Art by Beverly Holtzem
Should I give up on my book? Is social media essential? What’s the best way to make a master copy? Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry answer these questions and more in this episode.
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SHOW LINKS
Skull Chaser
Ashley Wood toys
Daniel Warren Johnson
Beta Ray Bill
Great White Zeke
Bart Forbes
Lee’s master copy/artist breakdown
James Jean
Brett Helquist
Cal Newport books
Mr. Ballen
Cartoonist Kayfabe
Jake Parker Youtube channel
William Joyce Instagram
Cam Kendall
Fart Quest
KEY TAKEAWAYS
There’s more than one way to share your work, but you’ve got to be proactive.
Especially in the beginning, focus more on creating great work than a great social media following.
Master copies are an opportunity to learn how other artists solve problems and apply those lessons to your own work.
You don’t always have to show new work on social media, Youtube, and in newsletters; share things that inspire you!
QUESTIONS
Corey asks, “I pitched a book I wrote and illustrated to 2 publishers, but neither was interested, so I’m considering self-publishing with Kickstarter. If publishers don’t see it as sellable, though, should I take it as a sign and not try to sell it myself?”
Books get rejected by publishers for a variety of reasons. Your book could be great, but publishers want a safe investment and are wary of anything too outside the box that could cost them. If the work is good, you could successfully self-publish and sell it to the right audience. Picture books don’t typically do well on Kickstarter, so consider selling on Amazon and using a print-on-demand service. There are a few exceptions on Kickstarter that do well, and they tend to be niche books with a unique story or style. If that describes your book, find out the online spaces where the types of people who would love it hang out. Share your work in those spaces, and then launch your Kickstarter when you’ve amassed a following that is willing to back it.
Marc asks, “What guidelines does Lee use when making master copies to evaluate his work and the piece he’s learning from?”
When making a master copy, Lee considers the following:
The concept: What is the theme?
Composition: How does it enhance the theme?
How is value being used?
Where are edges soft, hard, firm, or lost?
What is the line quality?
How did the artist drive attention to the focal point?
Lee likes doing master copies of multiple pieces by the same artist to learn what techniques they consistently employ and what they change. Then he’ll make a new piece in their style to discover which of their elements he wants to incorporate into his style. Here’s an example of a master copy Lee did of a piece by Bart Forbes.
Anonymous asks, “Social media is so saturated with artists, and as an introvert, I’m not very comfortable interacting with followers. Can I start an art business without social media?”
If your art is fantastic, James Jean-quality work, you can afford to be less present on social media, but you’ll need someone (like a gallery) to sell your work for you. It’s still a good idea to have Instagram or other social media, even if you’re not engaging with followers, because it gives others an easy way to share your work. There are many ways to get seen: you can work with a gallery that will promote and sell your work for you; you can post and sell online; or you can sell offline in art fairs, coffee shops, and the like. No matter which path or combination you take, grow an email list! This allows you to alert collectors and fans of your shows, new releases, and anything else you want them to know. Having 1k email subscribers will get you much further than 1k Instagram followers!
Sharing your work with the world is an essential part of running an art business. There are many ways to do it, and you can find those that work for you, but you’ve got to put it out there to succeed. That said, mastering your craft should always be priority number one.
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 Howell: lilycamille.com.
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