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