12/6/23

Be quick! Our massive sale at MATS ends today! 🤩

LAST CHANCE: Our huge annual sale ends TODAY! Save at least 30% off everything, and up to 50% off our career-changing bundles!

 

Find our sales page here and explore everything that’s available in our huge annual sale!

We’ve got everything you need to transform your art career in the year ahead, with inspirational courses – including three NEW courses for 2024 – powerful assignments, tons of motivation and support, and bucketloads of incredible tips and advice!

How do you get these cool gigs?

Take Make Art That Sells classes!

 

You can’t ignore it anymore… Christmas is right around the corner.

If you celebrate and are looking for unique gifts, why not support an artist directly instead of buying at the big stores? Scroll down for some fun online shopping!

Katie Vernon
Cute, quirky, and colorful prints and originals by Katie Vernon.

Check ’em out here!

Kay Wolfersperger
Get a little Frenchie with framed art prints featuring original illustrations by Kay Wolfersperger developed during her artist residency in Lacoste, France.

Visit Kay’s online shop here.

 

Maruga Koops
Maruga writes:

I love to design colorful and cute art. In my Red Bubble shop I sell some of my illustrations on products. My favorite product in the shop is the art print from the positive thinking girl with flowers (above, right). I have this print hanging on my own wall and I love to see this as a reminder every day. More designs are coming in the future.

See Maruga’s beautiful designs in her shop here!

 

Kim Fleming
Kim’s shop is full of fun designs for the holidays and beyond.Find a variety of products such as greeting cards, mugs, T-shirts,even pet bandanas!

Come take a look.

 

Anke Rega
Beautiful products and art prints by Anke to brighten up and inspire your every day.

Visit her store here.

11/28/23

Warning: You might be hungry after reading this

 
Are you ready to super charge your art career in 2024? Would you like to focus on your art in the company of like-minded people? To be inspired and learn new things? To learn from experts in the industry?

Then check out the MAKE Art That Sells huge Cyber Sale on now, with at least 30% off everything and up to 50% off our career-changing bundles.

Plus, THREE brand NEW courses for 2024! They’re original, super cool, and you’re going to find them so helpful for your career. Check them out!

Click here to download your fab free Sale Guide for details of everything that’s included in our huge sale plus interactive worksheets, insightful quizzes, a yearly planner, and more.

I’ve put together this delicious smorgasbord of goodies to support your creative career through 2024 and beyond.

 

Last week was Thanksgiving here in the US, a holiday which centers on the joy of good people and good food. Here are some illustrations to whet your appetite for the foodie season.
Contact us to assign or license art. We’re happy to help you find the perfect artist or gorgeous images for your project!

 

Erin Vanessa
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Flora Waycott
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Katie Vernon
Available for licensing as of this writing

 

Bonnie Dain
Ann Boyajian
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Kate Mason
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Jenn Ski
Available for license as of this writing.
11/15/23

See Sarah Papworth’s art process!

We’re thrilled to announce the publication of O is for Ossicone, illustrated by our beloved Sarah Papworth. Read our interview with Sarah, below.

Contact us to assign or license art. We’re happy to help you find the perfect artist or gorgeous images for your project!

Sarah Papworth
Sarah writes: “Recently, the kids ABC board book; ‘O is for Ossicone’ launched in stores. I absolutely loved illustrating and working on this project with Simon & Schuster because although I have drawn many animals before, I hadn’t created a whole book of them! “
O is for Ossicone, illustrated by Sarah Papworth, published by Simon & Schuster.

Available now!

Buy it here.

“Did you know that ossicones are the hornlike parts of a giraffe’s head? Introduce young readers to unusual animal facts and new vocabulary like “baleen” in this alphabet book that has flaps on every page!”

What did you enjoy most about working on this book?

I think the thing that I liked most was figuring out how to create a good composition across the main pull out pages of the book. The book is designed with card flaps to lift up and see what’s underneath. So the close-up of an animal and the alphabet letter sits on top with the full animal and facts underneath when revealed. This meant there were two aspects to consider for the composition and I enjoyed the challenge.

