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How to Hire an Artist: Tips for Hiring an Outstanding Illustrator for your Next Project:

Finding the right illustrator can be a challenge. Whether you decide to use Bob Ostrom Studio or someone else it pays to know what you’re looking for. If you’ve never had the opportunity to hire a professional before here are a few tips that will help you find the best possible artist for your project.

Know What you are looking for.
Every artist has his or her own style. Many artists are versatile but no artist works in every style. Look for the artist who specializes in the type of art you are looking for. There are many artists and styles to choose from so be patient and make sure you leave yourself enough time to find the right one for your job.

Try starting with a simple Google search. Check out a few artists websites. Notice that no two are alike. Some are very professional with a highly focused direction, while others may choose to show a broader spectrum. Regardless as you begin to move away from the top ranking sites  you may also begin to see a drop in quality. Being a professional artist is an extremely competitive field. Artists work hard to make sure they are seen. There is a reason those sites are at the top of the search.

Some artists work with representatives and some are independent. Generally the better the quality the higher the price you will pay whether you are dealing with an art rep or an independent. Remember though that with higher quality artists you are not only paying for a more appealing image you are also paying for experience, but more on that later.

Determining a Style
Before you contact an illustrator take a few minutes to determine what you are looking for.

Who is your target audience and what is your demographic?
Determining who your potential audience is and what appeals to them is a great first step for helping you chose the proper illustrator. Here are a few tips to help narrow things down:

Describe your customer.

• Are they male or female, both?
• How old are they?
• What kind of things do they like or pay attention to,
• What kind of things do their peers like or pay attention to?
• Where can you find them?
• How do they find you?
• What is their income bracket?

Crating a detailed profile on your potential customer will help give you a better idea where to begin. Once you’ve determined who your market take a look around. See what else is out there.

 

What is your competition doing?

This your chance to really stand out and get noticed. Instead of putting something out there that looks like everyone else consider trying something a little different that’ll get you noticed. Finding the right artist will help.

 

Shop around

Visit an artist’s website. Look at their style and level of presentation. You can tell a lot about an artist by the way he or she presents their work. Take a look around and see what type art they are displaying. How long have they been an artist? How successful are they? Do they have recommendations, a recognizable client list, have they received any awards.
Experience is the name of the game.

Most artist’s would love to illustrate a picture book but that doesn’t mean you should hire them. Do a little homework first to make sure you are choosing the right artist. Can they draw or create the style you are looking for consistently? Does their portfolio contain the right art for your demographic or is it scattered and lacking direction? Has your artist been published, if so where? Try searching their name on Google, LinkedIn or Amazon to find out more about them and their level of expertise.
Hiring the wrong artist for the wrong  job can be time consuming and expensive. Your project is no place for on the job training so be sure to hire someone with the highest level of expertise you can afford. Always check out who your artist has worked for and examples of jobs they have done. A good artist will be proud to display their work and answer any questions you might have about past experience.
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You get what you pay for.
Why do some artists charge so much more than others? Without a doubt experience is worth paying for. The art you display will directly affect the perception of your company or business. This is no time for bargain shopping, always hire the best artist you can afford. It is always better to spend a little more and get the best quality possible rather than trying to save a few dollars and ending up with something you can’t use.

Successful artists are not just good at making pretty pictures they also know their market and understand production. They know the difference between file formats and what will work best for your project. They can talk to your printer and help give you exactly what you need saving you time, money and aggravation.

If you’re not sure about the difference between vector or bitmap art and which one you need ask your artist. He should be able to explain in simple terms explaining the pros and cons of each. Do you need a jpeg, tiff or png? RGB or CMYK format? An experienced artist will know which one to use for your particular project and why. Even if your artist works in traditional media the art will still need to be scanned and translated into a digital format at some point. If your artist doesn’t understand these simple requirements you might want to shop for some one else who does. The proper format is crucial and could mean the difference between your project looking great and becoming a costly disaster.

Questions your artist may ask

Here are a few questions your artist might ask. Use this list to have your answers prepared before you talk so you don’t forget or leave anything out. It’s best to be descriptive and include as much information up front as possible. The clearer you are with your artist the better chance you have of getting back exactly what you asked for.

Always start by describing your project in detail.

The more information you can provide the more accurate your illustrator can be. Don’t be afraid to include your illustrator in your creative process or as a part of your creative team. A good experienced illustrator will often be able to help you with creative suggestions or finding great new approaches to your project you may not have even considered.

Here are a few questions (in no particular order) you will want to think about before you begin.

• What is the artwork being used for?
  • Who is your target audience?
  • What is your goal?
  • What style you are looking for?
  • Are there certain color preferences or other considerations?
• Production
  • How many illustrations will you need?
  • What is the size(s) and or format?
  • Where will you be using the art?
  • What is your deadline ?
  • What is your budget?
  • Can you put me in touch with your printer?
• Contact information
  • Who is the main person in charge of the project ?
  • What is the best way to reach that person or people?
    • Email?
    • Phone
    • Other

What is the artwork being used for?
Different uses mean different file requirements. Knowing who your audience is and where your piece will be used make a big difference in style and approach. What might work well for one audience might not work well for another. Do you have a goal?

