Laura Carlin

Before looking into it more in OUIL505 I had always thought that if you wrote/ illustrated children's books it would come to define your whole practice, but looking at illustrators like Carlin I feel reassured that it does not, and that you can also make children's books which are both fun for young audiences but also still have that ~artistic integrity~

AOI talk

Notes on being a right good illustrator I made from the AOI talk:

• websites should be kept simple!
• set up an email, contact forms on websites are designed to be off-putting 
• update your blog or don't bother with one
• don't be trendy!!!!
• keep working on personal stuff even when you're working commercially
• Behance is something to think about
• if sending out mailers, keep them around A5/A6. follow up with a PDF email a week later. make it personal, people love to be loved
• on websites your work doesn't need to be the most HD, and put your name in the filename so if someone saves it and puts it elsewhere they have no excuse to not credit you

**** NEVER ASSIGN COPYRIGHT!!!!!!! ****

The talk was at once frightening and reassuring, the most reassuring bit being that if something does go wrong the AOI are an incredibly helpful service. They can even help you out if things aren't wrong but you're worried they might be. Contracts are scary and wild but the sheets they gave us are so helpful to have.

 I actually used one of the contracts for the project I'm doing with Coffee Shop North. I'd already by this time agreed to do the project but hadn't made any final work so it was just a little add on in the email. I still feel bad, on myself, ~on the good name of illustration~, that I took a free job but what's done is done and I mostly did it because 1) it seemed interesting 2) would be very useful for my Responsive module.  Can't go back! Let's hope I get a free copy 

Anorak Magazine talk

The Anorak talk came around at a good time for me as I'm currently working on a children's illustration for my OUIL505 self-directed project. I mostly admired her dedication to Anorak and adventurous approach to illustration- fighting against publishers who wanted stereotypical approaches to children's magazines (they particularly didn't like it being unisex). I also think it was interesting how she approached advertising within the magazine, working with companies to integrate it into the book as to not disrupt the experience. It was all quite interesting info especially after we had created our hypothetical-hopefully-not-hypothetical-forever ideas for Sad Mag. It really shows that if you have a niche, you can probably  work it!

She briefly talked about portfolios and what she looks for when looking for illustrators. I was maybe  little alarmed at how much she emphasised that an artist should have a clear cut sense of style in their portfolio, but it makes sense.

creative CV basics

A hardworking illustrator specialising in editorial and publishing with a particular interest in the analogue side to image making.

Good eyes good pics good times
Get a good job done

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studying BA (Hons) Illustration at Leeds College of Art

experience:

• poster work for Wire nightclub (2014 - now)
• tabled at Leeds Zine Fair (2015)
• exhibited at Colours May Vary's Off the Page (2016)
• published in Coffee Shop North (in progress)

skills:

• proficient in Photoshop with a basic understanding of Adobe Illustrator, After Effects, In Design and animating in PS and AE
• experience in self publishing zines and selling work online and at fairs
• organised and keen on time management!

additional:

• entered competitions for The Guardian, The Folio Society and Secret 7"

reference on request

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I sort of wanted to include that I'm interested in analogue media because I am- as I progress through this course the more and more I want to not use digital (except as a tool to transfer and enhance the traditional). However I'm concerned it makes me look like I will refuse/ can't do digital techniques which is limiting and tried to counteract this by including them in my skills list. 

Writing about yourself is a bad time. I don't want to be a 'joky' artist but I also feel uncomfortable if it's wholly formal.

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I can't imagine making an *illustrator name* for my 'brand' mostly because I think I'd be too likely to change my mind about it too often. On the other hand I'm stuck with my name quite likely forever, whether I like it or not (even if it's a bit boring).

And it's also 99p on GoDaddy.com

I'm not sure if .com or .co.uk is a better choice?