Illustrator

I love projects that challenge me conceptually, just enough, but not too much! It's fun to find a common thread between two ideas and create an image. When it falls flat for the client, that's a bummer though.

A. There are no best practices when working with art work.

B. Save your work frequently to avoid loosing anything.

C. Work from a copy of the original artwork to avoid destroying the original art work.

A. Make a duplicate copy of the file.

B. In Photoshop, open your artwork and copy the layer, remembering to lock the original layer.

C. There is no need to make a copy

Yes! I have a fantastic rep now. I went through a couple of not-so-great matches with other reps, but now I've found "the one." I like being freed up to draw instead of negotiate and work through details. I think whatever you do, make sure you do it well, and make sure you don't try to be more than you are. I'm an illustrator and designer, but I'm not an accountant, negotiator, office manager, or a carpenter. I'm lucky to be able to hire these people to do the most efficient job for me, just like other people hire me to do my specialty.

"How do I get a job?" is a common one! My answer is always the same: have a 5 year plan that will work you closer to your goal, work hard, talk to people, build confidence through making time for personal work. The biggest thing: outlast the competition.

A. True

B. False

A. True

B. False

I would say 7-10 good pieces per style.

What makes a good conceptual illustration? Simplicity and elegance. The "I wish I'd thought of that" effect.

I think as an artist you're either a form or a line person. I'm a line person for sure. I never bothered with modeling forms and I nearly failed painting in college. I just wanted the line to be graceful and simple. Vector suits that mindset.

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B. False

I noticed recently that I love going for long rides outside - it calms my mind like nothing else.

That's the hard part. Illustration is by definition visual storytelling. Finding the language is the job. I have a big library and dig through it. I look at Steinberg, the Euros of the last century, Glaser, everybody. I'll see an image that will trigger an idea. Never the image that inspired the new idea, but a mental jump from there. The best images open your imagination and make you think.

I think it's both, but it depends on the project. I like to improve the look of things which would be decorative, but I also like to describe an idea visually with an illustration, which would be conceptual.

I did free poster design for a local music venue and promoter. I developed my portfolio and my style that way.

I started drawing animals when I was around 3 and kept going. Illustration as a career began when I made gig posters back in 2004 or so. I wasn't paid, but I loved it so much it was worth it.

For me, nearly always. I like to get a quick read on something for efficiency and then delve deeper if the topic draws me in.

Being relaxed helps me alot. Also, mixing my day up with exercise and coffee breaks, and sometimes cleaning the house even helps. Since you can't force creativity, sometimes you have to change it up to allow creativity to come to you.

I worked at burger king, did a terrible job being a secretary, and then found a position teaching Illustrator and Photoshop.

It's great! I work on the couch in my living room with a cozy laptop on my lap. There's a big window at the front of the room that lets a lot of light in. When it's nice outside, I work in the tiny back yard.

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