Question and Answers
by Thinkmule, Darren Di Lieto (theApe) & Nate Williams

Questions and Answers is a collection of illustration related questions answered by top art directors, designers, editors, artist representatives and other professionals in the commercial illustration industry.

If you have a suggestion for a question or know someone who might be a good candidate to answer a couple questions

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How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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Ok, let's say this: I have more that fifteen years of experience working as a graphic designer and illustrator. To be honest mostly as designer, Indeed I consider all these years were kind of a long training in the creation of images based on several illustration techniques, learning the possibilities of diverse programs and messing up everything doing and experimenting with new materials. This experience has given me enough tools to offer a good creative service, with a variety of image sense and what I consider an original product. Certainly my background doing graphic design for many, many years allows me to use and take advantage of prime design elements as the function and color theory, composition and balance management, etc. which reflects an effective result in the illustrations to communicate the idea.

Lately I had been trying to develop my own personal style, with lots of fun characters and simple shapes; it’s very complex, but youthful with deep and rich textures. These characteristics plus some ability to synthesize concepts on a clear and direct image give me the opportunity to provide a unique illustration service. Well, at least that is what I like to think!

Now, how much do I get paid by my work? Well... that is another story.

Alberto Cerriteno
Illustrator + Designer
Alberto Cerriteno
http://albertocerriteno.com/

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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This is an easy question and I am happy to answer it for you.

First, let me just say that I don’t get “paid” for the work I do. When I take on a new artist I basically work for free until work comes in.

I am not on salary but work 100% on commission on jobs that we handle. I basically run a company that represents illustrators and photographers.

We handle all aspects of business development, marketing of the artists, promoting the artists, do public relations, accounts payable and receivables among many other things that we do for Free. We also pay a percentage of our artist’s participation in all contests that they choose to partake in. We offer expertise in setting up our artist’s portfolios and work with them to best present their work.

That said, I feel that our commission is well earned for the work that we do. if we do nothing and no work comes in and we make no commission.

Having a reputable Agent can mean everything to some and nothing to others. As I have said before, not everyone needs a rep and only artists that see the full value can appreciate what we do and why we deserve to make a commission.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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First, I'll say something about art in general: I think one interesting thing about art is that many people think it is an unnecessary and frivolous addition to the mechanical functioning of life and is therefore devalued. The Bauhaus notion of "form following function" is a perfect example of this attitude, which has become very pervasive in much of our society, not only in design (and art), but also in people's beliefs about life and themselves. Luckily, we have had many decades to dismantle some of this ideology. Obviously form will always follow function in the commercial world, especially in product and architectural design, but beauty is something deeper than function. Or, as it has been said before: Form is Function. It may not put food in your belly or literally save your life. But it does feed the soul like nothing else can. How many times have you been completely devastated (in a good way) by a beautiful painting or an amazing piece of music? How many times have you been completely devastated by a well functioning product? I think, as humans, we crave beauty, and that is why it is valued. To ignore this is to call ourselves machines, which is a sad illusion.

Now, about illustration: Illustrators clarify and embellish the messages of their clients. We make things beautiful, or funny, or scary, etc. We help establish a mood. We are basically trying to get at the essence of the message via visual language. This is considered valuable to clients because it is valuable to their audiences, which is supposedly why we get paid for what we do. But the other thing it does is that it adds beauty to everyday things. It is an essentially human desire that we fulfil. I think that may be the real reason we get paid for what we do.

Kristian Olson
Freelance Art and Design
Kristian Olson Art and Design
http://www.kristianolson.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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I don't have to justify it. I come up with advertising and marketing ideas for companies that help them to generate millions of dollars in income for themselves, their workers and their shareholders. I've seen the results of my work in action. When I met Steve Madden his company was about 3 million dollars. After my ad campaign put him on the map, his company grew to 100 million. He has told me and my company time and again that I bear a huge responsibility for his company's success. I can name 5 other companies I've done the same thing for. In my business no one gives you anything, you have to earn it. Every time a client needs a new campaign or ad, everyone in the company works on it. It's called a gang bang. The work that the client picks, wins. I've seen many creatives go for a long time producing no work. The bosses of my last company for example. I did all the work; they pretended they had something to do with it. I happened to be a person who almost constant won those pitches. Therefore I concluded I must be pretty darn effective. At this point in my career I feel I’m not being paid enough but I'm getting enough to not feel cheated. In my business, actors, photographers and most illustrators all have reps. They know what they should be paid per job, depending on the requirements of the assignment. And believe me they get paid plenty AND deservedly so. So why shouldn't I. It comes down to experience and confidence too. Some people have this starving artist mentality. when you go around feeling this way, you leave yourself vulnerable to be taken advantage of. the images created by painters, illustrators, photographers, directors are selling lots of products and magazines and newspapers. So don't fool yourself into some old thinking that artist shouldn't sell out or earn their fare share. It ain't easy living in a big metropolis like Manhattan. If you’re talented they should have to pay big coin to keep me here.

Tommy Kane
Art Director
Samsung
http://www.tommykane.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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I think this question is possible to bring a lot of lawyers and socialists involved. It’s interesting. Maybe we can ask why anyone of the working people gets paid. In the very early days workers got paid by food and cloth. A very simply reason, so they could fulfill their basic human needs and live. Nowadays we are paid by a substitute item called “money”. No matter we make millions a year or only hundreds a year, the very basic purpose of owning money is to survive. Apart from all other “needs” we are having these days. People work and get paid. It’s conmen logic.

Now, why illustrators get paid?
I work part-time as a barista in a café. Customers buy our coffee; they consume our beans, milk, water, machine, electricity and human labor. After they getting a cup of coffee they give us what has cost us and plus some profit. Making coffee is a recognized service, so people are paying this service.

