Art by Mag Takac
Why is my art so boring? Can I get work overseas? How can I manage my time better? Learn all this and more from illustration experts Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry.
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SHOW LINKS
Power Portfolio Critiques- Level up your portfolio with in-depth, 1-on-1 feedback!
Ep 162: Not All Practice is Created Equal
Marques Brownlee Apple Pro Vision Review
Lee White Watercolor Photoshop Brush Pack
Tadahiro Uesugi
Developing Great Visual Stories class by Will Terry
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Describe your illustration in a sentence. If it sounds dull, it probably is!
Want to tell great visual stories? Veer away from overly sentimental images and lean into action-based illustrations.
Always schedule double the amount of time it takes for you to complete a project. Turn in sketches early to receive feedback and get to work quickly.
The more passive income you generate, the fewer clients you need, and the more time you have to complete projects without rushing.
QUESTIONS
Anonymous asks, “How can you create a realistic schedule that accounts for the unexpected?”
Streamline your workflow
Work with a smaller amount of better-paying clients
Time-block your day, then prioritize tasks within each block
Generate passive income streams
Rochele asks, “My portfolio is a little lackluster and missing the ‘it’ factor, but why?”
The top questions to ask yourself when making an illustration are, “What makes this interesting? What story am I telling?” Your images should stir emotion in the viewer through both content and execution. That means you must create elements of tension, intrigue, excitement, etc., rather than simply painting a pretty picture.
Lily writes, “I'm a full-time children's book illustrator in New Zealand. I want to reach overseas markets, but I have not had any success in reaching publishers or agents outside of NZ and Australia. How can I expand into other markets?”
Honestly, if your work is good enough, you should be able to break into other markets. It’s probably time for a portfolio overhaul. You have some great pieces in your portfolio, but not all of them match that level, so let’s work on that. Set a goal to create one new portfolio piece every two weeks. That gives you one week of concepting and sketching and one week to paint. Focus on telling compelling stories, as we recommended to Rochele. If you do that for six months to a year, you’ll have a brand new portfolio ready to enter any market.
For more specific help, sign up for a Power Portfolio Critique by one of our excellent teachers at SVSLearn! You’ll receive an in-depth breakdown of your work and clear action items based on the goals you have for yourself. Plus, it’s all recorded for you!
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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