Career Interview

Thought I'd share with you an interview that I did last night via IM with a high school student... regarding a career in illustration.

[Note: edits have been made for brevity, to keep things on topic, and because I -never- misspell a word. =P]


Li Smith: 1. What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Laura: Hmmm, well I guess at the heart of it I just love creating art.... I mean taking a concept that is words or even just an idea and making it something visible.


Li Smith: 2. What's your salary like?

Laura: Hard to know yet, seriously, complex too. You see I think of my illustration business (and literally it is) as a "company" in its first few years.... So along those lines reporting a profit (after business expenses) to the IRS is my version of salary success at the moment. I won't give numbers, but I will say things are going up each year =) So much is based on "per project" so I'm actually quite surprised when I tally things up for the year.


Li Smith: What's it like in your workplace?

Laura: Comfy. I work from home. I've got a nice desk, fast PC and all the right equipment.... and hot tea whenever I want it. =) The commute isn't bad either.



Li Smith: 4. What kinds of things do you illustrate?

Laura: Fantasy... though I don't do the scantily clad chicks and dragons so much. I prefer the more children's-fantasy or the whimsical fantasy. That is not to say I don't take on a more "mainstream" project now and then.


Li Smith: 5. How long does your art process usually take?

Laura: Depends on what it is. For a full-color book cover, say, I tend to "budget" 40 working hours.... but then I also "run" the project along side others at the same time (so something like this can start-to-finish take 4-6 weeks).


Li Smith: 6. Have you got any particular pet peeves about your job?

Laura: Clients! No, seriously, it's the name of the game. Think of it as having many bosses at once. I often feel, though, like I am trying to "save" my clients from themselves (as they try to Art Direct... where they really don't know what they are doing!)


Li Smith: 8. What are your hours like--nine to five, eight to ten, etc?

Laura: I used to think of things more as sit down in the computer chair X hours. I now take a slightly different approach: setting project goals and deliverables rather than set hours. Generally, speaking you will find me at my computer doing art from around 9ish to 5ish all week days though. Sometimes it's heaven sometimes I'm cursing said art in front of me (not often).... it is nice to be able to bug-off for a walk mid-day though =)


Li Smith: Do you ever collaborate with other artists or are you a one-(wo)man show?

Laura: I don't collaborate per-see, but I am a member of a couple artists groups. The fantasy illustrators one is a tight-knit place for sharing our projects and getting crits from each other.... we're all freelancers so it helps us with a sense of community to. Sometimes freelancing can be a lonely business!


Li Smith: How free are you able to be with creativity, or do the restrictions vary from client to client?

Laura: Varies. I would prefer 100% freedom, but in reality it can be anywhere from 50-50 to 20-80 (flipped either way). It really depends on the needs of the client/project.


Li Smith: 11. What is your favorite genre of art, if you have one?

Laura: Children's fantasy. =) (Which I want to do more of.)


Li Smith: This is a little off-script, but do you do a lot of children's book illustrations?

Laura: Not enough for my liking. I've actually yet to do a picture book proper... though I am working on a huge NDA project right now that involves covers and b&w interiors for that genre =)


Li Smith: 12. What school did you go to for this career? Would you recommend it or another one instead?

Laura: I went to James Madison University. Because, quite honestly, they were close by, had a "decent" art program, and weren't going to leave me 100K in debt..... However, I am torn on the whole "college to do art" bit. In some ways I think my time at JMU was valuable in others I wonder how far along my illustration business would be now had I not gone and just started working fresh out of high school. I guess it really comes down to the individual. I would say: only go to school for illustration if there is a strong dept. for it at that college AND you realize that you are going for the skills not the degree. In freelance illustration no one looks at your degree. Period. They want to see your client list and portfolio!


Li Smith: 13. Why did you choose to do what you do?

Laura: Because art has always come naturally to me.... and for as long as I remember I've admired the art on books covers and in picture books. =) I can't not do art, if that makes sense. (As many a teacher can testify from my doodles in the margins of my notes!)


Li Smith: 14. What are the academic requirements for your degree?

Laura: Well, my degree is a BFA in Painting.... but from a liberal arts college so it was about 50% art classes and 50% academics. Basically a ton of hours in the studio painting for my degree... I would often literally be on campus from 7am to 10pm many days! That always "balanced" with gen eds and other academic classes.... enough to keep anyone busy!


Li Smith: 15. Are there academic requirements for keeping updated on the developments of your profession?