People have hundreds of reason to buy a piece of art. Maybe just want to decorate their house, maybe it’s for a CD cover to help them to sell albums. Artists spend paints, paper, pencils, and hours in front of computers, their creativity, passion and skills to produce artwork. The purpose is to serve the person who buys the work. And that a person pays the artists for what has cost them plus some profit. Will you go to a café saying to them “You guys make the best coffee in town and I really appreciate it. But I don’t think there’s any reason I should pay you for your work.”

Let me quote a verse from the bible “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” Romans 4:4

It’s the creative service we provide. We produce products, not just fancy illusions in the air. That’s why I’m very proud to say I’m getting paid by illustrating. Unless someone still thinks artists are not working.

Dennis Juan Ma
Freelance Illustrator
Dennis Juan Ma
http://www.whoisjuan.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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"Hopefully, I get paid for what I do because I am able to communicate ideas in a visual way that is uniquely my own as a freelance illustrator. Therefore, my talents are sought out from time to time in order contribute a unique vision to whatever the particular assignment calls for. Great illustrators, as is the case with any great artist/communicator, have the ability to teach, inspire, and impart knowledge to the viewer in a way which at it's best evokes an emotional response and at it's least should cause the viewer to think. This particular talent and discipline, like any other discipline, takes years of hard work to hone and become good at. Obviously, the better and more experienced illustrators are paid more for their services and rightly so. I would say that my work as an illustrator fits modestly well into that pay structure. Illustration contests are held every year to determine who is that year's "cream of the crop" with regard to illustration talent. Awards are given to the top talent, as is the case with almost every profession today, and those individual talents are usually regarded as unique and are widely sought out for their services which hopefully justify the pay he or she receives for aforementioned services."

Colin Johnson
Freelance Illustrator
Colin Johnson illustration
http://www.colinjohnsonillustration.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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Being an illustrator is about much more than making beautiful images, it's also about communication. Artists portray their own feelings and visions in their work, as it's a very personal labour. But illustrators in most cases are intermediaries in a communication process. Party A wants to tell Party B something using pictures; that's where the illustrator comes in.

Illustration has its own set of syntagms and paradigms which make it an unique communication tool, and just like any other kind of language its structure is constantly evolving. It takes years to master this kind of visual communication and that's why we're needed. We interpret current cultural values into a set of 'visual words' which is what we get to know as one illustrator's 'personal style'.

Alex Amelines
Senior Animator
Now Wash Your Hands
http://www.amelines.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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This is an excellent question because we live in a time where we are becoming more globalized and connected by technology. It is also a very turbulent time. Many people are finding their jobs pay less or vanish because the world is a different place. If an automated computer can do your job or if your job can be done by someone cheaper in another country, you are in big trouble. What seems safe today can vanish tomorrow.

Skills that are becoming more valuable are those that cannot be done by a computer. Creativity, vision, and the ability to execute that vision ARE becoming more valuable. Last time I checked, computers still SUCK at these things. If a client calls you, this is what they want:

1) Work that is unique.
2) Work that is well done.
3) Work that is on time.
4) They want to work with someone who will make their life easier.

I would pay for that. Wouldn't you?

James Yang
Freelance Illustrator
James Yang
http://www.jamesyang.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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The short answer is that I provide a service just like any other businessperson from the hot dog vendor on the corner to the super fine nuclear technician in some 007 flick. Like that hot dog vendor or nuclear technician, I work hard at my job and also happen to love doing it. I always have the hope that when my art graces the cover of a magazine, illustrates an article or appears on some other product, that the image I create helps to sell that item or attract a reader to it. After all, as an illustrator, that is the goal. Hopefully my art helps my client to make a profit. In turn, I should have a piece of the pie for my efforts. Albeit a very small piece.

Jeff Miracola
Freelance Illustrator
Jeff Miracola
http://www.jeffmiracola.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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Great question. Obviously what we do as illustrators is not in the same league as a Doctor saving lives for a cool 150,000 per year. I can't judge it on an essential service basis. But I do believe we as illustrators provide unique solutions for clients. In our case quality of work and name and style recognition can help a magazine, campaign or publisher achieve financial success. If a person buys a children's book because they like the art or read a magazine article because the spot illustration piqued their interest then we have done our job. It may be entertainment and look like fun ( and most of the time it is fun!) but it does include hours of sitting at a computer or drawing table coming up with professional concepts unique to each illustrators style and problem solving skills. In the end we are selling ideas and style through images. If the client can be successful by hiring the right illustrator to represent them visually and we can all make a few pennies in the process that justifies the fees.

Steve Mack
Freelance Illustrator
Steve Mack
http://illustrationfarm.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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It's mainly justified by the fact the one calling me to do the work cannot do it themselves otherwise I wouldn't be receiving a call. That and my specific skill sets increase my client’s creative potential so they have no problem compensating me for the two areas I charge for in any given project. The first area of compensation is to cover my time to do the work needed and the second area of compensation is to cover the usage of the art I created during the fore mentioned time. Rarely is what we do the end all in terms of the creative process, instead it's part of a larger overall marketing solution so our justification is based in the realm of how well we fit into that bigger picture.

And the more creatively appealing and appropriate your work can be the easier it will be to justify the cost to your clients.

Von R. Glitschka
illustrative Designer
Glitschka Studios™
http://www.glitschka.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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I don't feel anyone should have to justify what fees they charge for their services, nor justify getting paid those fees once the services have been rendered. It's pretty much the system we live in; do work, get paid. It's an open, free-market; we're each free to choose our rates and fees, as well as refusing work if the payment they offer doesn't reflect the value of the work.

I know my skills and acquired knowledge in my field have value in many areas (advertising, publishing, etc..); I accept my role of tiny cog inside the huge socio-industrial-capitalist machine of contributors, content providers, producers, distributors, and consumers, and charge according to the general market-value.

Some illustration projects pay big, some pay crap; but you're doing the same work each time, and if you agreed to the terms, then you've entered into a transaction. Thus the payment at the end.

I think a better question might be: "Do you feel you always get paid what you feel you're worth?"

