Editorial Illustration
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- grafiske
So I have been a designer most of my life but I am kaput.
I really want to get into editorial illustration and I know there are friends of great illustrators and some great illustrators here...
You can see some of my stuff at: http://www.grafiske.com and then some newer stuff at http://www.flickr.com/jasondanie…
I would love love love some tips on how to get a rep - how to get your first few jobs, so on and so forth!
Any tips would be amazing.
- kodap0
maybe thinking of a rep is too much ambition by now. You should firstly organize your folio, make it look more "professional".
there are some very good works, indeed, but judging from what I see, it's a batch of random unrelated experiments. You could probably order those by style or maybe call each group a "project", add them a titles and descriptions.
imagine yourself as the "client" and consider your work on another point of view - friends around you are also important.- * friends around you are also important to criticize your work and give you tips.kodap
- grafiske0
Thanks Kodap.
I was thinking about doing 2-4 pieces strictly for an initial portfolio - a couple political pieces and maybe a couple portraits.
Any recommendations on what a good base portfolio for someone wanting to get into it are very much welcome.
- kodap0
from those left out, make a section for "sketchbook" or something. it will give your visitors and possible clients an idea of your process and drafts, yet they might find some pieces interesting. as you have at least 3 different styles, you'll somehow find one that you feel more comfortable with.
2-4 pieces isn't enough in my opinion, if you think you have not enought quality pieces, make some personal /self-promo illustrations based on briefs by your own...
- visualplane0
From what I hear, it's better to have one style that represents your work. This way, the Art Director isn't suprised with the final outcome of the project. There isn't too much money in editorial illustration. You should look at the different styles of illustrations that the known reps are representing. The award winning pieces you see in the showcase are great for inspiration, but at the end of the day it's these types of work that really makes the money
I'm not condoning that you rip someone else's style of course, but you still have to be realistic and develop a style that's more marketable. The illustration field is a tough business, and usually takes years to break into where you can support yourself but then the freelance lifestyle is fairly unstable. I say keep your day job, and illustrate in the evenings for fun see where it goes from there. That's what I'm doing now.
I personally wouldn't want to be a fulltime freelancer, it's just too unstable.
- yep, it's very unstable, indeed. I also make graphic design (an important %) to support my incomekodap
- visualplane0
Another good resource is www.theispot.com and www.illustrationmundo.com
- goldieboy0
Nice work. I commission illustrations all the time. Target the right magazines/newspapers for your style... a lot of research but worth it (nothing more annoying when you receive samples/link from illustrators when they clearly haven't looked at the magazine). Send an email with a some samples/link to your portfolio. Chase up with a phone call a week or two later. It's obvious advice but from my experience the best way to play it.
Also, no harm in sending the same email to illustration agencies and arrange a meeting for feed-back/advice.
Good luck!
- 1100
Love your work! But do agree about putting some organization on the pieces. I think clustering them into 10 solid pieces per section would be great. I'm also trying to get into editorial. Good luck!
- grafiske0
Thanks a lot!
Any other illustrators here with "how i got started" stories?
I will post in the thread again once I have a sort of first draft portfolio for feedback.
- Bargels0
Nice stuff! As for 'getting started', in my experience it's definitely better to have a 'style' to market. I didn't start getting ad illustration work until I had specialized a more commercial style as opposed from what I do as art...now I specialize in 3 different styles, and my clients pick from those. My first projects that started getting me work were sets of print ads; it's easy for people to see the application of your work if you make it like that to begin with, even if it's concept work.
But it's still not full-time...I get way more design/art direction work than illustration. Good luck!
- mpark0
I am starting out too... I've asked a seasoned illustrator about steps I could take to get started. He told me to just keep making new work and send promotional material to art directors every two month or so. Also told me to don't cold call or email them.
- kodap0
It's very good to see people willing to try illustration seriously and professionally.
You can email anyone you want, write a letter too. It makes your job more serious. But emailing, depends on the speech. Look at it as if you were the client:- How would you like to receive an email from someone applying or offering a service, a partnership?
- Would the client like that you make an approach more personally / specifically directed to what matters?
- Or as some standard email sent to 500 contacts at the same time?
- Would the client also like have a "goodie" that 'blinks' his attention by the aesthetic aspect of the letter/email or some extra contents in the leter/email?
- Would it be useful to receive a *.vcf contact card? (if you explain THAT'S the file that will connect you if both when needed)- remember, you don't have to impress clients, you have to make them know you can work on something useful, effective that serves their ambition, with your personal aesthetic / visual language. the more concise and straight to the point, the winner he his.
Letters are also welcomed. value the "courier mail" - it will end up to be very useful in may cases. in that case, your imagination is your limit to reach or get in touch.
Just by sending a batch of postcards, creative paper things like stickers or badges... xmas cards... whatever- for possible clients, the least you can get is to receive back a reply thanking for your gift, maybe that's not much, but it's always rewarding.
uhm.. I'm at the same time taking notes, so I might continue in this thread with more related things that pop to my mind now...
- kodap0
btw... even if you have to spend money on it, participate in contests. It's good and it helps a lot on promoting yourself and to respond to deadlines and briefings. Make yourself visible to a panel of certificated juries, a wider audience, and the contest results can lead to posterior events, like exhibitions, new contacts, etc...
make collaborative projects. Creative friends around you are the best way to start.