Should Anyone Be Published?

So I got to thinking today while my dog was walking me - Should anyone be published? Can anyone be published? At what point can one call them self an author or artist? What is an artist? If everyone is an artist how can any of us make a living as an artist, author, musician or whatever? With internet tools like: Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon, iTunes, Pubit, Tumbler, Wordpress, Diviantart, Youtube, Kickstarter, Google, and yes Blogger - anyone can make their art available for consumption and can generate an audience for FREE. Is this good for art? Is this good for artists? and is it good for our consumers? What is the cost of more artists getting more attention than ever before in the history of the world?

Some say the down side is that more mediocre art will be seen than ever before. That the quality of art is being diluted. That if people without "proper" training call themselves artists or authors - the lay person will not know the difference. That the masses will unwittingly consume bad art. That everyone loses because the revolutionaries are storming the Bastille and the established master artists will lose the power of their voice in the coming wave of amateurs.

What do you think?

Here's what I think: Baloney!

I don't think things are that much different now as they were 20 years ago -as far as artists having to work super hard to get attention. Rewind the tape and lets go back to 1992 - before all those internet sites were created. I was told that I was crazy to try to become a professional illustrator in '92. The same was true if you wanted to become an actor, musician, photographer, comedian, or gallery painter. Why was it crazy? -because there was so much stinkin competition! The big difference was that there were more gatekeepers than there are today. Reps, agents, companies, publishers, labels, agencies, galleries, etc were the entities that vetted artists for their perception of quality. Sometimes they got it right - sometimes they blew it - like the publishers that told JK Rowling to take a hike.

So now that many of these gatekeepers have lost some of their power - we're seeing artists self publishing all forms of art:  books, music, visual art, performing art, etc. I think it's great! I believe that everyone is an artist (sometimes). I believe that most artists feed off of their audience and the feedback can be both encouraging and discouraging - but both are necessary for growth.

I don't think that more artists vying for attention is bad at all - in fact I believe it's a good thing. If originality is taking a known idea and combining it with another idea than I believe that more artist's means more ideas. More ideas breed even more combinations of ideas which means that the quality of art should go up. I see this already happening -  I've seen more creative ideas in the last year on Facebook than I've ever seen in my entire life.

To become an accomplished artist takes many years and long hours of practice. In the past the practice was done without much of an audience. I believe that artists can now improve much faster with the exposure they can receive through their network of friends online.

Some worry that their products won't be found in a sea of other products. They better worry. We should all worry enough to make sure our products are DIFFERENT - ORIGINAL - CREATIVE - EXCEPTIONAL - even EXTRAORDINARY or we will never get the attention we seek. But this isn't new either...

Consider all the books that have ever been published in the history of publishing. Google estimates this number at 130 million. How did anyone ever get noticed? ONE HUNDRED THIRTY MEEEELION BOOKS???!!! - YIKES!  Most of the good ones got noticed because there are systems in place to help you find what you're looking for. Take Barnes and Noble for instance. By my rough calculations (keep in mind I flunked math) Barnes and Noble Stores carry a few hundred thousand books  - much less than 1% of all the books ever published. So B&N acts as a filter for it's consumers - they only carry what they think you will want. In addition those few hundred thousand books aren't overwhelming because they are organized into sections. When you or I walk into a B&N we already know what section(s) we're going to check out that might have a few hundred books to browse...piece of cake - you just found Linchpin by Seth Godin.

The same thing is happening online. Review sites, List sites, retailers, awards, bloggers, etc are tripping over themselves to find the good stuff to bring relevancy to their sites. They want to be able to sell their products and attract advertisers so they have to suggest good products to us in order drive traffic and stay viable.

In the end I think there will be just as many superstars creating works that reach some level of mainstream success and then there will be the rest of us - hoping, dreaming, working our butts off, and having a great time doing what we love.

Beware the Cowken!!!

Beware the cowken: Makes strange sounds early in the morning and will give your shins a wicked stabbing!

Gives the best eggnog on the planet!

................................


Hey, I don't have any words of wisdom this week - just weirdness - too much Olympics, Mars, and heat! - if any of you have suggestions for me to blog about I'm all ears!

Getting Stuff Done...

A few weeks ago I was asked how I manage my time to accomplish items on my to do list. First let me just say that my situation affords me a lot of time to devote towards illustration projects and for that I feel very fortunate. My youngest boy is now 13 and does a lot with his older brothers and friends. My wife was teaching school when he was a pup so I spent a lot of time watering and weeding that one but now I have much more time. I don't have a full time job so that really helps. I know many of you have a lot of responsibilities that demand big chunks of time but here are some of my strategies - perhaps they might give you a few ideas:


I need less money because we've simplified our lives. Fewer activities, reusing items, less extravagant vacations - basically living within our means has allowed me to take on less work- to be choosy and more judicious with my time.


 I work many hours during the day but when I draw I do it on my iPad in the family room so I can be with my wife and kids - not super high quality time but I can still participate in discussions...and arguments :) I do most of the thumbnail and design decisions in my studio where I can think and then refine the finishes with the fam.


I sketch on an iPad - I can't tell you how much time this has saved me. We have some medical issues in our family and find ourselves at doctor appointments quite often. Now I can take my work with me on the iPad. I like it better than a sketchbook because I can completely finish drawings because I never run out of "paper". You can always re-size and keep working. When I'm at school or waiting for one of my kids in the car - at the in-laws, etc. I always have the ability to keep working. I then email the work to myself and when I get home I'm already to start photoshop work.


