Many eager customers are even now camped out in front of those bookstores, awaiting the big day. For those of you with internet access, here are a few visual bonbons to take your minds off of how hard a concrete sidewalk can be.
The cover of a picture book is hugely important. It’s the packaging that gets a casual browser to pick up the book and look inside. The cover image has to give you an idea of what the story is about. I also wanted to get a bit of action in there, to appeal to boys.
As usual, I began by drawing little thumbnail sketches. These are very rough sketches, indicating the idea and where the title type will go.
Bird's-eye view, looking down on Henry from the top of the Black Yolk.
Version D is the winner, with some changes. Henry will be flopped so he’s running left-to-right, the Black Yolk (the chicken pirate balloon) will be moved to the left, and the title type goes in the space made in the upper right. Here’s the tight sketch incorporating the changes:
Art director & editor liked this much better. One last change: show Henry carrying his book. Here’s the layout they sent me including both drawing and type:
Finally, the title type. We were able to pick up the word ‘Henry’ from Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies. Here’s the sketch for the rest of the title.
Then I enlarged the sketch, and inked in the lettering using a lightbox.
https://www.johnmanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JohnManderslogo300w1-300x58.jpg00johnmandershttps://www.johnmanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JohnManderslogo300w1-300x58.jpgjohnmanders2009-08-03 16:17:572009-08-03 16:17:57Designing a cover for the new Henry
The very idea of organizing a business bores the pants off us creatives.
But, illustration is a business. We create something people want to buy, and sell it at a profit. That seems fairly straightforward, but let me tell you that many illustrators sell their work at a loss—and don’t realize it. How can that be?
Those illustrators haven’t taken the time to calculate their expenses, or overhead. They don’t know how much it costs them on a daily basis to run an illustration business. They don’t know how to calculate a price for their work based on the cost of doing business. They haven’t gotten themselves organized.
Even if you’re running a bare-bones illustration business off of your kitchen table, you’ll need to spend money on equipment and supplies. If you work traditionally, you’ll need art supplies: paint, board, brushes, &c. If you work digitally, you’ll need software. Either way you’ll need a computer, printer, scanner, bookkeeping software (more on that in a moment), office supplies: stationery, packing materials. You’ll need a filing system and storage. Add onto that a phone and internet access. Also figure rent and electricity.
Those are your operating costs.
Here’s the formula. Add up all your business expenses for a year. For your big ticket items like a computer, add up your credit card payments for a year.
Add your salary onto that.
Divide that total by 230 working business days per year (52 weeks minus 6 weeks vacation, sick time, and holidays). Even if you’re illustrating part-time, use 230 days.
Add a 10-15% profit margin.
That’s your day rate. That’s how much you charge if an illustration takes you one day to do.
Now, how do you keep track of all that information? I recommend QuickBooks Pro. This is software that allows you to set up your books, write checks, create estimates and send invoices. I use it to keep track of and categorize all my expenses. It has a feature where you can record the time you’ve spent on a project. Of course, you can do all that by hand, but if you’re as bookkeeping-averse as me, this really helps. It also has fun charts and graphs to tell you if you’re making any money.
The other bookkeeping software I find indispensable is Now and Up To Date. Basically it’s calendar for your computer. There are other calendar programs that probably work just as well, I happen to use this one. It allows me to plan my time for projects and keeps me on track with deadlines. Also I can see how much time past projects have taken, so that I can estimate time needed for future ones. As with QuickBooks, it’s visually fun, making me more inclined to use it.
Once you’re ready to keep track of your business you can start going after illustration projects. Let’s be honest, because you’re just starting out you’re going to accept work that won’t make you any money. But at least now you know how much you should be charging.
By the way, I look like a genius when I talk about this stuff because I own a copy of the Graphic Artists’ Guild’sHandbook of Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. If you join the Guild they’ll shoot you a copy for free.
https://www.johnmanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JohnManderslogo300w1-300x58.jpg00johnmandershttps://www.johnmanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JohnManderslogo300w1-300x58.jpgjohnmanders2009-07-30 05:12:082009-07-30 05:12:08How To Become An Illustrator, Canto II
I received an e-mail from Jim, who recently graduated with a bachelor of visual arts from Boise State University in Boise, Idaho. He asks: how does one go about becoming a professional illustrator?
