When I got a mentor, it changed everything for me! Like you my work was ok, but I couldn't put my finger on what was lacking. I got thorough feedback, and after making the tweaks, I got paid jobs and book deals. Lol, I now sound like an infomercial. 😂
What I mean to say is IMO, getting professional feedback will get you further in your process than seeking approval on Instagram.
Exactly. You don't know what you don't know. And in the beginning, you're absorbing soooo many things, it can be hard to disentangle the really meaningful things from the not-so-meaningful. I'm sure I could have benefited from a good mentor early on, but I didn't know I needed one (because I had an agent and was getting jobs), and I was suppose I was kinda dead set on doing it the hard way, haha.
I may do a launch of sorts, but I don't want planning one to keep me from opening the doors for people who are already excited and looking for feedback. And since this isn't a course or cohort-based product, I don't have the pressure of filling seats by a certain date. So my plan is to start small, test the waters for a bit, and spread the word on a broader scale when the initial kinks are worked out. And I can time it to promote guest mentors, too. It's maybe not the typical path, but it's one I feel more comfortable with.
Really looking forward to this! Your art in all these examples is absolutely amazing! The composition and the lighting are so well done! I couldn’t notice much difference what has changed in before and after pieces though, just noticed minor lighting changes- it would be great to know what was changed. Maybe in the later posts!
Glad to hear it! And that's funny, I thought they were much different, but that's only because I know everything I did, and I did a LOT to add detail and tighten up the images. But really a lot of it comes down to SEEING. The first ones weren't super polished, perhaps not enough to get work. But "polished" is a vague idea, made up of the kind of things you can't see until you know to look for them. Even now, I can see that there were certain elements in the Befores that were more interesting, like the shapes of the people on the street in the underground scene, for example, but I didn't have that understanding yet, which is why the shapes got more homogenous in the After.
Mainly, I couldn't understand how to incorporate the texture of brushstrokes in a way that presented as skillful rather than kind of inexperienced, because I *was* inexperienced. But what I could understand was how to tighten things up so my skills with composition and light were on display and not my naive attempt at gouache.
My next attempt will put my skill with traditional materials on display, because I have a much better understanding of how to do that in an interesting way, AND I can keep the more interesting things from the Befores that I lost because I am able to see them now.
I can see what you’re saying about the shapes of the people in the first one. It’s true, you need to know what to look for to notice the details. It definitely comes from experience, would love to learn from professionals like you! I’m also interested in learning about the right way of doing the brushstrokes!
I've never had a mentor or had a portfolio review. I've had plenty of art directors pass on projects, and wondered why. I probably should have asked my agent or art directors what was working in my portfolio and what wasn't, but I haven't done that either. I'm a little embarrassed to admit all that. (I guess I should probably ask the AD from the book I'm working on now.)
One of my favorite things about children's books is the variety in the art. But it makes it hard to dial in on what's working. And not follow a fun new technique. Like you, I have art directing experience, so I think that's helped me get this far. But I constantly wonder if I'm missing something. Anyway, I'll be on the lookout for these updates.
By the way, there was a lot to love about your Before images and it makes me happy that recently you've started bringing some of those elements back in.
Yes to all of this. I've been told it's a good idea to ask what someone liked about your work when they reach out with an offer, but I've never done it. I guess I really should! I've had the luxury of getting my portfolio in front of a lot of industry people though (while being there to see what they react to), so that's been helpful.
I know what you mean about feeling like you're missing something. There are kidlit darlings whose popularity I will never fully understand, even while recognizing that art is subjective. If I can't identify why a style or body of work is so popular, it makes me feel out of the loop, which makes me question my own choices. But I'm at the point in my career where I want to forge my own path, even if that means making unpopular choices, perhaps even *because* they're unpopular.
I also recognize that psychology plays into it a lot. If you're around long enough, and promote yourself enough, people will generally start to warm to you and your work. Some of these people have been around for a LONG time. At one point they were probably making unpopular choices, but over time, people warmed to them.