Luc Latulippe
Freelance Illustrator
Luc Latulippe
http://www.luclatulippe.com/

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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I think that I should be paid for what I do as an artist has a set of skills that not everybody has. Artists can produce work that changes the way that people see or feel about things, which is very important. I was recently commissioned to produce a mural in an area of my city that is seen as being a bit run down, which has a negative effect on the people who live there. The response from the local people passing by as I worked was great. To have someone working on a bright vibrant piece of artwork in an area which people would normally hurry through made people feel more positive in their surroundings and gave them a sense of well being. To have made people feel better about their area and them selves through the production of a piece of art is just as valid as a treatment that a doctor can offer.

Of course it's not just murals that are valid in this way, any piece of work that someone can relate to or that can explain something more clearly or provoke a reaction should be valued and their creators awarded financially for. It is worth mentioning that the money that most artists receive for their work isn't that great!

Andy Council
Freelance Illustrator
Andy Council
http://www.andycouncil.co.uk

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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That’s a pretty loaded question. Illustration and animation is a product like anything else. And I suppose I have enough talent, work ethic, sense of humor, interpersonal skills, personal hygiene, and business sense to make it a viable career option for me. Some of what I do is art directed, which makes me just a pair of hands. And some of it is up to me to bring what I can to the project, be it innovative character design, storyline, color, design and font choices. And all that takes skill, thinking, time and effort. All of those are valuable commodities.

The graphic arts is one of the few fields I can think of where people consistently ask you to work for free. “I can’t pay you, but this will look totally killer in your portfolio,” has been thrown my way all too often. Same goes for “I can’t pay you, but it’s totally easy.” I usually respond to that by replying, as politely as possible, “if it’s so easy, you should be able to do it yourself.” Generally, I won’t work for free or on a project that pays too little; I can work on my own projects for free.

I do feel fortunate to be able to get paid for what I do.

Dave Savage
Creative Developer
American Greetings
http://www.savagemonsters.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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I feel it’s my job as an illustrator to create a visually pleasing and eye catching picture that will grab the viewer’s attention and draw them into the article/product/etc... Kind of like the catalyst between the viewer and the article. A page full of text torture to read, illustrations break it up so psychologically you feel more at ease reading chunks of text offset by interesting illustrations. Illustration can pull readers or consumers in and get them to take notice or get into articles or products that they might otherwise have skipped over. This interest eventually converts into purchases/subscriptions/ad revenue/money for the client. Illustrators create custom tailored concepts and translate them into a tangible form on paper. So with that we illustrators earn our keep.

Jason Raish
Illustrator
Jason Raish
http://www.JasonRaish.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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It would seem unnatural to need justify being paid for creating. I really cannot judge whether working in a creative industry is below or above any other occupation, though.. I suppose just as any other occupation it takes a certain amount effort to sustain. It seems that art is an essential element in life, whether it takes it's form on a canvas or an advertisement or architecture. I wonder how the world might look if artists should suddenly not deserve compensation! As for myself, I feel truly grateful when a person or organization appreciates my work and is not reluctant to trade for my time and energy.

Amy Sol
Freelance artist
Amy Sol
http://www.amysol.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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I think doing a creative work takes a lot of energy. It is much easier to enjoy looking at creative work.

For example, when you watch a movie, it takes about 2 hours and you can just sit and enjoy it. You don't need to use a lot of energy.

But to make a 2 hours movie, there are a lot of people working for a long time. That's a lot of energy involves.

Illustration is a smaller scale. But it takes a lot of effort and energy to create one image even though it only takes a second to look at it for an audience.

Giving birth (in this case, a visual form) is a lot of work and we, illustrators are not a message receiver but a message giver.

I think that's why we get paid.

Junichi Tsuneoka
Illustrator
Stubborn Sideburn
http://stubbornsideburn.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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I love what I do and if people want to give me money to use my work, then that's awesome. Regardless, I'll still be drawing and painting. I think that gaining clients and producing strong commercial work is the outcome from years of practicing my craft. The bottom line is that none of us would be doing this if it wasn't what we loved... we'd be working for insurance agencies or something. There's much quicker and easier ways to make a buck.

Rik Stultz
Freelance artist
Rik Stultz
http://ricstultz.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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Although some people have a hard time taking artists seriously, when I'm up at 3am for the third day in a row trying to make a deadline, I think they can't pay me enough! We are under a lot of pressure to create on the spot. It stops becoming this sort of ethereal art making experience and more of a, well, job. I guess for me also, I need to somehow justify spending nearly a hundred grand on art school!

Jen Lobo
Freelance artist
Jen Lobo
http://jenlobo.com/

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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The answer I have to justify getting paid for what I do is that people want to pay me and I want to get paid. We all have to make money to survive. I decided I work very hard to make sure I could make money doing something I love. I dreamt of doing this, of satisfying my own personal desire to draw all day long. I create what I create for very selfish reasons, I love it. I am doing exactly what I want to do and I get paid for it. If you can find a way to enjoy your day and actually get paid at the same time that is not something anyone needs justification for. It’s justification enough.

Ryan Snook
Freelance Illustrator
Ryan Snook
http://www.ryansnook.com/

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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Interesting question. It’s not something that I have thought about in this way. I usually just chalk it up to providing a service and getting paid for it. But the question as you pose it is asking me to justify, not simply testify to a transaction.

In thinking about it I would say that I actually provide more than a service, I provide more than just dirty pictures. I provide a point of view. As an editorial illustrator for hire that point of view serves as a visual interpretation of an issue, a cause, an idea. It is my job to inspire, inform and entertain. While it isn’t rocket science or ditch digging, a point of view does have value in our society. Interpreting information for a magazine, newspaper or online article helps to serve the author’s needs by amplifying the text, it serves the an art director’s needs by getting that text noticed, it serves the publishers needs by buttressing the publication’s point of view, and hopefully it serves a public need by raising awareness and providing information. Making people think has value, that’s why people pay me for what I do. Alas, not much, but that is another subject altogether.