That’s an excellent question. I’ve been asked that question by more than one art school grad newly saddled with five-digit debt and no indication from his professors about how to make money with his skills. Art schools: would it kill you to include a couple of business courses in your curriculum?
So anyway, since there may be others asking Jim’s question, I thought my response would make excellent blog fodder. I’ll respond in several posts. Illustrators/Designers: please comment if you have additional thoughts. I’m just one guy; I can’t know everything.
Step One. Get a job.
Being a professional illustrator means you’re a freelancer, you work for yourself, you own your own business. There are very few staff jobs for illustrators. If you can find one, fantastic, you’ve hit the jackpot. The vast majority of illustrators are self-employed.
In order to be self-employed you need to have a clientele, a calendar full of jobs, a portfolio full of samples, a business checking account, a studio, studio furniture, computer, printer, scanner, phone, art supplies, office supplies and a coffee maker. When I graduated from art school I had none of those things. Moreover, I had no clue how to conduct an interview, so I was no good at prospecting for work.
Don’t fret—if you’re serious about being an illustrator, you will acquire all these things. But that’s going to take time, and all the while you’ll need to buy groceries and pay rent.
Get yourself hired on staff somewhere. Ideally, you’ll find an entry-level position with some connection to graphic design—a printer, newspaper, Kinko’s, quick sign shop, whatever. Getting an entry-level graphic design position would be ideal because that job will bring you into contact with other working designers, who may become part of your client roster. Since illustration is a graphic design discipline, you’ll be learning skills that will help you to illustrate. But if you can’t, just get a job. Rent and bills come along every month, and you need a paycheck that comes along just as regularly. If BSU has recently thrust a new batch of grads onto the unsuspecting businesses of Boise, you may find more opportunities if you relocate.
The main thing is, once you’ve secured a job and have a regular paycheck, you can get started building your business after hours. This is called moonlighting. Illustrators see a lot of moonlight—while their friends are partying or asleep.
https://www.johnmanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JohnManderslogo300w1-300x58.jpg00johnmandershttps://www.johnmanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JohnManderslogo300w1-300x58.jpgjohnmanders2009-07-28 12:07:512009-07-28 12:07:51How To Become An Illustrator, Canto I
Designing a cover for the new Henry
illustration processSponge out your cannons! Prepare to repel boarders! Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates will storm bookstores on August 11th!
Many eager customers are even now camped out in front of those bookstores, awaiting the big day. For those of you with internet access, here are a few visual bonbons to take your minds off of how hard a concrete sidewalk can be.
The cover of a picture book is hugely important. It’s the packaging that gets a casual browser to pick up the book and look inside. The cover image has to give you an idea of what the story is about. I also wanted to get a bit of action in there, to appeal to boys.
As usual, I began by drawing little thumbnail sketches. These are very rough sketches, indicating the idea and where the title type will go.
Bird's-eye view, looking down on Henry from the top of the Black Yolk.
Version D is the winner, with some changes. Henry will be flopped so he’s running left-to-right, the Black Yolk (the chicken pirate balloon) will be moved to the left, and the title type goes in the space made in the upper right. Here’s the tight sketch incorporating the changes:
Art director & editor liked this much better. One last change: show Henry carrying his book. Here’s the layout they sent me including both drawing and type:
Finally, the title type. We were able to pick up the word ‘Henry’ from Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies. Here’s the sketch for the rest of the title.
Then I enlarged the sketch, and inked in the lettering using a lightbox.
How To Become An Illustrator, Canto II
illustration careerStep Two. Organize your business.
The very idea of organizing a business bores the pants off us creatives.
But, illustration is a business. We create something people want to buy, and sell it at a profit. That seems fairly straightforward, but let me tell you that many illustrators sell their work at a loss—and don’t realize it. How can that be?
Those illustrators haven’t taken the time to calculate their expenses, or overhead. They don’t know how much it costs them on a daily basis to run an illustration business. They don’t know how to calculate a price for their work based on the cost of doing business. They haven’t gotten themselves organized.
