My awesome co-teacher Beth Kempton. Read more about her here.

 

Beth’s first book on the left, and mine on the right.

Me: former illustrator, art agent, author, and e-course founder.

Beth: Author, e-course founder, business whiz, and much more.

Let us teach you how to thrive as a creative entrepreneur.

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Sarah Papworth for the Washington Post

 

Rebecca Jones for Campbell Books

Helen Dardik for Éditions Auzou

One of the many things I love about being an agent: getting birthday cards by our brilliant artists. I couldn’t keep this beauty to myself, so I’m sharing with you!

Jon Cannell

Daniel Roode

Carolyn Gavin

Kate Mason

Åsa Gilland

Zoe Ingram

We’re delighted to show you this lovely animated image of Beyonce by
Sarah Papworth.

Animation by Natasha Dewitz

3rd Annual Menagerie

Art by Jon Cannell

It’s almost time for our 3rd ANNUAL Lilla’s Art MENAGERIE! On February 5th, we will reveal over 200 pieces of new work that our artists have created in response to five assignments and color palettes that I’ve given them, from florals to editorial.

The gorgeous work is now streaming in to the Studio and will be available to art directors in a password-protected gallery. In a way, it’s like a trade show of our own where art directors can see lots of brand new work but in the comfort of their workspace.

Read about last year’s Menagerie here!

Helen Dardik for Clothworks

Plenty of Puzzles

Rebecca Jones

Anne Bentley for Galison

Carolyn Gavin for Chronicle Books

I teach a course on Creativebug called Treasure Hunt your Artistic Style. It’s a playful/analytical way you’ll get to know your own style sensibility. Try it here.

I’ll have you pick colors.

These are a few of the things I’ve done over the years. I guess I love yellow.

This charming kit is like paper dolls but magnetic. By Mara Penny for Mudpuppy.

Curl up with Hsinping Pan’s second book in this best-selling series.

Go ahead! Make some percussion!

Daniel Roode for Éditions AUZOU

Feel like drawing and painting? Sarah Walsh’s book for Chronicle invites you to draw all kinds of connecting bridges across her varied and surprising scenes.

Let’s play! This charming kit is illustrated by Flora Waycott

Do you love stickers, journaling and drawing? Take time to play in Katie Vernon’s delightful planner for Chronicle Books.

These fill-in-the-blank cards will make it really fun to write those thank-you notes. By Sarah Walsh for Compendium.

Get ready to see the work of an extraordinary artist. You’re going to see a fresh talent who has an almost otherworldly ability to create mood and storytelling through light and shadow. Meet one of our newest artists, Jennifer Potter, and see why she’s already heavily booked.

Jennifer writes: This piece (below) is inspired by the Japanese folktale, The Fire Quest. A poet sits, reading by his lit candle, and is saddened by the little moths and other insects who fly too close to the flame and burn their wings. He tries to stop them by telling them of the Firefly Queen, most beautiful and wicked of insects, who sends her many suitors on a fool’s errand to bring back fire. All while they are searching and burning, and dying, and being swept away without a thought, she remains cozy in her lotus flower with her lover, the Lord of the Fireflies, who doesn’t need to get fire, for he already carries it with him. I decided to try designing this piece like a book cover.

This appealing image shows off Jennifer’s graphic novel style.

Jennifer Potter’s love of video games is evident in the dramatic views of her environments which beckon you to explore further.

It’s lovely when a digital artist can also immerse themselves in traditional media, as Jennifer has done here.

We are delighted to show you the work of one of our newest artists, Global Talent Search winner Julia Christians. I first discovered her in my Illustrating Children’s Books course. Her wit, the animated quality of her characters, and gorgeous color palettes make for a winning combination. Enjoy!

Julia was given a line of text (below) to illustrate for our Global Talent Search. Look how she takes a simple sentence and creates a believable, soft, and appealing world laced with a variety of characters. I knew when I saw this she would be a star children’s book illustrator.

It’s astonishing how Julia Christians made not just a graphic novel page, but a whole story with quirky characters, a fully-realized scene, and even a plot line! When we saw this piece, we knew we were looking at something special. We could envision getting her lots of graphic novels, book covers, and picture books.
Read more about Julia including what movie she has seen several times here.

See more of Julia’s studio here.

With her delightful wit, fresh style, and ability to create wacky characters, I believe that she will be a big name in the children’s picture book market. Enjoy the show! See more of her work here. She’s booking quickly, as you might expect.

Asa writes: I’m rather obsessed about old photographs of people. This was inspired by a photo of a Lombok nobleman and his son from 1920, possibly of Balinese origin considering they were photographed with a dog. I love that the boy is wearing European-style suspenders under his embroidered short pants.

Asa writes: My dad was a mapmaker who’d spend summers outdoors detailing aerial photos. I’d pass time in the car, drawing creatures and folks entangled  in perplexing drama. I’m still pretty good at drawing in a moving car.

To encourage everyone to get out and vote today, I asked my artists to create VOTE banners. Feel free to share these images (with artist credit).

Asa Gilland

Sarajo Frieden

Anne Bentley

Julia ChristiansSarah Papworth

John Coulter

Jennifer Potter

Kendra Binney

Mara Penny

Katie Vernon

Terri Fry Kasuba

Jenn Ski

Marco Marella