Laura: Not really. Think more professional conferences and conventions and reading things.... that "education" now is completely self-motivated.


Li Smith: 16. What professional organizations are related to your career?

Laura: Well the aforementioned SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), ASFA (Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists), New York Society of Illustrators, etc... also many online communities: like CG Society or ConceptArt.org


Li Smith: 17. What's your typical workday like?

Laura: Well once I sit down at my desk (after my long arduous commute...) I review what "needs to be done"... I currently feel like I have a pretty good grasp on how long things take me so generally it is a matter of deciding what to tackle today. I normally start out with whatever I feel most excited about and work on that until lunch time. After a bite to eat (and perhaps some ImagineFX)... I return to tackle the next thing on the list. My workday is generally a "wrap" when I've finished some nice chunks of work and gotten the "deliverables" off to the respective clients.


Li Smith: 18. How does it affect your family life?

Laura: Well, I used to be a major work-a-holic, I just didn't really take much time for anything else. Since meeting my (now fiancé) I make a point to keep my evenings and weekends work free =) It's good to have those divisions, especially when one works at home!


Li Smith: 19. Are there any online artists communities you would recommend?

Laura: CG Talk, Deviant Art, Elwood, are the three that come to mind... though I am not as active on those as I used to be I do at least maintain small galleries on a lot of "satellite" sites as I like to think of them =)


Li Smith: 20. What was it like getting started?

Laura: In many ways I still am ;) It's a challenge. It can be scary. It is also fun. Getting that first "job" is a leap of terror =P I kid. I actually got my first "job" when I was still in college..... started out small. It was a "cd cover" for a metal band -that I don't think ever saw the light of day- but anyway it was $100 and that first client on the list! =P It felt awesome at the time. I've definitely done my share of small and not quite related to my passion (i.e. fantasy art) jobs, especially at the get-go. Though, I've found that I am getting to do more and more what I want. I think experience sort of "earns" you the right to be more choosy in the projects you take. And the secret is: it's in your best interest to only take those projects most in alignment with what you want to do. Think about it: those projects BECOME your portfolio which then gets you more projects like what you've just done!


Li Smith: 21. What are your thoughts on the risks of your art being stolen? Has it ever happened? What did you do about it? What advice do you have for someone in that kind of situation?

Laura: Honestly, it has never happened to me... so not sure what to say there. I do hear it is good to formally register your artworks copyrights at the US Copyright Office. Though they are protected by law when they are created, without you needing to do a thing... registering just gives you a bit more legal protection. And it is looked upon favorably if you were to take a copyright violator to court.


Li Smith: 22. What do you think is the most important aspect of being an artist? The education? The skills? The discipline?

Laura: Not losing sight of the passion. Seriously, there is a reason you picked up that first crayon and loved it.... the trick is not to lose that enthusiasm under things like deadlines, contracts, and bills!


Li Smith: 23. How flexible are you with your mediums? Do you prefer digital, traditional, or do you enjoy both equally? Why?

Laura: I work 100% digital on client projects, it just allows the best flexibility for changes and tight deadlines.... I do enjoy acrylics and oils, but purely for personal art (I shudder to think of making major changes -client requested- to an oil painting!)



Li Smith: Have you ever tried traditional?

Laura: I did more traditional in college... many many classes worth. I still have an easel set up and my oil and acrylic paints though =)


Li Smith: 25. What advice in general do you have for someone looking into the career?

Laura: Experiment. Find what you most love (drawing) and draw more of it. Your portfolio is the single most important thing you have.... put stuff that you enjoyed doing in it. Don't be trapped into thinking that college is the /only/ way to go.... there are many fine seminars and conferences that could teach you more in a week than you might get in a couple years at college!


Li Smith: 26. What regrets do you have?

Laura: Well, I would say that I regret not going to an "art school" i.e. a private art college with an illustration program. But, honestly, I think half the reason I came out of college with such a strong portfolio was because I had so many independent studies.... I, literally, had complete control of my portfolio =) So a blessing in disguise for me.


Li Smith: 27. What sources do you draw inspiration from?

Laura: Movies. Books. Video games. Talking to and seeing the work of other artists in the field.


Li Smith: 29. Do you like drawing from life or out of your head more?

Laura: I do both.... I often find that when I look at things in "real life" I start imagining them with fantasy elements....and they serve to inform the drawings that result with more believability. I found in college I would start making up parts to still lifes because drawing them bored me so much!