A piece of art that needs to be many different sizes will require a different solution then one that will be printed at a specific size. The demands for the web are completely different from print. Knowing the different places your art will be used will help me determine the best format(s).
How many illustrations will you need?
What is your budget?
Most illustrators charge by the project not on an hourly basis. One size does not fit all. Many artists will charge you different rates for different types of usage. They may charge less for limited usage then they will for a total buyout because once the copyright is sold the artist no longer has the potential to make money from that image. Determine which usage works best for you and be sure to negotiate the rights with your artist up front at the beginning of each project so there no surprises later on.

I prefer to charge by the project and am happy to give you a quote before we begin. If you have a limited budget that’s okay chances are we can find a creative solution to fit your needs.

Can I talk to your Printer/ web designer?
Why on earth would an illustrator want to talk to a printer. Simple, every printer has certain requirements when it comes to artwork depending on what type of equipment he is using. He can tell the artist what type of file will work best for his machinery. Similarly a web designer may also have certain requirements for artwork and file format.

I’ve worked with many printers over the years and I speak their language. If you have any questions about the process just let me know and I will be happy to explain.

What are your deadlines?
It is very important to spell out your needs and plan out a schedule at the beginning of the project. Most artists work in stages and will submit artwork to you within a certain time frame. A typical schedule witll start with sketches and proceed from there. It is important to be realistic about your needs. Be sure to provide you povide enough time for the best job possible. Some artists may ask for an additional rush fee if your project’s deadlines are unrealistic. Different artists work at different rates, if you’re uncertain how long it takes just ask.

I am very efficient with my deadlines but too little time will probably mean having to make a few compromises. Art takes time. Always think ahead and make sure to leave plenty of time for your project. Leaving extra time will assure you always receive the best quality.

How would you like the art delivered?
An experienced artist will make arrangements for delivery at the beginning of each project. Digital artwork is great because it is so easy to work with. Some programs can produce rather large file sizes though. If you have an FTP site or another preferred method of delivery let your artist know. If you don’t chances are your artist will have a quick efficient way to deliver files that are too large for email. Most artists have experience in this area and have worked out a delivery method that should be easy to use and eliminate headaches.
Make sure to resolve this issue as early as possible so you don’t run into any problems on you due date. I have several methods of deliver I use based on costumer preference.

Who or how many people are involved in the decision making process?
The more people involved in the approval process, the higher the potential for miscommunication. Pick a leader or point person for your project and be sure to have all direction go through that one project leader. If it absolutely must be a committee decision make sure everyone involved in the decision making process signs off on direction before you involve the artist.

Conference calls are fine as long as it doesn’t waste everyone’s time. Be clear and decisive and do not leave big decisions unresolved. Ambiguous direction will be costly.

Contract
If you do not have a contract or written agreement, ask the artist to provide one for you. Do not hire an artist without something in writing. Be sure to spell out all the details of your project including delivery schedule, usage, copyrights, payment schedule and any other important information that might effect the outcome of your project.
You may also want to include a kill fee in your contract spelling out what happens if the project is cancelled for any reason before completion. This will protect both you and the artist by allowing you to understand ahead of time what happens if for any reason the project needs to be terminated.
I am happy to provide an agreement if you need one.

Enjoy the process
Working with an illustrator should be a fun and rewarding experience. Hiring the right illustrator will not only make you look great but will add great value and marketability to your project. If you have not worked with an illustrator in the past or need a little help organizing your project please feel free to contact me. Whether you plan to hire me for your next project or someone else I am always happy to answer any questions you might have about how to improve your project, hiring an artist or other any other art related questions.

For more information on hiring me for your project please visit my contact page.

The post How to Hire an Artist appeared first on Illustration.

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Packing light
This year I managed to trim my luggage to one gigantic suitcase (my booth), one little rolly-suitcase (my clothes) and one big box (banners). Oh, and a huge backpack (most of my books). Matt and I hop on an Amtrak train from Boston, so I can't bring booth furniture and the like, but luckily Surtex has some services to help you with your booth display (more on that later).

Booth set-up
Pretty easy again this year. Again I went with trusty hanging banners. For me,  they are very much worth the cost in ease of use. They are pretty much headache-free, fairly easy to tote, clean and simple to set up and take down. And they look lovely. (Any 'headache' part comes during the banner design phase. Once that is done and you have approved them, you're good to go barring any 11th hour printing issues!)

Walls
My banner people did make a small error with my banners, but I'm thrilled it only turned out to be a little pre-show annoyance. The eyelet screws that were supposed to be in the top ends of my wooden dowels were not there. Ugh, mini freak out! So we had to decide on a contingency plan. We just very carefully jimmied them up with the hooks and no eyelet screws. We had no idea of whether or not they would stay put. There is much to contend with in the wild atmosphere of the Javitz at Surtex -- booth bumps, air conditioning, lions, tigers and bears— and, oh yeah, this year it rained indoors!— but my walls stayed up and they  looked nice and stayed dry for the entire three days. Boy, was I happy about that! :D

Booth
I did a corner booth this year— not only for the visibility, but also because, when I signed up,  there was a sore lack of options offered up. Despite the cost, I can tell you now that I LOVED having the corner booth. No one misses a booth on the corner. For better or for worse, you know you have that visibility. Now, if that potential client doesn't stop at your booth, that's a whole 'nother bag of m&m's!  But, all told, I would do a corner booth again, absolutely. Hey, I'm really coming out of my shell!

