertainment communications but didn’t have the same passion for it as he had for drawing. With an associate degree in hand, Dave transferred to Cabrini for graphic design.
“Desktop publishing and graphics software were emerging. Incorporating technology with my love of illustration was exciting.”
Still worried about work, a fortunate first break came via a night-shift job creating ad layouts for a medical magazine—but doodling paved the way for his advancement.
“I’d draw on a dry erase board on slow nights. Daytime art staffers saw my cartoons, and they led to small illustrations tasks.”
Unbelievably, a day slot opened up and Dave, ecstatic, did medical illustrations graphic design as his regular job. “But the print industry downsized, with everything moving to freelance, so in my spare time, I worked to develop my own customer base.”
Dave’s distinctive style was picked up by Internet sites, attracting significant clients.
“Fan art for Disney, Star Wars, and the like, has a huge following. Some studios encourage it. I was really lucky that people saw and liked my work.”
Dave remains cautious despite his impressive client roster. “Freelance work can pay well, but even some big-name clients don’t pay for months after work is completed. It’s important to watch your finances carefully.”
Another challenge is choosing projects. “Do you take a small job, if it means you can’t accept a really big one a few days later? Choose carefully—or you’ll be working some pretty long days!”
Dave especially recommends that freelancers build mental discipline.
“Set work hours and stick to them, no matter how tempting other things may be. Friends will call and the television is always beckoning. You have to stay focused.”
Finally, Dave is adamant about the use of social media: “Get your art seen every way you are able, in every possible social media platform. Anything can go viral. Most of my work came from being seen online by the right person, rather than from handshake contacts.”
In 2014, Dave shared his work and his work history with Graphic Design students at Cabrini.
This article was featured in Cabrini Magazine.