Love the facial expressions, and I really enjoyed all the posters you "Hid" in the library and classroom! Thanks for sharing.
I find it amusing that more and more of your work is leaning towards the children's market (and away from Fantasy.) Is this a conscious decision (something you prefer), or are you just going with the flow (whatever comes your way, you will work on?) Just curious.
Thanks Mike! I am trying to work more in the children's market right now. I still do sci-fi and fantasy projects for games but it is more like 40% of my freelance work. The rest is Children's Books and games for more younger audiences. It is hard though to try to control it. I work pretty steady during the year so sometimes it is just what comes my way. I do want to look into an art rep or a literary agent to help. I am horrible at marketing. :)
I'm not too good at marketing either. At least you are keeping busy, right? An agent would be ideal though. :)
So if you don't mind me asking, are you leaning more towards the Children's market because your interests are changing, or because the market probably has more work? Or maybe it is something else alltogether. ;)
I have always been interested in illustrating for children. When I was starting out I think I got a little discouraged. I think I talked to too many bitter people. :) It felt like it was hard to get into (everything is) and so I kind of put it aside for a bit. I would do projects here and there but I was focused on more realistic fantasy and scifi work. I love working on games but I feel like my style doesn't fit as easily with what is popular. I tried for awhile to push myself into fitting in better but now I kind of just adjust for the project but remain pretty much in a "my style". I definitely still need to improve on my more realistic work but I am more focused on trying to get better at work for a younger audience. I guess ideally scifi and fantasy for kids. It is partly financial too. It is better to have a range of clients so if one market slows down you can focus on another.
How about you? Did you always want to do Children’s Books?
Thank you for your answers! I enjoy reading them and always feel inspired.
Honestly I think it was better that you jumped into the "more realistic work", because that makes it easier for you to pull back on the reigns and do your stylized children's work. I wish I had a more realistic foundation to build off of, because it is something I continually have to improve and "learn on the job", but truthfully I don't have a lot of patience to do realistic rendering.
Now regarding your question about whether I always wanted to do Children's books...That's a complicated question. I've always loved stories and pictures that either transport me to a new place and/or inspire me and/or make me laugh, but when I discovered (with a little hard work) I could create and control those things myself, it was like I had received a letter from Hogwarts. Magic, mystery, and infinite possibilities at my control, and an entire world full of treasure waiting to be found (often hidden from casual seekers). It is something I've been addicted to ever since!
Honestly I never set out to be in the children's market, it's just what I grew up with as a child, teen, young adult, and now a father. (Plus where else are you going to find stories and illustration combined so often?) SO naturally that's what I like to focus on and it is also where I feel most comfortable. I still have a LONG way to go before I get where I'd like to be, but I continue to improve and get closer to my goal in short leaps and bounds.
FYI: I'm also hopelessly in love with all types of animation (especially Miyazaki, and studio Laika), and most comics, but I only have one life to live and devote my artistic endeavors. Sigh...
Posts
5 comments:
Love the facial expressions, and I really enjoyed all the posters you "Hid" in the library and classroom! Thanks for sharing.
I find it amusing that more and more of your work is leaning towards the children's market (and away from Fantasy.) Is this a conscious decision (something you prefer), or are you just going with the flow (whatever comes your way, you will work on?) Just curious.
Thanks Mike!
I am trying to work more in the children's market right now. I still do sci-fi and fantasy projects for games but it is more like 40% of my freelance work. The rest is Children's Books and games for more younger audiences. It is hard though to try to control it. I work pretty steady during the year so sometimes it is just what comes my way.
I do want to look into an art rep or a literary agent to help. I am horrible at marketing. :)
I'm not too good at marketing either. At least you are keeping busy, right? An agent would be ideal though. :)
So if you don't mind me asking, are you leaning more towards the Children's market because your interests are changing, or because the market probably has more work? Or maybe it is something else alltogether. ;)
I have always been interested in illustrating for children. When I was starting out I think I got a little discouraged. I think I talked to too many bitter people. :) It felt like it was hard to get into (everything is) and so I kind of put it aside for a bit. I would do projects here and there but I was focused on more realistic fantasy and scifi work.
I love working on games but I feel like my style doesn't fit as easily with what is popular. I tried for awhile to push myself into fitting in better but now I kind of just adjust for the project but remain pretty much in a "my style". I definitely still need to improve on my more realistic work but I am more focused on trying to get better at work for a younger audience. I guess ideally scifi and fantasy for kids.
It is partly financial too. It is better to have a range of clients so if one market slows down you can focus on another.
How about you? Did you always want to do Children’s Books?
Thank you for your answers! I enjoy reading them and always feel inspired.
Honestly I think it was better that you jumped into the "more realistic work", because that makes it easier for you to pull back on the reigns and do your stylized children's work. I wish I had a more realistic foundation to build off of, because it is something I continually have to improve and "learn on the job", but truthfully I don't have a lot of patience to do realistic rendering.
Now regarding your question about whether I always wanted to do Children's books...That's a complicated question. I've always loved stories and pictures that either transport me to a new place and/or inspire me and/or make me laugh, but when I discovered (with a little hard work) I could create and control those things myself, it was like I had received a letter from Hogwarts. Magic, mystery, and infinite possibilities at my control, and an entire world full of treasure waiting to be found (often hidden from casual seekers). It is something I've been addicted to ever since!
Honestly I never set out to be in the children's market, it's just what I grew up with as a child, teen, young adult, and now a father. (Plus where else are you going to find stories and illustration combined so often?) SO naturally that's what I like to focus on and it is also where I feel most comfortable. I still have a LONG way to go before I get where I'd like to be, but I continue to improve and get closer to my goal in short leaps and bounds.
FYI: I'm also hopelessly in love with all types of animation (especially Miyazaki, and studio Laika), and most comics, but I only have one life to live and devote my artistic endeavors. Sigh...
Post a Comment