I love hiking in the mountains and playing racquetball - so I use both of these as incentives. I'll tell myself that I can't leave for my hike until I get x done. Self imposed deadlines have become a way of life - so much that sometimes I forget that they are my deadlines and I sometimes have to remind myself that it's ok to blow one now and then. The hike resets my mind and gives me focus - I'm more productive when I return.


I had to go on an internet diet. One of my indulgences is to check facebook, email, twitter, my blog, my back office sales stats for Amazon and Pubit, other people's blogs, news feeds, etc. The online connections are potentially endless and Seth Godin really helped me by clearly stating that these distractions are NOT work. So while I used to be able to convince myself that it was part of my productivity I no longer can - Thanks Seth! I jump on in the morning and then a few more times throughout the day but then I click out and really try to crank on my assignments.


I visualize a lot too. I begin with the end in mind as Stephen Covey put it in his 7 habits book. Imagining how cool it will be to have children's story apps for iPad and android really gets me going and gives me the motivation to sidestep many distractions that inevitably try to trip me each day.


I also break down each project into small little checklist items. Even if you're only able to cross one little item off each day think what you'll be able to accomplish in a year. Thinking about doing it is good but people sometimes spend years telling themselves, "I'm going to_______."  - make the freakin list - start checking things off!


Probably the biggest thing I've been able to do to boost my productivity and time management is to start saying no to assignments I'm not in love with. Cutting out the projects that bring me down and replacing them with projects I love has me waking up in the morning excited to get going. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I get to go in my studio and work on some freakin cool stuff. 


Hope this list helps some of you - it's taken me many years to finally figure out what works for me - I'd love to know what works for you...maybe I can steal a few ideas.

Painted a Drawing From When I Was 8

I've been wanting to do this for quite a while - paint an image I drew when I was a kid! I remember being in the phase of drawing hot rods when I was 8 - 10 years old. I was born in '66 when the occasional hot rod would rumble by and my friends and I dreamed of one day owning one. The next best thing was drawing them...or attempting to draw them with what little skill we possessed. There was a kid in my 3rd grade class that was much better than I - wish I could remember his name - anyway, whenever it was art time we found ourselves in a sort of competition to draw the coolest hot rod.

The neat thing is that while I was painting this one up in photoshop today I remembered what it felt like to make this drawing way back. Not this one in particular but the overall genre of hot rod drawings - the metal flake candy apple paint job was what I had no way of pulling off back then. Crayons always seemed to mess up a perfectly good drawing and the end result was always such a disappointment.

This was some good therapy today - I highly recommend it! Thanks Dad for saving some of my art! I'm keeping files of your grand kids' work... -oh, and I wish I came up with this idea but actually it came from a guy who's been painting kid's drawings for a while http://www.themonsterengine.com/

--Addendum: Susan Clement-Beveridge brought up a really good point that I had to include in the post: the idea of painting the image with a technology that had yet to be invented when I drew the sketch. Wow! How could I have missed that one? Imagine present Will going back in time and explaining to past Will age 8. "So anyhow, in almost 40 years I'm going to paint your sketch"...(imagine young Will with a stupid look)..."yeah, so I'll be working on a computer".... (blank stare)..."a computer is a electrical box you put on your desk that's attached to a TV type screen"...."There's no real paint but I'll be able to scan your drawing with a scanner thingy to get it into the TV type thing"....(young Will thinking about playing outside with friends)..."forget the scanner - I'll be painting it with electronic pixels with a tablet type thingy and an electric pen that won't write on paper"....( young Will - "I'm going down to my friends house now - we're going to play Rock em Sock em Robots)....

You Are A Creator!

Not THE Creator :) When I first left school in 1992 I was eager to get illustration assignments. After a few months and a few freelance gigs I couldn't believe I could fianlly call myself an illustrator! For the following eighteen years I continued to proudly identify myself as an illustrator. But in the last few years I've begun to realize that this title or label has actually been somewhat limiting in my growth as an artist. The confines of the title kept me from seeing myself as anything but an illustrator- not that there's anything wrong with being an illustrator but can I allow myself to be even more? - I thought.

As I started dreaming up new projects and venturing down new roads with my video tutorials, ebooks, and apps I've realized that I've given myself permission to wear many new hats. Entrepreneur, director, teacher, writer, collaborator, graphic designer, voice actor, animator, editor, and yes illustrator are some of the roles I find myself engaged in now. I'm not yet proficient in many of these roles yet but it's challenging and exciting to be able to wake up and declare, "I'm going to do _________ today!"

Re-defining yourself as a creator allows your mind to wander and imagine yourself being successful in areas you might never thought of. Imagining your successes is really the first step to realizing those successes because if you can't imagine it you won't have the motivation to act. Giving yourself permission to become more- is liberating. Calling yourself a creator allows you the freedom to explore and communicate with like minded people about the possibilities you imagine. I have 3 more projects I would like to pursue in the future if I can finish some of my existing work - and they aren't like anything I've done thus far.

A word of caution: Before you really start to pursue too many projects or skill sets let me make it clear that I believe it is very important to master one craft first. Mastering a craft will mean different things to different people. If you reach a high level of mastery at whatever it is that you do i.e. illustration, writing, animation, coding, etc. you will put yourself in a leveraging position. You'll be able to gain respect from the people you approach if you ever want to partner with them, go into business with them, collaborate with, or hire them. You'll need this respect if you wish to attract equally talented people who offer expertise where you are weak.

So allow yourself a broader definition of who you are so you can become more than you ever imagined. With amazing digital technologies and the internet -which is becoming more and more accessible to the little man the opportunities are endless.

