For all the readers out there who either 1) are working in the field as writers or illustrators, or 2) aspire to do so some day, here are a few helpful links aimed at the professional side of things.
17 Tips for Freelancers:
http://megillustrations.typepad.com/…
Chris Garret: “My Top 5 Biggest Freelancing Mistakes”:
http://freelancefolder.com/my-top-5…
How to disarm 10 difficult client observations/requests:
The Academy of Art University has posted an online class on drawing the human head. It covers different expressions, proportions, shading, etc. in a straightforward, easy-to-follow way. There’s even a nice interactive section at the end where you can dial up different expressions on the model and fade back and forth between the sketches and the actual photo.
I had a little bit of an epiphany today – nothing big, but helpful nonetheless. I’ve had Merlin Mann’s article on “Hacking Your Way Out of Writer’s Block” in my favorites for a long time, and I’ve been meaning to post a link. Merlin runs a great site called 43 Folders dedicated to making your work more efficient and getting things done.
This little tool is surprisingly addictive. You can dial up a color on the big color wheel, and it tells you what it’s called. Ship Cove, Baltic Sea, Milk Punch – they’re all in there. Alternately, you can select a color by name and see what it looks like. The list was compiled from a number of a number of sources, including color-name dictionaries and Crayola.
I first saw the SmudgeGuard mentioned on the internet a few months ago and thought I’d give it a try. The price was right, and I was getting really sick of using a paper mask to keep from smudging my drawings as I worked. (The fact that I’m left-handed only made things worse.)
Now, having used the SmudgeGuard for a number of projects, I can say that I really like it. It’s well made, comfortable, comes in both left and right-hand versions, and does a great job of keeping my drawings clean. Plus, I look super-cool when I wear it. Recommended!
All content © Matthew McElligott
