SVS OG

@Charlie-Eve-Ryan Congrats Charlie. They look fabulous! Well done.

Hello everyone,

I just got in my box of illustrator copies for a board book I worked on for AMICUS INK. WHO IS MAKING A MESS, written by Maria D'Heane. This book hits shelves in the SPRING and it is so cool to see my work in this format. @Lee-White told me a long time ago that my portfolio is well suited for the board book market and here we are! Thanks, Lee!!

Shout it out if you guys have any projects hitting the shelves! I love buying books for holiday gifts.

@mamadraw Hi Laura, welcome! Your art is joyful, bright and very endearing.

in order to really give advice, I'd need to know how this situation happened. Doing a finished book by january is not really practical by any standard. Normal turn around times for a book is a year. When it's rushed it's 6 months and the fastest deadline I've seen is 4 months.

So, how did this deadline happen? Are the sketches done and approved? Did they just approach you for this job? Or did they sit on sketches for a long time before approving you to go to final. If either of these is the case, then you should push back VERY hard on the deadline. Push for a April 1st deadline or later if possible. Many publishers will push their books to the following season if it's behind schedule. And this one is definitely behind schedule. I just turned in final art for a book that is coming out fall of 2020. So this one coming out in March 2020 is not realistic at all. So it makes me wonder if they know what they are doing? Is this a publisher or a self pub.?

In any case,, I would STRONGLY advise making a case for a fall release. They are asking for trouble trying to hit a march release. Even if you get the book to them mid-jan., they still have to get the book to printers, get proofs and edits, and then do the actual printing. That process can easily take 8 weeks of time. Then there is shipping, etc. to stores, etc. They are asking for trouble with this timeline. And everything will suffer trying to hit that deadline. Art will be weaker, printing will be rushed, fees will have to be paid to hit those times.

Good luck, I don't envy this situation. If you have to do the art, I'd tell them what time you will need to really do your best work. If they say they have to have it by mid jan, think about using another name on the book and just banging out something that you don't care about just to get it done.

@Braden-Hallett I don't think I have had anything to say negative about your work. I like your color work and of course your line work. I feel like I am in the same boat trying different brushes to get that texture is right. I been keeping my favorties but introducing new ones. I have found a few I really enjoy using and I think that is the key right? Find what you enjoy to make it fun.

Of course I look forward to seeing your progress!

@Inge-Permentier if you are a SVS subscriber you will get an email the morning off or possibly the day before with a link to register for a ZOOM webinar. If you are unable to make it then it is recorded and put up on the SVS learn site.

@xin-li wow, this is a huge dilemma. For me, I think there’s very little to cut from the art process. Cutting corners puts you at risk of making sub par work. However, if you do want to cut somewhere, perhaps opt to lessen your thumbnails. Perhaps you can try for 10 or less. Aside from that I really don’t know anywhere else to skimp on. Is the deadline fixed? I was immediately worried when you mentioned that it’s due mid january. Perhaps you can negotiate with the Art Director.

@mamadraw i wish you the best. We’d be happy to help you here in the forum.

Hi! I love your work. You’re off to a great start. The work thing that I think you can work on more is the character’s gestures and proportions. As of the moment, they appear a bit stiff. I hope this is helpful.

I did a few more. I kind of like 7 for the head cocking bit but I think the face needs to be a little more friendly and questioning..or somethign like that. What do you think? One more round? Thanks.