Out with the Old....

2007:
1. Completed my fifth year of teaching eleven and twelve year olds to appreciate and correctly utilize the English language.
2. Resigned from teaching, eyes bright with the hope of finally being able to pursue my dream of being an artist.
3. Had a baby. After a few hazy months, am able to lift head out of fog and refocus myself. Oh yeah, I want to be an artist!
4. Juggle like crazy to take care of baby, husband, house, dogs, self, various obligations, crazy, new ideas that insist on popping up at inopportune times, and oh yeah-illustration.

I only had a few goals:
*To participate in Illustration Friday
*Find a support group
*Update portfolio and experiment

I didn't participate in I-Fri as much as I wanted, and once Connor got here, all bets were off! I did update my portfolio some, but I still feel like I'm missing something regarding my work and need to push myself more. The best and most satisfying goal was/is this group and I can't explain how relieved and grateful I am to be a part of it. I love being held accountable because it makes excuses dry up quickly. I love the feedback and encouragement and the daring we're allowing ourselves. I think I can say without a doubt it's been one of the best things I've done for myself regarding my illustration!

Like Artipantz, I don't really make resolutions per se. I do find this time of year refreshing, and I like to take a deep breath and set a few goals. That way, when the chaos of living has my head all turned around, I can set my gaze in the distance and it helps to pull me in a more focused direction.

For 2008:
1. Complete the design and launch of my website.
2. Begin to build a mailing list.
3. Mail at least one batch of postcards by 08/2009.
4. Continue to update portfolio. (This is extremely important as I have my first official portfolio evaluation with an AD in April at a local SCBWI conference. I'm already shaking in my boots!)
5. Complete the dummy book for FlyGirl and submit it.
6. Continue to create art for home...surprisingly this creates a sense of confidence and inspiration!
7. Try to not to whine too much about not going to the 2008 SCBWI Winter Conference by reminding myself I've been twice in the last two years....focus on the fact that I will be going to the 2009 SCBWI Summer Conference in L.A. for the first time! This is the ultimate goal for this list. If I don't complete the other goals, I will not be taking full advantage of the opportunities afforded by attending a SCBWI conference. Don't feel like working? "L.A. 2009" I'll say and that'll get my butt in the chair.

I have a feeling 2008 is going to be a very busy year...I'm hoping it's a great one for all of us!

2007 in a nutshell

I do not write new year's resolutions- mostly because my attitude is more of a "so I'll try this and see what happens..." and not rely on guessing what my future will be like. That being said, I think this past year I've been both slightly surprised at my own creative abilities and slightly disappointed by my circumstances. I have loved being a part of this on-line community. I believe my artwork has grown in leaps and bounds because of you all. I also feel connected to other artists in a way that I never had before- and without all the stupid competitiveness that artists are almost always faced with. This experience has also left me feeling a bit sorry for myself, however. I guess before this year, my artwork was just a part of me that worked in conjunction with the teacher/mother/wife/self part of me. The artist part of me never needed extra space before. It was cozy being squished in-between my frantic and all-consuming motherness and my stressed-out yet completely inspired teacherness. This year, as I saw the work that you all were doing, and most especially the time that you were devoting to your craft and to marketing yourself, the artist part of me started to whine like a four-year-old on her sister's birthday. I have felt very much in need of extra time that I don't have. I think that although I am quite uncomfortable with my whiny artist-self right now, something good will come from all of this. I have thought about taking a break from teaching to focus on my art. I daydream about sending my girls off to school and spending the whole day working on getting myself published. But then I have a completely amazing day at school, or get an email from a former student who "owes it all to me" and the teacherness in my brain tries to tackle the artist-self and beat it down into oblivian. So I am certainly feeling like I am being pulled in many directions and I have made a little itty-bitty coal for myself to make my artist-self chill out a bit. A year from February, I plan on going to the SCBWI conference. I need a year to save up some cash and I need a year to get a web site going. These are my goals for the coming year, professionally that is. I also hope to draw a lot too...and buy some new shoes. I love shoes.

2007 Wrap-Up

This year has been (wonderfully, thankfully) peaceful. No scary phone calls with horrible news in the middle of the night (or day) . This is what I wished for the most and I am very, very grateful for this.

As far as my illustration career goes...I resolved to submit the grump dummy, get published, improve my technique and participate in illustration friday.

- I submitted the grump dummy to one small publisher who very kindly gave me tons of help but was unable to publish.

-i didn't get published but I landed an agent! (whoo-hoo)

-I do think I improved my technique and discovered I can draw animals.

-I didn't participate in illustration friday as much as I should have-maybe next year.

I did accomplish something that I am truly happy for. The idea to create this website. The luck of knowing so many talented illustrators to invite who happily accepted and enthusiastically participate. That is pretty cool.

Now to get started on the list for next year.

Astrid goals reached 2007

Quite ambitious, I put together a

TOP 10 GOALS list at the beginning of 2007.
1. make x amount of earnings per month
2. 1 or more gift manufacturers sell gifts with my designs
3. a bag collection with illustrations from me is available in 1 or more stores
4. i have 15 repeat customers
5. have 3 customers with regular projects
6. have children book idea and sample submitted to publishers
7. have book publishing portfolio for book covers out there
8. licensing characters: PR done, interested producers found
9. have a good agent relationship, or make use of my time doing own marketing
10.have x amount of savings in the bank

Hahaha. Good laugh, ey? Well you can't shoot high if you don't aim high though, right?

