No, I’m not struggling with my spelling or suggesting you abandon your graphics tablet and buy a wooden stand-up affair unless that’s already your preferred artistic equipment.

I’m suggesting you take a look at Easle.co.

‘Not Just Another Job Platform’

The site’s tagline is: ‘Hire talented independent artists on demand: Discover, contact and hire all in one place.’

In a blog post about the founding of the company in December last year, founders Nick Gubbins and Scott Wooden claimed that Easle.co ‘was not just another job platform.’

So, what makes it different?

For a start, it doesn’t force freelancers to categorise themselves rigidly.

“There’s no restriction on what kind of work creators can post, and we make it as simple as possible to upload any and all media types,” Scott explained in his post.

“Today, we understand that creators won’t necessarily label themselves with one field or genre. We ourselves know illustrators that write, and writers that are musicians. Our platform makes sure you can post anything you’re proud of, and lets your individuality break through the noise.”

But does the web really need another online freelance marketplace for artists?

Yes, it does, said Scott.

“Easle isn’t greedy. We know agency and recruiter fees can make a significant dent in an artist’s income. We’re set on having a service fee that falls below all of our competitors. Simple.

“There are pockets of the creative world where a lot of voices are left out to fend for themselves. Creators such as canvas painters, composers, and illustrators use a mixed bag of social media, payment platforms and email to stitch together a business for sustainable income.

This needs to be better.

By leveling the playing field for all creators, we will make an opportunity for clients to tap into an eclectic realm of creativity. Creators that ultimately bring about bold new ideas, that shake off the cobwebs to create something hugely refreshing.”

A bold claim. Did it work?

Yes.

Easle.co Today

• The company now has some big names on its client list, including Debenhams, Netflix, Penguin Books and the Orion Publishing Group.
• There are no joining or membership fees for freelancers and Easle.co doesn’t have a complicated job fee scheme that makes your earnings difficult to calculate – and it hasn’t hidden its fee among lengthy terms and conditions, unlike many of its competitors. Click on ‘payments’ and then ‘artists’ and a large, green 10% heads up the screen. Easle takes 10% of the negotiated contract amount. Clients pay a 4% service fee.
• They believe in “being independent together.” They’ve set up spaces for artists to socialise or share advice and even organise events and meetups, allowing freelancers to socialise and network face-to-face.
• Freelancers can upload image galleries, as well as display content from YouTube, Vimeo, and Soundcloud.
• They’ve developed a unified project workflow that encompasses your conversations with your client together with proposals, contracts, and payments, all updated in real-time chat.
• Once Easle receives payment from the client, they route 50% directly to you. The rest is paid to you when the client confirms the project is complete.
• Tax breakdowns are automatically generated meaning your end of year admin is simpler.
• Easle acts as the moderator in any disputes and retains access to the chat log and the agreed contract.
• They’ve kept numbers low so that freelancers get plenty of work, concentrating on the quality rather than quantity approach.

If you’re an artist, graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, composer or filmmaker, why not take a look at the Easle.co site now?