Who's Got Your Back?

Malcolm Gladwell talks about the importance of opportunity in the success of the successful in "Outliers". I totally buy into this idea. Example: you grew up on a farm - you have more opportunity of becoming a farmer than someone who grew up in the city. A tall kid growing up in a "basketball family" - probably has more chance of making the NBA than most and so on...

So I had to take a look at my own life to figure out what opportunities I had. The list is too long to mention here but at the top would be my parents. My mom and dad were always very encouraging when it came to my art. You might be thinking, "yeah, what's the big deal?" but I've realized that many kids don't have this kind of support when they want to tackle a non-mainstream career.

But my mom went way beyond support. She was truly excited whenever I showed her what I was working on. She NEVER gave me a critique. She was much smarter than I ever gave her credit - she knew I just wanted acceptance and she was more than willing to pour that all over me. We lost her last year but I can still hear her words of encouragement and see her smile as her genuine enthusiasm shined through. I owe her more than I ever told her - I wish I could now.

My wife Lori also get's a huge piece of the credit pie. What a wife. She's put up with the ups and downs of my non traditional career and learned to ride it with me. Without her support I wouldn't be an illustrator. My kids also give me a lot of love and words of encouragement even though they usually revert back to being boys.

I also have many wonderful friends who also provide me with the support and encouragement I need to feel confident about trying new ventures. Like the I HATE READING! app project. It's a scary thing venturing down a road you've never been on before. The voices of doubt are constantly throwing negative questions in your path to trip you and turn you away from the very thing you set out to do.

So - in order to be successful you need to surround yourself with "can do" types that give you encouragement without tearing you down. The world will do it's best to do that for you. What you need is a posse of people who unconditionally love you and get the fact that you're in it to win it. Self doubt is relentless and needs no sleep but you'll be fine if you have a group that has your back.

Progress: here are some sketches and finished work on the I HATE READING! app.

I HATE READING - Kickstarter project!

I just launched a new Kickstarter project called - "I HATE READING!" A humorous story of natural consequences, I HATE READING! teaches kids that reading is fun.

I've been working on this story on and off for many months but it wasn't working for the longest time. One day it just sort of clicked when I let the story play out the way it wanted to be told.

I'm going to be releasing it as an iOs app first (iPhone, iPad, iTouch) but if my kickstarter brings in enough money I'll be making a printed book as well. I'm having so much fun exploring the differences between print and digital development. I really like the idea of being able to tell the same story in both mediums but being able to go further with animation, sound, and the spoken word is just freakin cool!

For those of you who don't know what Kickstarter is allow me to do my best. Kickstarter wasn't the first "crowd funding" website but it is the only one (to my knowlege) that specializes in design, art, and publishing type projects. The idea is pretty simple. Instead of pitching an idea to a business or a business entity like a publisher - crowd funded sites allow you to pitch your idea to the public - online. The "pitcher" announces what he/she plans to produce and then through a series of rewards - invites "backers" to pledge money towards the products the "pitcher" is offering.

In my case I'm going to make an iOs app first (iPhone, iPad, iTouch) and a printed book second. In addition I'm offering small incentives like prints and drawings AND, other goodies to be announced along the way. And I'll let you guys know that I'm planning on giving away all of the additions to backers who pledge at the $65 mark for free. This is information that won't be found on Kickstarter right away.

This is an exciting way for me to fund my dream project which is what I HATE READING really is. It's my story because as many of you already know from reading this blog - I really suffered in school. I hated reading and school in general. If I were a kid now I would have no doubt been diagnosed with A.D.D and medicated. How many kids are suffering now because they're not being rewarded for the creativity they have waiting to be acknowledged?

If you have a minute you can check out my Kickstarter project here: click.

I Miss Snow

Is there anything wrong with that? I realize that loving snow is probably politically incorrect...and I understand that by declaring my love for the cold I'm probably alienating myself from some of you. Just know that I won't judge you for hating the very thing that gets me going! I love the quite, the beauty it gives the landscape, the sound it makes under my feet as I hike, and the playground it provides.

I painted the penguin in Photoshop last night as I looked at the photos of melting snow I took yesterday. Only high level snow left for this year and it's getting harder to get to. I guess I'll have to wait for next year - score one for the snow haters -  but your days are numbered!

