Illustration is a diverse and constantly evolving area of art and design and an appealing creative career. But to stand out from the crowd, successful illustrators need to combine creative talent with strong marketing and promotional skills. Becoming a Successful Illustrator provides practical and inspirational guidance on finding and contacting clients, putting together promotional materials and establishing yourself as a professional illustrator. With case studies, and firsthand tips and hints from practising illustrators at varying stages in their careers, and packed with hundreds of beautiful examples of professional work, this is a must-have guide to the working world of illustration. This title is part of the Creative Careers series from Fairchild Books, designed to help bridge the gap between academia and a first job in the creative industries. Brimming with helpful tips and facts about the world of work, they offer an essential guide for any emerging creative practitioner. The cover artwork for Becoming a Successful Illustrator has been shortlisted for an illustration award in the 2013 books category by the prestigious Association of Illustrators.

This book offers practical help and guidance to aspiring illustrators. All areas of the job are covered – creating a portfolio; approaching potential clients; preparing for meetings and negotiating contracts; setting up a studio; maintaining a flow of work and managing one’s time and cash. Self-promotion, creating websites, self-publishing and the pros and cons of agents are all explored. International illustrators are interviewed, discussing how they got their break in the industry, their experiences with clients, their methods of promoting work and more. In addition, leading art directors describe their approach to commissioning illustration, how they spot new talent, their thoughts on promotional material and their advice to up-and-coming illustrators. Packed with useful tips gleaned from the author’s own career as an illustrator, and his work as an agent handling some of the best new talent, the book is an essential read for anyone looking to succeed in illustration.

At last! Here is true practical help for budding freelance illustrators. This book helps you avoid the pitfalls that can ruin a career, with advice on crucial first impressions, how to create a portfolio and approach clients, how to negotiate contracts, and how to handle, deliver, and bill the first job. It discusses how to set up a studio, maintain a steady flow of work, and manage time and money. In addition, it provides information on successful self-promotion, self-publishing, and the prosand cons of agents. Packed with useful tips gleaned from the author's own career and his work as an agent handling major artists in the US and UK, the book includes interviews with nine big-name illustrators. The reader benefits from their experience of starting out; what they learned during the metamorphosis from student to professional; what their expectations and experiences have been. In addition, art directors and commissioners describe the ways they like to be approachedand the ways they really dislike.

Updated, expanded and redesigned with contemporary illustrations, this comprehensive guide covers all aspects of the law likely to affect illustrators. It contains recommended terms and conditions, advice on calculating fees, how to write a licence agreement and how to be protected against exploitative practices.

From the award-winning designer of the iconic Penguin Hardcover Classics comes a beautifully illustrated fable about loss, friendship, and courage The Fox and the Star is the story of a friendship between a lonely Fox and the Star who guides him through the frightfully dark forest. Illuminated by Star’s rays, Fox forages for food, runs with the rabbits, and dances in the rain—until Star suddenly goes out and life changes, leaving Fox huddling for warmth in the unfamiliar dark. To find his missing Star, Fox must embark on a wondrous journey beyond the world he knows—a journey lit by courage, newfound friends, and just maybe, a star-filled new sky. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the art of William Blake, The Fox and the Star is a heartwarming, hopeful tale which comes alive through Bickford-Smith’s beloved illustrations, guiding readers both young and grown to “look up beyond your ears.”

This fascinating book looks at some of the world's best illustrators, offering information from exclusive interviews and images of work and studios, it offers a glimpse into the creation of illustration from concept to finished work. The book covers a wide range of illustrative practice from children's work, design and advertising, political illustration, surface pattern and fashion illustration through to graphic novels and topographical illustration, showcasing many of the top artists in each field. Making Great Illustration demonstrates the diversity of working methods used, and gives a rare insight into the unique perspective, approach and artwork of each artist. Some of the artists included in the book are very well-known, for example: Quentin Blake, Dave McKean, Javier Mariscal, David Downton, Kitty Crowther and Ronald Searle. Chapters are introduced by agents and clients within each field, offering the buyer's perspective on illustration from organisations such as Musée Des Arts Decoratif (France), The Conran Shop, The Times (UK) as well as the New York Times, Candlewick Press and SAKs (USA). The result is a broad look at the field of illustration internationally, providing an engrossing and inspiring read for illustrators at every level and a reference book for those simply interested in illustration.

Build Your Own Thriving Illustration Business The boundaries between art, design and illustration are blurring, and with all the new opportunities for visual creatives, now is the perfect time to unleash your talent on the world! Breaking Into Freelance Illustration provides a step-by-step roadmap for promoting yourself and running your creative business. You'll find up-to-date advice about best business practices, ideas for new promotional tools, answers to common questions and words of wisdom and inspiration from top illustrators. This book shows you how to: Set up a home office and balance your professional and personal life Create a professional portfolio and promote your work online Search out and negotiate with potential clients Create your own brand and work with an agent Develop a fair and accurate system for pricing your work Network within the creative community Full of industry insight, this book is a down-to-earth guide that fills in the creative business blanks. If you've ever wanted to moonlight as an illustrator, start a full-time business, or simply see your work published, this book will give you the information you need to make it happen.

A heartwarming tale buzzing with sincerity, humor, and kindness, Little Bee's Flower is about the courage in venturing out on your own—and also the strength in asking for help sometimes. Let's Talk Picture Books Crush of the Week! "Souva's textured nature renderings and softened tones complement this little bee's determined journey. A squat trim mirrors Little Bee's size, reminding readers that she is small but mighty. . . Gently models finding courage and asking for help." —Kirkus Reviews Little Bee flies out on her very first mission: find a flower. But what does a flower look like? What does it smell like? What does it taste like? Will Little Bee ever find what she’s looking for? A heartwarming tale about finding your inner courage and strength, and the support and love of others.

A straight-to-the-point “everything-you-need-to-know” guide to the world of professional illustration for aspiring artists and recent art-school graduates—not only the technical essentials (the difference between narrative versus conceptual illustration, diagramming a composition, mastering negative space, and the impact of different mediums from watercolor to digital to textiles), but industry insights, real-world insider advice, and honest personal development tips from an experienced teacher (“if you say your style is ‘manga’ or ‘anime’ then you have no style”). From a Newsweek cover depicting the Bush family as characters on Game of Thrones; to the Sistine Chapel (the complete illustrated bible)—visual storytelling through illustration has been an important mode of communication in every culture since ancient times. Unlike a fine artist, an illustrator creates images that serve a specific purpose, and successful illustrators need much more than just talent. Drawing on a decade of teaching, including at Maryland Institute College of Art and as cofounder of the new Baltimore Academy of Illustration, along with over three decades of professional experience as an illustrator for clients like Marvel Comics, Relapse Records, and The Village Voice—Greg Houston places aspiring artists and recent graduates squarely in the current marketplace, and inspires them to pursue work in the large and lucrative field of professional illustration in a way that will be personally and professionally rewarding for years to come. Illustration that Works demonstrates exactly why illustration is so important to the way we see and communicate today, and how it can be done effectively in an infinite number of styles. Includes: Thought-provoking assignments - Illustrate an op-ed that’s either pro or against religion in the public sphere - Create 3 posters for an HBO documentary series on sex (that can still be displayed anywhere) - Illustrate a pair of identical twins whose lives have veered apart dramatically 400 examples of artwork - Assignments completed by talented students - Pieces from 50 classic and contemporary master illustrators including Brian Sanders, Marshall Arisman, Roberto Parada, Steve Brodner, Paul Rogers, and Greg Spalenka - Houston’s own pieces, both finished and failed