Goals for May

Oh dear, where did April go?  It seems I was busy with other things, as usually I'm better at crossing items off my list...  However, one big thing checked off was getting a first draft of my book dummy done.  I got some feedback from my crit group, so that was really great!

  1. Finish first draft dummy/layout for crit next week.
  2. Implement changes after the crit.
  3. Sign up for paid portfolio site.  I think I decided on ChildrensIllustrators.com Waiting for a couple checks to clear.
  4. Sign up and organize updates for free portfolio/illustration news sites. I guess this isn't really targeted marketing, but it can't hurt to have your work in more places, right?  So far I've joined Society 6, and Creative Shake.  I have a few more on my list.  Its one of those  things thats time consuming to set up, but once its done you just have to update periodically.  Like I said, it can't hurt.
  5. Continue working on posting regularly here. Uh clearly, no.
  6. Work on a new postcard design: Ergh.  According to people in my crit group summer is the worst time to send out promos.  Which completely makes sense.  I think by the time I get the design done and postcards printed it would May, which is pushing it.  It might be better to just send out portfolios to a small group of potential clients.  hmmm.
  7. Organize promotions effort. Still working on that.
  8. Work on ice cream piece for portfolio. Haven't touched it.

Unfortunately, (well for this list,) May is going to be crazy.  Birthdays, traveling, house hunting... So I don't think I'm going to add anything to the list.  Just keep working on the above, and polishing up my dummy.   I do have ideas for targeting new illustration clients, as well as some site changes, but I think between my current work and all the above, I'll be busy enough.

  1. Polish up the dummy and get it ready to send around.
  2. Sign up for ChildrensIllustrators.com
  3. Sign up and organize updates for free portfolio/illustration news sites.
  4. Continue working on posting regularly here.
  5. Work on making portfolios to send around to select clients.
  6. Organize promotions effort.
  7. Work on ice cream piece for portfolio.
  8. Send out a newsletter.  (You can sign up here if you'd like!)

How is everyone else doing?

Time to Get Started...

We're a bit behind on working on our garden.   I feel like this happens every year-- I'm dying to get started in February, but reluctant to start seedlings inside. ('Seedlings', aka 'cat treats'/ 'dirt playground'.)  But then I blink and somehow its the end of April.  Anyhow, I found this beautiful book at the library recently.

The illustrations by Sharon Beeden are just so perfect and lovely.

Honestly, the book itself didn't strike me as the most helpful-- though I'm definitely a beginner and need everything laid out just so.

But the wonderful illustrations are so inspiring.

This weekend we're buying seeds!

Click on the images to see more at Flickr...

Guerrilla Opera

Did you guys hear about this?  A couple weeks ago, "shoppers at Whole Foods Market in Harbor East Baltimore received an unusual surprise.” [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-STnVJlWf_o]

I spotted it on fellow illustrator, Peggy Fussell's blog.

I love stuff like this!  I reminds me of the New York subway serenades, and dance performances that would pop up and make you smile.  Its fun to see strangers surprised and then really happy.  I told Peggy that video reminds me of this one:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM]

If you want more, search for Flash Mobs (which implies waaay more exciting performances,) or check out  Improv Everywhere --of the "No Pants Subway Rides" and "Guerrilla Handbell Strikeforce".  I especially like this one:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggm_j_6jgTc]

I have soft spot for synchronized swimming.

April Goals

Did everyone have a good weekend?  I went for the first row of the season on Saturday morning.  Something about being on the water that early, its so still, and the colors keep changing...so, so good.

And then I could barely walk the next morning.  But somehow I managed to drag myself out to get coffee and hang out in the park with G and my brother.  And then we were off to Easter dinner at my parents. Dogs, family, friends, yummy food: very fun.

March was an exciting month for me, but April, you already seem to be working super hard to top it.

Goal-wise I feel like I need to up my promotions/marketing game.  I read a really inspiring article by Holli Conger when she was just starting out, and it seems to be just the push I need to keep moving forward.

  1. Finish first draft dummy/layout for crit next week.
  2. Implement changes after the crit.
  3. Sign up for paid portfolio site.  I think I decided on ChildrensIllustrators.com
  4. Sign up and organize updates for free portfolio/illustration news sites.
  5. Continue working on posting regularly here.
  6. Work on a new postcard design
  7. Organize promotions effort.
  8. Work on ice cream piece for portfolio.

Can't wait to see how everyone else is doing!

March Goals wrap up

animal spot illustrations

Here's how I did on my March goals for The Meetup.

  1. Finish first draft dummy for crit next week. I didn't finish in time.  And honestly, I felt a little hesitant sharing such a rough project before I actually met them all.  However, the group is great, and my portfolio was received warmly and insightfully.  I'm looking forward to learning a lot from them. I'm bringing it next time (in April) for sure.
  2. Implement changes after the crit. See above.
  3. Update Hai account. Done. Check it out here.  And I was picked to be Featured Artist of the week!
  4. Prepare some blog posts in advance– with a goal of consistently posting three times a week. I've been doing this, but um forgot to post at all one week.  blargh.
  5. Update my site with new work. Done!  You can check out my new work here and here.
  6. Look into joining another portfolio site. I've started some research and its down to childrensillustrators.com and picture-book.com. Thoughts? Suggestions?  I should ask my crit group about this.
  7. Finish Aeolidia theme.
  8. Find another SCBWI conference to attend. I found one in June, in NJ right by where my grandmother lives. Perfect.

How did everyone else do?