As a designer the same principles apply, the big difference is that it is my job put forth the clients point of view not my own. My design clients pay me to inform the public on their initiatives, to promote a product or service, and to do it in a way that illuminates and embellishes their brand. Achieving a clients goals justifies my pay.

Mark Kaufman
Illustrator
Vivitiv
http://www.drawmark.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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The best way to answer this question is an explanation of my hobbies. I play guitar, practice martial arts, do house repairs, camp, watch a lot of movies, and am insanely critical about music. I don't get paid to do these things yet there are people all over the world who make money off of something I consider a hobby. If I were to ask any of these people the same question they would have just as hard a time answering as most illustrators do.

The simple answer is because there is a need for it. Just as my martial arts instructor fills my need to throw punches, and System of a Down fills my need to rock out! To try to justify it further than that almost undermines the amount of time spent perfecting and learning the skills.

I actually feel that the idea that we might not get paid is completely unjustifiable. In fact, we all should be getting paid a lot more. I would suggest to all the illustrators out there that they should walk away from any projects that do not pay a legitimate amount of money and which will allow them to have the high standard of living that they deserve. We must all work together to educate prospective clients as to the value of the work we put into their products and licenses. Otherwise it is a hobby. Hobbies are things we do for ourselves without the expectation of payment, not for others as freebies to make their lives easier and more profitable.

Michael Grills
Freelance Illustrator
Michael Grills Illustration and Artwork
http://www.illustrationandartwork.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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Sometimes I actually find it difficult to justify getting paid for what I do. I really enjoy it far too much, and when I'm having fun putting a picture together it seems ridiculous that someone is actually paying for me to do it. From a wider perspective though, I think designers and illustrators are as worthy of getting paid as anyone else in the art and media industry.

The world would be a much greyer place without us, and I think it's simply for this reason that we are needed. Adding a bit of colour and shine to things may seem like a bit of a luxury, but I think if you took it away it would produce a vacuum of creativity that would affect everybody on some level. From a more personal point of view, the emails and comments I get back about people enjoying my work is enough. If people do that then it definitely has value.

Nik Ainley
Freelance Designer
Nik Ainley
http://www.shinybinary.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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Illustrations have a very important role. Whether it's for an article or a book they help the reader visualize what they are reading, if it's for a product it helps selling that product. They are just like spices. Any meal can be consumed without them but what a difference it makes if you add a little spice to it.

Luckily most of my clients understand that I put an effort in it and that the final product is a delicious meal which can be enjoyed by everybody.

Lehel Kovacs
Freelance Illustrator
Lehel Kovacs
http://www.kolehel.com

How do you justify getting paid for what you do?
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It's my job so I expect to be paid. I work hard for all of my artworks.

May Ann Licudine
Freelance Illustrator and Artist
May Ann Licudine
http://www.mayannlicudine.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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This is a very good question! All of the different mediums are always fun and enjoyable. These depend on their art styles, feelings, experiences, methods and thoughts what mediums they consider.

In my opinion, the toughest medium is oil paint. To be completely honest, I am a painter who loves doing oil paintings. In my past experiences, sometimes I felt very dizzy when I cleaned my bristle brushes with turpentine and dirty cloth. It was totally messy and smelly. But this medium is very good and is of high quality. The oil painting lasts longer and stronger. However, it's expensive.

The easiest mediums are pencil and acrylics, of course. About the pencil medium, it's enjoyable to draw sketches, doodles, caricatures, characters, illustrations, etc. You can bring your pencil (or pens) and sketchpad (or notebook) when you travel and go anywhere. It's like an art diary. Regarding the acrylics, it's very versatile. It doesn't smell bad and it dries very fast. Acrylics are easy to clean up with soap and water. The colors look very bright. It's great to use acrylics on papers, canvas, boards, woods and other surfaces.

May Ann Licudine
Freelance Illustrator and Artist
May Ann Licudine
http://www.mayannlicudine.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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This is an interesting question if only because I have never considered it. For me, working with an eclectic array of mediums is always fun and I don't find some “easier” or “tougher” than others. They each have their distinct challenges and require an artist to employ slightly different skills and methodologies to work effectively within any given medium’s technical parameters, but I welcome that because it forces me as an artist to view them as poetic restraints that force me to visually express myself in (hopefully) unique ways. For example, painting with creamy gouache on a sheet of gessoed luan board encourages me to slather brush strokes that reveal the “bite” and grain of the wood. In contrast, creating a piece in real 3D makes me consider not ONE “heroic” angle, but accept the fact that the item will be viewed from a limitless number of perspectives, so I try and almost evoke a sense of “object animation” within the piece. Of course, most of my work is created digitally. In 1995 I started creating my work on a Mac using Photoshop 3.0 -- and it was extremely hard learning how to do that. Today, I STILL work in Photoshop 3.0, but have mastered the program to such a degree that I have found ways to work with the program in ways it was never designed to be used. At the end of the day, I honestly believe working in different mediums is a leap of confidence. I'm a pretty quick study, so once I get into the materials and see how they work, I can pretty much lasso the specific tools, implements or materials and make them work for ME.

Bob Staake
Freelance Illustrator
Bob Staake
http://www.bobstaake.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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I think they are all fairly difficult to get proficient at. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and each artist must dedicate him/herself to their chosen medium in order to become proficient. I will say that certain media are easy to learn at first, but they are all difficult to master.

2D digital media (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc... my own medium of choice) are somewhat easy to begin with. It only takes two seconds to draw a simple shape. So you can throw a few shapes together, add some gradients, and now you have a cute little character that you can license to someone. But to actually do something that impresses people takes a lot longer. You are constantly fighting the cold, cheap, mechanical look of the medium itself.

3D digital media seem to be much harder both to learn and become proficient at.

