Some great advice I think I found through Giuseppe Castellano, Founder of the Illustration Department (a brilliant resource for all illustrators; professional and aspiring) -- as follows:
Notes from two American Art Directors.
1. It’s totally cool to send a DM with a link or pdf twice a year to get art directors to look at your work.
2. Author/illustrator titles are in demand because it’s so difficult to pair texts with artists.
3. Social media is how art directors look for work, especially on Twitter, so refresh your work there often.
4. Share the work, but also share who you are.
5. Publishers are expecting shorter turnaround times for work.
6. Keep your work organized, show you know the difference between middle grade and picturebooks for example.
7. Presentation matters, e.g leave space for text in spreads or cover art, and don’t put important details in the gutter.
8. Publishers are publishing more graphic novels than ever.
9. Show your interest in your portfolio via your work.
10. Do mockups of covers you wish you had the job to do.
11. Artist Postcards are no longer effective because ‘work from home’ continues.
12. When you’re making work for Art Directors to consider, think of it as a visual transaction.
13. Your online presence is key to getting your art discovered.
14. There is a trend to expanding characters beyond picturebooks. (Toys/Animation/etc)
Great stuff!
Some great advice I think I found through Giuseppe Castellano, Founder of the Illustration Department (a brilliant resource for all illustrators; professional and aspiring) -- as follows:
Notes from two American Art Directors.
1. It’s totally cool to send a DM with a link or pdf twice a year to get art directors to look at your work.
2. Author/illustrator titles are in demand because it’s so difficult to pair texts with artists.
3. Social media is how art directors look for work, especially on Twitter, so refresh your work there often.
4. Share the work, but also share who you are.
5. Publishers are expecting shorter turnaround times for work.
6. Keep your work organized, show you know the difference between middle grade and picturebooks for example.
7. Presentation matters, e.g leave space for text in spreads or cover art, and don’t put important details in the gutter.
8. Publishers are publishing more graphic novels than ever.
9. Show your interest in your portfolio via your work.
10. Do mockups of covers you wish you had the job to do.
11. Artist Postcards are no longer effective because ‘work from home’ continues.
12. When you’re making work for Art Directors to consider, think of it as a visual transaction.
13. Your online presence is key to getting your art discovered.
14. There is a trend to expanding characters beyond picturebooks. (Toys/Animation/etc)