In other exciting news, the rain has stopped!! and the sun is peeking out!  Hooray!  Unfortunately, most of RI is underwater.  But hopefully this means things will start to dry out.

PS. I think I'm going to use those drawings as part of a promotional piece to send out...

Rain Rain, Go Away

Remember all my talk about "sunny afternoons" and how warm weather was "right around the corner"?  Ugh.  We are on our 2nd, (3rd?) very grey, very very rainy, day.  And its making me bonkers.  Thankfully, we are a part of the apparently, lucky few who aren't worrying about flooding.  Just bad moods.  ( I guess I should have spent Saturday outside, enjoying the sun, instead of cleaning my desk. Grr.) Anyways, if you're in the same boat (ha ha) as me, perhaps some virtual window shopping will cheer you up.  Or torment you.  Whatever.

If it were sunny, you could be wearing sandals!

tuto sandals

or, at least, lovely flats,

SMARTFISH shoes

and this pretty blouse,

cocoricooo shop

with some leggings, and this in your hair,

giant dwarf headband

and this hanging from your neck,

Sol del Sur necklace

and these dangling from your ears,

anna sofia designs

with this coloring book under your arm...

small magazine coloring book

Sigh.

I guess I'll just hunker down, embrace the grey, and finish my taxes.   Here's hoping Thursday, with its promises of sun, comes fast.

PS.  Click on the photos to get yerself some goodies!

She & Him

On this sunny Saturday afternoon, I'm inside, trying to make myself clean off my desk.  I thought listening to some music would help.  But then I got distracted: [vimeo http://vimeo.com/9387462]

Illustrations for TONY Kids

Header Illustration for Time Out NY Kids MagazineI got to do a bunch of illustrations for a Time Out New York Kids feature article on gardening.  Back when I was drawing, these sunny days, and anything green, seemed so far away.  But then we had an amazing weekend, and now it all seems right around the corner!

Illustrations for Time Out NY KidsI also did some spot illustrations for the numbers, which they didn't end up using.  I guess it was getting too crazy.  But they're cute, right?

Illustrations for Time Out NY Kids

Hiro, the bat cat

I've never found the hairless variety of kitties to be particularly cute, but this little guy is making me rethink things. http://finelittleday.blogspot.com/I think its the ears.

http://finelittleday.blogspot.com/

Do you see him?

http://finelittleday.blogspot.com

Go meet Hiro over at Fine Little Day.

All images from Fine Little Day.

Thinking about Composition

andrea u'ren I'm working on sketches for a book dummy and last week headed to the library for some inspiration.  The children's  librarian was super nice and helpful-- insisting on finding me every book on my list.  I ended up sitting at one of those tiny round tables for an hour paging through picture books piled around me.

One of the comments I received at the picture book workshop was that I should work on including more dynamic compositions.  Specifically different points of view, or angles, of a scene.  I definitely can get stuck in the medium-wide, straight-on shot and forget about playing with all the other perspectives.

Looking through picture books with a specific element in mind is a fun little exercise I find really helpful.  The author and illustrator, Andrea U'Ren, is great at varying the composition on every page of her lovely book Mary Smith.  So let's have a look, shall we?

From above, looking down over the shoulder:

(Note the detailed peas in her pocket!)

Looking back and down, with a large character in the foreground and a teeny, tiny Mary in the background:

(See her?)

Coming straight at us:

From below, looking up:

Bisecting this wide shot, with the side of the house, gives the reader the feeling of looking down an alley:

I also really like how she illustrates the stories her characters are telling each other with black and white drawings in speech bubbles:

http://andreauren.com/

It feels like a fun nod to comics and graphic novels.

And lastly, a wide shot, with Mary in the slight foreground looking back:

While this composition is almost straight on, pushing and pulling the point of view, even minimally, makes a wide shot a bit more interesting.  I think its good to remember that the perspective doesn't have to be super dramatic to be more dynamic.

Anyhow, I've been a fan of U'Ren ever since Pugdog was published.  I love her thick lines, planes of color, and how all her characters have this great, grounded weight to them.  If you haven't already, definitely check her out.

Cuteness from Small Magazine

I love Small Magazine, an online publication "focused on independent designers and artists for children."  This month I'm particularly into the "Small Guest House" feature which uses two picture books as inspiration to pick out favorite products of the season.

Small Magazine

I've seen similar articles/columns-- decorating a room as if in x movie, or picking an outfit inspired by x print, (also fun ideas!--) but having the picture books be the inspiration seems wonderful to me.

Small Magazine

PS.  Happy 4th Birthday, Small!

March Goals

We have blue skies and sunny weather here!   So, so nice.  And I'm finally back on track (--Hi everybody!--) with March Goals for The Meetup:

  1. Finish first draft dummy for crit next week.
  2. Implement changes after the crit.
  3. Update Hai account.
  4. Prepare some blog posts in advance-- with a goal of consistently posting three times a week.
  5. Update my site with new work.
  6. Look into joining another portfolio site.
  7. Finish Aeolidia theme.
  8. Find another SCBWI conference to attend (since I have to miss the one in May.)

How is everyone else doing?

Check It Out: Aeolidia!

Aeolidia, the talented web design company, has a gorgeous new site!

aeolidia.com

"We specialize in making standout shop websites for crafters and other small businesses, but we do about a billion other things, as well. Just ask us!"

Each month it will feature a different illustrator from their roster-- me included.  (I'm working on mine!)  Play with the theme switcher (on the upper left hand) to see other illustrator's designs.  Above is the wonderful Aimee Ray's.  Fun, fun!