Category Archives: Uncategorized
10 Rules of Effective Self-Promotion
10 Rules of Effective Self-Promotion
One of your most important tasks as a Freelance Illustrator is to put your work in front of the right people, make them remember you, and make them feel compelled to hire you for their next project. As many of you know from experience, this is a full-time job in itself, and many artists are uncomfortable with the very idea of self-promotion or simply don’t know where to begin. Others would rather spend their time doing nothing but creating art. The fact is, without promotion, there’s no work to keep your business afloat.
While there are as many ways to approach the art of promotion as there are artists, there are definitely some key elements behind an effective marketing strategy.
Here are some basic rules to follow to get the most out of your promotional efforts:
1. Be Unique
In order to get Art Directors, Art Reps, and anybody else to notice and remember you, there has to be something about your work, your brand, or your marketing strategy that they haven’t seen before. The most common way to achieve this is with your portfolio, your website, or your promo mailers. Try and think outside the box to find other ways to stand out.
2. Be Relevant
If you’re aiming for a specific market, make sure you’re promoting yourself to the people who work in that field and only show work that they can relate to or see themselves needing in the future.
3. Be Consistent
Try to give Art Directors a good idea of what they can expect to get if they hire you for their next book, t-shirt, or album cover project by showing a consistent style or method of working.
4. Stay Fresh
Being consistent doesn’t mean you have to bore your potential clients, or yourself, with the same type of work day in and day out. Show your target audience that your Illustrations can be dynamic and exciting. Try to be inspired and to inspire others. That is, after all, one of the things that makes you an artist.
5. Use Social Proof
Testimonials and a solid client history can help to convince Art Directors and Agents that your work is desirable by others and can help to sell their product or service. The power of “social proof” should not be underestimated.
6. Make Connections
Seek out and introduce yourself to the artists and Art Directors in your target market. Build real relationships with people and become a part of the community.
7. Stay on the Radar
Don’t make the common mistake of sending out one promotional mailer or email and then sit back and wait until somebody contacts you. Keep your marketing efforts on a regular schedule in order to stay on people’s minds and show them that you’re constantly creating new work and growing as an artist.
8. Don’t Overdo It
Never harass an Art Director or send updates too frequently. This will only serve to annoy them and cause them to remember you for the wrong reasons.
9. Make a Splash
Try to do something exciting to grab the attention of your potential clients, such a showing your work in a public space, creating unique and memorable promo mailers, or publicizing interviews or features of your work. If you’re going to contact a potential client, it’s nice to have something to tell them about.
10. Create Personal Work
One of the best ways to express your true artistic voice, as well as stay fresh, is to create your own personal artwork. This has the advantage of allowing you the freedom to let your style, passion, and vision speak for itself.
If you follow these guidelines with your future self-promotion, you will have a much better chance of being noticed and remembered amongst a growing sea of Illustrators who are fighting for the attention of the same Art Directors and Art Reps as yourself.
Promotion doesn’t have to be painful. In fact, it can be one of the more creative aspects of your business if you try to see it as another opportunity to express your true artistic voice.