Oils are semi easy at first. You have so long to manipulate the paint because of their slow drying time. You can stare at a piece for hours and come back to it when you are ready... sometimes days later, depending on the paints and the humidity. But, regardless of that freedom, to actually become proficient and make art that is sellable
takes much more time.

Acrylics are somewhere in the middle for me. Their fast drying time allows much spontaneity, but this also means you can’t screw up as much as you can with oils. I’ve done several oil paintings that I've been very happy with, but very few acrylics.

Watercolors are impossible. One mistake and it’s over... or at least it seems that way to me.

So, there you have it: 3D and Watercolors are very difficult. Everything else is just difficult, but might be easy to get into.

Kristian Olson
Freelance Art and Design
Kristian Olson Art and Design
http://www.kristianolson.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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I think as long as you know your medium and what it can do then there are no ‘easy’ or ‘difficult’ mediums. I really think it depends on your experience with the method. As with everything there is a learning curve but once you are experienced with your tools then certain things become second nature. Particular methods, such as working digitally offer you a kind of freedom for experimentation that you wouldn’t necessarily get with traditional media but I don't know if that makes them ‘easier’. On the surface of things it looks like taking a photograph is easy because all you have to do is press a button. The reality of course is that it takes a lot more than that to take a really good photograph. I think the medium which you chose is just one part of being creative. What you do with that medium is the really important bit.

Allan Sanders
Freelance Illustrator
Allan Sanders
http://loopland.net

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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This is a good question but a difficult one for me to answer since I am not an illustrator and do not work in any one medium. From my perspective, as long as we can email it to the client that is what is important to me. From what I have heard, watercolor is a fairly tough medium to work in. if you make a mistake on your final, you have to start the piece all over again. Digital illustration seems like it would be the easiest to work in and make corrections on.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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I think it’s different for each artist and it depends on their technique. For me I love to blend and get soft edges so oils are "easiest" for that method of painting. If you want a dry brush and get a textured look or you want the paint to dry fast then acrylics would be a better choice.

Bob Dob
freelance commercial artist
Bob Dob
http://www.bobdob.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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The hardest medium to work in has to be oil painting. You need a whole room dedicated to it. It takes forever to dry. There is the smell, the turpentine and the mess. You need a sink that you can destroy to clean up afterwards. It is such a demanding medium. Not for the faint of heart. It aint cheap, either. Then when you are finished you have to photograph it perfectly in order to have a digital file. The easiest to work in is ball point pen and a piece of paper. You don't need any skills or training to do it. Even a 5 year old can participate in that medium. Plus it’s cheap.

Tommy Kane
Art Director
Samsung
http://www.tommykane.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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I wouldn't necessarily call it the easiest but rather more efficient in regards to meeting deadlines and flexibility from art direction is the digital medium. Toughest from my point of view being a digital illustrator is 3D applications. They have a very difficult learning curve and even after learning the tools it takes years to finesse your work flow to achieve a unique professional look that doesn't look and feel like anyone else that knows the tools. Too many tool driven illustrators in my opinion.

I really think traditional methods are awesome. I love to paint but I never use my own personal painting for commercial work. I wouldn't be able to turn around on timelines I am giving. Just not doable and it limits my stylistic approach as well. I pick an appropriate style for the given project so working in a tactile medium such as literal paints will limit that potential and thus limit my range of work.

Von R. Glitschka
illustrative Designer
Glitschka Studios™
http://www.glitschka.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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Well photography’s pretty difficult but that’s because I don't know how to do it..... Of the mediums I use, screen printing is the easiest as it means that you have to have an image planned out already, then you can just switch off and print away.....The only thing you can really change once you start is the colours, and even then if something’s not working its not going to make an awful difference if its blue or red. I think the most difficult medium to work in is to work totally digitally, (something I never do!) because then it’s possible to do anything and you have no real constraints to work against, and I think that takes away the fun.

Andy Smith
Freelance illustrator and animator
Andy Smith
http://www.asmithillustration.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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All digital techniques and technical programs aside... I find pencil and ink to be the easiest way to get an idea out. I find watercolor painting to be very difficult, but very satisfying! While working digitally, doing vector illustrations comes very naturally to me because I can work with a similar process to my pencil and ink sketches. 3D programs are the watercolors of computer art!

Matt Moore
Paint, Pixel, Ink, Aerosol
MWM Graphics
http://mwmgraphics.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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Easiest - pen and paper - ease of use and total immediacy.
Hardest - digital - complete opposite of pen and paper.

Jon Burgerman
Professional Doodler
Jon Burgerman
http://www.jonburgerman.com

In your opinion which medium do you consider is the easiest and which is the toughest to work in and why?
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In my own experience I find digital illustration to be the easiest, I love both bitmap illustration and vectors, they have their individual pros and cons as well as specific challenges, but the amazing advantage of digital illustration is its time travel feature. You can easily go back as many steps as you want and go in a different direction, try out colours and compositions and change your mind as many times as you like. I must confess that I always find myself starting a digital illustration on paper and then take over with the computer, it just makes the pre-planning so much easier.

For some odd reason to name the toughest medium feels harder than naming the easiest. I don’t tend to think in terms of toughness because as an illustrator I know what the different mediums can offer and sometimes what you are looking for can only be achieved with one of them, so you just do it.

However if I was to measure toughness by how time consuming a technique is, it would have to be something between traditional and mixed media. Unless you have years of experience and already master a personal style you will have to spend some time sketching layouts and compositions, and once you have worked out what you are going to illustrate, the experimentation follows mixing colours and paints, trying out textures and effects, sometimes this tests are just as elaborate as the final one and only when you find the right combination you can start with the final piece.

Having said that I’d like to clarify that it feels wrong to accuse traditional techniques of tough, basically because for me they are so much fun. Each technique has it’s on visual realm and you are allowed to visit when you need.