Below are a few of the photos I took this year on my daily hikes...

Too Much Frosting?

I've come to realize a few things about my illustration journey. Telling a visual story is number one and I've been way too busy working on number two- making it pretty. Don't get me wrong I love what I've been doing but what I'm talking about is having the sensibility to pull back sometimes and subjectively make logical decisions.

It began when I started seeing books from Mo Willems and how much attention they were getting 4-5 years ago. I have to be honest. I was trained in a more traditional illustration program so to put it bluntly I wasn't a fan- in fact I felt it didn't deserve all the hubbub. How could such simple primitive art be of equal or apparently greater value than mine? This is hard to admit because it more than suggests arrogance towards my art. I'm pointing the finger of shame at myself here.

Over time I've realized that I've had it totally backwards. It started by watching kids respond to books like: Don't let the pigeon drive the bus (which I had wrongly judged by the cover.) Kids love it! -but I was looking at the simple line work and primitive drawing with a critical eye. How could anyone fall for it? -but they were in droves! What I was missing is how well it communicates and draws kids in to Mo's magical world and now I realize - THIS IS OUR JOB!

The movie transformers also really helped change my mind. Sitting through 45 minutes of CGI had my skin crawling- it was over frosted! -too much of a good thing. Was I guilty of the same sin? And digesting Caldecott honor book "First The Egg" by Laura Vaccaro Seeger was enlightening. I had been basing my value judgements of children's books on small pieces of art taken out of context.  Now I've realized that the book IS the art and to take it apart and judge it is akin to rating a movie from a 5 minute section.

What really solidified my new found religion was getting a critique from David Small- Caldecott medal winner for "So You Want To Be President?" I asked his opinion and he kindly gave it. He said, "beautiful work but you don't give your reader any break from your full blown color!"..."it's like your trying to kill em with color!" Wow- how did he get it so right? I didn't want to kill em with color- I wanted to annihilate em with color!!! I used to think that if I crafted each image in my book better than the last- the viewer would love it too. Unconsciously I was creating my 45 min. of boring CGI. Frosting is great when applied judiciously...too much and you just want to scrape it off.

Now I look to illustrate the story first...if it calls for lots of color I'll use it but I'll also look to hold back at critical times so that the "frosting" tastes that much better!

Do You Respect the Art of the Artist?

I suspect that most of us would never think of telling a neurosurgeon how and where to cut on a loved one. Instead we'd probably pray for and respect the expertise, professionalism, and yes, art of the physician. We want that same kind of respect with our own work. If your work is professional shouldn't you get that kind of respect? But how often do we boss the hair stylist? How overly involved do we get with cake decorators and interior designers? Do we respect the home plans that were designed by the architect? or do we ask the builder to take out this wall or change the size of that window? And what about the wedding photographer? Do we respect his/her ability to do what we saw in his/her portfolio? I guess what I'm saying is do we ask artists to do what they're good at or do we try to force them to do something they aren't comfortable with?

When I was illustrating for magazines and advertisements I was constantly amazed that there was often little or no respect given to my ability to create what the art director saw in my portfolio! I was so bothered by this lack of respect that I decided to try not to perpetuate this injustice. I found myself often telling the hairstylist, "Do what you think would look good on my head" (not that there was much hope anyway :) At nice restaurants I would ask the server to bring me what the chef was good at. Other times I've actually asked the chef to surprise me with what he/she would cook for him/herself.

 I guess I was rambling on in class one day about my thoughts on this subject and one of my very committed students took it to heart. Lee VanNoy Call who's work appears above and her husband Tyler found themselves at a Macaroni Grill one night. They asked to speak to the chef. A very worried looking culinary artist showed up and asked what they needed? Tyler spoke up and said, "I would like you to create whatever you like for me because I respect you as an artist and I'm confident that while I might not love what you come up with I'm sure it will be an enjoyable culinary journey apart from the normal path I usually take." (Or something pretty close)

The chef was dumbfounded. He couldn't speak. Finally he had to ask Tyler to repeat his request - after all he had grown accustomed to being treated like a drone, an order taker, a worker bee - certainly not as an artist and especially not like a surgeon. We profess to love art but how often do we allow artists to express their creativity? It's funny but when members of my family want to try my boxed leftovers from a restaurant they never ask what ingredients are in it - but when I cook for the family they always want to eliminate the very ingredients that were in my boxed leftovers. Have we become control freaks when it comes to art?