Press Kit
Something I decided to spend NO time on this year pre-show was a Press Kit. Last year, I spent a lot of time and a bit of dough on preparing one I was proud of. I left a bunch up in the Press Room, and honestly I'm not sure that even one was taken. So this year I had a knee-jerk reaction, and I did none. In retrospect, something small would have been just the ticket. This year, there were many more press people who are bloggers, and I suspect many were new to covering the show, and I will just bet that they made a special visit to the Press Room sometime during the show. So, I missed the boat on that this year. Next year, I will have that piece covered.

Traffic..
I think it is very hard for each person to objectively quantify traffic at Surtex. For one thing, certain parts of the show floor on any given day (at any given hour) are busy, maybe even jam-packed with people, while other aisles lay completely silent. So your traffic is different than another persons' traffic... but also traffic from aisle to aisle is different. I do think that, when people come, they try as hard as they can to walk the entire show. So I don't think it is the norm to not hit every aisle at some point. It's just that traffic is like the wind—unpredictable at any given time. It moves around in one area, and is still in another, and that can make it difficult to be mathematical about it. Or it could be that it's just impossible for my brain to think that way. Anyway, it will be interesting to see whatever stats are released on this year's show, when that information is available.

Your Surtex is not your neighbor's Surtex
My neighbors' Surtex was not my Surtex. My Surtex last year was not my Surtex this year. So much depends on your own personal situation... Where are you in your career... your contacts—who you are expecting to visit you an

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I've mainly been posting essays and resource information of late, but not much in the way of artwork. Why? Because I've been hard at work on my art licensing portfolio. Unfortunately this is the type of work that I can't show-and-tell at this point. It's been a big undertaking. It's exciting to see my ideas come to fruition in the form of my portfolio. It's a thrill to be finding "my voice" in this arena, as well. But it's a bummer to not be able to share it with all of you! But, with some hope, hard work and good luck, I will make some deals this year. Then, I'll be able to share some wonderful news, as well as some of the art!

Over the past few years I've been studying art licensing quite a bit and with the help of some great people I've acquired the tools to seek out (or seek in, rather) what I could bring to this industry that is unique and unlike anything else that I see out there. As I've been working on my collections, I am seeing my own specific "art licensing style" emerging organically, and it is very exciting. I like what I see, and it's a great feeling to see my work in this light and getting ready for "prime-time".

I've been so entrenched in this work and I can't help but think of how crazy an artist must be while getting ready for a show such as Surtex. The amount of work that I've been putting into just ONE collection alone is astonishing. Central images, patterns, frames, borders and icons... and some of my collections only have some of the above! Anyway, to see my ideas come to life this way is awesome, and I know will be substantially MORE gratifying down the road. So I just wanted to say a BIG CHEERS to all of the artists I know who do this work and bring joy to so many through their art on product. I will be joining you soon and I am SO looking forward to it!

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Before I bought my Cintiq tablet, I had been working on a set-up that basically could not sustain me in my career as a children's illustrator in the 21st century. I was working on a Powerbook G4 and used a 3x5 Wacom Graphire tablet. It was my first lap top. When I bought it, I was under the impression that it would support doing heavyish graphics. Due to the portability factor, I went for it. Well, I was right, It did support graphic files, even really large ones. But what I did not anticipate was how hot the machine would get. That was something I discovered pretty quickly. But a more nervewracking problem with doing artwork on the machine was an issue of camouflage - the screen "trickery". The matte screen just did not show all the lumps and bumps in a working illustration. It read light yellow as white. It read light blue as white. Light grey? White again. And the sad part is that, half the time, I did not even realize it until WAY after the fact. I remember: I would make an update to my web site. Then, next day, I would go look at what I had done on a regular desktop computer monitor, live and online. I'd be absolutely horrified that the graphics had some blatant mistakes in them. Ugh!

I discovered that I hated using my lap top/tiny Wacom tablet for design work. I also discovered that I simply could not get used to illustrating with the small Wacom  with the laptop screen. There was just something completely uncomfortable about the tiny tablet / lap top combo that eas pretty much unbearable. I'd used Wacom tablets (6x8 mostly) for years preceding this point, so it was not a "getting used to it" issue. It was just that the combo was not working, and it wasn't going to start working. If I was going to move forward in my career, I simply had to get the right tools—NO if's, ands or but's!