Alex Amelines
Senior Animator
Now Wash Your Hands
http://www.amelines.com

What would you tell young illustrators trying to break into the business?
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"Short-term thinking leads to a short-term career. The protection of your copyrights is fundamental to your ability to support yourself as an artist, so it's critical to learn the business side of your field and insure that the terms you work under are fair."

Marc Burckhardt
llustrator
Burckhardt Studio, Inc.
http://www.marcart.net/

What would you tell young illustrators trying to break into the business?
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There's a lot to be said here, but hopefully school and/or life experience has provided the basics. On top of that, an illustrator needs to be passionate about what they do. One needs to remain focused on the evolution of their craft and persistent in pursuit of work. This can be hard to do on your own. For me, surrounding myself with other illustrators has been of invaluable support. This has provided a group of like minded folks to discuss pragmatic issues, or to talk with when things are tough.

Other than that, make sure your mark is ready for prime time. Be aware of the history and current state of illustration. The idea is to find a mark that is relevant, while also being uniquely yours. This last point should be underscored, as it is sadly sometimes the case that young illustrators borrow too broadly from their influences.

There's so much more. Hopefully, if you can tap into a few folks that are starting their careers at the same time, you can learn the rest together.

Good luck!

Gina Triplett
Illustrator
Gina Triplett
http://www.ginatriplett.com

How did you get started in art and illustration?
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In 1983, I showed up at News America Syndicate in Irvine, Calif., with $8 in my checking account and a life-drawing portfolio. After a brief interview, the art director said, 'You're hired, I quit,' and walked out the door. I spent the next three years drawing infographics on acetate.

This is a pathetic start to doing illustration. But at this time, I was going for a Masters in Drawing & Painting/Printmaking and I needed some way to pay for it.

I've never been much for sketching, in fact, most of my prints started with the title (the image followed). Even today, my initial sketch is often a page of words. So the communicative aspect of an image is really what interested me. Although I do have an overriding sensibility to make things 'pretty,' so a lot of my work becomes rather decorative.

Anyway, it was a natural step from producing infographics to moving on into illustration and publication design - and 'communicating' with image.

Jeff Neumann
Lead Designer/Creative Director -
The Denver Post/Brand Neumann
http://www.brandneumann.com

How do you like to see work from an illustrator?
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Seeing a website probably provides the best view to what an artist is about and hopefully some of idea of their personality and interests. You can tell if they're focused on one style, if they have 'found themself' within their art, what type of work they're doing and probably how prolific they are. That website also says they care enough about their illustration to go through the laborious process of designing and putting up a website. It's still fine for an artist to email two to three low res jpegs to review in place of a website but the website is definitely more helpful.

Printed packages are fun to get, I still enjoy opening great mail - something that reminds me of my days as an art director. However if the work isn't great or appropriate to the agency sending a fancy package won't make a bit of difference. Opening dismal or poorly put together packages is never fun - something that also reminds me of my days as an art director. As with most agencies, at Magnet Reps we don't return unsolicited samples or packages so I always feel guilty when I receive a really elaborate one that someone has put a bit of money into. I suppose with the really creative stuff it's very likely that the artist will be right for some agent and hopefully they were on the artist's mailing list too. My advice to artists planning on sending out a big expensive package: Send an envelope out first with 4 or 5 printed samples and a SASE or postcard with 'check here' options. Options could be along the lines of A/ I love your work, give me a call! B/ I think you have potential, keep mailing me things. C/ Your work is not right for my agency, thanks anyway. That will give reps an easy and expense free way to communicate with you directly and it will save you a chunk of change in the long run. You'll be able to spend your money on the reps that really may be interested in working with you.

Lastly, the work is very important but even good work from an illustrator that sends a generic email or letter (even worse!) saying 'Dear Sir . . .' is a real turn off. If an artist is sending an email to thirty reps they should spend the extra day needed to get the names of the people they are addressing the message to, and send the emails individually. It's just professional courtesy. If we sent letters like that out to clients they'd never call us back!

Chrystal Falcioni
Artist Representitive, Owner
MAGNET REPS
http://www.magnetreps.com

What's your process when working with an illustrator?
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There is a range depending on the background and experience of the artist but generally once I have decided I'm interested I just send them an email or give them a call to start the ball rolling. I will never tell an illustrator to keep me on their mailing list if I know I'd never rep them, I would never waste someone's time that way. But we only like to add so many artists in any given period so I don't always take on every artist I like. Sometimes I see something so good in only one or two illustrations that I tell an artist to keep me in the loop, but the way they develop isn't always what suits me in the end.

Once I've made that call to an artist I like to talk to them on the phone a few times to get to know their personality a bit. I don't interrogate them, I let them direct the conversation, I just like to hear what they have to say about their work, goals, and experiences. It helps to decide whether they seem aligned with the way Magnet Reps looks and works. If everything falls into place with goals, expectations and personality I invite them to join the agency. I discuss the terms of the agreement we have with them, our expectations, a basic idea of what our marketing plan would be and send a contract to review. Now it's up to the artist to join!

Once they join the agency everything swings into action. The artist sends us disks with all their high res art, portfolios and other existing sample materials and we work to get their work up on our website ASAP. We make sure to send out a printed promo of some kind right away to introduce them to clients and the industry. At that point they are officially 'in' and become a part of all agency group mailers, advertising and promotions. Individual promotion for each artist varies but that's a whole other question!

Chrystal Falcioni
Artist Representitive, Owner
MAGNET REPS
http://www.magnetreps.com

When looking at an illustrator's website what type of presentation do you like?
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I've seen all kinds and the ones that impress me the most are the ones that come across as completely unique and connected to the creative POV of the artist. A great website does more than showcase your art - it showcases who you are as an artist and an individual. I even bookmark great websites of artists I don't rep just because I love visiting them, it's like going to a great art show without leaving your office.

