Friendly Help

I got some more emails in the last couple of days that have seen some successes due to their participation in ArtOrder. I think that is really cool, and I sure enjoy reading about their successes. It reinforces the idea that we are all dependent on each other in many ways, and how grateful I am that I am able to help out in some small way. I read about an experience a young artist had at an convention with an art director and what a horrific experience it was. Horrific in the sense that the AD's ego was the only thing on display rather than the artists work. What a shame... both for the AD and for the artist. Makes me glad I don't work with, or for that AD. I'm looking forward to going to IlluxCon next week - both as an art director, and as a fan boy. It'll be great to rub elbows with old friends, industry icons, and aspiring artists. I can't thank Patrick enough for taking a chance and offering me an invite. Now I just need to earn my keep, and make him happy he invited me. Each of those situations deal with the relationships we build, and how our ego can come into play. All of this brings me to a question I received yesterday. Anna Christenson asks: "I've been thinking of ways to follow up with art directors that I've worked for to see if they are happy with my work and would hire me again. 

As such, I was wondering from an art director's point of view how a short yes or no answer survey would go across, something that would hopefully answer that question of whether they would be interested in hiring me again, or if there is something better that I as an artist could do in the future when working on their product. Or would it be better to just wait and send out new samples of my work every 3-6 months? Maybe that question from a different angle- is there any type of follow up you like to see, or commonly see, from illustrators after the first time working with them?". That's an interesting question Anna. I've never received any kind of "survey" about an artists work, or their working relationship. Would I be open to it? I think so. If it were short and concise, I'd probably be up for it. That raises an interesting point though. How many times do you guys talk to an art director after the fact? I can count on one hand the number of times I've had an artists talk to me after a project to get feedback about either their artwork, the process, or the working relationship. I wonder if that says more about me, more about the artist, or more about the "expected" relationship between and AD and an artist? That's a question I don't have an answer for.