I had an experience which propelled me quickly to decide to make these major changes. It happened during my work on the book "The Months". Throughout the entire job, things on my end could have gone SO much easier had I had the proper tools and hardware. Not just the Wacom/lap top situation: I desperately needed a large-bed scanner, but I had only a little 8.5 x 11 one, and there was just no time to work on acquiring the larger-sized one that I needed during the working time frame of the job. I completed the project of course, and the book did see the light of day! But I learned some very valuable lessons. One of the most important was to suck it up and get the right tools to do the job right. After so many horrible scans and terrible time trying to retouch my watercolor paintings with the lap top / tiny Wacom Graphire combo, I decided, ENOUGH! I was a professional and I was going to buy the best tools I could. I was worth it, my work was worth it. I was not going to continue to compromise my goals and art career due to the lack of the equipment I needed to function in the present landscape.

Around that time, the Wacom Cintiq was the newest offering. I hemmed and hawed for months, but after chatting with Carlyn Beccia about the Cintiq, I was willing to jump in, sight unseen. I felt that, if I knew that Wacom tablets worked for me in general, then the Cintiq would be a great step up. I knew there would be a big learning curve, but there is a learning curve with everything. Honestly, if there's no learning curve with something new, then where's the c

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What is the difference between vector art  and raster art, and why should a children's illustrator care?

Flash and Adobe Illustrator both create vector line art. One way to describe the value of vector art: If you export your Flash-drawn line art as an AI or EPS file, it is scaleable up or down -- as large or as small as you like -- without losing any quality in the end. Pixel resolution is not a concern when you are in a working vector file. The art in the working file is not dependent on pixel resolution... and if the finished file is also vector-native, such as an .EPS file, then the art in the end file is not either.

Photoshop, for all its wonderful qualities, creates bitmapped /raster art. And I am a die-hard Photoshop-head, for sure. I promise, I am not knocking my dear Photoshop . I'm simply pointing out something that just is not built into Photoshop. Photoshop, by contrast, uses pixels to DEFINE the resolution of the working file. It is not scaleable the way that vector art is. When you create your working Photoshop art, what you "set" is what you "get". What I mean is, what ever you "set" your resolution to - your file size to, is not changeable in the end. It is what it is. If you draw your racecar at 2 inches wide at 300 dpi, you cannot scale it up to 2.5" inches without loss of quality. (You'll get smudgey, dirty pixels around the perimeter of your car.) The one thing you CAN do that is contrary to this, is if you plan to work at a WAY higher resolution, say 600-1000 pixels per inch, you can then place that art into a regular print-res file for printing (300 ppi) and the art WILL be larger by virtue of the pixel-per-inch size differential. (This is not necessarily something I recommend doing, but it is an option for those times when you need to create a truly ginormous piece of artwork such as for a trade show booth, or for an extremely large outdoor advertisement to be used for a wall of a bus stop cover, for instance.)

I like to use Flash to illustrate and do line art because the line has an organic feel. But Flash also has it's drawbacks: you cannot create custom brushes for instance, and the line quality in Flash is not the most detailed. These issues are likely due to the fact that Flash was primarily created as a tool for animation, not for finished illustrations. (Fair enough, but I sure hope they upgrade the drawing capabilities in future releases).  Adobe Illustrator also does a wonderful job creating vector art, and is the industry standard in vector art creation. In the past, I shunned Illustrator for it's lack of natural- looking, natural-feeling brushes. But nowadays, things are different. Illustrator comes with some lovely painterly brushes, and now, you can even craft your very own brushes with ease, right in the program itself! While I've always felt Illustrator also has it's own set of drawbacks, I now feel that, with Illustrator as it is TODAY, my own personal lack of breadth of knowledge of the program is my main liability with the program. It's come an awfully long way - and I will be exploring it in far more depth this year. 


Ever since I myself discovered the value and importance of having a vector line style I can really stand behind, I feel as though I personally have been on a crusade to push vector art to my fellow children's edu illustrators. So much 'black line' art is called for in educational work. It's important for artists to make their own individual discoveries and find a method they enjoy to create this form of art. This serves both the clients' interest as WELL as our own. Specifically with 'black line' art, vector art is the most flexible type of file for clients, and it is becomin

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This is a continuation of an essay previously posted here. Read Part One

• I wanted to put myself in a position where I had no choice but to learn solid business and financial skills. Any type of business would help me learn this stuff, but if I was not passionate about it, I wouldn't follow through. (You can lead a horse to water...) To this end, pet portraiture has been a great "boot camp" for me to really learn the business of being an independent artist. I handle every part of it. Some might shudder at the thought of handling the financial parts. But it's especially important to learn that stuff, and even more so if it makes you uncomfortable. (That uncomfortable feeling is just your brain telling your body that you need some experience and improvement in that area.) If you intend to make a career as an artist, you are in the unique position where you simply have to learn how to run your business, and that includes the finances. Plus, since you are passionate about your business, you will learn all this stuff within the framework of something you truly love doing. That makes it less painful and more interesting. When you have setbacks, you learn from it, get up and try again. And when you have successes, it makes them all the more sweet knowing that you are responsible for every aspect of your business. It's a great feeling to have a handle on those things also from the perspective of self-esteem. I've been a life-long math-phobe. Hey, if I can do it, you can do it. Lastly, to learn things right from the get-go will preclude the development of any bad or lazy habits. A good accountant is an excellent, and I think necessary, investment. I have an accountant to help with estimating quarterly taxes and my yearly taxes and though they are not cheap, it feels great to know I am 'doing things right'.

