Whether it succeeds or fails, each project you launch is a stepping stone towards your next idea. Don’t bank so much on the success of one project that you don’t move on to the next one.
Do common things uncommonly well to set yourself apart.
Don’t force every idea to become a cash cow; leave some art just for yourself. You might still make money off of it, but don’t create it for that cause. Focus on the purity of the craft and let other endeavors (artistic or not) pay the bills.
Time spent perfecting your craft is not time wasted, and neither is time spent earning a living. Find the balance and appreciate both pursuits.
Tania asks, “I’m an illustrator trying to transition from editorial and advertising to children’s books. I’m making personal work for my portfolio to get the attention of literary agents. Do you think my graphic style suits children’s books?”
Absolutely! Tania has translated her editorial style into beautiful work for children. Her soft shapes and color palettes are perfectly suited to book illustration. All she needs to do is create images aimed at the children’s book market and she’ll land work.
Franziska asks, “I’m a third-year illustration student and I’ve finished several big projects. I’m quite proud of some of them but I don’t know if I should market them since I’m still a beginner. According to your advice, a project isn't finished if it isn't put out there so what options are there for early projects like these?”
We love that you’re thinking in terms of projects instead of isolated illustrations; this will benefit your entire career. However, don’t rush into marketing your work until you’ve reached a professional level. If you want to share images on social media or your website, that’s great, but we wouldn’t recommend any serious outreach (such as contacting agents or trying to sell your work) just yet.
This is a beautiful phase of your journey; as a student, you can experiment with different styles and media and determine what you like. Rushing into your career era will cut short this vital season of exploration. Instead, enjoy this stage and use your final year of school to set up your career. Turn class assignments into potential portfolio pieces, and keep making projects!
Anonymous asks, “I’ve illustrated three books and have illustrations from two of them in my portfolio. The third book contains some of my best work but hasn’t been published yet. I want to include those images in my portfolio, but I don’t know if I should before publication (although my contract doesn’t forbid this). Should I include the images or create personal work to fill the gaps in my portfolio?”
You can always ask your publisher if you can share parts of the unpublished book (including close-ups and sketches). Another great option is to create a password-protected page on your website with the images you wish to share. While you might not include those images in your public portfolio, it’s perfectly acceptable to send agents your link and password, explaining that the book is unpublished but you’d like to share some of the work with them. Agents understand the publishing world and will not have any problems with this.
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