So the chef was overly careful to ask, "Are you sure you just want me to come up with something?" -and he did it repeatedly. Tyler met his concerns with multiple reassuring words - yes - yes and YES. So the dumbfounded chef retired to the kitchen. When their orders were brought they got a VIP treatment. (this, from a restaurant chain) The chef proceeded to explain what he had made. What ingredients were used. How they were used. Why they were chosen and so on. He was proud of what he had created and he wanted to share it. During the meal he re-appeared to find out if they were enjoying their meals - they were! It was a wonderful meal as they reported to me.

When they were finished he told them dessert was on the house - another off menu creation he made just for them! It too was amazing and a testament to the desire that artists have to give gifts to aficionados. The artist was surprised that his art was appreciated. The art appreciators were surprised at the overwhelming desire to please them by the artist. Why were two artists so surprised by something that should be very common?

If you give respect for artist's art - you might get respect for your art.  

Lee does some really cool DawgArt besides her illustration work - she was also accepted into the Society of Illustrators student show with the piece above!

SCBWI Chicago Conference Photos

I met so many wonderful and talented people at the conference - it was a real treat to be able to get to know them. I was inspired by their portfolios and enthusiasm for the craft of children's book making...a shout out to Tara Gartin for traveling 6 hours to get there - talk about commitment!

Martha Rago - associate creative director at Harper Collins was very gracious and open with sharing her knowledge of the business. She's the perfect spokes person for her company and the industry of children's books. I was honored to be able to get to know her and understand her thoughts combining art and words for children.

Janet and Terry organized a "first look" for illustrators. Each illustrator could submit one illustration before the conference to be critiqued by Martha and I in separate rooms. This was a great format in that neither of us had seen the art until is was flashed on the screen. We then had about 3 minutes to critique it. Nerve racking for me because I realized the impact this can have in someone's life and I wanted to make sure I didn't say anything that would be misunderstood or just plain wrong or unnecessary.

Janet McDonnell and Terry Murphy worked extremely hard at organizing and pulling off this event. My hat's off to them for their hard work - a dinner well deserved - OPAH!!!!

I got to go to Albert Whitman's offices and visit my editor and say high to the gang. When the secretary was in the bathroom I started answering the phones and pushing my books...that didn't last too long :)

They have funny cat's in Chicago - this one didn't like it when I grabbed his tail out side my hotel.

Chicago SCBWI

A quick shout out to Terri Murphy and Janet McDonnell who have taken time out of their busy schedules to organize the SCBWI ILLINOIS ILLUSTRATORS’ CONFERENCE this coming Saturday May 5th. They've risked a lot to invite me to speak along side Martha Rago - Harper Collins art director. I've been planning my grand entrance - it's down to a cartwheel (which I've never successfully pulled off) or a belly slide (which could go bad in so many ways). I remember advice way back when from someone - can't remember who: "Don't be forgettable" So I'll do my best to leave some kind of impression...even if it's only a stain on the floor :)

If you're in the area I'd love to meet you! Conference information here. 

This image above was done purely for the love of the game - I don't know what it means - I don't know this cow personally - don't even know if she knows there's a bird on her back - can't tell if the bird is friend or foe.  

"Like me!"...whether you want to or not!

In the past few years the word "Like" has taken on a whole new meaning. Instead of being more of a feeling it's become a way of giving a nod to someone or something on Facebook. And "Like Me" has become a call to action from a friend, relative, or even someone you barely know- an assignment. "You don't really know me but it would help me if you would login to your Facebook account, search for my cause, project, or company, and then click the "like" button." Does this annoy you? because it's often annoying to me...not because it's all that difficult but because I don't want my friends to buy your product if I don't really believe in it or like it.