Even if you’re running a bare-bones illustration business off of your kitchen table, you’ll need to spend money on equipment and supplies. If you work traditionally, you’ll need art supplies: paint, board, brushes, &c. If you work digitally, you’ll need software. Either way you’ll need a computer, printer, scanner, bookkeeping software (more on that in a moment), office supplies: stationery, packing materials. You’ll need a filing system and storage. Add onto that a phone and internet access. Also figure rent and electricity.
Those are your operating costs.
Here’s the formula. Add up all your business expenses for a year. For your big ticket items like a computer, add up your credit card payments for a year.
Add your salary onto that.
Divide that total by 230 working business days per year (52 weeks minus 6 weeks vacation, sick time, and holidays). Even if you’re illustrating part-time, use 230 days.
Add a 10-15% profit margin.
That’s your day rate. That’s how much you charge if an illustration takes you one day to do.
Now, how do you keep track of all that information? I recommend QuickBooks Pro. This is software that allows you to set up your books, write checks, create estimates and send invoices. I use it to keep track of and categorize all my expenses. It has a feature where you can record the time you’ve spent on a project. Of course, you can do all that by hand, but if you’re as bookkeeping-averse as me, this really helps. It also has fun charts and graphs to tell you if you’re making any money.
The other bookkeeping software I find indispensable is Now and Up To Date. Basically it’s calendar for your computer. There are other calendar programs that probably work just as well, I happen to use this one. It allows me to plan my time for projects and keeps me on track with deadlines. Also I can see how much time past projects have taken, so that I can estimate time needed for future ones. As with QuickBooks, it’s visually fun, making me more inclined to use it.
Once you’re ready to keep track of your business you can start going after illustration projects. Let’s be honest, because you’re just starting out you’re going to accept work that won’t make you any money. But at least now you know how much you should be charging.
By the way, I look like a genius when I talk about this stuff because I own a copy of the Graphic Artists’ Guild’s Handbook of Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. If you join the Guild they’ll shoot you a copy for free.
How To Become An Illustrator, Canto I
illustration careerI received an e-mail from Jim, who recently graduated with a bachelor of visual arts from Boise State University in Boise, Idaho. He asks: how does one go about becoming a professional illustrator?
That’s an excellent question. I’ve been asked that question by more than one art school grad newly saddled with five-digit debt and no indication from his professors about how to make money with his skills. Art schools: would it kill you to include a couple of business courses in your curriculum?
So anyway, since there may be others asking Jim’s question, I thought my response would make excellent blog fodder. I’ll respond in several posts. Illustrators/Designers: please comment if you have additional thoughts. I’m just one guy; I can’t know everything.
Step One. Get a job.
Being a professional illustrator means you’re a freelancer, you work for yourself, you own your own business. There are very few staff jobs for illustrators. If you can find one, fantastic, you’ve hit the jackpot. The vast majority of illustrators are self-employed.
In order to be self-employed you need to have a clientele, a calendar full of jobs, a portfolio full of samples, a business checking account, a studio, studio furniture, computer, printer, scanner, phone, art supplies, office supplies and a coffee maker. When I graduated from art school I had none of those things. Moreover, I had no clue how to conduct an interview, so I was no good at prospecting for work.
Don’t fret—if you’re serious about being an illustrator, you will acquire all these things. But that’s going to take time, and all the while you’ll need to buy groceries and pay rent.
Get yourself hired on staff somewhere. Ideally, you’ll find an entry-level position with some connection to graphic design—a printer, newspaper, Kinko’s, quick sign shop, whatever. Getting an entry-level graphic design position would be ideal because that job will bring you into contact with other working designers, who may become part of your client roster. Since illustration is a graphic design discipline, you’ll be learning skills that will help you to illustrate. But if you can’t, just get a job. Rent and bills come along every month, and you need a paycheck that comes along just as regularly. If BSU has recently thrust a new batch of grads onto the unsuspecting businesses of Boise, you may find more opportunities if you relocate.
The main thing is, once you’ve secured a job and have a regular paycheck, you can get started building your business after hours. This is called moonlighting. Illustrators see a lot of moonlight—while their friends are partying or asleep.