Month: January 2014
PRINTSOURCE 2014: We are setting up!
Wow – we have arrived, unpacked and the booth is coming together! 
I am blown away by the talent that surrounds me! 
Come see us tomorrow or Tuesday at PRINTSOURCE 2014, NYC (401 7th Ave, corner of 33rd). We are in booth E3… and it would make me smile if you stopped by!
– Jennifer 
READY, SET, Here we go to PRINTSOURCE 2014!
We’ve got some amazing new categories this year. Lilla has given our artists her own trend report and they knocked it out of the park! This is our best collection yet. See our take on nautical, watercolor wildflowers, boho, baby animals, floral ephemera, and more. Here’s a teeny tiny sampling. (Ready to buy or license, pre-show? Contact us!
Why do art directors love to buy, license and commission our artists’ work? Because they see our work showcased in top trend books, all over Pinterest, Instagram, featured in Land of Nod and Crate and Barrel, and on products sold in tons of shops all over the world, for starters. Our artists lead the way. Our artists’ art sells product.
Hope to see you at Printsource! Contact us! to schedule an appointment at Printsource, or feel free to just drop by, say hello, and see new work. – Jennifer
Ps. We’re packed and ready to go! See you there!
Make 2014 the year you commit to your art career! (MATS is back…)
Happy new year! We have a feeling that 2014 is going to be a very exciting year, and hope it is a great one for you. Why not make this the year you commit to your art career, invest in yourself and pour everything into making a living from your talent? If you are ready to take your art from good to great, and start to truly flourish as a professional artist, we have some special things in store for you. Read on…
Make Art That Sells Part A & B is back! Registration is now open for the March 2014 class (begins March 31). These are two 5-week e-courses which give you everything you need to know to make and sell commercially-viable art in the hottest markets, learning from someone who has sold art for products worth over $100 million! Find out more and register here.
Want to know what kind of impact this course can have on your career? Here is what alumnus Emily Balsley had to say about it:
“I went into the course a fairly “green” illustrator and I have come out of it ready to take on the world one illustration at a time – with new skills, self-confidence, focus and drive.
When I first signed up for the course, it was hard for me to justify paying so much for this class when I was hardly making any money as an illustrator! But that was the point of the course, right?!? With encouragement from my husband, I decided it was time to do something for myself and look at it as an investment for my career. And now that it’s over, it was worth every penny. I can’t imagine how many hours of planning went into this class, but thank you so much for putting in all the effort. It really shows.
This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and I couldn’t be more excited about what opportunities lie ahead.”
Read Emily’s full review of the course here. Find out more about the course and book your place here!
Our brand new online experience Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp is filling up fast, ahead of class beginning on February 3. This is a structured six-month program of monthly assignments to help you build a strong body of work. You will get five professional-level art assignments over six months to help you create great pieces that are ready to sell. Each month you will have three weeks to complete the assignment. You will then have the option to post your work to a public gallery where it can be viewed by peers, art buyers and industry experts. Find out more and register here.
The Global Talent Search will soon be back – this is your opportunity to win two years’ representation from top art agent Lilla Rogers, along with a host of licensing deals. This is a highly regarded and fiercely contested opportunity, so if you want to maximize your chances of winning we would strongly encourage you to take one of our Make Art That Sells classes to help you understand what sells, how to present your work, and how to create great art that is commercially viable. More details on the Global Talent Search coming in the Spring…
So what are you waiting for? Take the leap, make the commitment, and get cracking!
Guest Blogger : Emily Balsley reflects on MATS and the GTS Finals
Hey Lilla!
Now that Make Art That Sells and the Global Talent Search are over I finally have the time to sit down and reflect on the last six months. What a whirlwind it has been! I went into the course a fairly “green” illustrator and I have come out of it ready to take on the world one illustration at a time – with new skills, self-confidence, focus and drive.
Before Make Art That Sells, I had been slowly building my portfolio, never quite comfortable with sharing it, as I didn’t think it was ready. And now, between the ten weeks of MATS and three rounds of the Global Talent Search, I have SO many solid pieces – my website has been transformed! And I can’t wait to start promoting it.
When I first signed up for the course, it was hard for me to justify paying so much for this class when I was hardly making any money as an illustrator! But that was the point of the course, right?!? With encouragement from my husband, I decided it was time to do something for myself and look at it as an investment for my career. And now that it’s over, it was worth every penny.
I can’t imagine how many hours of planning went into this class, but thank you so much for putting in all the effort. It really shows. The lessons were well thought-out. The interviews with the experts were en pointe. Splitting the assignments into parts really helped me grasp the approach and process. And let’s not forget the points you continued to drill into us week after week such as:
-Icons hold all the power.
-How can we tell if we have a strong composition and color balance? Shrink it down to a thumbnail, of course!
-Now I know incorporating neutral colors into my palette is oh, so important (though I’m still working on this one!).
-My number one takeaway? People buy my joy. My goal as a maker has always been to bring a smile to someone’s face. And now I know the secret – put myself into my work and people will be inspired. I love that I can take a crazy thought, channel it through my pen, and it transforms into a piece of art that people want. That’s magic.
In addition to the classwork, I have been blessed with many new friendships. My classmates have been so warm, supportive and generous. Though, I have to say – creating among hundreds of highly skilled artists can be pretty intimidating! There were many times I happened to catch a glimpse of their works-in-progress on Facebook and I thought there was no way I could compete with that. But I realized we all are amazing in our own way. We are all artists. We all have similar goals – we want to share our art (our magic) with the rest of the world. And as you constantly reminded us – there is a place for us all! I truly believe that.
When the Global Talent Search came along I thought this would be another good opportunity to create a solid portfolio piece. I never thought I would get through to the final round! Working through the three rounds, and utilizing the skills we learned from MATS Part A, I went to town. I had a blast working on the first two assignments and somehow managed my stress level to the point where I hit “send” and never looked back. I tried to keep my cool and took the “whatever happens, happens” approach. Admittedly, round 3 was a bit more stressful, as the final prize was on the line! When I heard the final results, yes, there a was a moment of disappointment. But then I realized I MADE IT TO THE FINALS OF THE LILLA ROGERS GLOBAL TALENT SEARCH. Wowsa! That is something to be proud of.
Today I am ready to start putting myself out there! As I look at my updated portfolio I know this is the time. Getting through to the final round of GTS has provided the confidence and validation that I am on the right path. This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and I couldn’t be more excited about what opportunities lie ahead.
Lilla, I cannot thank you enough for this wonderful gift! Emily Balsley
To register for Make Art That Sells click here.