What did you learn from doing this project?

I learnt that not all kids books need to be too cutesy, the team at Simon and Schuster had asked me to go slightly more realistic with my style, while keeping the colours cheery, and I enjoyed working this way.

Above: A finished illustration before the Simon & Schuster team added text.
Were there challenges?

With the cardboard flap being a “close-up/zoomed in” part of the whole animal, I needed to make sure I drew the illustrations large enough so that I could enlarge the part that is meant to be on the front section.

I sketched at my usual smaller size with pencil on paper, then I scanned those in to send to the publisher with some rough colour.

When they were approved, I blew the scale up and printed the roughs out at full size. Then I traced them at full size, plus scanned at high resolution, so I could enlarge them further.

This worked well.

Where did you find inspiration for this project?

I spent some time Googling the animals I needed to draw, and the team at Simon & Schuster gave me a great brief with images to show the body parts that had to be included. I wanted to keep the animal shapes as simple as I could, almost like Charlie Harper or Eric Carle – but in my own style. I also wanted the colours to be super gorgeous.

What medium did you use?

I used a fine-line pen for the linear details, and I added in hand-painted textures, but the main shapes and final brush details were created in Photoshop. I love to use a mix of both for speed but also enjoyment.

Above: My initial sketches and how I arrange multiple sketches on a page to scan in.
Above: From sketch to final.

 

I love how the finished project turned out. The quality of the book is lovely, and I felt really proud to hold it in my hands.

I also loved how I got into the flow of making this book, it was fun to draw in pencil for the roughs, create a colour rough and go to final on Photoshop.

Above: Sarah’s artwork and Studio.
Thanks so much Sarah!

O is for Ossicone is available now. Buy it here.

See more of Sarah Papworth’s gorgeous illustration work here.

11/8/23

More amazing books and toys from our artists

Scroll down to see some of our artists’ projects which are now out on the market: Puzzles, children’s books, activity books, coloring pages, oh my! Enjoy!

Contact us to assign or license art. We’re happy to help you find the perfect artist or gorgeous images for your project!

Tara Lilly
“Puzzle to go” (Mudpuppy)

Buy it here.

 

Bambi Ramsey
Portrait of Pacita Abad from “Be a Creative Changemaker:

A Kids’ Art Activity Book” (Quarto)

Available for Pre-order here!

 

Brian Lambert
“This stunning debut picture book teaches that real treasure is not gold and friendship holds the most value of all.”

The Treasure (Magic Cat Publishing)

Buy it here.

 

Kay Wolfersperger
Fun coloring pages for Creative Bug!

Download them here.

 

Maruga Koops
Nine & Mella (Leopold Publishing)

“Cheerful and recognizable reading stories full of color and diversity. A book every child can identify with!”

Buy it here.

 

Rebecca Jones
64 piece search and find puzzle (Mudpuppy)

Buy it here.

 

 

10/25/23

Check out my gorgeous flatlays! 🌺 📖 🌸

I’m so lucky that with every project we commission or license for our artists, I get a copy of the final product delivered to the Studio. It means the Studio is bursting with color and beauty!

Sometimes I can’t help myself and I just have to take photos to share with you. Scroll down to get your eye candy hit for the day!

Contact us to assign or license art. We’re happy to help you find the perfect artist or gorgeous images for your project!

 

My Studio when I’m in photography beast mode!
Beautiful greeting cards by my artists.

 

Tara Lilly
Craft projects by Djeco

 

Brian Lambert
The Treasure (Magic Cat Publishing)

Buy it here.

Flora Waycott
A sample of Flora’s gorgeous stationery work.

 

Tequitia Andrews
Embroidery collection

(Sublime Stitching)

Buy it here.

Maria Gabriela Gama
Hsinping Pan

 

To The Moon!

(Xoxoterysa)

Buy it here.

The Cutest Thing Ever(Abrams)

Buy it here.

10/17/23

See some highlights from our annual Retreat event

We had a fabulous time at our 9th Annual Artists and VIPs Retreat, held virtually via Zoom.