Li Smith: 30. Have you ever had any specifically bad experiences in the business that stuck with you? Looking back, do you think they could have been avoidable? If so, what would you have done different?

Laura: Well, they say hindsight is 20/20. But I really prefer to look at the "bad" past experiences and just learn from them.... for instance my contract now has a number of clauses in it that it didn't start out with! It really all comes down to communication with the client.


Li Smith: would you care to elaborate on those clauses at all or is that private business matters?

Laura: Laying things out clearly, talking with them until you understand what they are looking for, etc. Things like "revisions" "rights" "timetable" etc.... my contract basically serves as a "every last detail" layout of the whole project. So that things are clear! Assumptions can spell hours of re-working. And that is no fun.


Li Smith: 31. How long did it take you to get where you are today? What did you have to go through to get here? Are you happy with where you are or are you ambitious to go even further?

Laura: Well, technically, it has been 4 years since I graduated college... though I've been doing art much longer. I went from interested in art high school student, to art major, to, now, young professional in my field. I'm always looking to grow and expand. That is the way of life. I'd love to get into more "self directed" projects that are my ideas AND art (like picture books where I am the author-illustrator).


Li Smith: 32. Who's your idol? What is it you like about their art? Are there any others you like?

Laura: Chris Van Allsburg: writer-illustrator extraordinaire (of Polar Express fame)... I love the magic he brings to his books. There are a ton of others I admire. Heck, I think I met most of them at IlluXcon last year! =P


Li Smith: 33. What was it that got you into this business in the first place? Can you pin down a specific reason or is more something that's developed in you over time?

Laura: Well, being recognized by my 3rd grade teacher and having my "coral reef" crayon drawing hung in the library was encouraging.... and later being an avid fantasy reader in high school and admiring book covers did the rest ;)


Li Smith: 34. Are you a fan of colorful socks?

Laura: Oh yes. I like the fuzzy kind and I tend to get immense satisfaction out of matching them with my outfits!


Li Smith: 35. What kinds of risks(in general, not just theft) are involved in what you do?

Laura: Mostly the "risks" are health related.... and it's a matter of taking breaks, getting exercise etc, what anyone in front of a computer for hours should be doing. There is also the fact that "paychecks" tend to come in spurts....things even out, it's just that you have to be mindful and keeping "padding" in your accounts =)


Li Smith: 36. How big a role do you think artistic style plays in determining an artist's success?

Laura: All of it. Or a lot. You see, a true style -one that emerges naturally from the way you see things and put marks on paper- is something uniquely you.... and you are one of a kind. Therefore, don't strive to be a second rate copy of anyone else! Be irreplaceable! =)

Self-Promotion for Illustrators

No, I'm not dead, I've just been busy. At the moment I'm working on a Middle Eastern Sci-Fi book cover. I'm also working on a couple of my own children's book illustrations, which is kind of an odd combo if I think about it.

Apart from the art, I've been recently thinking a bit more about self-promotion as an illustrator and various promotional strategies. I basically need to come up with a schedule/method of promotion that is effective and, a big one, sustainable (and by that I mean I can afford to do it multiple times a year). I understand that what is sustainable to me as a beginning illustrator may be a fraction of what I can do in a few years, but I've gotta start somewhere. What good is a 500 post card mailing when I can only afford to do it once a year? Exactly.

So chatting with Val (from IotF) via, e-mail has caused me to think about this whole promo thing in a different light, one that I'm rather shocked I didn't see before. See, I'd been thinking about promotional mailings (postcards, to be exact) in terms of quantity, how many publishers, etc, I could find that listed fantasy, science-fiction, or children's books as a genre they handle.

I realize it may be far more effective to think in terms of quality, or who is best suited to using work like mine (and who I most would like to do work for). In line with this, I've been trying to come up with a very short list (half-dozen) of publishers who would be a perfect match. I then want to work hard to get their Art Directors' attentions. At the moment, I'm thinking that a monthly or bi-monthly postcard mailing (a different related image each time) would be a good start. Here, I'm thinking about future submissions of a manuscript + book dummy, and that it would be much more likely to be looked at if they already "knew my name," so to speak.

I still mean to do some sort of mass promotion. At the moment e-mailings seem to be the most attractive option, as they don't cost anything (above finding or otherwise acquiring the e-mail addresses).

We shall see what comes of it all...

Logo Finished!

