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.

Hagar's Birthday

Benevolent Help

I got some more messages in the last couple of days that have seen a few victories because of their cooperation in Artorder. I believe that is truly cool, and I beyond any doubt revel in perusing about their triumphs. It strengthens the thought that we are all subject to one another from numerous points of view, and how thankful I am that I can assist in some little way. I read about an experience an adolescent craftsman had at an assembly with a workmanship executive - and what a horrific experience it was. Horrific as in the AD's personality was the main thing on presentation - as opposed to the craftsmen work. What a shame... both for the AD and for the craftsman. Makes me happy I don't work with, or for that AD. I'm anticipating going to Illuxcon one week from now - both as a craft executive, and as a fan kid. It'll be incredible to rub elbows with old companions, industry symbols, and yearning specialists. I can't thank Patrick enough for taking a risk and offering me a welcome. Presently I simply need to win my keep, and make him joyful he welcomed me. 

Each of those circumstances bargain with the connections we fabricate, and how our inner self can become possibly the most important factor. ...what's more the majority of this brings me to an inquiry I accepted yesterday. Anna Christenson asks:  "I've been considering approaches to catch up with workmanship chiefs that I've worked for to check whether they are content with my work and would enlist me once more. As being what is indicated, I was pondering from a symbolization chief's perspective how a short yes or no response overview would go over something that would surely address that address of whether they would be intrigued by contracting me once more, or if there is something better that I as a craftsman could do later on when chipping away at their item. Then again would it be better to simply endure and send new examples of my work each 3-6 months? 

Maybe that address from an alternate point  is there any sort of catch up you jump at the chance to see, or usually see, from artists after the first run through working with them?". That is a fascinating inquiry Anna. I've never accepted any sort of "review" about a specialists work, or their working relationship. Would I be interested in it? I suspect as much. In the event that it were short and brief, I'd most likely be up for it. That raises a fascinating point however. How often do you folks converse with a workmanship executive sometime later? I can depend on one hand the amount of times I've had a specialists converse with me after a venture to get input about either their craftsmanship, the methodology, or the working relationship. I think about whether that says all the more in regards to me, all the more about the craftsman, or all the more about the "normal" relationship between and AD and a craftsman? And that is an inquiry I don't have a response for.

Hagar the Horrible

HP Lovecraft Creature Lab Judging

I've got a couple more judges I'm waiting to hear from, but there is so much information here already - I felt it would be a shame to not share all the comments I've received so far. I'd like to start things off with some overall comments I received from Lars. I thought it was good educational info, and something that should be hung on the wall and absorbed. Always follow the brief. It's easy to get sidetracked if one aspect of an illustration interests you over another, but you've still got to deliver the goods you promised.

If someone asks you to build a bookshelf and you bring them the most gorgeous coffee table ever, odds are you're still going to have to go back and build that bookshelf on your dime. I saw a lot of wings as I looked through the submissions that had no basis in earthly reality. An easy response is, well, of course not... it's Fantasy. Fantasy art is not a license to just make everything up out of your head. The people who truly excel at it have a deep reservoir of knowledge to dip into. Always remember - Fantasy is all about making the things that are real so real that people swallow the little falsehoods whole and without question. If you have to fake something, make sure you inform yourself as best you can before you do!

Now, on to the judges comments: Zoë Robinson, Art Director. Fantasy Flight Games. Timo Karhula's Dunwich Horror. Spectacular News-Bite. I kept reading and then re-reading the text and looking at the image, finding more and more cool manifestations of Lovecraft's signature baffling and jumbled description. It's accuracy in the face of literary word salad kind of blows my mind; ordering that text into one cohesive image is the visual equivalent of an advanced mathematical proof, and the result is pretty darn awesome.

Getting the Research Done

I'll start to throw away "noise" and try to distill a mood, an emotion, a direction. I'm starting to focus in on my visual definition to my challenge. When I think I've distilled the information to it's core essence I'll pull out my list of questions again and measure my "core" against that initial list of questions. Does it answer all the questions, or does it fall short in some ways? Do I need to fill in some information, or do I still have some refinement left to do? Take your time and walk all the way through your exploration phase. You are setting the armature in place, and a solid foundation will help you find success. It is at this point, as a creative director, that I will start fleshing out my creative brief. As an artist, it is usually the place that I start hunting up reference material. Sometimes I'll have picked up some relevant materials. 

Materials in my exploration process, but often I've only gathered materials that help point me in the direction I want to go. Sometimes I have materials that show what I don't want (pointing towards that white space that needs to be filled) and I have to do further creative explorations to figure out how to fill that space. So as you can see, the research phase of creative development is just a single step on the creative journey. Do you have a creative exploration process that you'd like to share? Hints, tips and tricks for other creatives? Please share your thoughts or ideas in the comments below, or start a discussion in the ArtOrder community. Due to a delay in hand-offs. I am unable to post the challenge I planned on putting up today. Hopefully my editor will have good news for me today and I will be able to post the new challenge on Monday.

Research Questions

If I were to jump back up to the elf statement I made earlier - my mood board might be filled with images of acrobats, athletes in motion, natural motifs and patterns, successful WoW characters, various types of armor or weapons (real world and fantasy based), textures, patterns, metal samples, natural items (leaves, leather, etc). The items that go on the board aren't there to define an solution - they are there to serve as visual cues for questions we are asking while we explore the challenge we set ourselves.

Some common questions I ask myself in this exploration phase:

Who else has answered this challenge in the past?

What have others done in the past in response to this challenge?

What explorations did those answers generate afterwards?

Where can I see examples of this challenge?

Who am I trying to reach with this challenge?

What do they find important/valuable?

How do I want them to feel, or what action do I want them to take?

What colors/textures come to mind when I think of the challenge?

What music comes to mind when I think of the challenge?

I'll ask tons of questions, and try to find images or items that visually answer my questions, and put them on the wall.  By the way, write down all your questions. They will come in handy later. When I've got a wall of goodies, and when I've answered all of my questions in a visual manner, kind of created a visual representation of the challenge, that is when I will finally sit down and see if I can find the answer to my challenge. I start to sift through the visual information - look for answers, visual solutions, white space or ways to differentiate myself from my competition.