• The over-riding criteria for my business was that it had to be something I was really passionate about. I love animals, and I always have. So, in that way, it was a natural fit. I also liked the fact that it was  a kind of wacky, odd niche, which matched my personality. It was something that not everyone was doing at the time. I was sure that it would never be boring. But above all, my whole life I'd always loved creating cute and fuzzy characters through my artwork. Guinness was my first dog as an adult (a black pug, I married into co-parenting him). Guinness was my perfect creative muse, years before pet portraits were even a shimmer on my horizon. I drew and painted him all the time. Both Guinness's personality and his physicality perfectly matched my own creative sensibilities and lit up my imagination. (Today, a portrait of Guinness still hangs proudly in my home). Thanks to Guinness, I'd essentially already been doing pet portraits for a long time and strongly identified with the genre before officially making the leap. I have Guinness to thank for all of the inspiration. He was a wonderful companion and he clearly made a huge impact on me.


Today, though I still keep my toe in the pet portrait pool, my portraits are no longer the centerpiece of my creative work. But all that I have learned -- about business, about my art, about communication, about others and about myself, came first to me via the pet portraiture business. It's given me gifts too numerous to mention. It saw my ship out to sea, and powered it to sail high and proud. But the point is, I started *something* with my art. For me, it happened to be pet portraits. But it could have been anything. I was passionate and committed. I made something happen. In turn, it propelled me.

Starting your own 'thing', no matter how small it may be, has an excellent peripheral effect: It's a great confidence-builder. When you take yourself seriously as an artist and as a business person, and you walk it like you talk it, suddenly you will find that others are starting to take you seriously, too. As a career artist, you are a maverick. You are likely going to be paving your own way in everything you do professionally. As a creative professional, by default it comes with the territory. So get used to your entrepreneurial, independent business-person self. Embrace it. Own it! Every new venture you take on will be building on a previous one. Every new experience you gain is wisdom in the bank. In the long run, you will only get richer in all aspects for continually challenging yourself in new and different ways.

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Choosing pet portraiture

Becoming a pet portrait artist was an outgrowth of my creative interests, desires and needs at a time in my life when I had not been doing much of my own art work at all. I'd been suffering with chronic hand and wrist problems for a few years, off and on. When those issues finally calmed down, I was hungry to build something with my artwork - something new, fresh and different - something that was really "me"!  Maintaining my full-time job as a graphic designer/illustrator while starting up my new venture required some serious time-management. But, with proper prioritizing, I knew I was up for the challenge. I really wanted to jump back into my artwork head-first! Starting an art business would be a great way to do that, but choosing pet portraiture in particular really changed everything. It's helped me grow in so many ways.

I had a few overall goals for my what I wanted my pet portrait business to accomplish for me:

• I wanted to create a business which would be a framework for my continuing growth as an artist. I really wanted to get back into the habit of doing artwork consistently. Creating a business with timelines and deadlines would keep me on track. I would be accountable, and working under the umbrella of a business would be all the motivation I'd need. And choosing pet portraiture for my business would keep me producing, growing and learning - I viewed it as unchartered territory, I was excited about the subject, and the road was wide open for expression. In the end, it has accomplished all of this for me, and more.

• I wanted my business to foster my communication skills. Working this way would help me to learn how to better manage clients and projects in pet portraits and beyond, and, because the way I work with my clients is one-on-one, pet portraiture by default would accomplish this. Currently, I enjoy a very collaborative, creative workflow with my clients. Personality-wise, pet people are my kind of people, too: I'm just as nuts about pets as they are, so it's a good fit.


• I wanted to be able to do something where I would be in a position to be able to use my artwork to help others. With pet portraiture, I've had the opportunity to donate something uniquely special and valuable to many dog and cat charities and rescue organizations. That feels pretty good!

Stay Tuned for Part Two!

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Here is a banner opportunity to gain a LOT of practical information on crafting your career as a professional artist, all in ONE DAY, and for one reasonable price.

There are seminars and workshops I've read about (and several I've attended) which cover the ins and outs of particular niche arts professions. But this looks to be the most well-rounded, ONE day-long seminar I've seen yet which tackles marketing yourself as a professional artist from so many broad angles. The only thing I've seen close to this in depth and breadth is the seminars available at Surtex Show and, to a larger extent, Licensing International. These shows each run for 3 - 5 days and the seminars and workshops they offer are about 1.5 hours each. But there are so many seminars and workshops over the course of 3-5 days, that you can pick and choose from many, many topics of interest.

I've taken many seminars at both of those shows and I've got my money's worth. But I can tell you that it cost *mucho dinero* to take the classes alone, never mind the travel and hotel expenses involved. This workshop costs only $200 (well, $195, officially) for one full day. You get to choose four seminars out of eight offered, which breaks down to $50 per seminar, which is a good price per seminar (for comparison's sake, Surtex seminars last 1.5 hours and are $75 each). Plus, there will be time to talk shop with others in a social atmosphere at the beginning and end of the day.

