fourteen
make a game of it
learn the rules
So what is illustration?
It can be difficult to separate life from work, especially for an artist. But illustration is a business, and it’s helpful to separate it from life, not only for creative success and financial wellbeing, but for mental wellbeing too. Illustration is a service and our illustrations are a product. From the service perspective it is important to recognize that it is not simply our labor that we are selling. And from a product perspective illustration is not necessarily the physical item we are selling, but more often a license to use it.
And what is intellectual property?
Whether our work appears on a magazine, a box of cereal, in publication, in a game, or online – illustration is intellectual property that we have licensed for a specific use. And good intellectual property can be worth plenty if we respect IP and encourage others to do so too. What that value is depends on a lot of factors such as volume, distribution, audience, demographic, scarcity, application, medium, and more.
Illustration = Intellectual Property
What is your voice?
Are you the type of person that goes to a party and can easily start up a conversation and keep it interesting – or do you sense (or fear) the people you are conversing with are desperately looking for an exit? Just as some people seem to be good starting up a conversation, and keeping it interesting, so it goes with visual communication. Remember high school and the way it was a popularity contest? I’m afraid adult life isn’t that much different!
The difference is that as an adult we have more experience, are more self aware, and there are tools and methods of beating the system … if we choose. So how do you beat the system, especially when the odds seem stacked against us?
Who is your audience?
It is more than just a service and product that makes a business successful. As artists we spend an inordinate amount of time creating content and refining our craft. But we often willfully avoid searching for an audience for our work. This is the doom of most artist. It’s not bad art that scares customers away, look around, there is a great demand for bad art. What dooms artists is they don’t have a stake in the game and no customers at all to deal in.
stack the deck
What is illustration now?
Long ago, before social media and the internet gobbled up the hearts and minds of our modern visual culture, a beginning illustrator’s first taste of the real world was very likely to be editorial work. Back then many people read paper printed periodicals called magazines and the publishers that made them commissioned an abundance of images every month. It was a reliable revenue source because of the volume of content published and publishers liked to use beginners to find fresh new voices – it also didn’t pay much so they could take a chance.
Now that all that pulp has been replaced with posts on the internet, what now? There is still a small niche of editorial in print and online but it’s a trickle in comparison. But there is a torrent of content on social media and its ilk, and this is very likely where contemporary illustrators get their first taste. Because of the potential direct link to an audience, illustrators can now sell directly to consumers through commissions and direct sales.
Types of direct commissions: Character designs, fan art, mini comics, avatars, portraits (people, pets), caricatures, cartoons, lettering, wedding invitations, packaging, identity, environments, landscapes, literary paintings, wildlife, genre, game pitches, book covers, picture books, concept art for game/film/print, music posters, tattoo designs, motion, information, gifts, storyboards,
Types of direct sales: Prints, fan art, nature, merchandise, pins, t-shirts, hats, apparel, tote bags, cases, pillows, comics, zines, books, how to/tutorial, surface design, patterns, fabrics, Etsy, Patreon, YouTube, calendars, stationary, screen prints, Risographs, products, information, games,
Because the audience and budgets for direct works is generally limited, the revenue stream is often proportionally limited, unless done in a great(er) volume. Becoming an influencer and selling art directly is arguably a completely new career path. But there is still many more methods of illustration and design. Illustration is communication, and while we are communicating in different mediums (mostly digital) nowadays, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that we are communicating more than ever. Which suggests that there is potentially a larger market than ever. If we can figure out how to find and capitalize on that market.
shuffle the cards
Where is illustration used: Editorial, Conceptual, Corporate, Advertising, Institutional, Nature, Environmental, Cartooning, Caricature, Historical, Science, Educational, Informational, Municipal, Provincial, National, Comic books, Graphic Novels, Zines, Cultural, Character, Mascot, Environment, Texture, Background Painting, Packaging, Lifestyle, Fashion, Apps, Casual Games, AAA games, Animation, Animated Gifs, Motion Graphics, Graphic Design, Branding, Marketing, Social Media, Film, Television, Surface Design, Apparel, Interior Design, Non-profit, Social Awareness, Signage, Entertainment, Restaurant, Travel, Murals, Publishing, Pop Culture, Online fiction,
But this is just the broad strokes, there is a lot more fine detail when observed more closely. Creativity is not only what is drawn on the page, but in how you do it, or why. As an example, character design is not just stereotypical post-apocalyptic cowboys – or pin up perfect elven princesses either! There are a myriad of methods, styles, philosophies, ideologies, and approaches to any type of illustration or design.
Portfolio Development
What does a portfolio need, what will make it unique, different, useful? Where am I headed? What is used in Alberta? In BC, Ontario, or Quebec? Or the USA … Asia, Europe? Do I want a job? Work freelance, or on contract?
What can you draw? A portfolio is more than a bunch of pictures, it’s a story … a story of potential.
