As a Senior Illustration Consultant with Directory of
Illustration I was just asked by the Association of Illustrators and the World
Illustration Awards to offer helpful hints on creating engaging ways to talk
about illustration and promotion. They asked for tips on ‘how to tell the story
of your work or ‘ways to reach new commissioners and clients'. My experience has
proven that when an illustrator incorporates my time tested advice into
their presentation they’ll have a renewed sense of confidence and gain a
significant competitive advantage.
“PASSION with a purpose, CAMPAIGN &
APPLICATION” Aspects of Your Creative Voice
‘Telling
a story about your work’ and ‘Creating a successful marketing plan’ begin by
developing, presenting and showcasing “Passion with a purpose, Campaign &
Application” aspects of YOUR CREATIVE VOICE.
It’s
really pretty simple…let’s break it down:
PASSION – What are you best at? If you had to pick a ‘dream
project’ what would that be? If you know what your passion is in your work
you can build your portfolio around that. Ask yourself: what is the style and
medium I love to work in? What are my favorite subject matters to illustrate?
What images have I received positive feedback on?
PURPOSE - What are the values that provide meaning in
your life? What things inspire, motivate or intrigue you? What can you
contribute to the illustration world? When you know what you can do with
your illustration career that is important in the industry, you’ve found
your purpose.
CAMPAIGN - Portfolios with the most consistency usually
stand out the most. Consistency in your portfolio shows that you are competent,
efficient and can create more than just one of something. You need to
demonstrate that you can deliver exactly what you advertise in your portfolio.
Developing a recognizable style will give your illustrations a voice. It’s okay to have 2 or 3 styles as long as you can build on them. A campaign of
consistent images will amplify your voice. Consistency also builds trust with
editors, art directors and publishers who are hiring.
APPLICATION/USAGE – This is all about getting hired! When a client
is interested in hiring an illustrator, they value being able to point to an
illustrator’s existing work for reference. How will your illustration be used
to solve a client’s visual problem? What is the illustration’s purpose? Is it
conveying a concept or message? or selling a book, magazine or product?
More
and more the field of illustration is shaping the world we live in. There is
always a need for illustration to solve a problem, tell a story or sell a
product. Illustrators are getting work from many different places, but in order
to get the work, VISIBILITY EVERYWHERE is key! You will never
realize the infinite possibility of opportunities that exist unless you market
yourself extensively. By doing so you will have a better chance of being seen
and getting hired. Promoting and marketing your work to target all the major
players and niche markets is necessary.
Be
sure to ask the right questions to know exactly how to win the job. And don't
give up if the bidding process doesn't go your way. Be positive about the
connection you have established with this new potential client and work to
build on it for the future.
Always
remember the value YOU bring to the project and what your ‘creative voice’
offers to the world.
