The question may be a bit out of date:
You are an illustrator struggling for recognition. You can’t get past a secretary to see an editor. Do you lie and say a prominent critic sent you?
These days it’s less about office secretaries and more about online presence and knowing how to network in a virtual environment. It goes for any creative endeavour. The Man’s noticed this with his music work and efforts to build connections and team up on projects. He’s not a schmoozer by nature so pimping his stuff everywhere every five minutes is not the approach he’d feel comfortable taking and he’s already told me about at least one guy he’s unfollowed on his Facebook feed due to to similar behaviour.
He’s starting an illustration course next week as part of his USCAD art certificate. He was hoping to do a printmaking course this semester as well but it didn’t work out, sadly. That would have been cool. He’s looking forward to the class, though. On both cabin trips this summer he worked on a couple pieces with pen and chalk pastels. I can’t show the art, but I’ll include the pictures I took of the inspirations.
Wine and Glasses
The piece he did of this he’s planning to give to his folks as it’s their cabin we were using. We already drank the wine ourselves. Whatever it was, it was nice.
The trees have eyes…
He began to regret his choice to do trees as they’re really bumpy and difficult. He opted for a simpler storybook look to it that still evoked the sense of forest surroundings and it turned out well, I think.
The Guardian had a piece a few years ago written by an illustrator detailing how she got into the business. It’s a good read. Emma Block credits starting a blog for her artwork but admits there’s more to it than that.
I got my first job as an illustrator for card printer Moo’s pre-designed packs in 2008 just before I started university. Moo contacted me after they saw my artwork on a pack of their cards I ordered for myself. My next job came when the greeting cards company Woodmansterne (a client I am still working with today) saw my work on Moo’s website.
As well as my university work, I was busy producing work for myself and for online publications such as Amelia’s Magazine and Cellar Door. Free work has some value when you are establishing your career, but be picky about what you do.
The Man had a bit of luck lately with a fellow he knows who wanted music to rap over and even I liked it. And I seem to recall the fellow who put out his cassette at I Had an Accident Records noted a while back that his album had been in a shop somewhere in Europe. That was pretty cool news.
He’d love to make solid money with his music so he wouldn’t have to work cruddy jobs with cruddy hours. I feel for him. I hate seeing him unhappy.
One Minion's Opinion 