There are some design elements that do irritate though and it would be good to avoid them. In no particular order: welcome or home pages that run through meaningless graphics before you can click on anything, sites where it is unclear where to click to move forward, enlarged images that are only two inches tall, no contact information or email link (surprising but true!), showing art in styles you don't do anymore (with the exception of award winning pieces) and sites where you have to keep clicking back and forth on different windows to see the work and then you end up having 50 windows on your desktop to close when you're done. Another thing to avoid is only having ten illustrations on your site, it's better to wait until you've got it together to launch the site and invite others to review the work then. That said try to make it functional and let your freak flag fly!

Chrystal Falcioni
Artist Representitive, Owner
MAGNET REPS
http://www.magnetreps.com

What advice would you give to illustrators?
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Look the references and what all other people are doing around and try to find your own way, sometimes is hard, but is very compensating and fuuny when it obtains.

Alexandre Braga
Art Director
Abiuro
http://www.abiuro.com

How did you get started in art and illustration?
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Ever since a very young age i've had a passion for drwing and art. I studied art and design at art college and specialised in graphic design. I usually combine typography, illustration and photography into my work and always aim to make it as organic as possible. I find it essential in my work to give it a spontatious feel, I think this helps retain the energy that's put into it.

Kerry Roper
Designer and illustrator
Kerry Roper
http://www.youarebeautiful.co.uk

What advice would you give to illustrators?
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Be passionate. Never give up and always push yourself. Seeing your work out there on album covers and magazines is one of the most rewarding things that i've experienced. always try and get a credit on the work with a web link or email address, you never know who's going to see your illustrations and could lead to further commissions. Try and get as much exposure as possible good work speaks for itself.

Kerry Roper
Designer and illustrator
Kerry Roper
http://www.youarebeautiful.co.uk

How do you like to see work from an illustrator?
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Most mass emails get forwarded to my junk folder so I never even see those. I do look at my mail even though so much goes in the garbage, I still think it's probably the best way to get work in front of me at a reasonable cost. The best route is to call a CD set up a time to come in and show a book, pound the pavement. It's always nice to put a face to an illustration and get to know the person you might be working with.

Allen Boe
Creative Director
Allen Boe Design
http://www.allenboe.com

How do you decide on using illustration vs. photography?
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It depends on the concept or direction of the style of design. If it is a period piece where an illustration might have been more probable a solution I might lean that way to keep it authentic. If it is a traditional ad type design that shows a product that is readily available to shoot I would go with a photo. It's totally up in the air really. Unfortunately budget and timeline are big factors that play a major role. But if you only going to be good for only one of those go with speed, the ad agencies I have been with are always running to the final hour and speed wins over money the majority of the time.

Allen Boe
Creative Director
Allen Boe Design
http://www.allenboe.com

How did you get started in art and illustration?
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I started in art as a kid by pure instinct. My interest in illustration, on the other hand, developed later on, once I became much more of a pragmatic person and understood the challenge behind successfully communicating with an active audience.

or

By producing lots of work for myself and getting to know and improve my skills as I went. I kept my eyes and ears wide open, and learned all about the different promotional means for illustrators. Staying sharply focused is key.

Fernanda Cohen
Illustrator
Fernanda Cohen
http://www.fernandacohen.com

What advice would you give to illustrators?
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Get your work out there as much as possible. You never know who will see it.

Christopher Silas Neal
Artist/Illustrator
Christopher Silas Neal
http://www.redsilas.com

How did you get started in art and illustration?
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I don't have any art school experience but liked to draw and managed to get three years of design experience at a small studio in Colorado. From there I just starting making work and calling up art directors.

Christopher Silas Neal
Artist/Illustrator
Christopher Silas Neal
http://www.redsilas.com

What advice would you give to illustrators?
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Find your voice, never give up!

Linda Zacks
Artist/Illustrator
Extra Oomph
http://www.extra-oomph.com

Why should an illustrator take on a rep or agent rather than represent him/herself?
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Not all illustrators should be represented, only the ones that really want to be. If an illustrator has the time to do all that a rep or agent does, then when do they find the time to illustrate? At AGM, there are 4 women working full time, about 160 hours a week. They handle all the business development, marketing, promoting, advertising, public relations, preparing of quotes, negotiating billing ect. All this for a 25% commission of the business that they bring in. If any illustrator doesn't see the advantage in having a great rep, then they shouldn't have one.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

What is the most common problem you run into when working with illustrators?
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Can't say there are any problems as such. The most disappointing thing that AGM has faced over the years is the lack of loyalty from young illustrators. . There have been far more wonderful moments and great achievements that AGM has shared with freelance illustrators. There is nothing more gratifying, then taking on a freelance illustrator that is unknown and launching his/her career.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

What changes in the illustration industry have you seen in the last 10 - 15 years? What are some recent trends?
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Lots of changes and not all of them good. AGM for one, is really against stock and royalty free images. In fact, AGM has an advertising campaign coming out this year in CA magazine, condemning just that. On the bright side, the internet has really changed the way we do business. Its fast and it makes it easy to represent illustrators from around the world.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

If an illustrator has a limited budget to market themselves, what are the top 3 marketing tactics that have the best return on investment?
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AGM strongly believes in direct marketing and sending out promos, cards and advertising. Anna is not too keen on Annuals and thinks that they are a thing of the past. The future is the internet and websites such as http://www.illustrationmundo.com who are hot and frequently updated. If Anna believes strongly enough in someone, she will usually lay out the money to help him/her get started which she has done many times in the past. Anna also strongly believes in having her illustrators participate in contest and contributes 25% of the costs.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

You receive over 4000 submissions a year from artists wanting to be represented. What are some of the most important work and personality characteristics you look for in a new artist to represent?
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Yes we do receive quite a few inquiries from all over the world and feel honored that illustrators have such a strong interest in AGM. It makes us very proud to be so respected and sought after. The most important thing that Anna looks for when taking on a new illustrator is of course style, but the personality of the artist is very important to her as well. She looks for people who are passionate about their work, honest and friendly. Professionalism is a must as well.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

Lots of illustrators seek an artist representative in hopes of finding more illustration work . . . but an artist representative does much more than that . . . can you please define your role more specifically?
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At AGM we work closely with our artists and manage all aspects of their careers. This is why we call ourselves " Anna Goodson Management " and don't just refer to ourselves as Reps. We work together with our artist and discuss their style, direction and portfolio. We handle all aspects of the business development, marketing, promoting, and public relations, leaving our illustrators to concentrate on illustrating.