Don't get me wrong - I click the "Like" button all the time- but it's unsolicited - which means I really cared about your idea, product, or art enough to risk telling my friends. I'm gearing up to launch a new iPad app for kids in the next month or so. Believe me - the thought of asking everyone I can reach for help is tempting but is it the right move?

I get it- the more likes you have the more successful you might become and all of us want success- but we won't be if our products aren't good enough to gain "likes" the natural way...the way "like" used to be...like when you asked your friend if they liked their burger?..."no, it was too cheesy!" I mean c'mon- you don't tell a joke and then ask, "Was that funny?" You simply don't have enough Facebook, Twitter, (insert other social media site here) fans/friends/whatever to get the kind of momentum you need to be successful by soliciting artificial love. So the artificial likes are just that - fake - and if the product isn't that good none of those "likes" will amount to anything.

As an entrepreneur I think asking a virtual stranger to "Like" your product actually weakens your brand. Actions speak louder than words so to me asking someone to give a recommendation with no regard for their true feelings says, "My product is too weak to become successful on its own so I'm going to need you to help me trick other strangers into thinking that people think my product is "the BOMB" when in reality I don't even believe in it myself.

On the other hand I'm a realist. I know that without a few early "Likes" many of your Facebook friends will never get the chance to see what you've been working on. Your worried that your Facebook post will get buried by other posts that are getting "Likes" right? This is where I think it's good to use a few of your close friends and family. These people get you and care enough to go out of their way to give your project a little push. They aren't hoping you'll fail and they'll be there for your next project. More importantly they'll be there to cheer you up if it doesn't do too well.

YouTube is the best example that ideas and products can spread like the bubonic plague. If you post a video that people find amazingly: hilarious, useful, disturbing, informative, emotional, etc. They'll do all the "Liking" for you...so much that you won't be able to control it. So be bold, original, and creative. Believe in yourself and leave the "liking" to the people that actually dig your stuff.

Writing & Illustrating for Young Readers

I've had the privlege of teaching in the past for WIFYR back in 2009 and 2010 and let me just say that this is one of the best conferences for writing and illustrating in the country! People fly in from all over to attend and space is still available. In past years the conference has sold out so it's not too late! I've talked with quite a few editors about this conference and many applaud it as one of the best in terms of quality of teaching as well as atmosphere. Their dedication to bringing you relevant and current information is really the key to their success.

There is a direct correlation to those who attend children's book conferences and those who get published. You simply can't do it on your own. You need to immerse yourself in the culture and expose yourself to the methods being taught by professionals. Think of it as a crash course in exactly what you need - not something you're likely to find at your local college. If you can swing it this is well worth your time! Here's the link - click.

iPad doodling - Photoshop finish

I've been working on this little iPad sketch on and off for the past few weeks. Whenever I'm in a meeting or a doctor's appointment I relax while sketching - amazing at how the time passes when your working on something you like. I've always wanted to own a cabin on a lake - perhaps it will happen for me some day.


I wasn't happy with the mountain I drew in the background so I replaced it in photoshop with a photo.


I emailed my sketch to my desktop and added color in Photoshop. I love the work I get to do for clients as well as the little bits of time I'm able to grab for personal work.

Check out my "negative" ebook reviews :)

In the following video I read my negative ebook reviews from the Barnes & Noble website just for kicks and giggles. You can actually learn a lot from your reviews and it really has helped me form my opinions for moving forward. As I work on my future app/ ebook projects I will be trying to avoid the problems that I had on these first three books. Monkey & Croc was my first attempt and gets the most negative reviews - mostly for bad formatting. The second most negative review I get is that my ebooks lack interactivity - another feature I will be adding in my apps. I've decided to work on projects geared for the iPad simply because that device works so well and is very popular. I feel I have the best chance for success by going in this direction.

“What's the Going Rate?”...Really?

I constantly hear fellow illustrators, photographers, and graphic designers ask each other, “what's the going rate?" – a book cover– magazine spread– picture book- it seems that many artists want to know what you were paid so they can ask for the same amount. I think this is the wrong question. I think making art is very different than making a massed produced product such as a can of coke. A can of coke has a fixed cost and a fixed amount of time to produce. Your art varies in complexity and the time it takes to produce AND - it's very different than mine. Your art might take you longer to produce than mine. The project I'm being asked to illustrate might be more complex than yours. The conceptual energy you spend might be more taxing on you than me. My method might be more expensive to execute than yours and so on.

