How to use this Page

Being on a really tight budget totally sucks doesn’t it? Even more so when you’re in the business of self-promoting. Since I realized I can’t afford to pay for new prints every time I need to send out mailers, I decided to have a go at making them myself. Which was quite a daring move for someone who if asked  to cut a straight line it’ll end up looking like a map of Lombard St. in San Francisco.

My office is pretty stocked up with all types of paper and last year I bought an Epson Workforce 500, which is a good printer but really drinks up its ink pretty fast…I’m sure there are plenty of better printers out there.

I actually had a lot of fun doing this. I started off printing my fishy monster on a 6×9 envelope and with that I also printed out some  stickers shaped like  cloudy bubbles with mailing addresses on them. I made them stickers incase I decided not to send it to the company I wouldn’t feel bad about wasting an envelope. Can’t waste paper!

After the envelope and mailing sticker labels I had to plan out an execution for the actual samples and since I’m making them myself I decided to have a little bit of fun with this:

Step 1: Marinating The Meat

I chose some work to print on an 8.5×11 card stock front and back, this would be my main sample so I made sure to include my information in every nook and cranny (tastefully of course…)

Step 2: Cooking The Meat

I folded the sample set four ways so that it would have a front, interiors, and a back. Yes like a card.

Step 3: Creating the Meat Tray

On an 8.5×11 card stock again, I printed out the little case in which I would place my samples in, I also used it to print out my letter of introduction. I then cut the paper in half – 5.5×8.5 – so that I can

I had already sent out Spring postcards, but decided I needed to send out a flyer to key prospects. The mailer is two sided. One side has a brief resume and book and client list, and the other is a composite image from many illustrations. I decided to add some interest to the envelope as well.


I also designed an envelope for the separate mailers I will be sending to Magazine publishers.

Yes, it is time for the spring mailers. This is one I am thinking of sending. I like the way the colors are so brilliant in RGB, but am always a bit saddened by the conversion to CMYK for printing. I try to use colors these days that convert more easily but every once in a while I want a color that doesn't quite have the ZING I want.

Wondering what other illustrators’ mailers look like? Illustration Promo showcases postcards and other promotional pieces from a variety of illustrators. Here’s a postcard from our friend Meg Hunt.

You’re invited to submit your own promos as well!