If you are in the Boston area (or will be September 13), and you are a working artist in need of some information, resources and a little guidance in a few key areas, OR you are a student about to fly the college coop, it's most definitely worth checking out. Great opportunity to gain a lot for not a lot of time or money!

I've attended workshops and seminars with Carol Eldridge and I can highly recommend her to anyone interested in learning about art licensing.

Here is a list of the titles and speakers who will be presenting:

Art Licensing: What it takes with Carol Eldridge, Carol Eldridge Designs
Art Marketing Today: New guidelines with Susan Fader, Ditto Editions
Art Etiquette: The Do(s) and Don't(s) with Suzanne Schultz,  Canvas Fine Art Gallery
Copyright & More: Know the laws with Brian LeClair, IP Attorney
Art Reproduction Today: Get the facts with Susan Fader, Ditto Editions
Art Representation: Is it for you? with Suzanne Schultz, Canvas Fine Art Gallery
Social Networking: How & Why with Corissa St. Laurant , Constant Contact

Speakers' web sites
Carol Eldridge (Art Licensing):
http://www.caroleldridgedesigns.com/


Susan Fader (Art Marketing Today, Art Reproduction Today):
http://www.dittoeditions.com/


Suzanne Schultz (Art Representation):
http://www.canvasfinearts.com/


Brian LeClair (Artists' Copyright Issues):
PDF bio download

Corissa St. Laurant (Social Networking):
http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp


---------------------------------------------

Art Marketing 21 Day Details
Date: SUNDAY, SEPT. 13, 2009, 8:30-5:30
Place: M2L, 104 BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON

• Participants select to attend 4 seminars from the 8 offered -- 2 from the morning session and 2 from the afternoon session)

ALSO INCLUDED:
COFFEE AND PASTRY  During Check -In.
COCKTAIL RECEPTION at the conclusion of
the day.

THE COST FOR THE DAY IS $195.00


Registration form PDF

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There is NO excuse for us visual artists not to copyright our work.

But there's GOOD NEWS! The U.S. Copyright registry now accepts e-filings.

There are two big benefits to utilizing the online system to register, instead of sending in hard-copies:

• The electronic filing fee is only $35, a $10 savings over the standard (hard-copy, mail-in) $45 fee

• You do not have to mail in hard copies!!! This is a BIG one for me, because including the good-quality prints of my artwork that are required for hard-copy registration can end up being expensive. (I usually register several works at once, so this is a big deal.)

Lastly, with the big scary monster under the bed called the "Orphan Works" bill threatening our security for the past couple years, we simply cannot take any chances. The onus is on us to be pro-active about protecting our precious assets of creativity - our work, our livelihood, ourselves!

For more on Orphan Works, read the Illustrators' Partnership of America's Orphan Works blog (...and, for the sake of argument, bi-partisanship, and in the spirit of sharing but not reflective of my own opinions on the subject), here is the Copyright registry's take on the OW bill.

© * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * © * ©

If you have never copyrighted your work before, no sweat. This is the perfect time to get acquainted with the process of doing it, and finding a way to make it a regular habit (like paying quarterly taxes). Start now!

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I subscribe to New England SCBWI's Yahoo Group listserv. Today, someone posted about a conference happening on Oct. 25 called What's New In Children's Books. Sounded good to me, so I checked out the web site to find out more. It turns out that there is a nonprofit organization called the Foundation of Children's Books that I'd never heard of before. Even better, they are located in Boston, and have several conferences throughout the year in places such like Boston College, MIT and Boston Aethenaeum -- all within easy access to the city, or in the city proper! I'm going to sign up for a few of these conferences. I'll let you know which ones I pick!

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(L-R) Me (Kathy), Nancy of Nancyrosetta artisan jewelry, and Suzanne Conopka at (Etsy artists' group collectives') "Boston Handmade" craft fair in Union Square, Somerville MA, 6/28/08

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Just revised my portfolio on portfolios.com -- uhmmm, I mean, creativeshake.com!

(The former...) Portfolios.com slightly revised their business model recently and, following suit, they changed their name to reflect their new identity and services. It seems like the verdict is still out on how people feel about the name change thing, but name change or no, I am aware of the wide reach they have in some specific niches of the creative industry. So when I got a great "speak now or forever hold your peace" type of offer recently, I took the chance and upgraded my portfolio. It was too good to pass up, and I've gotten work from having just a FREE portfolio on portfolios.com. So, that was already a strong built-in advertisement!

