Is Your Art Ready? by Kirbi Fagan

A few of you who are considering joining SCBWI’s 4 Out the Door program have asked me, “How do I know if my art is ready?” I’m here today to share what I have learned. Conferences bring all sort of professionals and amateurs together, it can be inspiring. Many times artists can walk away feeling motivated to get their work out in the world. If their work isn’t ready, they could be wasting valuable time and money on promotions that could be better spent at their easel. 

Have you invested in your work?

I’m embarrassed to say how many thousands of dollars I’ve invested traveling to workshops and taking online classes to learn more about drawing and painting - after I already had a degree in illustration.

It’s true, you don’t have to go to art school to be a working illustrator, in fact none of my clients have even asked if I had a degree. Keep in mind your competition likely has an art education. They aren’t hobbyists or fans, they’ve given their “1000 hours of practice” and are serious about their craft (even if it’s as fun as cartoons.)

Has your work been critically reviewed?

Getting feedback from industry professional, not your spouse, friend or family is crucial. It’s uncomfortable to put ourselves out there. You might hear the idiom about needing “thick skin,” and it’s true. It wasn’t until I was completely crushed by an industry professional’s review that I was able to see my early work for what it was. 

I’ve never met anyone who had a terrific portfolio that wasn’t getting commission requests. Assuming you are sending to a publisher that your work is appropriate for and you still aren’t receiving work it’s a sure sign the work isn’t ready.  

Did you take action? 

If you have received critiques, did you take notes? Did you change the way you created your next image? Did you make a revision? If a piece received a bad review - is it still in your portfolio?

I don’t always agree with a specific change a critic wants me to make. In that situation, I find myself asking what does my mentor/teaching/peer/art director mean by saying this? Sometimes, I have to ask. The answer always leaves me revising. If after a review, you are feeling more upset than motivated, likely you’re not ready. 

Trained eye versus skilled hand

A skilled hand is the ability to physically draw while a trained eye is the ability to visually evaluate artwork. I’m sure you’ve seen a situation where an artist proudly shares a “realistic portrait.” Though to you, the eyes are uneven, the nose is sagging and the mouth is totally wonky. In many cases, their brain actually adjusts the incorrect information and rearranges it to look better in their mind. 

Eventually, that same artist looks at that portrait years later and says, “whoa, I thought this was good?” Their eye has developed and they are better at evaluating the work. Understand that you may be looking at your work with a naive eye. When an artist is improving, they might feel a bit discouraged. This is because their eye is better than their hand. These two skills are constantly catching up and surpassing one another. 

Be a curator of your own work

I was always told, “they love you for your best, they hire you for your worst!” An art director knows that the worst image in your portfolio might be what they get from you on a bad day. I’ve cringed many times when I’ve come across work that I put out early on that’s forever etched in google. I’ve certainly made the mistake of showing work too soon or work that isn’t my best. We must be curators, it could be the difference of getting the job or not.

Are you set up?

artwork by Kirbi Fagan

Being an illustrator is a business, are you ready to run one? Do you have a solid critique partner to show the finished piece to before you send it to a client? Do you have another responsibility that would keep you from taking a commission if it came along? If you work traditionally, do you have a way to document, scan and professionally photograph your work? You must understand what DPI is and the difference between CMYK and RGB. Do you know how to communicate your concepts with a sketch in a way a non-visual person could understand? 

Art is a lifelong craft, it’s okay to build relationships with potential clients when your work isn’t 100% ready but I feel you should be 80% there. If you are in the early stages, the most important thing to show an art director is that you’re improving by always having new work to share. When meeting an art director, mention that you understand the work may not be ready but you would appreciate their feedback. 

By now, you might be thinking about deleting a few images on your Instagram or postponing your next mailer. The good new is, I can say that I have been hired by people who saw my work before it was ready. When I got better, they hired me.  Don't feel that a few bad portfolio reviews will ruin your career. I was so relieved to listen to an art director who reviewed my work early on who said simply, “Art directors know that artists get better.”

If you liked this post and want to learn more about becoming a working illustrator, you may be interested in another article of mine, Becoming an Illustrator in 2018:

http://www.muddycolors.com/2018/03/rising-star-kirbi-fagan/

Kirbi Fagan is a Detroit based book & comic cover illustrator who specializes in creating art for young readers. Her illustrations are known for their magic themes, nostalgic mood, bright colors, and powerful characters. Currently, she serves as a Co-Regional Illustrator Coordinator with SCBWI and teaches illustration at College for Creative Studies in Downtown Detroit. Recent clients include, Marvel Comics, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Books and Dark Horse Comics. Recent Recognition includes the Jack Gaughan Award for Best Emerging Artist and the Muddy Color Rising Star.

Learn more: https://michigan.scbwi.org/2018/01/06/the-4-out-the-door-illustrator-challenge/

Coming up on the Mitten blog: Charlie Barshaw shines the spotlight on one of our SCBWI-MI members. Come back next Friday for our quarterly Writer Spotlight feature!

We're going to be starting some new traditions here at the Mitten. We'll fill you in soon, but in the meantime, hop on over to our Kiddie Litter page to enjoy Neal Levin's cartoons - a tradition that began over ten years ago when SCBWI-MI had a snail-mail delivered paper newsletter.