My youngest son told me that frogs don't jump to catch insects when he saw the piece I was working on above. My response, "would you have commented on this piece if I had drawn it accurately?" He thought about it and then said, "probably not." If we expect to get attention in the noisy era of the internet we have to create original projects!

Penguin App

So here's another children's story app I'm working on right now. I'm calling this the SUMMER OF APPS as I've been working on three of them with three different programmers currently. I thought I'd post some progress on my latest - the penguin app - we're still trying to figure out a name for it. It has a story component as well as a counting and simple addition subtraction theme. This one is going to be targeted towards 2-5 year olds. In the menu users will choose between story mode and adventure mode - so story time is just that and when it's time to play kids will know how to get there.

These penguins are the main characters and since we are animating them I had to start learning a little about animation. You need to know that I've been a one trick pony for almost two decades - I've only been working digitally for a few years for crying out loud.

So one of the first things I learned is that whenever you're talking animation you're talking assets. An asset is a stand alone character, object, or background element. In order for things to move over a background they can't be painted over the background - like I used to do in all my illustrations. This is why it's almost impossible to make animated apps or ebooks from classic children's books. 

When you're working with animated assets the more things you separate from the background the more powerful the property. By that I mean that if what you're working on ever does well commercially you'll probably want to follow it up with a sequel. So the more stuff you can illustrate separately the more power you have in creating another story using the same backgrounds by moving the props into different positions or removing them entirely. You can see that this beach scene could be completely reworked in a matter of minutes since every object is painted on it's own layer. Ironically I don't think I'd be going down this road if I hadn't learned to work in photoshop a few years back!

Some little fishies that appear in a few screens in the app...

The programmer on this app really likes the "Unity Framework" which he is using to format our app. It's actually designed for a 3d game environment but works great for our 2d art and animation. It allows us to dream it and build it. Looking at the smooth motion it provides is amazing to me since I've always identified myself as an illustrator. About 4 years ago a colleague of mine attended an icon conference where a speaker said that illustrators will need to start thinking about motion graphics and animation if they want to stay viable in the near future. Those words were a bit scary to me at the time for fear of the unknown. Now I'm not only unafraid - I'm so psyched about the possibilities and the sheer fun of dreaming up things that I've never seen before!

What I Did Wrong On Kickstarter

Many of you know I'm a big fan of failing and failing often in order to learn and grow. Well, my Kickstarter campaign didn't reach it's funding for I HATE READING! and I think I know why. When things don't play out the way we want them to it's tempting to adopt an attitude, "Ah, the world doesn't deserve my genius." "I'm taking my ball and going home." But I have had the luxury of failing so much in my life that this isn't even a scrape. I brought home so many bad report cards that failure was almost part of my to do list. Failing often has made me somewhat immune to the feelings of regret many become paralyzed by - I know that the next time I try something I'll have a better chance of success based on lessons learned.

Here is a list of the main reasons I believe my Kickstarter didn't reach it's goal:

1) I didn't have a launch party to rally my close friends and family. Many suggest that before you ever pull the trigger on your Kickstarter web page you should let as many people know about your project as possible. I was sort of in rush mode to get mine going as I was juggling other freelance projects etc.

2) I didn't get a "staff pick." The coveted holy grail factor in having a super successful campaign is getting loved by the Kickstarter staff. A "staff pick" means that Kickstarter features your project so that it's easy for people to find your project. They say right on their website that they're looking for projects that are doing well. This is more of a hunch but I think that if you come out of the gate with a roar you have more chances of getting their attention. There are thousands of projects on their site and the more money you rack up early has to be one of the factors they're looking for. So it stands to reason that if you have a bunch of people lined up to contribute when you launch you'll send a message that you aren't fooling around. In addition their search algorithms are set to move your project up on the list each time someone contributes to your Kickstarter. I think they also count the facebook "likes" and move you up on their "popular" list.

3) My rewards weren't enticing enough. If I had painted the I HATE READING! images in acrylics instead of working digitally I would have had original painted art to offer as incentives to perspective backers. Having rewards that people really want is important - ask yourself - would I want this? This was a choice I struggled with early on but I felt that I couldn't spare the extra time to work traditionally - gambled - lost.

4) I charged too much for the app. I think most people are practical  - like I see myself.  I was charging $10 for an app that everybody figured I would end up selling for a few bucks in the app store. Why pay 4- 5 times the price for the same product? I was figuring that charging $2/app wouldn't get the project funded very easily and that perhaps more people would contribute a little more to get their name in the credits - guess not. :)

5) I didn't nurture my campaign. Call it laziness or an excuse but I really didn't feel that I had enough time to keep my Kickstarter in peoples minds on a daily basis with updates. I struggled with this one on another level too...I didn't want to bug people. I was afraid of people growing to hate I HATE READING! through over-exposure.

6) I didn't reach out to like minded people - educators and teachers. I'm sure that with enough prep work in the form of research and invitations I could have rallied a group of interested organizations. I feel confident that some or all of them may have helped me in one way or another with my goal if not simply by just spreading the word.

So that's it - probably a bunch of other mistakes but I value the experience in that if I ever do another Kickstarter I'll start with a much better game plan. I also have this experience to share and that's priceless!
So if you decide to launch your own Kickstarter please don't be discouraged by my failure to fund. You can right many of my wrongs. Check out one of my friends successful campaigns that finished a few months ago - Jake Parker - dreams can come true on Kickstarter!

Good news! I'm going to be making the app after all - with a few cuts here and there and digging into my own pocket we'll be able to release what I feel is going to be a really fun app! Also  - I've been contacted by a few publishers who may want to publish I HATE READING! into a physical book - stay tuned!

