Happy to revisit one of my favorite subjects.
Banana Meltdown vs. Godzilla

I just finished these portraits for the SCBWI Orlando conference (SHHh - the participants won't see them until this Friday!)

I've been working on these illustrations for my portfolio. Text is from a course I took on another platform.

Working on finishing color for a to-be indie-published book... had to share with someone! (SHHHhh for now)

I was working on developing some characters, but I'm not yet happy with the color palette (too intense I think). Eventually, I'd like to pitch a composition with mermaid/merboy to Highlights or similar publication as a sample.

Last year, I licensed a greeting card with my art on it that had a partial song title hand-lettered on it. Before I even pitched it (2 years ago), I contacted the estate letting them know and showing them the art. Once I had a licensing agreement, I once again contacted the estate for permission. After many emails back and forth, I learned that song titles are not covered under copyright laws, but the lyrics are. I also learned that due diligence is rare, but appreciated by the songwriters and their estates. The greeting card will have their information as well as mine on the back, and I do not have to pay sub-royalties to their estate.

Here's an article that explains why song titles are not covered (TLDR: they're typically short and unoriginal).
http://www.askamusiclawyer.com/archive/is-my-song-title-protected-by-copyright.html

I know the struggle. I think simple style looks finished when every line and every stroke in the image is as it should be. Every mark is deliberate. The third image (dog/wolf in red hood) is the closest to finished, whereas your unicorn doing math seems to be unfinished. Why does it read this way? Your overlay line (in black) seems too thin and not of the same quality/thought as the rest. It could be color choice, thickness, confidence, placement that makes it read this way.
Love the subject matter, and that third one is so darned cute and thoughtful.

@heidi-ahmad sounds like the issue is not a platform issue, but a marketing issue. You have to tell people you exist otherwise they won't know. I would stick with Etsy b/c they have a built-in platform and built-in audience and the listing fees are cheap. The ads have been worth it to me, but you also have to balance a couple of things...

1. Who is your audience?
2. Are you serving them work they want to buy?
3. Are your prices sustainable?
4. Is the time and money invested worth your while?

Backstory - I'm an artist coming from traditional media into digital media. I was fine doing all Illustrator or all analog. When I started to combine my work in order to enter the children's book market, I worked in Photoshop with real painted textures in the background (as a multiply layer)...

At my first SCBWI conference I had a portfolio review with an editor who loved my painted stuff and my digital pattern-work, but found my mixed-media approach "too photoshoppy". Can you help me define the issue? I can see that some of the brushes I chose were too hazy. Do you think that's what they meant? I'm planning to re-do this layout as the box came out too close to the gutter, but aside from that... Thoughts?

@Deborah-Cantlon-Lambson In addition, I've tried Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Facetime, etc. and none are as easy to use or as good with audio/visuals as Zoom... especially when it comes to having many people in the same chatroom. Google Hangouts is fine if you have just a small group. Facebook messenger, Skype, WhatsApp fine with just a few and chat only, but at those numbers 30+... Zoom. You can also try GoToMeeting, but I can't vouch for it because I haven't used it.

@Deborah-Cantlon-Lambson All you have to do to prevent one of those breaches is to set up your zoom room with a password and make sure one person hosts and give all mute/unmute and screenshare powers to that host. I've been using Zoom for years and never had a problem. I think the people who set up those chats put the join-in links in a public place.

@Braden-Hallett I might respond with:

Thank you for the opportunity to work on your content. Please understand that the time I spend on working for a free project actually costs me money in the form of time that I could have used to work on a paid project. Those paid projects are the ones that sustain and support my livelihood.

Oh this made me want to look for an "art of Zelda: Breathe of the Wild" that game has been such an escape for me.

Love the style! Perhaps balance the long title a bit more so it's not so vertical?
I don't know where you landed with this piece as I see it's from last year.

@Judy-Elizabeth-Wilson This looks great! Nice edits! I like the dark blue letters with the jewel fillings.

@Nyrryl-Cadiz, these are awesome! In your first one with the sea turtle, the angle of the turtle is making it look like an 'x' also look at sea turtle anatomy b/c the front flippers are big, but the back leg flippers are much, much smaller. Otherwise, it's a great start! I am loving the action you choose in your compositions and seeing the process. I especially love the folklore and stories projects. They set your content apart! I'm Cuban (American born), and I don't know many of the stories and folklore from my ancestors because of the exodus, and I'm sorry for it. Keep on keepin' on!

@BichonBistro said in This community️:

riously intimidated by my CS5 version of Adobe Illustrator, I am also grateful to @Adriana-Bergstrom for enlightening me about Affinity Designer for iPad. At least I could learn enough to understand so

Aww, you're very welcome. I'm glad it worked for you.

I've been working on these illustrations for my portfolio. Text is from a course I took on another platform.

@StudioLooong Love these! Especially love the shadow/light play in the one with the kids looking at the stars.