So, things are still slow on the actual illustration side of things and busy on the business side. Today I finished the fancy "name plate" logo I was working on. Plus, I "extracted" a simplified (monochromatic) version which I incorporated in my very first newsletter. After much fiddling the newsletter was sent! At the moment, the only people on the mailing list are contacts I've put there (clients and hopefuls), I do hope to get a page up where interested parties can sign themselves up though. Not to mention the global design-syncing that comes with a new logo design means I'll be very busy for the next couple of days. >_<

Ice Storms and Logos

I've been very very busy, mostly with business. I think I've got the accounting thing somewhat settled now (or is that just an "I hope"?) I'm in negotiations on the next likely project. It is a children's book painting to be included with the author's submission packet. I've been spending a good bit of the past couple days working on a logo for my illustration business. Not done yet, but see below for the present state. :)

I'm very glad that I got the battery replaced in my Blackout Buster, as we've been inflicted with a major ice storm and very strong winds as of late. Nothing scares me worse than my computer shutting itself down before I can save what I'm doing. When the 8-year-old battery was in, it would shutdown without warning. Even if it was just a surge. Rumor has it there is another ice storm coming.

Business Developments II

Yesterday, I did three major things for my illustration business. First I went to the Clerk of the Court and registered my business name: Laura Diehl Illustration. Next I visited the Town Hall and purchased a business license. The one bad thing about getting this now is that it is due to expire on April 30, which for full price ($25) is kind of a crappy deal. But I needed that business license number for the next step... which involved a trip to my bank. There I finished filling out the paperwork and opened an account for the business Laura Diehl Illustration. So, I guess that means the business is official.

I just wish getting Quickbooks up to speed with all of the transactions since January 1st were that simple.

Business Developments

Some business developments today. :) First I met with a councilor at JMU's Small Business Development Center at 10:00. The meeting lasted for around an hour and was much more helpful than I had anticipated. Most of the discussion was about accounting software, tax considerations and start-up business stuff (like trade names, DBA, and local ordinances). Enough to make my head swim. I've got a long to-do list now.

Second, my postcard order came from Overnight Prints. It actually looks pretty decent! That means I need to go ahead and purchase that list from Agency Access that I made some time back and get some blank slicker label pages.

Third, I purchased the domain names: laura-diehl.com, ldiehl-illustration.com, and lauradiehl-illustration.com ...all to be parked to my main ldiehl.com domain name. I feel for $10 a piece this is a worthy investment.

Turbulent Clouds

I've been busy with business. I made an appointment to meet with a councilor at the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center. I hope to get some recommendations on tax/accounting issues as well as applicable laws for my freelance business. I also went ahead and ordered a bunch of new equipment for my desk redesign in progress, including a nicely priced OEM bundle of the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 and Microsoft 3000 Comfort Mouse, black gel-pads for my chair's arm rests, and sliders for the desk. I also canceled the Amazon order for that Skype Polycom Communicator (as it has been 5 days and it was still not shipped) and placed an order with PC Nation instead. With 3-Day FedEx shipping they are still $2.00 cheaper, and I get the feeling I might actually get the item.

The current illustration is moving along pretty well too. I worked mainly on the background today. I hope to work on the middle ground (the harbor and city) tomorrow.

Onward and Upward?

World domination -err my illustration business is going well. So today I started work on the first thumbnails for the current client. I've also devoted a good bit of time to researching things related to mailing postcards. I found a good list agency that specializes in maintaining mailing lists for illustrators (Langerman Lists). I think I'm going to go with the lowest number of pay per contacts to start with, which happens to be 310 for $99. As for printing the actual post cards, I hope to get that done locally. I design a potential one in Photoshop today, which I'm pretty excited about.

The Google Adword thing is up and active. I have really low daily budgets set right now. I want to see if this actually helps with print sales or commission quotes. If it does and it starts maxing out, I may go to something higher.

Enter the Evil Chair

So the new configuration seems to be working. My neck is certainly feeling better. Today I went out to a local used office supply store. And what did I find? A used Steelcase Leap Drafting Chair! It has to be the most comfortable office type chair I've ever sat in. These puppies sell for around $1,000 new, but this one only set me back $550. The upholstery and everything are black, the general consensus is that it looks futuristic and evil. My favorite thing about it is the lumbar support and the lean-back glide action it has. One thing I do want to do for it, though, is make some plush arm rest covers, while softer than the previous Criterion chair arms, these are still darn hard.

In other business type news, I've been toying with the idea of buying a few Google Adwords. I signed up for an account today, but have yet to activate it. I think I really need to make a easier to use commission form for potential clients to fill out for a price/time quote first.