We are always kind of jelous of malls when it is summer. Sales and people buying everywhere, we could use some of that too! That's why we decided to launch a summer sale with a 30% off on your first year of PRO plan. Don't miss the chance, it will only last until August 31.
One of the things that would appear again and again on our conversations with our PRO customers was the chance to have a personal shop on the portfolio website they had built with Drawfolio. You are may using already some services like etsy or bigcartel to sell your illustration originals or prints, but profiles on these sites are not customizable at all, and your competition is just actually a few clicks away from your profile. Having your store and portfolio in the same website, with your our own .com domain can help to boost sales, make your personal brand stronger and save you time.
That's why we put some weeks of work on this, and we are happy to announce we are launching Stores in private beta. As we usually do, we worked on a minimal prototype to have people work with it as soon as possible, and fit our solution to your specific problems.
We are going to accept invites to the private beta on a regular basis, and you can request one filling this survey. We are designing different combinations of a monthly fee + % of each order for the stores services, but as long the beta endures we will only charge you a 2% from each order you receive.
For any doubt, question, suggestion or problem, please contact us at uservoice or write us at [email protected].
On our next interview, we travelled to Murcia to talk with Pablo Manuel. Pablo works as illustrator for the publishing field, and also founded and managed Ilustrafun, a series of workshops & leisure events around illustration. He is also a PRO customer of Drawfolio, so we couldn't wish any better!
How did you get into illustration and design?
I studied Fine Arts at College, and tried a bit of everything: design, photography, or sculpture. I did a subject on illustration and got interested from there. Two years after I finished my degree, I got on second place of the Badajoz Adult Illustrated Tale Award with "Extrañas mujeres de Azul", and that really made me see I had to devote to illustration.
How do you deal with clients and projects on terms, deadlines, etc?
I work with two main premises: deadline and budget. These will shape the nature of the project. A few days project is highly different from one supossed to be months long, as a three-figure budget looks different from a four-figure one. Aside from that, there are more elements to manage and discuss on a project: concept art, illustration application, etc.
What qualities does a client and project need to have for you to feel comfortable and motivated?
Above all things, I seek that our terms and roles are well defined and understood by both parts. A lot of clients want to dictate changes without an informed opinion, and will stick to them even if you try to reason or argue. That is quite bad for both client and the illustrator. You wouldn't tell a surgeon how to do this job, so why you can do that with illustrators or designers?
You are founder of manager of Ilustrafun, a great initiative looking to add value to illustrators with events and workshops. How did it began, and how was the journey until here?
Ilustrafun tries to bring illustration workshops and events to Murcia and its region, just like the ones who happen at big cities. We tried to bring relevant illustrators to teach workshops, and combine that with leisure activities to make the environment fun and enjoyable. We have done workshops so far with artists such as Malota, Sr. López, Adolfo Serra, Luis Demano, etc.
Everyone, from the teachers to the students and team, were very happy with the results. Nowadays, Ilustrafun is on hiatus due to finance matters: running the whole thing without sponsors or public helps has proved very tough.
We see a lot of startups and projects appearing lately around the world of illustration. Do you think this will continue to grow, or is it some kind of "heat of the moment"?
Illustration has been for a long time in our life, it's not something new. But it definitely has more visibility now, and it's sort of "fashionable". But I don't think the mass public know what illustration is, the reach and different kinds of it, or what fields it is applied to. They see it as a mixture of "artsy stuff" and "knowing how to draw". I don't know if it will continue to grow, but it will stay for sure.
And last, but not least: any advice for aspiring illustrators just starting up their careers?
I had to learn a lot of things lately, and one of them is learning not to compare yourself with the rest of the world. We see facebook, twitter and other social networks and people are making wonderful things. Everyone seems happy, and there is a lot of "awesomeness" around us that does not really reflect reality. Working on an artistic field (be it acting, music, illustration or any other kind of creativity) is not easy at all, and you need to have that in mind.
Every person willing to be an illustrator has her own style, language and path, and my advise would be to follow it. Don't be afraid of making mistakes, keep walking forward and ask for constructive critiques. And above all, be at peace with your work, as I see it as part of ourselves.
Thanks a lot, Pablo!
Our next interviewee is Carla Fuentes, better known as Littleisdrawing.
Carla is a freelance illustrator from Valencia, and has worked on a wide range of projects and clients: illustration work with publications such as Forbes, Union Magazine or Squire; projects with brands such as Coca-Cola, Nike, Seagram's or Honda; and work for music bands and festivals such as Pollock, Deleste or Festival de les Arts. She also puts a strong focus on personal projects.
Where did the road to become a successful illustrator began for you?
It was a bit of an accident. I wanted to work professionally on fashion and be a fashion designer. But I began to upload dooddles and small drawings to my fotolog, and work began arriving from there, each time more interesting and professional, until today.
What inspirations sources do you take from for building a unique, personal style like yours?
I get inspired by contemporary artists like Freud, Hockney, Peyton and Eduardo Arroyo. I love how they deal with portraits and the human figure. I take all my inspiration from them.
You worked with big brands like Coca-Cola, Pull & Bear, Nike or Women's secret. How is working with them? How can aspiring illustrators get to work with this kind of customers?
Brands seek exposure through a number of disciplines, and it is great to see them betting on art and illustration as a more creative way to get to their customers. I like working with brands, they trust a lot on your work and usually give you a lot of freedom.
My advise would be being always open to any proposal and let yourself go and find what the brand inspires to you.
We know you never leave home without your tablet, and you are one of the most "technological" illustrators we know. How do you use technology on your day-to-day? Does it play an important role when managing work and clients?
Technology is something essential to me. I'm always connected to the world through Internet and my computer, and the work I get is always because of the exposure I get from the net. I use the computer as a work tool to scan, refine, etc, and I use my tablet for all the other of tasks, like updating social networks, sketching, etc. In my opinion, technology is indispensable.
And last, but not least: any advice for aspiring illustrators just starting up their careers?
Create something new, with its own personality.
Thanks a lot Carla!
We already interviewed 15 illustrators and artists on our blog, and we thought it would be a good idea to link them all in a single post so you can review them. You will find great insights on a variety of fields and markets, and most importantly: great advise to make your career successful as an illustrator and artist.
Jotaká
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Pere Devesa
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Alex Mathers
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Luis NCT
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Laura Pérez
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Marina Muñoz
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David Belmonte
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Iban Barrenetxea
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Thomas James
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Mario García Arévalo
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Ramón Mascarós
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Daniel Gordillo
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Neil Swaab
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Paula García
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José Rosero
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