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Disclaimer -- I am in no way, shape or form affiliated with Digital Graphics Resources at all (except for being a past customer, and a happy one at that), but I *am* a big, gigantic, honkin' Cintiq-head, and I so enjoy pushing the Wacom Cintiq on other artists. :)

That said, DGR is currently selling the Cintiq 21UX with a $500 mail-in rebate. That's a mighty fine deal - 20% off. DGR is where I purchased my own Cintiq and I had a very good experience with them. They are independent and customer-service oriented. :)

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Well, the conference is over. On the one hand, it was incredibly invigorating, motivating and inspirational. On the other, I was completely drained when Nell dropped me off at home this afternoon. I went to bed for a five-hour nap. Now I'm up, and I almost don't know where to begin... Okay, I do know where to begin. I need to clean my studio. ;)

There is a sense of urgency that is instilled in us attendees, after attending / experiencing a conference like this. It's as if the truth is magnified: time truly IS slipping away (just like the old 'sands in the hourglass') and, if you are not focused already, your challenge is to seriously re-prioritize your life in order to pursue your career in art, before it's too late ('scuse the morbidity). This is a feeling I'm very well-acquainted with - it's been my philosophy since I had that epiphany at age 35, and it has served as gas in the engine for the past three-and-a-half years! I can report that NOW, at age 38, I truly have accomplished a whole lot in the past three-and-a-half years (and will continue to as long as I am here!).
So, the results are in! The "fear-of-mortality" philosophy REALLY WORKS!! :) :)

This year at the conference, I experienced a bit of a 'creative identity' crisis, at least when it came to choosing my focus. For a year now, I have been consciously identifying myself (privately, to myself) as an illustrator/writer. I completed my first real dummy picture book this year. What an achievement!! So, this weekend, essentially I 'came out of the closet' as an illustrator/writer: I attended some seminars geared to writers. The illustrator in me struggled with that a little bit. I've been an (active) artist my entire life, and my drawing/illustration focus has never really had a creative 'rival' to speak of. So it's very strange to be in the position to resolve this sort of push-pull situation. Taking a writer's double workshop felt a lot like driving down an unpaved road (out in the country... with no road signs anywhere). It really took me out of my comfort zone. Forced me to ask myself some tough questions about taking such a gamble. Especially when there were perfectly good seminars for illustrators in the same time slot. In the end, I followed my gut. It was the right decision. I learned a lot of new and worthwhile things. It's good to take a leap sometimes! Besides that, for me, writing and illustrating go hand-in-hand -- are two ingredients in the same recipe. When I look at it that way, I understand how powerfully writing can further unleash my creative spirit when it comes to my artwork, and amend my capabilities and output. By extension, it also will add depth and diversity to my illustration work in a way that I alone direct! So I am truly "spreading my wings" with this new and exciting layer in my artistic development.

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Check my Flickr here for a few photos (with notes) from today's NESCBWI conference day (Saturday, April 12, 2008). Enjoy!!!

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I am an aspiring published children's author/illustrator. Yup! It's true!! :) Not sure if you knew that, but there it is. :) Here are two books which have helped me immensely with regards to writing for children.

I've been writing all my life, but have no formal writing training (aside from creative writing classes). I do work really well within a framework, though, and I really believe in having the knowledge of fundamentals and groundwork for any creative endeavor.

These books show you the basic writing frameworks for different genres in easily digestible formats (which also happens to be fun to read). Both have been indispensable to me and I'll bet they will remain open and occupying whatever available counter space there is in my studio for the foreseeable future.

(Note: Please do not be fooled by the titles. The material is not shallow. They are user-friendly, and a great introduction to your future children's writing career!)

Writing Children's Books for Dummies
Lisa Rojany Buccieri and Peter Economy
Very easy to navigate, covers all the basics. A fun and educational read. (You are not a dummy if you read this book. You are a smartie... But you WILL learn a bit about dummies, ha ha). You will refer back to it time and time again. Excellent index.

You Can Write Children's Books
Tracey E. Dils
If there was a superhero of reference books for style in children's writing, this might take the title. I have found so many answers to nitty-gritty writing-style questions between these pages. Stuff you didn't even know you needed to know is here. And all within a slim (gasp) 120 pages. The lady knows how to edit, too!

I feel I'd be amiss if I don't mention The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing
Children's Books, Second Edition by Harold Underdown of Purple Crayon fame.
I don't have this book (yet), but it is written by a very well-regarded and respected veteran who really knows his stuff, and it's gotten excellent reviews. It is on my Amazon wish list.

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I am so super-exhausted. I cannot even adequately describe. It's been a really busy couple of weeks. I've been working on something really exciting (really, really REALLY exciting, ok?) but I'm not spilling the beans yet. Anyway, at the moment, it is in the bag as much as it possibly can be at this juncture -- SO, that's GOOD. I have a real sense of accomplishment and I have very high hopes. Please please please send lots of happy vibes!!

I'm also working on a pet portrait -- SO cute -- a St. Bernard (my first)!! Also will be doing an upcoming cover for the Graphic Artists Guild national newsletter. I'm trying to brainstorm something really good, but also really "me" for the supplied subject matter, and let me tell ya, it's a teeny bit of a challenge so far, but I think I can do it. ;)

Also, more kid art for some promos coming up real soon. One of thise pieces is going to be for Picture Book 2009. I'm so excited that I'll have a presence in PB 2009 under the Tugeau 2 umbrella. Yippee!! Pretty awesome.