When I got a mentor, it changed everything for me! Like you my work was ok, but I couldn't put my finger on what was lacking. I got thorough feedback, and after making the tweaks, I got paid jobs and book deals. Lol, I now sound like an infomercial. 😂
What I mean to say is IMO, getting professional feedback will get you further in your process than seeking approval on Instagram.
Exactly. You don't know what you don't know. And in the beginning, you're absorbing soooo many things, it can be hard to disentangle the really meaningful things from the not-so-meaningful. I'm sure I could have benefited from a good mentor early on, but I didn't know I needed one (because I had an agent and was getting jobs), and I was suppose I was kinda dead set on doing it the hard way, haha.
I'm doing it backwards from you: mentor > gigs > and now seeking an agent :)
Excited to see the platform and community! Will you do an official launch?
That seems like a smart path!
I may do a launch of sorts, but I don't want planning one to keep me from opening the doors for people who are already excited and looking for feedback. And since this isn't a course or cohort-based product, I don't have the pressure of filling seats by a certain date. So my plan is to start small, test the waters for a bit, and spread the word on a broader scale when the initial kinks are worked out. And I can time it to promote guest mentors, too. It's maybe not the typical path, but it's one I feel more comfortable with.
Not typical, but smarter for sure!
Really looking forward to this! Your art in all these examples is absolutely amazing! The composition and the lighting are so well done! I couldn’t notice much difference what has changed in before and after pieces though, just noticed minor lighting changes- it would be great to know what was changed. Maybe in the later posts!
Glad to hear it! And that's funny, I thought they were much different, but that's only because I know everything I did, and I did a LOT to add detail and tighten up the images. But really a lot of it comes down to SEEING. The first ones weren't super polished, perhaps not enough to get work. But "polished" is a vague idea, made up of the kind of things you can't see until you know to look for them. Even now, I can see that there were certain elements in the Befores that were more interesting, like the shapes of the people on the street in the underground scene, for example, but I didn't have that understanding yet, which is why the shapes got more homogenous in the After.
Mainly, I couldn't understand how to incorporate the texture of brushstrokes in a way that presented as skillful rather than kind of inexperienced, because I *was* inexperienced. But what I could understand was how to tighten things up so my skills with composition and light were on display and not my naive attempt at gouache.
My next attempt will put my skill with traditional materials on display, because I have a much better understanding of how to do that in an interesting way, AND I can keep the more interesting things from the Befores that I lost because I am able to see them now.
I can see what you’re saying about the shapes of the people in the first one. It’s true, you need to know what to look for to notice the details. It definitely comes from experience, would love to learn from professionals like you! I’m also interested in learning about the right way of doing the brushstrokes!
I've never had a mentor or had a portfolio review. I've had plenty of art directors pass on projects, and wondered why. I probably should have asked my agent or art directors what was working in my portfolio and what wasn't, but I haven't done that either. I'm a little embarrassed to admit all that. (I guess I should probably ask the AD from the book I'm working on now.)
One of my favorite things about children's books is the variety in the art. But it makes it hard to dial in on what's working. And not follow a fun new technique. Like you, I have art directing experience, so I think that's helped me get this far. But I constantly wonder if I'm missing something. Anyway, I'll be on the lookout for these updates.
By the way, there was a lot to love about your Before images and it makes me happy that recently you've started bringing some of those elements back in.
Yes to all of this. I've been told it's a good idea to ask what someone liked about your work when they reach out with an offer, but I've never done it. I guess I really should! I've had the luxury of getting my portfolio in front of a lot of industry people though (while being there to see what they react to), so that's been helpful.
I know what you mean about feeling like you're missing something. There are kidlit darlings whose popularity I will never fully understand, even while recognizing that art is subjective. If I can't identify why a style or body of work is so popular, it makes me feel out of the loop, which makes me question my own choices. But I'm at the point in my career where I want to forge my own path, even if that means making unpopular choices, perhaps even *because* they're unpopular.
I also recognize that psychology plays into it a lot. If you're around long enough, and promote yourself enough, people will generally start to warm to you and your work. Some of these people have been around for a LONG time. At one point they were probably making unpopular choices, but over time, people warmed to them.