Individually we value our time differently. Your cost of living might be higher than mine. My work load may be greater than yours. The quality of your illustration might be higher than mine. My ambitions might be lower than yours. Your reputation might be better than mine. With all of these variables why would we seek for sameness? Why should we seek to price our work in lockstep. Why are we afraid to ask for what we want?

I think we should be asking different questions: How much time will this assignment take me? Can I complete this project given my current work load? Do I want to do this assignment? Do I believe in the message of this assignment? Will I enjoy working on this project? Am I capable of successfully completing this project? What is the opportunity cost of taking this assignment? How bad do I need money right now? Given all of these factors my motivation for a particular assignment is going to be different than yours. My need to land the project isn't going to be the same as yours. These factors can change from month to month as my workload fluctuates project to project. So a one size fits all price makes as much sense as expecting to buy Apple stock for the same price it was 15 years ago.

My formula for pricing assignments goes like this: 1) Will I have fun illustrating this project? If so I'll probably be willing to accept less but I'll need more money if it's going to be drudgery. 2) Will I have to work extremely long hours to complete the assignment or do I have plenty of time? My demands will vary accordingly. 3) How bad do I need the money right now? If my income has been high than my need to take the assignment is lower and I'll probably ask for more money.

After I consider all of these factors I try to figure out what my bottom line dollar amount is. Example: A client asks me to to illustrate a brochure for a national toy company and wants me to submit my bid. Work has been slow so I really want to take the assignment even though it doesn't look like much fun. I figure that given the work load I want to do it for no less than $2000 – lower than that and I'll be happy to lose it. If I can visualize being happy doing it for $1600 than that has to be my new bottom line and so on. So if $1600 is my bottom line then I can feel comfortable asking for $2500 - $3000. If the client agrees to $2700 I'll feel pretty good knowing I would have done it for less. If the client comes back saying they can't pay a penny more than $1300 I won't stress about turning it down because I've already had this crucial conversation with myself.

On the other hand let's say I'm asked to do the same assignment but I've been very busy with good paying work and I currently have a lot of assignments. Taking this new project will have me working weekends and very long days. Now when I go through my check list my bottom line is much higher. This is why you and I can NOT possibly expect to work for “the going rate”! In this case my bottom line might have increased to $4000 or even higher. I probably won't get the job when I am firm at this higher rate but if I do I'm still happy- if not – no sweat. The most important thing is avoiding regret. There's really nothing worse than landing the project and then wishing you had turned it down. You have to know what your bottom line is before you can expect to negotiate successfully.

Lets stop treating our work like common mass produced products and start treating it like art.

Meet My Doggie!!!

If you're one of my facebook friends you know how much I love my dog pooch. I've been trying to think of ways to include her on the blog and it hit me last night. So I dug up a photo we took this past winter and tried to think how I could combine illustration with her picture. Of course it had to be a penguin - my favorite bird! I think every dog wants to be ridden by a penguin. Photo shop is just so fun to play with and so all I did was import the photo to my iPad - do a little doodle on an overlay layer in "brushes" and then painted it in photoshop. This might be a fun way to illustrate an ebook or app about her in the future....you never know right?

Painting Demo

This was an acrylic painting demo I did for my media tech class at UVU a few weeks ago. I still love to paint traditionally even though I don't do it for my freelance or personal project work any more. I don't think it's a any big secret that I have an extreme love affair with photoshop however working in acrylics is my first love - and I'll never forget her. The method I used on this piece is the same one that was taught to me by Rob Colvin 20 plus years ago in school. I painted this on a piece of 12x18 masonite - gessoed with lines from brush - pencil sketch - acrylic washes for under painting in burnt sienna - add value with ivory black and burnt sienna and then a series of acrylic paint layers that gradually get dryer and dryer as I work the lightest lights last. I actually even made a video tutorial of this process and you can check it out right here: http://folioacademy.com/samplec.html

I Got To Speak At Ringling !