Characters: Representational people, everyday people, idealized people, stylized people, cartoon people, children, teenagers, babies, senior citizens, BIPOC, body types/weight, people from different angles, everyday activity, in action, expressing a range of emotion, happy people, dancing, fashion, archetypes, working, living, different time periods, different cultures, contemporary, corporate, NPC’s, whimsical, literary, serious, real life, zany, animals, Horses(!),
Environment: city landscapes, buildings, people interacting with an environment, interacting with other people, walking up a stairwell, opening windows, doors, houses, cars, trucks, bikes, trains, motorcycles, boats, on a river, beach, in a park, trees, flowers, landscaping, winter scenes, desert, rain, storm, night, crossing a bridge, fruits, vegetables, moonlight, sunset, ice world, fire world,
raise the stakes
A portfolio is the inciting incident in your story arc, it creates a want or better yet – a need.
What are your skills? Perspective, anatomy, atelier figure drawing, applied figure drawing, line, shape, environments, atmospheric perspective, lighting, contrast, point of view, volume, drawing, action, movement, composition, depth, line of action, shading, line quality, bold line, expressive line, hatching, expressive mark making, craft, control, balance, rendering, overlap, silhouette, form, balance, range of motion, exaggeration, tonal value, colour, harmony, focus, hierarchy, design process, typography, lettering, graphic design, design thinking, talking,
What technology do you have working knowledge of? Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, After Effects, Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Procreate, Clip Studio, Zbrush, Blender, Maya, Teams, Website templates, Instagram, other Social Media, Video, Sound, Watercolour, Oil Paints, Gouache, Ink line and or wash, Screen Printing, Cut paper, Sculpture,
What kind of stories can you tell? Real life, genre, dramatized, exaggerated, humorous, entertainment, literary, educational, multilayered, deep, challenging, exciting, socially aware, poetic, memes, pop culture, journalistic, editorial, memoir,
Types of action: quiet, controlled, expressive, heart felt, threatening, high energy, scary, confused, explosive, tense, supportive, unnatural, interaction
Tone of work: Sarcastic, reassuring, challenging, nostalgic, techno, cultural, collaborative, chaos, organized, over the top, attitude, pop culture, intellectual, spiritual, dark, whimsical, unsettling, hip, earthy,
Genre’s you’ve worked in? horror, sci-fi, fantasy, western, noir, historical, thriller, romance, spy, dystopian, cyberpunk, steampunk, comedy, slice of life, religious, spiritual, retro futuristic, mythological, superhero,
build a deck
What is in your portfolio?
CHARACTER DESIGN:
Representational: Rendered representational, Hand drawn representational, Traditional painted representational, Digital painted representational, Stylized rendered representational, CG/3d representational Animation, CG/3d representational AAA games,
Stylized: Graphic/derivative representational motion graphics, Vector shape-based motion graphics, Comic book style representational, simplified/abstracted/primitive, silhouette,
Cartoon: Animated broadcast cartoon, Manga/Anime style, North American Comicbook, Low Brow Retro, Rubber hose vintage, Comic strip style, Shape based, Collage, Hand drawn, primitive/naïve, Advertising, based on reference, created from imagination
Method: Traditional painted, Traditional drawn, Digital painted, vector, shape, line, 3d
Mediums: Entertainment, Movies, Games, Animation, Publishing, Advertising, Corporate, Self-published, Commissioned, Concept, Retail, Comics
ENVIRONMENT:
Representational: Rendered representational live action, Rendered representational gaming,
Urban building, Rural environment, Nature and landscape, Historical, Futuristic, Genre, Concept, 3d modelled, production design, background art for film, Observational, Make believe
Stylized: Casual game, Infographic, Shape based vector, Isometric, Simplified 3D modelling,
Cartoon: Representational backgrounds, stylized background, background art for animation,
Method: Traditional painted, Traditional hand drawn, Digital painted photoshop, lasso, vector, shape, line, Sketch up, Blender, other 3d modelling, based on reference, created from imagination
Mediums: Entertainment, Movies, Games, Animation, Publishing, Self-published, commissioned, Concept, Originals, Prints
pick a card
what is your work useful for?
COMICBOOKS: Superhero, graphic novel, slice of life, institutional, pitch book, self published, short story, historical, social issue, advertising, corporate, informational, cultural, young adult, kids
STORYBOARDS: Live action representational, cartoon, movie, animation, titling, commercials, broadcast, stylized motion graphics, shape, comic book, online, informational, print
DESIGN ILLUSTRATION: Graphic user interface, game menu, game icons, inventory, apps, film signage and props, packaging, infographic, product, surface design, apparel, lifestyle, motion graphics, corporate, advertising, lettering
ADVERTISING: Campaigns, online/web, social media, print, retail, industry, social, cultural, theatre, music, entertainment, non-profit,
MAGAZINE: Editorial, portrait, informational, maps, pattern, sequential, narrative, conceptual, abstract, lettering, icons,
CORPORATE: Conceptual, narrative, cartoons, caricatures, how to, information, icons, maps, t-shirts, packaging, product, signage, mural, sequential, brochure, online/web, social media,
PUBLISHING: Children’s books, Young Adult, adult fiction, nonfiction, educational, graphic novels, pattern, informational, genre, self-published, small press, independent, literary, poetry, how to, craft, culture, lifestyle, attitude,
DIRECT RETAIL: Publishing, prints, custom art, tattoo, stationary, lifestyle, comics, zines, niche, craft, object, social media, educational, tutorial, inspirational, culture,
ONLINE: Lifestyle, web comic, influencer, social media, educational, tutorial, Patreon, product, service, collaborative, commission, editorial, advertising,