Hopes and Fears (Part 2) Meeting Clients

This seems like the No. 1 hope and fear, it's important to know what work you can do and what you enjoy doing as there are businesses that can take you on board, the trick is knowing who you can gel with and who will want you. The AOI has their own client directory that they published, it's important to have one, and to make your own directory if possible. As an illustrator we have to help create or maintain the existent image and/or sensibilities of our client and their products/service. Below are a lists of tips for myself and those who are starting out; followed with useful website links, To one up what Laurence Fishburne said in that movie no one remembers, "I can only show you the door" but there's many more doors out there.

 

 

Advertise yourself:

http://www.linkedin.com/

http://www.peopleperhour.com

 

Go client hunting if you are a freelancer:

https://www.elance.com/q/how-it-works-freelancers

http://freelanceswitch.com/

 

Illustrator Directories:

http://www.3x3directory.com/

http://www.directoryofillustration.com/

 

Have your portfolio seen:

http://www.deviantart.com/

https://www.facebook.com/

http://dunked.com/

http://carbonmade.com/

 

Possible hosts for your own professional website, safe for a portfolio:

http://www.wix.com/

http://www.weebly.com/

Hopes and Fears (Part 1) Publishing a Book

I'm starting a new series of posts to act as some remedial for anyone starting out in the illustration industry, including myself, basically involving clearing up hopes and fears for anyone who wants to work in illustration. First hope I'm going to cover is book publishing, I know some illustrators who would want nothing more than a book with their own hard work in so here’s a list of some self-publishing platforms for those who want to go the indie route of book making:
 

http://www.lulu.com/shop/index-new.ep

http://www.blurb.com/

http://www.caricpress.co.uk/

http://www.grosvenorhousepublishing.co.uk/index.php

 

This sort of publishing is usually high risk, high reward in terms of business, anything indie is never safe; however it does get the job done.  Usually going indie can be a last attempt for those who can’t seem to get their work printed by the other publishers or those who prefer not to be restricted by any middle men and are/or targeting a niche. Remember that publishing is only the beginning of the battle, distribution and advertising need to be looked at if you want to make business. In the meantime I recommend reading ‘Indie Publishing’ by Ellen Lupton which teaches you how to design and produce your own book.

 

 

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

I'm going through my Jackie Chan, Snake in Eagle Shadow style training regime during the summer, which involves a lot of paper and pencils so to sharpen my practice. To help I've been studying Betty Edwards and found this instructional video. Doing her exercises is what I consider a confidence booster, her philosophy is all about trying to get the mind in a mode that works for the artist. It's all about not drawing symbols and icons with the left side of your brain and instead maintaining a focus on gestural marks and having a pre-visualising mentality.

 

 

 

The most interesting thing I learned from her thus far is that if you close one eye you will see the world in a two dimensional way, makes sense since you need two eyes to watch 3D films at the cinema. I'll remember that if I'm doing close up live studies. Another thing is that it is easy for our mind to process symbols, Edwards makes it clear that we should focus our mind on shapes more in order to draw life like imagery.

Podcasts listening + Drawing = Bliss

As I've got use to working long hours drawing at a desk I've learnt to appreciate having some background noise so I don't get bored and have decided to get a hunger for radio shows and podcasts. One of them is from film maker Kevin Smith's Fatman on Batman podcast.

Recent podcasts have involved interviews with comic book industry leads such as Bruce Timm, Jim Lee, Greg Capullo and even the legendary Stan Lee. If anyone out there knows of any podcasts and shows relating towards aspirational and creative minds please let me know, Kevin Smith's show is really good but it leaves me wanting more considering it's uploaded weekly.

For 'Fatman on Batman' and more Smodco shows just follow the link: http://smodcast.com/channels/fatman-on-batman/

The Key to Good Character Design

I found another blog which provides tips and hints on good character design from Aaron Diaz. Character design is something that can permeate a wide majority of entertainment media and a good character can act as a mascot or personification of particular ideas. Personally I need to read this because not all my ideas of character come complete, I'll have an idea for clothing or just a face but through this article I have learnt the importance of using cohesion in visual design and its use to build up on raw ideas.

The whole blog post is seen here:
http://floobynooby.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/tips-on-character-and-costume-design-by.html

For more information on Aaron Diaz and specifically what he is working on you can check his latest project that has been successfully funded through the Kickstarter website, here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/156287353/the-tomorrow-girl-dresden-codak-volume-1
More tips and hints for good character design can be seen here:
http://www.computerarts.co.uk/features/20-character-design-tips

Age UK Final Patterns

I've finished the patterns for what I presume is a book cover, it's a very graphic design type sort of thing that takes imagery from stockport architecture (a whole theme of memory of and around stockport has been the main motif throughout the module), I like think that architecture plays a big part in our memories and I'm sure french writer Victor Hugo shared that sentiment too. Below is a drawing I had to do with my favourite pattern of the two

This project which was a supplement to the animation I did for Age UK ended up taking too much of my time and being a very uncomfortable task and I think that's due to the whole graphic design mentality of its creation.

The Untamed Tiger: Commision vs. Self-Initiated

This year one of the forum's that I attended  was a response to the public forum headed by http://www.theaoi.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=1 Amelia Johnstone with guest speakers Jonathon Rosen, Graham Rawle, Bill Bragg, Matthew Richardson, Anna Bhushan, Andrew Foster and David Kerr. Jumping off from a transcript of what they said, my classmates, Tash Greenhalgh and Bert Gatens chaired the one I attended.Tash's opinion is that commision work is best for those starting out, young and want to make a name for themselves, However they should also find the time to work on their personal stuff.

I agree and I do think commision based work gives you experience which is needed for those who start out but the way I like to see it is that personal work that is self-initiated is a lot like street performances and commision is more like a venue, a musician could get picked up by a producer in both circumstances and that's how they measure their success. Experience is experience and a gig is a gig, doesn't mean they are not hard working, there are those who mix music in their basement too and use the internet as a platform in this day of age.

I believe a balance is needed and I pay very much close attention to how many artist and film makers work. In the end it also comes down to chance, too much of commsion work would bore me and so would too much self-initiated but sometimes we have to adapt to what chance is given to us in that moment of time and it could be dependant on the economy or your brand. Adaptability is key and it is important to change our method if we are not successful.