Wow! What a week! I was asked to speak and jury the student show at Ringling College of Design by Octavio Perez (Illustration Faculty) -an amazing artist. It was a very flattering experience and rewarding to be able to visit an institution committed to excellence in teaching students good design and art fundamentals.


They have a really nice campus in a resort area - I don't know how they manage to get their work done with so many distractions available.


I spoke about the necessity to become indispensable and to open their minds to new possibilities in the creation of their own digital properties.


A group of illustrators hung around after to chat - one of them had me sign 1313 Dead End Drive - the Hasbro board game I illustrated years ago - first time I ever signed it!


They told me there were over 2000 entries in the student show - crazy! My job was to whittle it down to about 60-80 pieces - not an easy task - there were so many really good pieces.


Here are a few of the pieces that made the cut.


Bonus! My sister has a house in Sarasota and I met up with her and her husband for some wonderful dinners and even had a chance to hit the #1 beach in the US - Siesta Key!


And this is what I flew home to yesterday!

Nasty Bugs!!!

It's so nice to have a part in seeing a project go from beginning to end. I was privileged to work with the great Lee Bennett Hopkins - THE poet anthologist for kids. He's basically won all the poetry awards and even holds a Guinness world record for most prolific poetry anthologist. My editor at Penguin was like, "Do you know how famous Lee is?" and I had to apologize because I'm not well read in poetry- so I looked him up and holy cow! Anyway - he seems like a really nice guy too and in Nasty Bugs he's gathered some of the best poets from around the country and spun a web of YUCK!!!...for the boys...and the girls who are more brave than I.


This was a very fun book to work on - a dream project really because each illustration is a stand alone. When I finished one I could take on the challenge of new characters for a new nasty poem. One of the challenges in illustrating a traditional book is that often the story takes place in one or two locations which means that backgrounds have to be similar - which means similar colors. You have to constantly dream up new ways to keep the images fresh and avoid redundancy.

I sure hope I get to work with Lee and Dial again - Jason Henry did a fabulous job designing and laying out the book. I've always wondered why the designers don't get their name on the cover as well - they do so much work.

Rockin on My Ipad Apps!

So, if you've been following my blog for more than a few months you'll notice that I was working on a monster app and then I kind of went silent on that front. Well, the project was going really well and still is however I started feeling like it was becoming larger than I wanted to tackle at this time. The amount of work was becoming overwhelming and so I've set it aside for now because I really want it to reflect my vision. I was afraid that if I kept working on it I would be tempted to cut corners.

Good news however - I'm about half way through my next app creation and am working with a talented and very accomplished writer Rick Walton and programer Mike Bohman to produce what we think will be a really fun______ (insert category here). We don't really know what to call it because it's not a story app but it has a story. It's not a game either in that you can't beat it or win...or even compete against the computer or another player. No - it's just a thing - a widget - a whobadeewhatee and so we might call it an iPad toy or digital toy or something like that. Anyway above is one of the illustrated characters for my ebook/app - just wanted to let you know that I'm actively working on several ideas right now - it's sooooo exciting to be able to concept, rough out, design, render, and publish anything you can think of!!!

My Plea To You....

I don't recall ever asking you for anything so I'm going to call in a favor right now. I want you to read or listen to Linchpin by Seth Godin. I believe this is the most powerful argument for rethinking "the system" that I've ever heard before. Why should you re-think the system? Because all of us want to make art that's not only relevant but we also like the idea of making money. This book will tell you what you need to be doing to compete in the next decade and beyond. Please please please take the time to read or listen to Linchpin - I believe every H.S. senior and college student should read this as well!

Is It Vain to Indie Publish ebooks or apps?

Recently on an internet thread about self publishing ebooks a fellow illustrator wrote, "If I pay, it's vanity and I'm not that vain."

I thought it might make for a good blog post and create good dialog.

van·i·ty
   [van-i-tee] Show IPA noun, plural -ties, adjective
noun excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.....something worthless, trivial, or pointless.

So I'll start by asking a few questions:

1. If you're working with a traditional publisher don't you PAY with compromises? When we're asked to make changes that we don't agree with aren't we paying by agreeing?

2. If we accept a manuscript that we feel should have changes but must agree to illustrate "as is" aren't we again paying with more compromises?