Anna Goodson
owner
ANNA GOODSON MANAGEMENT, INC.
http://www.agoodson.com

Who are some of your favorite illustrators and why?
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Deanne Cheuk - because she is so damn creative. Just the compositions of her work are inspiring. Her colors and subject matter for the Mushroom Girls stuff ... UPSO ... KAWS of course ... Grotesk ... N8W! They're just all very creative and progressive in ways that inspire myself and others

Chuck Anderson
Designer
NoPattern
http://www.nopattern.com

When looking at an illustrator's website what type of presentation do you like?
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Not much flash, if any at all, the site should never get in the way, and their work should be shown in large images with some kind of description. Also, an information section with some good or interesting info on them is nice, but no - please don't put your favorite bands or your favorite movies in your profile. Clients, actually nobody, cares. Leave that for your MySpace. Actually, don't have a MySpace.

Chuck Anderson
Designer
NoPattern
http://www.nopattern.com

I can totally see your work being used for fashion and perfume .. have you done any work for these industries? How do you approach clients you want to work for?
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I have done work in the fashion industry, not much though...and no, I haven't done work for perfume clients yet. I'd love to though! When I want to work for a client I usually try to find the art director's email address and get in touch with them that way. Yes, it's that simple and that's literally about all I do to get a hold of people. Just a simple email!

Chuck Anderson
Designer
NoPattern
http://www.nopattern.com

What can illustrators do to make the experience positive for an art director?
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(understand the idea quickly, take feedback well, work quickly .. etc) BE ON TIME! I've learned this the hard way by being late for clients and it's not a good look. It's something I'm definitely working on and always trying to get better at, be punctual. Be early if you can. But not too early, it will make you look like you didn't take your time.

Chuck Anderson
Designer
NoPattern
http://www.nopattern.com

How do you like to see work from an illustrator?
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If you mean after I've begun working with them... at first digitally, in pencil or linework. I like to have the chance to work with the illustrator vs having him finish the work and say here you go. Or even ask for comments at that point. If its finished, you don't want to nitpick it. Then it feels like your telling them how to make art. I wouldn't want anyone to tell me how to paint a painting. I paint what i want, and if i'm happy that's all that matters. Fuck you if you don't like it. So, starting with pencils helps me as the Art Director bring some of my vision to the illustration, and makes me feel a bit more comfortable commenting. And then being able to comment in stages and have a say when it comes to color helps a lot. If you, as the illustrator, are working with a good AD, he will not only make your work a bit of his own, and appease his client, but he will make it better. He will challenge you to think of things you never would have. Help you focus on an idea vs. just a cool piece of artwork. If you work with a bad AD, he'll fuck up your illustration and take you on such a hellish journey, that you'll wish you stayed home. I like to get finished art digitally, and with some sort of color print to match. That's if the image will be reproduced digitally or will be in a publication. If you mean how do i like to see work from an illustrator when looking for an illustrator, i would say online in the context of a well-designed site that is fun to navigate through.

Dustin Smith
Creative Director
DDB
http://www.ddb.com/

How do you decide on using illustration vs. photography?
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It almost always depends on the direction from the client and on the project at hand. Its usually very clear in the beginning if it needs a photo or if it needs illustration or neither, and maybe it just needs some general design or artwork, Photoshop compositing, etc to make it work. Just really depends. Also, the strengths for me lie more in combining photography with design since most of my traditional illustration and drawing work is a little more 'out there' and not as accessible to clients in style.

Chuck Anderson
Designer
NoPattern
http://www.nopattern.com

How do you decide on using illustration vs. photography?
(more questions)

I guess i kinda touched on that. I'm more of a photography guy. I've been trying to branch out into using illustrators a bit more. I've worked with some good illustrators, and a lot of them that have been difficult to work with. I guess as the Art Director usually has a bit more control using a photographer. I can control casting, sets, props, background, style of photography, and in retouching, I can ultimately make it whatever i want. I can direct a Photo illustrator on how tom make it what i see in my head. With an illustrator, you let go a bit more, and allow it to become his or her peice of artwork. You really have to trust the illustrator and let go of any pre-conceived notions that you have, or you end up driving him and yourself crazy trying to achieve what is in your head. I choose illustration when i know something is virtually impossible to achieve in a photograph, or if there is a specific mood or attitude that i know can only be achieved through illustration.

Dustin Smith
Creative Director
DDB
http://www.ddb.com/

How do you go about finding an illustrator?
(more questions)

Most times, I talk to the Art Buyer about what I'm looking for and hope they can find me some illustrators that suit the project and the style that i am looking for. If I'm doing a search on my own, I'll think of a key word, or some sort of reference point, and google it. For example, a while back I was looking for someone to do some type for me. I wanted it to be hand illustrated, and I wanted the headline to hold together and make the shape of a wave of scent coming out of a bottle. The closest thing to what i wanted visually was type from old silkscreen rock posters of the 60's and 70's. So, I googled some of those keywords and found a lot of great poster sites that had illustrators listed next to the posters. I ended up using a friend of mine that is a comic book artist to do the finished art, but used those posters i found on line as reference for him. Honestly, I don't think there is a real great way to search a huge databank of illustrators. And in the not so distant past, Illustration was not real hip in advertising. Photography, or manipulated photography was looked at as much more contemporary. Recently, it seems as though the solution of photography has become fairly obvious. Illustration is a bit more unexpected and fresh. As long as the illustration style itself is unexpected and fresh. But if an illustrator comes out wit