Being Teachable

Remember when you knew it all? For some it was way back in grade school. For others it was up until you went to college and realized there was a lot you had to learn....and yet some never fully understand how much they truly don't know. Being teachable is being willing to let down your guard...allowing someone else to drive even though you might know some or all of the directions. Why? Because most of us will never achieve world class mastery over our craft or marketing skills without getting help from each other.

 Richard Hull, one of my illustration teachers from college, to this day will attend a lecture from a visiting illustrator and sit quietly taking notes. Even though his work is great and even though he has illustrated editorial, advertising, and children's books – AND teaches it for a living...he's there...taking notes when most of the student's are not.

 Being teachable isn't natural - but it must be learned in order to progress. Sometimes I run across a student that reminds me of myself when I was in college. I had such a passion for being original that I rarely took the advice of my teachers. If they taught the class to do it this way I wanted to do it that way. I see some of my students making the same choices and while I understand it I know it leads to a dead end. There was a point where I realized that everything my teachers had been telling me was right. It was at that point that I started listening and my learning increased at a much faster pace.

 Sadly every now and then I run across a student who never seems to trust me enough to take my advice. But it's not just my advice – my fellow teachers confirm the same behavior. I worry about them because in most cases they seem to just pass through art classes as if it were a phase in their life...then they're on to something else and we never see them again.

 Two years ago I had to humble myself and learn from a recent graduate – Jed Henry – now a children's book illustrator (and a darn good one too!). He taught me how to use photoshop and it has allowed me to put away the acrylics and produce my images in a fraction of the time. If I hadn't been teachable I can't imagine where I would be. I'll talk more on this in a later post but working on ebooks and apps is so much easier if you can work in layers digitally.

 A few weeks ago I was contacted by an 80 year old artist who also was also hungry to learn how to paint digitally. We talked on the phone for about an hour and I helped her through some issues she was having with set up. She had found my digital painting videos on folioacademy and wanted to know if I thought she could handle them. I did – and she dove right in. Later she wrote: “ I have really enjoyed your course and will have many enjoyable hours learning all your techniques.” My teaching is far from perfect and learning from a video isn't the most ideal way but when you're teachable – i.e. humble – you'll absorb more information in a shorter amount of time.

Craft, Creativity, & You

You're thinking of going to art school, you're going to art school, or you went to art school...or you didn't go to school but because of your dedication you're teaching yourself. I'll bet you've spent most of your time working on your craft - more so than your creativity - right? I've talked about this subject before but this time I want to convince you of something I've been thinking about lately.

With the proliferation of the internet I've noticed as I'm sure you have that information is shared and spread much faster than ever before. So when there is a new piece of hardware released we all find out about it overnight. Even if someone isn't addicted to facebook or twitter chances are one of their friends will let em in on the secret.

When a group of award winning illustrators announce a master class, video series, conference, or tutorial - you hear or read about it. When a blogger offers advice, tips, demos, reviews, etc - you find out about it because someone shared it, liked it, retweeted it, emailed it, re-blogged it and on and on. We're all benefiting from the generosity and enthusiasm of each other.

Check out this amazing new little tool that I would have died to have in my early illustration days (brought to me via email from a friend) - and it's FREE!!! This is what I'm talking about! So much goodness out there to learn the craft of illustration. Handy - an artist's reference tool - FREE - app store - android.



SO, my conclusion is that learning the craft of illustration is getting easier and easier. It will still take an incredible amount of time and dedication but you don't necessarily have to have the means to go to school. And even if you're going to school you have way more resources, gadgets, and opportunities than ever before.  My thought is that there is and will be more talented artists at an ever growing rate than there ever has been. Does this scare me? A little, but in the end I realize that it's going to be the creativity that is paired with the craft that will sell a product. So if you just want to make great pictures you're going to have a harder time earning a living than if you couple it with a creative idea and package it in a product that people can't live without.

Example: Mary Grandpre: Great stand alone art portfolio....combined with the Harry Potter manuscript = big$$$

So work on your creative ideas, stories, products etc...it's your originality that will keep you in the game.

Photoshop Tip Tutorial

I'm working on a project right now that I thought would make a great little tutorial for working with spot images. What used to take me forever working traditionally is now a snap - and if you're using photoshop this might give you a few more ways to think about your edges and feathering those highlights. As I make new discoveries or figure out new ways to use photoshop I'll add a video tutorial. And as always - if you feel that this video doesn't give you all the answers I still have my full tutorials available at folioacademy.com. You can also subscribe to my youtube channel to check out my library of videos here.

Grab your favorite beverage and watch as I fumble for the controls but finally set her down nice and easy.

Artist For Life

I'm in my mid forties now and I've realized - I'm an artist for life. I've met a lot of artists - some successful and some working on becoming successful and a few who have given up. I would like to talk to those of you who might be thinking of giving up or working on your back up plan.

First, I believe that we're all artists. Even someone who is mostly left brained has had to create a solution to a problem using duct tape and for that moment he/she was an artist. Second, for those of us who are mostly right brained - using our creativity feels natural and is expressed on a daily basis in one form or another. How we approach a simple interaction with a stranger is a chance to either use art or shut down and go into robot mode. Of course we all do that from time to time - like in elevators - it's ok - sometimes you just can't think of anything to say right? 

So if using your art is natural to you - you can't really turn it off. You can choose to do different things with it - different occupations - different projects etc. But some occupational choices will leave you fulfilled at the end of the day while others will leave you frustrated and discouraged. I don't mean tired and annoyed like many school teachers. At the end of the day a school teacher still has a lot of autonomy and can exercise a great deal of creativity in the classroom with each student interaction. I'm talking about taking on a job or project where using your art is unwanted, unappreciated, and unnecessary.