3. When we sign a contract that stipulates that if a motion picture is ever produced from the manuscript we are ineligible to receive compensation - even though the movie director might use the illustrations as a spring board....are we paying again? (talk to me sometime about a friend of mine who had to watch the movie art director accept an academy award for the look of the movie which looked exactly like his illustrations - he received no compensation either.)

4. Are we paying when we give up 90% of the book revenues to the publisher?

5. And how much are we paying when we wait sometimes years to see our book finally published? (I have a friend who had to wait 9 years from when her book was first bought....didn't she pay?)

Most things that have value come at a cost...I don't mind paying.

A few more thoughts:

What if J.K. Rowling had stopped submitting her manuscript "Harry Potter and the and the Philosopher’s Stone after being rejected time and time again? Bloomsbury was basically her last chance...what if they had rejected it too? Would she have been vain if she self published it and it took off?

Publishers are often right and often wrong. Large publishers usually help make manuscripts and art better. Publishers overlook niche markets. Publishers find and exploit niche markets. Publishers make dumb decisions. Publishers make smart decisions.

Picasso said everyone is born and artist....are you going to let someone else validate your art with a simple thumbs up or down?

I love working with editors and art directors. I'm saddened that editors don't get their names on the front cover along with the author and illustrator. I have quite a few books where the art director or editor's suggestions, ideas, requests, or changes made a section go from good to great. Having said this we are all human and all make mistakes - even editors. I can't afford to allow my value as an artist to be determined by what one or two other people think about my work. We only get better through hard work - trial and error - success and failure. So why not publish it yourself if you can't sell it it to an editor? The market will let you know if you created something of value.

Publishers have many reasons why they turn down AMAZING manuscripts and artwork. I have heard editors give reasons such as: "Our house already had a book in the same genre scheduled to be published even though we liked the new manuscript better" or "All of the editors loved it but the marketing dept. shot it down" or "Our firm decided to work primarily with established authors and we ended up turning down some amazing work." Should all of this amazing work be forgotten about?

If you wait for the validation of a publisher you might be killing your artist, ideas, and genus that's waiting to be unleashed.

Can you have pride in your work without being vain? I think so. I think we all need to have enough pride to submit our work for publisher review. I think we need to take pride in our work to make it better. Without pride we'll cease to innovate. Without pride we'll stagnate. In order to see success in indie publishing you better have pride in your work - and a lot of it if you want to be noticed.

Be Selfish by Helping Someone Else!

I think I've talked about this before but one of the best things you can do for your art is to help someone else with theirs. I don't care if you're a rank beginner or a veteran there's really no substitution for the knowledge and ability you will gain by breaking down what you've learned to spoon it out to someone else - oh yeah and there's a side benefit - YOU'LL FEEL AMAZING WHILE DOING IT! Again, you don't have to be that far along the path - just a little farther than the person you're teaching. All of us have something to give.

The other day I was in a position to avoid a person who had avoided my help in the past. We'll call this person the "artist". I had been annoyed by the artist's "unteachable" attitude and somewhat abrasive personality but due to certain circumstances it just worked out - I found myself sharing what I had learned to be true. The artist was different that day - approachable and willing to listen. Before I knew it we had accomplished quite a bit and I could tell that the artist had learned a few things that could potentially change his/her life. It was very rewarding and very unexpected that day.

But we both won! I was able to question and carefully re-think my method therefore solidifying my knowledge and reinforcing my skill, while the artist gained a gift. If you want to become a better artist you need to teach what you know to others. Even if you're reluctant to let your light shine - do it! You'll only get better!

Dr. Paul Interviewed Me For Podcast

There's a first time for everything and Monday was my introduction to a podcast interview. Dr. Paul runs a great podcast called "Live On Purpose Radio". He interviews people who have had to overcome adversity and make crutial decisions in their lives to find success. I think he was running low on quality interviews when he saw me bumpin down the street. I felt a tug as I was snatched off my feet and plopped in his chair. Someone slammed some headphones and shoved a mic in my face and the rest...is in the podcast: http://www.liveonpurposeradio.com/radio/2012/02/13/illustrating-success/

You don't need an iPod to listen - just click the link and listen right from the webpage. Anyway - I had fun and now I'm going back through some of his other podcasts - really good stuff.