LRS Agents and Artists met with VIPs from markets such as publishing, home décor, and stationery. Artists and VIPs then broke into pairs for ten minutes apiece to view and discuss the artists’ gorgeous work.

We call it Speed Art Dating, and it’s a wonderful way for the artists and VIPs to meet.

 

Retreat 2023 highlights
Left: LRS Agents and Artists Zoom with VIPs–art directors, publishers, and editors.

Later, the artists and the VIPs broke into pairs for ten minutes apiece to view and discuss the artists’ gorgeous work.

We call it Speed Art Dating, and it’s a wonderful way for the artists and VIPs to meet.

Later, we held “LRS Artist Share Day,” where LRS artists could all be together, laugh, and share all the goss. Several artists also made small presentations on different subjects, such as recent creative trips, organizational tools, and arty toys that we all now need to go and buy.
Artists showed their gorgeous art to the VIPs a screenshared PDF.Those PDFs are now available for viewing and download here!They each include a few brand-new-never-before-seen pieces of art. Here is a selection of new images that were unveiled:

 

Available for license as of this writing.

 

Lydia Graves
Available for license as of this writing.

 

Sarah Papworth
Available for license as of this writing.

Albert Arrayás
Sarah Walsh
Available for license as of this writing.

 

Erin Vanessa
Trina Dalziel
Available for license as of this writing.
10/4/23

MATS artwork bonanza!

There’s always something happening over at Make Art That Sells! We are just wrapping up our fabulous Character Play class, and about to start Illustrating Children’s Books.

Character Play takes a mini story written by amazing Art Director Zoë Tucker, a brilliant toy concept by toy-master Riley Wilkinson, and squishes them together until they’re all melty. The result: amazing art! Scroll down to see…

Our most popular class, Illustrating Children’s Books, starts on Oct 9th! Join me THIS FRIDAY for a free live zoom with all the juicy details.

Join Zoë Tucker and me,

Friday Oct 6th,

12PM ET on zoom

 

Contact us to assign or license art. We’re happy to help you find the perfect artist or gorgeous images for your project!
Art from Character Play class:
Fay Ford

 

Kim Fleming

 

Erica Root

 

Art from previous Illustrating Children’s Books classes:

 

Charlotte Bruijn

 

Paloma O’Toole

 

Ruth Burrows

 

Kendra Binney
9/29/23

It’s Autumn here in New England. The air is getting crisp and so are the apples. Break out those sweaters!

Contact us to assign or license art. We’re happy to help you find the perfect artist or gorgeous images for your project!

Janie Secker
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Kay Wolfersperger
Hsinping Pan
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Kim Fleming
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Brian Lambert
Maruga Koops
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Flora Waycott
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Jenny Miriam
Available for license as of this writing.

 

My new class on Creative Bug is LIVE !Treasure Hunt Your Writing Style: A Daily Practice
Sign up here!
Looking to take your writing skills to the next level? My writing course, Treasure Hunt Your Writing Style, with Creative Bug is now live!

Use my Magic Writing card deck and follow writing prompts paired with an “oddity” or found object to inspire your writing.

Whether you’re looking to learn new writing techniques for your journal, social media, or as the basis for a book idea, this class will introduce you to a plethora of techniques and genres to jumpstart your writing practice.

 

 

9/18/23

What have our artists been working on?

See some of our artists’ fun and favorite work, below. Art suitable for greeting cards, children’s books, editorial, and more!

 

Trina Dalziel
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Kendra Binney
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Lydia Graves
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Maria Gabriela Gama
Sarah Papworth
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Katie Vernon
Available for licensing as of this writing.

 

Bambi Ramsey
Available for licensing as of this writing.

9/18/23

Webinar with Fay Ford

Sept 18th, 2023 — WebinART with artist Fay Ford

See Fay’s beautiful studio, and her beautiful illustration work! Hear about her experience working at Designer’s Guild and how she landed representation with Lilla Rogers Studio.

Click above for the replay!