Let me tell you about the time I almost became a prison guard. Yes you read that right. Six years ago we were living in California and had just learned that my wife had contracted an auto-immune disease. She was a special ed teacher at the time and we realized she was going to have to quit her job due to this illness. I was worried that we would lose our medical insurance and knew that I wouldn't be able to purchase any for her. We both went into panic mode and over the next few months I found myself looking into occupations that would provide coverage.

I'm really only "qualified" to do a few things on this planet - one of which is painting pictures. Trash pick up is another but they don't provide medical insurance so I skipped over that one. Soon my search revealed that working for the state of California not only provided a decent salary and hefty benefits but was also relatively easy to land. A few classes and training and they would practically take anyone willing to lock themselves up with murderers and pedophiles. I was frustrated, scared, disappointed and broken as I filled out the proper paper work and checked myself into the preliminary classes to become a California Corrections Officer.

I felt like I was turning my back on my creative side. In prison creativity can get you killed. My next door neighbor was a corrections officer and we spent a lot of time talking about how different I would need to become in order to survive as a C.O. He basically said I would have to become a robot in order to avoid getting noticed. Inmates will try to get to know you so they can manipulate you, extort you, threaten you, and exploit you. He said, "I'm a totally different person inside the prison - you wouldn't even recognize me".

I got letter from the state telling me that my application was complete and that I was to report to the academy in one month for final training and then I would receive my assignment. My wife and I struggled with the decision. She didn't want me in there any more than I did. In the end we decided that the price was too great and we moved to Utah to be closer to family and figure out our next steps. In the end I can tell you we made the right decision - for many reasons.

The truth is that I probably would have "washed out" in that occupation. The whole goal was to last 25 years for a full retirement but in reality many can't take it and as one ex- C.O. told me, "I would rather wash dishes for the rest of my life than go back in there one more day"...It's as if you're just one of the inmates in many respects...you'll see horrible things...they're a bunch of animals" -this after he had recently quit. For the record there are some people who not only do that job well - they love it. I don't think I would have been one of them.

So back to art. I've come to realize that I'm an artist - period. No matter what - I'm going to be making art and trying to figure out a way to monetize it. I love it! I will never retire from it because it's what I love to do. I think you'll find that most successful artists have a desire to create and while not all of what they produce is commercially successful they never stop. There's always the next project - the next canvas - the next film, album, photo, or book...they're artist's for life.

My Advice For Beginning Illustrators

"I've decided to throw my hat in the ring and become an illustrator - what should I do?"

I get asked this question all the time and the following are the answers I give. Whether you're just out of school or changing careers you probably have a lot of emotions bouncing around in your head. Hopefully this will give you a few ideas to approach your new career.

1) Make great art! This is my number one and it always will be! Know this: art directors, editors, and art buyers are ALWAYS looking for new fresh quality work. This business isn't like the acting world - only in super rare cases is getting that "big break" going to make your career. It's like this: do great work and you will probably start getting good gigs. This sounds overly simple but I'm constantly surprised when I see artists spending lots of time and money marketing work that doesn't stand on it's own.

It's like trying to ride a bike with a flat tire - sure you can make it move but you'll never gain momentum or coast. I'm not saying don't try. Get on that bike and pedal like a mad man but don't be satisfied with flat tires! Constantly evaluate your work against your heroes. Ask yourself hard questions: Why do I like their work better than mine? What are they doing that I'm not? What are my weaknesses and how can I turn them into strengths. Where am I cutting corners? How long are they spending on a piece of art? (don't know? - find out)

I did this. I asked these hard questions when I almost got kicked out of my college illustration program. I asked these questions in my first years of working as an illustrator. I still ask these questions because I'm still on a quest! I don't want to settle for what I'm currently capable of. You have to get pissed off at your current portfolio if you want it to get better in the future! (can you tell I'm passionate about this :)

2) Show your work. If you're making great art you need to understand that there are clients that will hire you if they know you exist. Marketing unfortunately has gotten much harder but also cheaper. Art directors used to look in a few places to find illustrators so life used to be much simpler. Now there are a zillion places you can pay to display your work. I'm noticing that many illustrators aren't finding great success with paid sites, source books, etc. The most important piece of marketing you can do is start blogging - adding regular new work and communicating using your humanity. If you're making great art others will link to you and share your work. Art directors are looking for and hire quite a few illustrators from blog hopping - I know this because I take the time to ask them.

The old stand by - post cards are still a great use of time and money as well. If you're sending out really good work - your cards will no doubt land on a few desks at the right time and you'll start to see them pay off. Again - what you put on that card matters more than who it's going to - more than a clever phrase - more than credentials - and more than the grades you got or are trying to get.

3) Create your own properties. As the publishing world is downsizing from the economy and the proliferation of electronic books - they're creating fewer books and subsequently hiring fewer illustrators. This is both good and bad for illustrators. On one hand it's harder to get commissions - on the other you can now create your own stories and publish them for little to no cost in the form of ebooks and apps. Now you don't have to wait by the phone hoping it will ring with that big job or book deal. Get busy writing and join or form a critique group with like minded people so you can get good honest feedback.

Make relevant apps or ebooks for your audience. It sounds overly simple but simply put - they have to be great. Average, predictable, mediocre aren't words you want used to describe your creations. You have to be honest with your work and only produce properties that you yourself would buy. But don't be paralyzed thinking that you don't have the right or that you're not good enough. You'll learn more by doing than by standing on the sidelines. Get in there and fail. Fail often but learn lessons each time you fail - you're walking aren't you? how did you learn to do that?