What’s your experience? Please share your thoughts in the comments section of this post
蒂姆·波顿 Tim Burton电影作品列表
 科学怪狗/小科学怪人 Frankenweenie ——- (2012) |
| 爱丽丝梦游仙境/魔境梦游(台)/爱丽丝梦游仙境(港) Alice in Wonderland ——- (2010) |
| 理发师陶德/疯狂理发师(台)/魔街理发师(港) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ——- (2007) |
| 僵尸新娘/地狱新娘(台)/怪诞尸新娘(港) Corpse Bride ——- (2005) |
| 查理和巧克力工厂/巧克力冒险工厂(台)/朱古力掌门人(港) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ——- (2005) |
| 大鱼/大鱼老爸(台)/大鱼奇缘(港)/大智若鱼(其他) Big Fish ——- (2003) |
| 决战猩球/人猿星球/猿人争霸战 Planet of the Apes ——- (2001) |
| The World of Stainboy ——- (2000) |
| 断头谷/无头睡谷/睡谷传奇/寂静山谷断头谷(台)/无头谷(港) Sleepy Hollow ——- (1999) |
| 火星人来袭/火星人玩转地球/火星人大侵袭/火星人攻击地球 Mars Attacks! ——- (1996) |
| 艾德·伍德/艾得伍德(台)/艾活传(港) Ed Wood ——- (1994) |
| 蝙蝠侠2：蝙蝠侠归来/蝙蝠侠再战风云 Batman Returns ——- (1992) |
| 剪刀手爱德华/幻海奇缘(港) Edward Scissorhands ——- (1990) |
| 蝙蝠侠 Batman ——- (1989) |
| 甲壳虫汁/阴间大法师(台)/哗鬼家族(港) Beetle Juice ——- (1988) |
| 荒唐小混蛋奇遇记 Pee-wee’s Big Adventure ——- (1985) |
| 小科学怪人 Frankenweenie ——- (1984) |
| 文森特 Vincent ——- (1982) |
| Hansel and Gretel ——- (1982) |
| Luau ——- (1982) |
| Doctor of Doom ——- (1979) |
| Stalk of the Celery ——- (1979) |
| The Island of Doctor Agor ——- (1971) |
作为演员的电影作品(数量：45)
作为编剧的电影作品(数量：16)
| 科学怪狗/小科学怪人 Frankenweenie ——- (2012) |
| “Space Top 10 Countdown” Movie Aliens ——- (2006) |
| 僵尸新娘/地狱新娘(台)/怪诞尸新娘(港) Corpse Bride ——- (2005) |
| Lost in Oz ——- (2000) |
| The World of Stainboy ——- (2000) |
| 圣诞夜惊魂/圣诞夜惊魂(台)/怪诞城之夜(港) The Nightmare Before Christmas ——- (1993) |
| 剪刀手爱德华/幻海奇缘(港) Edward Scissorhands ——- (1990) |
| “Beetlejuice” ——- (1989) |
| 甲壳虫汁/阴间大法师(台)/哗鬼家族(港) Beetle Juice ——- (1988) |
| 小科学怪人 Frankenweenie ——- (1984) |
| 文森特 Vincent ——- (1982) |
| Hansel and Gretel ——- (1982) |
| Luau ——- (1982) |
| Doctor of Doom ——- (1979) |
| Stalk of the Celery ——- (1979) |
| The Island of Doctor Agor ——- (1971) |
作为制片人的电影作品(数量：17)
| 科学怪狗/小科学怪人 Frankenweenie ——- (2012) |
| 机器人9号/9：末世决战(台) 9 ——- (2009) |
| 僵尸新娘/地狱新娘(台)/怪诞尸新娘(港) Corpse Bride ——- (2005) |
| Lost in Oz ——- (2000) |
| The World of Stainboy ——- (2000) |
| 飞天巨桃历险记 James and the Giant Peach ——- (1996) |
| 火星人来袭/火星人玩转地球/火星人大侵袭/火星人攻击地球 Mars Attacks! ——- (1996) |
| 蝙蝠侠3：永远的蝙蝠侠/蝙蝠侠不败之谜 Batman Forever ——- (1995) |
| 臭屁小子 Cabin Boy ——- (1994) |
| 艾德·伍德/艾得伍德(台)/艾活传(港) Ed Wood ——- (1994) |
| 圣诞夜惊魂/圣诞夜惊魂(台)/怪诞城之夜(港) The Nightmare Before Christmas ——- (1993) |
| “Family Dog” ——- (1993) |
| 蝙蝠侠2：蝙蝠侠归来/蝙蝠侠再战风云 Batman Returns ——- (1992) |
| 剪刀手爱德华/幻海奇缘(港) Edward Scissorhands ——- (1990) |
| “Beetlejuice” ——- (1989) |
| Luau ——- (1982) |
| Stalk of the Celery ——- (1979) |
作为电影剪辑的电影作品(数量：1)
| Stalk of the Celery ——- (1979) |
作为造型设计的电影作品(数量：1)
| 文森特 Vincent ——- (1982) |
作为美术的电影作品(数量：2)
| 黑神魔 The Black Cauldron ——- (1985) |
| 小科学怪人 Frankenweenie ——- (1984) |
作为视觉特效师的电影作品(数量：1)
| 狐狸与猎狗 The Fox and the Hound ——- (1981) |
作为特技演员的电影作品(数量：2)
| 惊异传奇 “Amazing Stories” ——- (1985) |
| 电子世界争霸战/仪器 Tron ——- (1982) |
作为其他职员的电影作品(数量：4)
| 医疗内幕/美国清一Sick档案(港)/神经病人(其他) Sicko ——- (2007) |
| Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight – Dark Side of the Knight ——- (2005) |
| “Family Dog” ——- (1993) |
| “Beetlejuice” ——- (1989) |
101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators
- Tell a Story
- Make a book cover for your favorite classic novel.
- Create a series of illustrations that show the passage of time.
- Illustrate a song.
- Make a narrative advertisement for a soft drink.
- Illustrate your favorite childhood memory.
- Make a children’s book spread for a fairy tale.
- Illustrate the four seasons.
- Why did the chicken cross the road?
- Make a series of black and white “chapter” drawings for a novel.
- Retell a short story in graphic form.
- Create a theater poster for a Shakespearean play.
- Create a series of illustrations that shows a person aging.
- Make an instructional poster for a favorite recipe.
- Illustrate a day in the life of a cat, dog, fish, or monkey.
- Make a picture book dummy.
- Illustrate the seven days of the Creation.