Here's what I achieved:
1. Achieved to about 75% I'd say (bookkeeping pending)
2. open, wasn't active here
3. found small seamstress and store who'll make bags with my illos! To be designed.
4. done
5. yes!
6. ah, no. But I took part in a children book contest, collaborating with a writer.
7. done, though with a shortcut. Instead of book cover design samples, I mailed existing work samples. But I mailed to 12 large publishers in December. Hoping for the best.
8. Unfortunately not. Haven't been very active here, and from what I did do, the response wasn't there.
9. Quit an not functioning agent relationship, have an open contract with another agent, am doing all my marketing myself now.
10. As soon as all my clients have paid this year, I have this goal achieved!

Overall...
I'm very happy with my year, even though I haven't accomplished all goals – I believe they were a bit high up, haha. Some things happened as well that were not on the list, and I'm very happy about them! Like unexpected new markets that I'm working for now:
* illustrating and designing for a wedding planner's customers
* collaborated with a toy company to illustrate packaging
* just got approached by a fashion company to illustrate campaign!
* approached by Courtney to be part of this great Illustrator Group Soup!
* got published in 2 illustration books this year
* approached by a new international book publisher to take part in illustration book

So I'm very happy and feel very lucky!!

Wishing you all the success and lots of happy moments, health and luck for 2008!
Looking forward to learing and collaborating with you IGS ladies more next year!

Astrid

Frizz Year in Review

Two very big things happened to me in 2007...and I couldn't have asked for more!

- designed, created and launched my website.

- joined this fabulous Illustrator Group Soup.

2008 for me is going to be all about FOCUS and doing the work.
With these girls on my side I can't go wrong. Thanks chickys!
Merry, merry ya'll and have a save and happy New Year!!

Holiday Picture

Here's a little cartoon I illustrated using some holiday paper. (Better late than never, right?) I hope everyone's having a wonderful time this weekend, and it lasts all through next week!

A sorta holiday piece...kinda sorta

I haven't quite gotten around to a holiday card this year, and since technically my holiday ended yesterday, it seems unlikely that it will get done. I blame sickness: mine and my 4-year-old, who has shown me that the human body can actually produce temperatures close to 105 degrees without bursting into flames. I have worked on something for a wee little lad who was born on Monday. If not a holiday scene, at least its cold!!

Christmas Illustration 2007

This is my illo for this year. Inspired by the Polar Express and Tricia's instistance that I finish a sketch.

Holidays Illos

These are really old, (and some styles I don't even entertain anymore, but thought it'd be fun to share) They have all been published editorially. The white dove one was also the image on my holiday card last year.

Back soon from my jollies — stay warm everyone!
xx

PS: Hansel & Gretel AND Pippi will be posted by the end of the year — I promise.

Hi Ladies,

Sadly, I don't have a Pippi illustration this month. The work that is up already is so lovely. Big high fives to you guys!

I'm knee deep in the Secret Circus at the moment, and I thought that I would post a peek at one of the spreads that I've been working on. Alas, these mice are no red headed little lady, but what can you do...

Happy weekend!

To rhyme or not

I posted my first story to the writers blog. Johanna has already commented about being asked to de-rhyme a submission. Does anyone else have experience with this or found information through conferences about rhyming picture books? I love reading rhyming books why would they not want to publish them? Please share if you have info. Thanks Johanna for sharing your experience.

Also, I stumbled upon an interesting take on life balance from Karen Maezen Miller. Makes you think...

New Assignment!!

The Soup Gals go global!!! Create TWO consecutive illustrations based on a folktale from a country or culture of your choice. Both illustrations must have the same main character, so as to show how you can consistently illustrate the same character in different situations (a general guideline to include in a portfolio). Some other cultures with interesting stories: Africa, Korea, India, Ireland, Native America, Russia, and Japan...and lots of others.
see these links:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/
http://www.pantheon.org/areas/folklore/folktales/

Include some cultural references in your work that shows your research of the culture.
Also, when you pick a culture, perhaps you can mention it to us so we don't overlap. When you post, include a summary of the story so we all know what you have illustrated.

South Seas Pippi

I designed this so that Pippi and the title are on the front, and the friends will be on the back.

How I knew

I could talk about this for a lengthy paragraph but to make it simple, I'll bullet it.

-didn't draw much as a kid, until I saw my aunt's yearbook covered with doodles.
-drew cartoons everywhere, but didn't consider it a career option.
-got into photography, got on yearbook staff
-became govt. major at UT
-got bored, decided to pursue photojournalism
-couldn't get into the program, so decided to take photography through College of Fine Art
-applied before they required portfolios, just squeezed in
-loved photography, hated drawing
-was one of the lease talented in the class and knew it.
-teacher embarrassed me publicity several times
-lit a fire in my belly and i improved



- started to dislike photography and love life drawing
-didn't fit in with "artsy, angry crowd", believed that life is hard as hell, why make it harder?
-took as many life drawing classes as possible


-started reading children's books to kids at preschool where i worked
-knew that's what I wanted to do , but didn't know how to get there.
-took a watercolor class and loved doing abstract paintings.
-worked with fav. professor to create illustrations but they sucked royally.
-kept at it anyway.
-joined local scbwi chapter (gift from then boyfriend, now hubby)
-graduated
-had baby, forgot about illustration for a year
-discovered illustration friday
-discovered i could combine my love for drawing with love for watercolor
-still trying to improve.

I do think that art is like breathing for me now. If I don't create for a few days, I am miserable. It is just something I need to do.

Pippi- the firstest!!!

Dude. And I got Chanukah in like 4 days. By the way, the image came out with a bluish cast on Blogger- its a bit pinker on Photoshop.