Another promo I'll be doing is for something different. For that one, I will likely tackle the window-shopper girl and do a final piece of it (finally, you say? ;) ) I'm thinking that might be nice in pen and ink (traditional). I may do some revisiting of long-past-used mediums soon (namely, liquid ink). Not sure about that, though -- we'll see. More on that later.

Lastly, my agency started a BLOG!! It's a great thing and I'm glad. I plan to contribute regularly, not sure of the exact schedule, but regularly. For starters to get the blog rolling, I'll let you know when I post and maybe you will check it out. It's bound to be a great outlet -- LOTS of really talented, really great artists. (Lucky me to be in such stellar company!)

In personal news (and just for kicks, I'll share), I attended my 20th high school reunion this past weekend. What a trip that was. It was really great to see old faces and catch up a bit. With some, I felt like there was so much to say and not even time to scratch the surface. You're at a loss for words in those situations, what can you say. (Half the time, I'm like, what just flew out of my mouth?) Anyway, it would be really nice to see some of them again sometime soon in the not-too-distant future (um, definitely BEFORE the next reunion. ).

Okay... that's all for now... over and out. More later!!

Kathy

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The talented illustrator and blogger extraordinaire Megan E. Jefferey wrote this excellent essay to mark her SEVENTEENTH anniversary as a freelance artist. Lucky for us, she decided to share it with us all.

I discovered this post right around the time that she first posted it to her blog (August 2006). In it, I discovered so many gems of wisdom that were so pertinent to me at the time! (Come to find out, they truly still are.) I thanked her profusely for sharing it, and promptly hung the essay list on a wall in my office.

Cut to a year and a half later. I did a little rearranging in my office studio last night, and I came across my copy of "17 Things", which fell off my wall a year and a half ago. I read again, with just as much interest and thirst for the information as I did back then. It contains such evergreen wisdom which is applicable for freelancers in their first, fifth, and fifteenth year!! I hope you get as much out of this as I did (and still do)!

Hey Meg, thank you SO much (again). :) ...And, by now -- Ta - Da!!! -- you are WELL INTO into your 18TH YEAR!! Big Congratulations, Meg!!!!

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I just completed adding up all of my receipts AND income from the year 2007. Whew!! Glad that's finally over.

I tell you, tax time gives me the heebie-jeebies. I can't help feeling that looming sense of dread when the time rolls around that I have to dig through every infinitesimal shred in my records and look at it under a microscope. I had a pretty easy time counting tonight on the calculator, which is a blessing. (My fingers were up for the challenge, I guess.) It wasn't one of those experiences where you add up 25 numbers, dare yourself not to make any numerical notations as a fail-safe, then dramatically forget which number you were on, and have to re-add the entire column all over again, from the beginning!! Ooh, nightnmare. No sirree, not tonight!! It went smoothly! YESSSSSSSSSSSS..........I can breathe now.

A few years ago (when I started freelancing for real) I decided that I was going to do everything RIGHT where taxes/accountability was concerned, no matter how initially painful it would be. And yes, it would be painful... I was never trained on financial responsibility and accountability when I was a youngster, and, to top it off, I was never a great math student in school... So, as you can imagine, the entire process has been a lot of work and very challenging at times, and a lot of holding my feet to the fire. But today I can hold my head high and say that I am SO proud of myself! I've come such a long way. It is not ever really completely painless, but I CAN say that "doing things right" gives me a amazing feeling of peace, relief, positivity and true confidence that I can't put a price on.

There is things one can do to make tax time less painful. Keeping a separate credit card and bank account help keep things organized in a tangible sense, as well as just mentally. Knowing that things are separated in this way can relieve daily stress and anxiety. Many freelancers who are in that 'limbo' area between working their day-to-day full-time job and freelancing the rest of the time may surmise that these additional steps are just added work and unnecessary. But to the contrary, I personally feel that it's incredibly important in many ways. It not only helps with just general organization of your business finances, it also trains you to have good financial practices, which will only help you in ALL aspects of your finances. It's also an unspoken promise to yourself that your goal is to TRULY THRIVE as a professional artist, and that your business is NOT an afterthought.... And all of those things are VERY, VERY important!! :)

My first step was making an appointment with an accountant. He gave me a crash course in small business tax 101 and he tailored it to my own business and needs. Taking this step is worth the expense. You gotta learn this stuff somewhere, and it might as well be from a professional in the field!! (If you're worried about the cost, don't. You and your business are WORTH it. You can expense it. Case closed.) The sense of empowerment you receive when you are learning the right way to do things is really beneficial in so many ways. The positive enforcement has ripple effects throughout other areas of your life!!! :)

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La Bloga is a collaborative blog devoted to the discussion of Chicana Chicano Literature, Chicana Chicano Writers, Chicana Chicano Fiction, Children's Literature, News, Views, Reviews. I was drawn to it this morning due to the article, Living To Tell the Story: The Authentic Latino Immigrant Experience in Picture Books (Part 1) by René Colato Laínez.
Maybe it also had something to do with the fact that I'm reading Cellophane by Marie Arana, which somehow reminds me of 100 Year of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I have to admit, I picked the book out in the library due to it's cover, and it has not let me down.

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