Ep. 148 Response and thanks!

[ireenchau]

Just wanted to hop on and say thanks to Lee, Jake, and Will for answering my question in today's episode "Is My Portfolio Too Focused?" which is also the title (I feel famous x'D).

I really appreciated Lee's advice on exploring different subject matter in my portfolio, and I will definitely add some contemporary pieces to it going forward! (I had so many of the same-looking illustrations because they were all from a book I wrote, so I'm excited to break away from that and do something new.)

To answer Will's question, I went to school at Otis College of Art and Design where I was an animation major so that probably explains my animationy style. If I'm being honest I wouldn't recommend Otis for anything other than fashion or architecture. Not to be shady haha.

I also want to say how much I appreciate the encouragement and praise! I was having severe doubts about whether I was fit for illustration so hearing pros say that I'm a good illustrator was a massive help.

(Also, idk if the guys were joking or not but either way I don't think I have the guts to contact Brandon Dorman and beg him to give me his reject work )

[ArtistErin]

@ireenchau I loved this podcast. And I was super impressed with your work as well. I am always amazed when a mega talent like yourself doubts anything at all! So it was so cool to hear all the kudos, and the fact you draw better too had to be so good for the soul.

I absolutely love Brandon Dorman's work also. No joke, to be at that level is so awesome and I would for sure follow up on that. Yes, make more contemporary pieces and situations that little kids experience (or whatever genre you are marketing to) and post your progress!

Great job Irene! Looking forward to more of your stuff

[Mimi Simon]

@ireenchau in addition to all the great advice from the podcast, I thought of something else that might help your portfolio. I think you need a lot more work in colour especially book cover type pieces. Its true that you'll probably get a lot of jobs doing black and white but for your portfolio I think it's important to have mostly colour because it looks more impressive and will catch peoples eye faster. I think its also easy to assume if someone does great color work they can do black and white just fine but its less likely for an art director to make the opposite assumption. (even though the colour pieces you do have are great)

[ireenchau]

@Mimi-Simon Thanks Mimi! That's a great point--I'll definitely add some more colored illos

[ireenchau]

@ArtistErin Ahh thanks for the kind words Erin! And samee, the covers he did for Fablehaven were the first I saw of his work--so good!