4) Go to conferences. It's time consuming and expensive but attending conferences like SCBWI and other writing & illustrating conferences around the country will expose you to people who have the same struggles you do. People who are having successes and are eager to share them - art directors, editors, and art buyers sharing their opinions, preferences, methods, and desires. There is a culture in the publishing industry that you need to tap into to start to understand where you can fit in. You should be getting your advice from many different sources so you can be better equipped to formulate your own opinions.

People who attend conferences get published and hired more often than those that don't.

5) Socialize. You need to be connecting with people using social media. Assignments and opportunities can come from many different directions and connecting through the internet can open you up for many new opportunities. Pick a few social sites and start developing relationships but be careful not to let it take over your time. You can connect with the world now - why wouldn't you take advantage of that?

And if you do decide to create your own projects you'll have a group of people who you've been connecting with that might buy your new_________...and if it's good - they'll talk it up. The days of "buy my product" are dying if not dead - it's the connections you make that will introduce your new_________to the world.

6) Don't always do it the right way. Be careful of looking for the right way to launch or maintain your career. We're in a creative industry so don't clam up and get mechanical about your marketing. It's time to separate yourself from your counterparts. Use your brain and don't be afraid to innovate new ways of getting your art out there. If you were to poll 10 of your favorite illustrators chances are they would all paint a different picture of their success story so don't get caught up in following the map - venture off the trail - you might be talking about your trip at a future conference!

7) Give. Number 7 wasn't in my original post but I'm going to add it now. Help others with their art. Ironically you'll learn and grow faster if you force yourself to put into words the processes you're using to teach someone else. It doesn't matter if you're an expert or not - just help someone that needs it. When you reverse engineer your process you'll hear yourself say things you didn't even know you knew. It will also force you to seek out principles from respected sources so you don't feel like an idiot when teaching. You'll make discoveries that you were never taught in school and you'll also feel great helping others but that's not the important thing...or is it?

I Live To Create

As many of you know I'm working on a few iPad apps at the moment and starting two more book projects and in the middle of a very frustrating freelance assignment. Yesterday I found myself sketching on my iPad while watching Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe with the fam (hilarious). Sometimes my doodles are just doodles but now and then one really starts to take shape.


So when I finished this sketch on my iPad ("Brushes" program $8.99 - I use my finger - no stylus) I had to finish it in photoshop. When I say, "had to" I really mean had to. I don't want to go wacko on you guys but I really feel this inner dependence on creation...almost like I can't breath if I'm not creating something regularly.


It has actually been this way since I was a kid. I couldn't work on a piece all day - or multiple days like I can now - in fact in college I think the longest I ever worked on one image was about 2 hours.


Finishing a piece like this makes me right with the world.


This is where I used one of my digital photos for the background layer - I'm having fun experimenting with this technique. It's a huge time saver and with the blur filters in photoshop you can really do a lot to hide the fact that it's a photo.


This is where I realized that my little mouse would never fit through the door. Sometimes when I get working along I lose objectivity and this is a good example. I had to come to terms with the fact that if I wanted it to look right I would have to spend an extra hour or so fixing my mistake. So, I had to cut out little mouse and move her forward in front of her vegetable basket. In the past I would have settled. In the future I'm sure I'll be able to spot the places where I settled in this image.


So, if you're not creating the kind of art that really makes you happy - know that 1. You can - and 2. You owe it to yourself to figure out your path.

What Kind Of Illustrator Are You?

I've been wanting to make this post for a long time and it's taken a long time to formulate my opinions on this subject. If you're an illustrator perhaps you really haven't thought too much about who you are. One thing's for sure - you need to know who you are to be able to exploit your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

1. The Gunslinger. Like Clint Eastwood wielding his Smith & Wesson the gunslinger illustrator wields his paintbrush, stylus, or drawing instruments with great skill. Great craftsmanship, design, and rendering skills are his/her trademark and the reason clients want him/her in their posse. This illustrator is typically brought in when the job has been defined and visual communication is needed. The skill level of the gunslinger can vary greatly. Most illustrators fall into this category. Examples: David Catrow, Dan Santat, Kadir Nelson, and Paul o. Zelinsky.


2. The Story Teller. This is a writer turned illustrator - a dangerous combination. Not willing to allow someone else to visualize his/her dream - the Story Teller has developed the art of picture making second -to pair with his/her master story telling skill. Often primitive, the art communicates quickly and effectively while craftsmanship and rendering are less important. Examples, Mo Willems, Laura Vaccara Seeger and Gerald hawksley


3 The Renaissance Man. The rare combination of story teller and gunslinger - this complete package can tell a mean story and back it up with very skilled illustrations. The renaissance man (or woman) dares you to find a weakness in his/her game. The R-Man is often a strong contender for the coveted Caldecott award. Examples: Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, and Peter Brown.


4. The Gambler. With no real polish to either the story telling or visual communication skills - the gambler hopes to get lucky. While some gamblers are working hard to earn a higher rank others are content to roll the dice. Sometimes gamblers get lucky and win a contract - sometimes they wait and wait wondering when their luck will change.

I won't give any examples of gamblers because it would be too controversial and potentially hurtful. If primitive unrefined art is your thing and you're good at communicating with it I would suggest that you incorporate storytelling with it. It's a much harder sell to editors and art directors to catch your vision if you send them a portfolio of basic art. You're much more likely to sell rudimentary drawings with a great story.

