Art by Analise Black
Can I use AI to inspire my art? What’s up with NFT scams? Should I start a newsletter? Catch the answers to these questions and more with Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry.
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SHOW LINKS
Samantha Cotterill website, 3PP interview
Anthony Wheeler 3PP interview
Adam Duff- LUCIDPIXUL YouTube
Marc Folly watercolors
Midjourney
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Let people fall in love with you right alongside your art. Let them get to know your face, your voice, and your personality. That’s how you stay relevant amid the rise of AI art.
Storytelling and design trump drawing any day. Look to illustration greats like Leyendecker and Rockwell to learn the balance between excellent execution and compelling visual storytelling.
If you don’t want to tell stories but do want to make and sell art, your question should be, “What can I add to this?” Train yourself to see differently and add beauty to average things, rather than trying to copy the world precisely. You’re an artist, not a printer!
QUESTIONS
Anonymous asks, “I created a book to print a single copy as a gift, but everyone who sees it wants to buy. Self-publishing is expensive; should I make a Kickstarter, or query my agent (even though this is very different from my typical work)?”
Start with your agent! Either you’ll land a deal with a publisher and avoid the hassle of self-publishing, or you’ll receive valuable feedback on your book. It might be that publishers don’t want to risk it, but there’s enough interest to create a Kickstarter.
When considering self-publishing, take into account that you’ll be responsible for shipping and storage as well as marketing. It’s a big undertaking, so go in with your eyes wide open.
Lisa asks, “Someone on Facebook asked me if they could purchase some of my art as NFTs for exorbitant prices. They said I need to register my artwork on their NFT platform and then they’ll purchase it. Sounds fishy- is it?”
This new scam is becoming increasingly common online. As a rule of thumb, don’t sell your work to people asking you to create NFTs. Make NFTs if that’s your jam, but not at the bidding of some rando in your DMs.
Elias asks, “How much time should I spend on exercises and studying verus final work?”
Your exercises should be in service of your finished work. For example, if you’re working on a cityscape illustration, fill up a few sketchbook pages with perspective studies. If you’re designing a character, spend time drawing figures and hands until you feel confident.
If you don’t have any client work, set your sights on a personal project you’d love to make. What skills do you need to get there? Target your practice toward that goal and then jump head-first in your dream project. You learn at least as much from finishing work as you do from practicing, so don’t neglect this last step!
Josh asks, “I want to build a following around my upcoming book. All the experts say a newsletter is the way to go because you ‘own’ your audience, unlike on social media. Are newsletters valuable? How do I build a subscriber list?”
Newsletters can be valuable, but set realistic expectations. You’ll be lucky to get a 50% open rate, and only 5-15% of subscribers typically purchase. That said, newsletters are like gold for die-hard fans.
To grow, decide what kind of a newsletter you’re creating. Is it purely promotional, keeping followers aware of what you’re up to, or is it a resource of tips and interesting reads for people who like the same things you do? Resource-based newsletters perform better, but there’s nothing wrong with a promotional approach. Just decide ahead of time which one you’re creating and be very clear with potential subscribers about what they can expect from you.
Offering a free PDF, a sample of your book, or weekly tips is a great way to entice people to subscribe.
A Facebook group is another great way to build a community. You can create a group for fans of your genre and let them have conversations about anything relating to that subject. Don’t hard-sell your books to them, but announce your excitement when you release new work. This will pique their curiosity, and before you know it, they’ll be asking where they can buy a copy.
In the end, what sells the most books is making a killer book. Marketing is great, but the best thing you can do is pour yourself into making work people can’t resist buying and sharing with their friends.
LINKS
Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, YouTube: JakeParker44
Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, YouTube: WillTerryArt
Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo
Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.
Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com
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