- Interesting stories to consider: The Odyssey, the Bible, Aesop’s Fables, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare, nursery rhymes
- Make a magazine cover for a current news story.
- Illustrate a famous historical event from: 20 years ago, 100 years ago, 1000 years ago, Prehistoric times
- Illustrate family life in the future, at least 100 years from now.
- Make an illustration influenced by your favorite illustrator.
- Paint a landscape with only three colors.
- Create a painting in a medium you’ve never used before.
- Study and draw figures from each source: Bridgman
, Vanderpoel
, Hogarth
, and the masters
- Make an abstract painting.
- Paint a self-portrait.
- Create a full painting in 30 minutes.
- Draw a figure in: 1 hour, half hour, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds.
- Fill a page of your sketchbook.
- Create two versions of the same painting — one with warm colors, one with cool colors.
- Sketch in a public place.
- Paint a traditional still life.
- Paint the same still life in your illustrative style.
- Read a book.
- Watch a movie.
and drawing a moment which the most impressive.
- Read other artists’ thoughts and Watch how other artists work. make some notes by illustration.
- Research a particular era, artist, or style and create a few paintings influenced by it.
- Take a trip to a zoo or aquarium to sketch animals from life.
- Make an illustration for a postcard.
- Design a new logo for yourself.
- If it’s near the holidays, create a Christmas card to send out.
- Create a Thank You card to send to clients.
- Draw a self-portrait in your illustrative style to use on your promotional materials.
- Create a business card.
- Make a small sampler, such as a booklet, that contains your artwork that you can use to give to prospective clients.
- Create a piece of artwork to enter into a competition.
- Take a moment to archive your traditional paintings through scanning, digital photography, or slides.
- Backup your digital files to a disk, hard drive, or server.
- Create sample sheets of your artwork that art directors can file easily.
- Update your website with new artwork.
- Work on creating samples for styles, markets, and subject matter that you are lacking in.
- Create stationery for your business.
- Make computer desktops or e-cards to distribute on your website.
- If you are a children’s illustrator, create some coloring pages for your younger fans.
- Create a fresh, new illustration to be used in a sourcebook or other advertisement.
- Clean your work area.
- Catch up with your paperwork.
- Design a character for a book/movie/tv show.
- Draw a caricature of your favorite movie star.
- Illustrate a fortune from a fortune cookie.
- Create an illustration that integrates your name.
- Make an album cover for your favorite band.
- Create a modern movie poster for your favorite classic movie.
- Create a classic movie poster for your favorite modern movie.
- Design a creature that is a combination of at least two different animals.
- Design a car from 100 years in the future.
- Paint a landscape painting of an imagined land.
- Draw a treehouse. Include as much detail as you can.
- Draw 50 thumbnail sketches of the same object.
- Make an illustration for each month of the year.
- Design a deck of cards.
- Make up your own fairy tale land and characters.
- Research and draw characters/objects/settings from: the Mob, the Middle Ages, the Samurai, a Pirate ship.
- Draw a monster a day for a month.
- Illustrate a song from the Sixties.
- Create illustrations of current events and topics such as global warming, airport security, new technology, or education.
- Illustrate a stereotype.
- Participate in Illustration Friday.
- Create a Moji.
- Start a blog.
- Help other artists who ask for critiques of their work.
- Join an artists’ forum and participate in discussions.
- Find and study online tutorials.
- Look at other artists’ work through portfolio sites and blogs.
- Subscribe to Drawn!
- Subscribe to Lines and Colors.
- Listen to what other artists have to say through podcasts.
- See what other artists’ like on de.li.cio.us and StumbleUpon.
- Contribute to the ThreeThumbsUp Gallery.
- Read EmptyEasel.com.
- Check out AmateurIllustrator.com.
- Join a community like the Little Chimp Society or Illustration Mundo.
- See the point of view of an art director.
- Stay up to date with your industry: SI, SCBWI, GAG, IPA
- Find illustration competitions.
- Online portfolio sites: Portfolios.com, iSpot, Illoz.com, childrensillustrators.com
- Read book reviews: the Sandbox, Fuse #8
- Subscribe to DaniDraws.com for illustration tutorials, videos, and more great articles like this one. 😉
Many images are used to help a narrative, and as an illustrator it is important to keep developing this skill in your off-time.
Academic Exercises
Time to get back into the classroom! Refresh your skills every now and then so you don’t lose sight of the basics.
Practical Projects
Don’t let the promotion and organization of your business get pushed aside.
Creative Exercises
One of the hardest tasks that illustrators have is to stay fresh and original. Use your free time to keep the creative juices flowing.
Online Communities
These are resources I have found across the internet that will help you grow as an illustrator.
And Last But Not Least…
Autostima Book Design
This is really amazing book I like. by a book designer .
a 乖's drawing 