If you've mastered good design, drawing, and rendering skills and are having a tough time finding contract work it might be due to the rough economy. It also could be that your style isn't exactly what editors are looking for. With so many changes in the world of digital publishing you may find it more attractive to partner with an author or write your own stories and go directly to market with digital ebooks or apps.

Knowing who you are and what you can become is crucial to making a good living as an illustrator.

Who's Got Your Back?

Malcolm Gladwell talks about the importance of opportunity in the success of the successful in "Outliers". I totally buy into this idea. Example: you grew up on a farm - you have more opportunity of becoming a farmer than someone who grew up in the city. A tall kid growing up in a "basketball family" - probably has more chance of making the NBA than most and so on...

So I had to take a look at my own life to figure out what opportunities I had. The list is too long to mention here but at the top would be my parents. My mom and dad were always very encouraging when it came to my art. You might be thinking, "yeah, what's the big deal?" but I've realized that many kids don't have this kind of support when they want to tackle a non-mainstream career.

But my mom went way beyond support. She was truly excited whenever I showed her what I was working on. She NEVER gave me a critique. She was much smarter than I ever gave her credit - she knew I just wanted acceptance and she was more than willing to pour that all over me. We lost her last year but I can still hear her words of encouragement and see her smile as her genuine enthusiasm shined through. I owe her more than I ever told her - I wish I could now.

My wife Lori also get's a huge piece of the credit pie. What a wife. She's put up with the ups and downs of my non traditional career and learned to ride it with me. Without her support I wouldn't be an illustrator. My kids also give me a lot of love and words of encouragement even though they usually revert back to being boys.

I also have many wonderful friends who also provide me with the support and encouragement I need to feel confident about trying new ventures. Like the I HATE READING! app project. It's a scary thing venturing down a road you've never been on before. The voices of doubt are constantly throwing negative questions in your path to trip you and turn you away from the very thing you set out to do.

So - in order to be successful you need to surround yourself with "can do" types that give you encouragement without tearing you down. The world will do it's best to do that for you. What you need is a posse of people who unconditionally love you and get the fact that you're in it to win it. Self doubt is relentless and needs no sleep but you'll be fine if you have a group that has your back.

Progress: here are some sketches and finished work on the I HATE READING! app.

I HATE READING - Kickstarter project!

I just launched a new Kickstarter project called - "I HATE READING!" A humorous story of natural consequences, I HATE READING! teaches kids that reading is fun.

I've been working on this story on and off for many months but it wasn't working for the longest time. One day it just sort of clicked when I let the story play out the way it wanted to be told.

I'm going to be releasing it as an iOs app first (iPhone, iPad, iTouch) but if my kickstarter brings in enough money I'll be making a printed book as well. I'm having so much fun exploring the differences between print and digital development. I really like the idea of being able to tell the same story in both mediums but being able to go further with animation, sound, and the spoken word is just freakin cool!

For those of you who don't know what Kickstarter is allow me to do my best. Kickstarter wasn't the first "crowd funding" website but it is the only one (to my knowlege) that specializes in design, art, and publishing type projects. The idea is pretty simple. Instead of pitching an idea to a business or a business entity like a publisher - crowd funded sites allow you to pitch your idea to the public - online. The "pitcher" announces what he/she plans to produce and then through a series of rewards - invites "backers" to pledge money towards the products the "pitcher" is offering.

In my case I'm going to make an iOs app first (iPhone, iPad, iTouch) and a printed book second. In addition I'm offering small incentives like prints and drawings AND, other goodies to be announced along the way. And I'll let you guys know that I'm planning on giving away all of the additions to backers who pledge at the $65 mark for free. This is information that won't be found on Kickstarter right away.

This is an exciting way for me to fund my dream project which is what I HATE READING really is. It's my story because as many of you already know from reading this blog - I really suffered in school. I hated reading and school in general. If I were a kid now I would have no doubt been diagnosed with A.D.D and medicated. How many kids are suffering now because they're not being rewarded for the creativity they have waiting to be acknowledged?

If you have a minute you can check out my Kickstarter project here: click.

I Miss Snow

Is there anything wrong with that? I realize that loving snow is probably politically incorrect...and I understand that by declaring my love for the cold I'm probably alienating myself from some of you. Just know that I won't judge you for hating the very thing that gets me going! I love the quite, the beauty it gives the landscape, the sound it makes under my feet as I hike, and the playground it provides.

I painted the penguin in Photoshop last night as I looked at the photos of melting snow I took yesterday. Only high level snow left for this year and it's getting harder to get to. I guess I'll have to wait for next year - score one for the snow haters -  but your days are numbered!

Below are a few of the photos I took this year on my daily hikes...

Too Much Frosting?

I've come to realize a few things about my illustration journey. Telling a visual story is number one and I've been way too busy working on number two- making it pretty. Don't get me wrong I love what I've been doing but what I'm talking about is having the sensibility to pull back sometimes and subjectively make logical decisions.

It began when I started seeing books from Mo Willems and how much attention they were getting 4-5 years ago. I have to be honest. I was trained in a more traditional illustration program so to put it bluntly I wasn't a fan- in fact I felt it didn't deserve all the hubbub. How could such simple primitive art be of equal or apparently greater value than mine? This is hard to admit because it more than suggests arrogance towards my art. I'm pointing the finger of shame at myself here.

Over time I've realized that I've had it totally backwards. It started by watching kids respond to books like: Don't let the pigeon drive the bus (which I had wrongly judged by the cover.) Kids love it! -but I was looking at the simple line work and primitive drawing with a critical eye. How could anyone fall for it? -but they were in droves! What I was missing is how well it communicates and draws kids in to Mo's magical world and now I realize - THIS IS OUR JOB!

