These illustrative Journals are my way of sharing tips and tricks and knowledge that I've acquired over the last few years in the illustration industry. I'm simply sharing it with you all in the hopes that it helps somebody. If you too would like to offer some tips and tricks, please note me and I'll include it. This is for those who wish to learn after all.


So anyway, I lied, last week I said I'd likely touch on movement and composition this week but y'know? Every time I plan one of these art journals they feel weak. So I'll write from the heart on this one.

I was talking with an illustrative friend, one of the guys who mentored me a bit, and he reminded me of something. When people think of professional artists they think of skills, talent, and pictures that can melt your socks right to your feet! Or something like that. That actually sounded better in my head, but you get the idea.

It's a glamorous look at the professional world at least. But here's how it really works. You give them (the Art Director) a sketch. He or she says “I like it! Get to it!” And you start painting away in photoshop or wherever. And then it happens, you find out that your sketch is fighting you the whole way. No colors seem to work, the anatomy has flaws popping out all over, the composition is weak, y'know – every problem that you can imagine shows up. This happens and it makes you no less of an artist. It's not the glamorous view that so many have.... but the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, no matter what industry you're looking at.

You see, an artist isn't just hired for their vision and artistic skills, an artist is also hired for their problem solving skills. They hire you because they trust that if you screw up, you'll find a way of figuring out what to do. Call it artistic maturity if you will.

So you muscle through this picture, you go find inspiration for the picture, you see how another artist may have done a similar thing. Maybe new music can change your mood. Put the picture down for a half hour and get back to it when you're refreshed, or just focus on the desperation and use whatever you can to sweep the crap under a rug near by and triage it into something worthwhile.

As I said before, this isn't fine art. You want to make something amazing, but if you can't, the next best thing is “all right” so that you can get paid. This is a job and you gotta problem solve this into something worthwhile. Not every picture will be a winner and not every picture will be Spectrum art book quality, but as long as it meets the purpose of your client and they don't want to punch you in the face for it – you've done just fine.

But be aware that the more you stress, the more likely you are of causing a tension headache or something that will block off some blood flow to your brain – this will limit your creativity and believe me, when you have a fast deadline approaching and a crappy sketch in front of you, you need that damn creativity.

So don't sweat it guys, just do what you gotta do. This isn't a popularity contest, it's just something you need to do.

Also, long time reader, =Metryx (Go look at his work! He'll love you forever!), suggested talking about exposure a bit. Let's face it, the online world offers an up and a down side. The up side is that you can email art to companies all around, put art a bajillion places in under an hour, and show everyone just how much you love the lens flare. The downside is that everyone else is doing it too. Way to be original eh?

So just how do you market yourself and get the right exposure? Well, I don't think anybody knows how to do it right. I sure don't. But I can tell you how I've done it, perhaps it can offer some ideas. Ideas are our friend after all.

Fresh out of high school I found that I had no idea what I was doing, half a portfolio (a really bad one too!), no industry experience, etc. So I used a few methods of getting into contact with art directors and what not

1)First off and the easiest to try is “what products did I grow up on as an artist?” Let's face it, if you're a D&D freak and are only drawing because of those games – then the first thought you'll have is to get in touch with the guys who make it. Problem is, if we grow up on the big games, and we have no experience, it's really difficult to get work from them. But at least they're easy to find. In this regard, go to their website. Most big companies (heck, even the small ones) have submission guidelines. Submit your work. Simple as that.

2)Since, like in the above example, I was a D&D geek, I decided to get into touch with a lot of the smaller d20 publishers out there. So I found compiled lists of these companies. There's places like pen-paper.net – there's art books where they have client names on the image facts – and my god, if you truly have no ideas, go try google. There are a number of resources out there for people looking for companies. Go to their websites, once again check out the submission guidelines. In the rare moment that they have no guidelines, send a polite email to whatever email addy they have listed that makes the most sense and ask who you would need to get into contact with about producing artwork.

This is all about the wording as well. Be polite, be mature, and please please please pull out a dictionary if you have to. I know if I were an art director I wouldn't hire a person with the english skills of a 7 year old unless they were out of the country and didn't know much english. But if you're from the US or something you better know how to write a proper email.

Some other tips:

3)Get a website! DeviantART is alright, it works as a gallery in the minimalistic sense, but a website is very much your resume. It looks the way you want it, it presents the artwork a certain way, you can talk about yourself and your art. It's very much a fine way to network. Sending out an email to an art director with your website URL is a great way of not burdening them with attachments and still looking professional.

4)DeviantART, Elfwood, Epilogue, GFXartist, conceptart.org, etc are not only tools for critiques but will get you exposure to people who are looking for artists. While I've not received a client off of DA before, I have certainly met future clients through other communities. So yes, put up your work in places besides a website. It gets you feedback from peers, it helps you network, and sometimes a potential buyer will be watching. This is the internet, people...... anybody could be looking at your gallery.

5)Conventions are your friend. I've received about half of my business in the last 4.5 years to clients that I've met at conventions. These aren't just about giggling and being all “OMG OMG” at certain people, buying stuff, and making a total ass of yourself in public – these can be networking tools where you can make clients, meet other artists and get tips and tricks from them, or even sell your own work at a table, generating profit with your already created work.

6)Never scoff at the concept of word of mouth. The more work you do the more business you'll find coming in – it's like the snowball effect really. Eventually other artists talk, other art directors talk, or they move on to other companies and so on. This is your friend. So don't burn bridges, treat everyone nicely, etc. You don't want art directors talking and coming to the conclusion as a whole that you're an idiot. Believe me, they do talk.

So that's not only how I got into contact with people but some of the little things I've picked up along the way. Just remember to act professional when talking with other artists and clients. I have seen artists destroy their entire career because they backtalked to a really prestigious art director who was trying to push the artist into creating better work. A big ego doesn't get you paid.

Finally the best thing that I can suggest is this – Don't wait for companies to find you. You're not that good, believe me. None of us are when we start. The only people who get hunted down more often than not are those who've been in the industry for 10 years OR they had the good luck of having a really important person being impressed at their gallery.... which is generally referred to as “luck”. I've been doing this for nearly 5 years and even I have to hunt down the majority of my gigs. Put in the effort and look. But waiting for them to find you is a way of enacting the self prophecised starving struggling artist cliché. It sounds good as a story to tell your friends, but it's a poor way of affording bread. Save yourself the trouble, put in some damn effort.

Anyway, that's it for this week. I now have to do a bajillion pictures and try to be sane enough to write up next week's journal. Try not to expect much. And as always, if you have an idea or question, please ask .