I found this originally through the blog, Drawn! Keri Smith is an illustrator, author and art professor with some good, pragmatic advice.
Category: illustration business
Cartoon of a boy and a librarian. The boy asks, “How can you tell if a picture book is just illustrated or lavishly illustrated?”
I’ve been interviewed for a great cartooning site. You can see my answers to questions on cartooning at David-Wasting-Paper: Kevin Spear – Cartoonist Survey #118.
Categories
Maurice Sendak Video
The Drawn blog has a post about a Maurice Sendak video.
http://drawn.ca/2009/10/14/maurice-sendak-on-what-being-an-illustrator-means/
I found it interesting he didn’t know how his illustrations work. He said the only thing he has control over is his graphics. It led me to realize when you think too hard about the arts, it can cripple you. The key isn’t to spend so much studying that you never actually draw. The key is to do the dirty work day in and day out.
If I’m not plugging away each day, I get rusty and cranky. If you love to draw and write, do it every day no matter how you find the time. Five minutes in a day is better than none at all.
Paige Keiser at the Fox in Socks blog has an interesting post on the business of children’s illustration. http://paigekeiser.blogspot.com/2009/10/5-quick-tips-to-getting-published-in.html
Not only is it her professional advice, but the advice of other pro illustrators. Illustration is a business. Sure, the artsy part of us loves to be free and unfettered. But if someone wants to make a living in the field, they have to put in the hard work just like any other business.
The post is chocked full of practical advice. I recommend checking it out.