Guess What Came In The Mail?

There's nothing quite like getting a box of new books in the mail! You spend months working on a project but have to wait sometimes over a year to see the final product. Senorita Gordita is my third book with Author Helen Ketteman - a wonderful author and a great gal! Senorita Gordita is a fractured fairy tale or retelling of "The Little Ginger Bread Man" with a southwest twist.


Our Publisher - Albert Whitman, has been great to work with. Senorita Gordita is my sixth book with them and hopefully not my last. Developing relationships with publishers has been vital to developing my career in children's books. So far all six books are still in print - I don't know what they're doing over there but from experience this is rare - way to go Whitman...and Albert!!! I've had other books go out of print with other publishers and it's never fun when that happens. There are a lot of reasons why some books do well while others don't - perhaps another blog entry in the future.


Oh, also, Albert Whitman has been having great success with their ebook releases of "The Box Car Children"

Just For Fun!

Once a month I try to make time for a personal piece. I know I've talked about this before but I feel it's important to pursue creating something without boundaries or limits. An excuse to be totally selfish. To allow the piece to "breath". I had fun with this one...now back to work! (digital illustration painted using photoshop)

How to Make and Market Your ebook / app

I get asked quite often: "why should I make an ebook or app and what are the best methods to market them?" In the video below I try to make a case for both. I hope that my insights will help you make the right decisions for you. I'm not an expert at this whole ebook thing but I've developed some opinions which I've put in the video. With a technology so new all we can really go on is each others best guesses and experiences. If you're writing or illustrating or contemplating either I think this video might help you solidify your ideas or change them for the better.

Oh yeah - the video is about a half hour so get your favorite beverage and a sketchbook and chilax!

9 Pros and Cons of app / ebook builder sites

I've been thinking a lot about app/ebook builder websites. In other words - websites that provide tools for uploading image, sound, and text files so the user can create an ebook/app. I realize that my opinions are probably all wrong and that I've probably overlooked a lot but here's what I'm thinking and feel free to totally disagree/correct me.

I'm comparing an app builder site to hiring/partnering with a programer:


1 user friendly: I think one of the benefits of using a builder site is the ease of use compared to the hassle of finding and back and forth communication with a programer.

2 quick to market: I'm guessing that because the process is much easier with a builder site - you would be able to get your book published faster. (this is theory)

3 fewest limitations: Looking at the builder sites I've been able to find I think hands down there are more limitations in programing on a builder site vs what a programmer could do.

4 most money % 4 artist: This has to go to the programer ebook because if you hire a programer all the money from Amazon, B&N, or itunes comes directly to you instead of going through the builder site where they siphon off their percentage first. However if you partner with a programer then they get their cut so this one could go either way...

5 control of rights: Again this one goes to the programer ebook simply because when you're the publisher you control all the rights to your book - you decide where it's sold and if you want to license it or sell it to another entity.

6 viral potential: I don't see an advantage either way on this one - tie.

7 quicker payments: I give this one to the programer book because again the money doesn't go to the builder site first where you have to wait for more turn around.

8 sold on more platforms: Some builder sites will only allow your book to be sold on their site - others control which sites it will be sold on - so this one goes to the programer ebook/ app

9 cheapest to publish: This one depends on how you look at it and is too complicated to really answer - so many variables. If you are your own programer - perhaps you're doing a simple ebook with no animations, sounds, etc - you'll probably incur the fewest costs. So perhaps I should have had a third category - the self programed ebook - but I think most of us are scared of actually programing an interactive ebook ourselves.


One last thing I'd like to point out is that amazing things can be done with great limitations. We put a man on the moon with less computing power than you have in your cell phone. The Blair Witch project was filmed on a camcorder. Wilbur and Orville Wright accomplished flight with rudimentary building materials. Could you create a classic on a builder site? I believe so. Having said that I think the best method is to design the ebook including functionality on paper first. If you can realize your dream on a builder site and you like the terms - go for it. If the limitations demand too many compromises you may want to hire or partner with a programer.