Art by Norman Morana
Celebrate the 100th episode of 3 Point Perspective with Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry as they answer audience questions live. From daily art practices to the business of illustration, this episode is jam-packed with resources, advice, and wisdom.
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SHOW LINKS
Mary GrandPré
Steve Johnson
Lane Smith
Dan Santat
Mark Crilley Youtube
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Focus on developing the technical skills that will enable you to make the kind of work you want to make. Don’t wait to create personal work until you’re “good enough.”
Make deep, creative work a daily priority.
Learning the business of illustration is just as vital as learning the art of illustration.
QUESTIONS
Brett asks, “I’m putting together a children’s book portfolio, but my style influences come from animation. I like the idea of cel-shaded characters on painterly backgrounds; is this a viable style for children’s books?”
There aren’t many cel-shaded children’s books out there, which could be a benefit or a curse. On one hand, it could be difficult to find a market for that style; on the other, its uniqueness could help you stand out, especially if you plan on creating painterly backgrounds. We recommend pursuing this project for your own satisfaction, and if it takes off, great! If not, you still made something you enjoyed and can be proud of. Experiment and see if you can find an audience for this type of work, and if you do, run with it for as long as possible! Check out Tekkon Kinkreet for style inspiration.
Question: “What are good daily or weekly art exercises?”
Keep a daily sketchbook practice, focusing on improving your weak areas. Take some time to evaluate what you need to improve on and what you want to be making. People tend to draw whatever comes most easily, but forcing yourself to learn the hard stuff is what will help you become a great illustrator.
Wondering if you should focus on practicing technique or on making actual illustrations? Lee recommends getting a firm foundation in specific skills that will allow you to make the kind of work you want to make. Don’t get so lost in “study mode” that you put off making interesting art.
Susan asks, “If I create an illustration in Procreate and send it to Photoshop before printing, will I need to adjust it in Photoshop?”
Lee insists that to print correctly, you must set your color profile in Photoshop to Adobe 1998 RGB.
SJ asks, “How do you go from making master studies to designing original work that you’re happy with?”
Here’s Jake’s recommendation:
Pick an artist you admire and take a month to make a bunch of master studies of their work.
When you’ve got their style down, pick something they never drew (e.g., a Harry Potter book cover) and create it the way you imagine they would.
Repeat this process with another artist, but for your final drawing this time, combine this artist’s style with the last to draw something neither ever drew. This incorporates your imagination and skills while allowing you to learn from others.
Every style is a combination of influences. By uniting those influences, you'll discover your own voice.
Melody asks, “What do you wish you knew before becoming an illustrator?”
Business: how to run one, and what kind of work life each illustration avenue entails
Draftsmanship: how to draw without reference
How to use design within an illustration
Figure drawing: it’s important, but not the be-all, end-all
Griffin asks, “What should the art-to-business ratio be for illustrators?”
Studies show you can do deep work for roughly four hours a day. Organize your day to get those four hours of creative work first, and leave your afternoons for more mindless tasks or business work.
Question: “Do I have to hyper-specialize to be profitable?”
Mastering a specific style or skill set tends to be the most profitable. You can play and experiment on the side, but the highest-paid artists tend to specialize in one main focus.
Sarah asks, “How can self-taught artists make connections in the art/illustration world?”
Remember ABC:
Ask questions online in forums and connect with those who answer.
Build with others: teach classes, make zines, write books- anything to collaborate.
Conventions and conferences are great places to meet people!
Forums like SVS are a wonderful place to start!
Catherine asks, “What are the most important steps to take to self-publish and reach many readers?”
Plan where you'll sell your books (websites, art fairs, etc.).
Create for an underserved niche market.
Katie asks, “How have you worked through projects that push you outside your comfort zone?”
Setting aside recovery time to prevent burnout
Approaching projects with the determination to love them
Lucy asks, “What recent books or work are you fans of?”
The work of Amélie Fléchais
LINKS
Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44
Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt
Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo
Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.
Lily Howell: lilycamille.com
If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!
If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.