Ooh this was for a book about a dog character based on their own actual dog. @Michael-Angelo-Go ^OF COURSE it was . . .^ Pretty sure you dodged a bullet there. But starting out there's no way to know this stuff -- unless you go through it yourself (never fun) -- or ask people who have already made the mistake (sooo much better for you, and the mistake-er gets to feel like they are being helpful. A win-win!)

@donnamakesart oh thank you

Thank you, that's a great idea but I don't see any landscape format options on either site except for an 11x 8.5 on Ingram Spark which is quite pricey. Does that sound possible? KDP will let you do a custom size but that makes it ineligible for Expanded Distribution. It's very possible I'm missing something.

@Griffin said in Website feedback: @jimsz I didn’t use a template for my site but that’s a good point about it being a drag and drop sort of thing. I guess because of that each website is sort of limited in its uniqueness so it’s sort of hard not to copy other designs in that sense those hosting sites are all template based and thats why there is a similarity in any sites

@ruth it looks great! Maybe move the mountain line on the right so the bottom doesn't line up with the bottom of the house

@Jeannelle-Pita Yay! Hope the pandemic ends soooon. I’ll try to be more active in the Ang INK hang outs this year. Maybe we’ll see each other there

@KaraDaniel I agree.I am thinking about cutting it in half from the front as it is and maybe another 3/4 view.Who knows, we ll see if I ever make the time for it!!

Made this based on an art prompt from a group that's more Fine Art and Studio Art-oriented than illustration, but thought I'd share it here too. It's called "The Tree of Hopes and Dreams". The prompt was supposed to merge the requirements of a landscape, a tree, and the concept of "inside/out". The tree was supposed to indicate/represent a contrast of some nature to something else. So, I ran with the idea of that state one experiences before one commits to a choice. To be presented with a moment laden with potential, and simultaneously not know whether it is good or bad. To know there are signs but not be able to interpret them. To shift from the vast emptiness of what is known to step into the bright light of the unknown. Well, that's what was in my head, anyway. LOL!

It has been a long time since I have the time and mental space to do a personal piece. So happy to start a new personal piece. I am working on a piece for picturehook competition again. https://www.picturehooks.org.uk/winter-comforts-a-picture-hooks-competition/ This time the subject is: Winter Comforts–Family Here is the first presentable thumbnail (the rest of my thumbnails are not readable, more like the ugly doodle to the left of my readable thumbnail), still super rough. I use to do a lot of walks in the city with my partner, and we often go for a coffee this way (we do have a kid nowadays, but never had a dog. So this is not our family portrait Any thoughts? I thought maybe I should push for a more unique concept, but maybe it is also nice to paint a simple snowy scene and focus on exploring techniques instead.

@Aisleen I see what you mean! Come to think of it, the well has a similar issue also.

I’ve been feeling this way, too, but more extreme: I have their weird expectation to think up an idea for an illustration and draw it beautifully and flawlessly in 5 seconds. Not sure where that came from! Though I suspect the root comes from the “best practice” of posting frequently on Instagram. This thread reminds me of something I’ve heard over from one artist YouTube video to another and I think also on the 3 Point Perspective podcast is “remember to have fun”. Something I keep forgetting to do.

@Asyas_illos I think it could go either way...without the rocks the water would seem like a great place to put the text if it's for a children's book.

Trying a different angle. Noticed my prtfolio lacked full spread illstrations and looked kind of bland

I definitely recommend against it specifically for painting. Even Autodesk's Sketchbook, which is free, was a much better painting program. And for the same price as Affinity, you can get Clip Studio Paint which is arguably one of the best painting apps you can use. Now, from a design standpoint, I can say Affinity programs can replace photoshop, illustrator and indesign no problem. I've completely abandoned illustrator and indesign and I haven't for one second thought "man I wish I had the adobe product". I still use photoshop because I'm working a lot with teams that also need to use PSDs, and the Affinity Photo files can get janky when you convert them into PSDs and have someone open them in PS. If you're ever in a team environment professionally, I'd say you probably still need PS. But if you're doing just photo manipulation or print materials or design work for apps or websites, Affinity is fantastic.

Great, thanks so much!

@KaraDaniel thanks for the words!!yes i am leaning towards the top one too!! @Jeannelle-Pita yes!!thanks a lot! @donnamakesart I don't actually have this figured out. It begun more of a style exploration..But since you asked, I would say mystery-adventure-confusing for the character scene.thanks for your comment!!

@Jeremiahbrown Thank you Jeremiah!

@Jake-Parker ill take a look at that, im useless at social media.

@Kyle-Tobey You could try it out on a print-on-demand site temporarily to see how it appeals to a broader market. You don't have to do this as a pin--it could be a sticker, coffee cup, whatever. A lot of these sites don't charge you to post artwork, so it's low-risk. And if it does sell, you'll know it's worth the expense--and you'll have a little capital to make the pins with.

In my experience what you've got here will be just fine. I've attached a jpeg of my steps in illustrating a book. To be clear the "Book Mapping" and "Thumbnail" stages are never shown to the publisher. I always submit the "Rough Sketch" and "Final Art" I used to regularly submit the "Final Sketch" but have noticed that some publishers (the ones I've worked with multiple times) no longer need that stage The most important thing I've found in determining the finish level of a "rough sketch" is: Can the editor and art director easily make the leap from your rough sketch to the finished art? Given what you've posted here, I would say "yes".