The movie transformers also really helped change my mind. Sitting through 45 minutes of CGI had my skin crawling- it was over frosted! -too much of a good thing. Was I guilty of the same sin? And digesting Caldecott honor book "First The Egg" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger was enlightening. I had been basing my value judgements of children's books on small pieces of art taken out of context.  Now I've realized that the book IS the art and to take it apart and judge it is akin to rating a movie from a 5 minute section.

What really solidified my new found religion was getting a critique from David Small- Caldecott medal winner for "So You Want To Be President?" I asked his opinion and he kindly gave it. He said, "beautiful work but you don't give your reader any break from your full blown color!"..."it's like your trying to kill em with color!" Wow- how did he get it so right? I didn't want to kill em with color- I wanted to annihilate em with color!!! I used to think that if I crafted each image in my book better than the last- the viewer would love it too. Unconsciously I was creating my 45 min. of boring CGI. Frosting is great when applied judiciously...too much and you just want to scrape it off.

Now I look to illustrate the story first...if it calls for lots of color I'll use it but I'll also look to hold back at critical times so that the "frosting" tastes that much better!

Do You Respect the Art of the Artist?

I suspect that most of us would never think of telling a neurosurgeon how and where to cut on a loved one. Instead we'd probably pray for and respect the expertise, professionalism, and yes, art of the physician. We want that same kind of respect with our own work. If your work is professional shouldn't you get that kind of respect? But how often do we boss the hair stylist? How overly involved do we get with cake decorators and interior designers? Do we respect the home plans that were designed by the architect? or do we ask the builder to take out this wall or change the size of that window? And what about the wedding photographer? Do we respect his/her ability to do what we saw in his/her portfolio? I guess what I'm saying is do we ask artists to do what they're good at or do we try to force them to do something they aren't comfortable with?

When I was illustrating for magazines and advertisements I was constantly amazed that there was often little or no respect given to my ability to create what the art director saw in my portfolio! I was so bothered by this lack of respect that I decided to try not to perpetuate this injustice. I found myself often telling the hairstylist, "Do what you think would look good on my head" (not that there was much hope anyway :) At nice restaurants I would ask the server to bring me what the chef was good at. Other times I've actually asked the chef to surprise me with what he/she would cook for him/herself.

 I guess I was rambling on in class one day about my thoughts on this subject and one of my very committed students took it to heart. Lee VanNoy Call who's work appears above and her husband Tyler found themselves at a Macaroni Grill one night. They asked to speak to the chef. A very worried looking culinary artist showed up and asked what they needed? Tyler spoke up and said, "I would like you to create whatever you like for me because I respect you as an artist and I'm confident that while I might not love what you come up with I'm sure it will be an enjoyable culinary journey apart from the normal path I usually take." (Or something pretty close)

The chef was dumbfounded. He couldn't speak. Finally he had to ask Tyler to repeat his request - after all he had grown accustomed to being treated like a drone, an order taker, a worker bee - certainly not as an artist and especially not like a surgeon. We profess to love art but how often do we allow artists to express their creativity? It's funny but when members of my family want to try my boxed leftovers from a restaurant they never ask what ingredients are in it - but when I cook for the family they always want to eliminate the very ingredients that were in my boxed leftovers. Have we become control freaks when it comes to art?

So the chef was overly careful to ask, "Are you sure you just want me to come up with something?" -and he did it repeatedly. Tyler met his concerns with multiple reassuring words - yes - yes and YES. So the dumbfounded chef retired to the kitchen. When their orders were brought they got a VIP treatment. (this, from a restaurant chain) The chef proceeded to explain what he had made. What ingredients were used. How they were used. Why they were chosen and so on. He was proud of what he had created and he wanted to share it. During the meal he re-appeared to find out if they were enjoying their meals - they were! It was a wonderful meal as they reported to me.

When they were finished he told them dessert was on the house - another off menu creation he made just for them! It too was amazing and a testament to the desire that artists have to give gifts to aficionados. The artist was surprised that his art was appreciated. The art appreciators were surprised at the overwhelming desire to please them by the artist. Why were two artists so surprised by something that should be very common?

If you give respect for artist's art - you might get respect for your art.  

Lee does some really cool DawgArt besides her illustration work - she was also accepted into the Society of Illustrators student show with the piece above!

SCBWI Chicago Conference Photos

I met so many wonderful and talented people at the conference - it was a real treat to be able to get to know them. I was inspired by their portfolios and enthusiasm for the craft of children's book making...a shout out to Tara Gartin for traveling 6 hours to get there - talk about commitment!

Martha Rago - associate creative director at Harper Collins was very gracious and open with sharing her knowledge of the business. She's the perfect spokes person for her company and the industry of children's books. I was honored to be able to get to know her and understand her thoughts combining art and words for children.

Janet and Terry organized a "first look" for illustrators. Each illustrator could submit one illustration before the conference to be critiqued by Martha and I in separate rooms. This was a great format in that neither of us had seen the art until is was flashed on the screen. We then had about 3 minutes to critique it. Nerve racking for me because I realized the impact this can have in someone's life and I wanted to make sure I didn't say anything that would be misunderstood or just plain wrong or unnecessary.

Janet McDonnell and Terry Murphy worked extremely hard at organizing and pulling off this event. My hat's off to them for their hard work - a dinner well deserved - OPAH!!!!

I got to go to Albert Whitman's offices and visit my editor and say high to the gang. When the secretary was in the bathroom I started answering the phones and pushing my books...that didn't last too long :)

They have funny cat's in Chicago - this one didn't like it when I grabbed his tail out side my hotel.