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11:39 AM , , , , ,
© Jen Betton 2015
The SCBWI LA conference is coming up quickly, and I know many of us are squeezing out a few more paintings, and starting to agonize about portfolio flow and presentation so as to put together the absolute best package of work! 

This post is a combination of my own thoughts, the great advice of Lauren Rille, an art director at Beach Lane Books, and remembered comments of various other art directors and art school instructors.

Audience: 
Who is going to see it? A children's book portfolio is different than an editorial portfolio. Put in your portfolio the kind of work you are trying to get. If it is a children's book portfolio, be sure to show kids! Include narrative images, and series of related images – tell a story with your pictures.  

At my very first conference, I was told that my kid's book portfolio didn't have enough kids in it! It's important to know your audience and what is important for that type of portfolio. © Jen Betton 2015
Technique:
Show you can draw! Show good composition, values, color, consistent style, good control over media, and varying points of view. Be accurate with your perspective and anatomy, don't fake it. Show emotion in your characters, and interaction or connection between characters.

Consistency: Quality
The quality of your work should be very consistent. Ideally, all your pieces will be exceptionally good, but be sure to put some of your best pieces up front. Also make sure that the last piece is strong. Bob Dacey uses the fence analogy: support your planks (weaker pieces) with posts (strong pieces) interspersed. Eventually, your portfolio should be all posts!

Less can be more; don't succumb to the temptation to leave something weak in – I did this a few years ago with a couple pieces I knew were not as strong, but I wanted more kids in the folio. Bad idea, the art directors who looked at my folio said "take them out"! Art director Cecilia Yung says "If you leave in weak pieces art directors will think you can't discriminate between good and bad work." Yikes!! When in doubt, throw it out!

Consistency: Style
Pick a style and make sure you love doing it. Have a clear "voice" and show good visual continuity. Starting out, focus on mastering one style. If you display more than one style, both styles should be equally well developed. If you have work in a totally unrelated field (fine art vs. children's book illustration) don't put it in the same portfolio – on the web this means a separate website (ex: Skip Liepke goes by Malcolm Liepke for his fine art work).

Amount:
Advice about this varies, somewhat up to individual taste. 15-20 is most often quoted, but you can have less or more. Pat Cummings suggests showing no more than 12 images. Websites – this is again variable, and you may consider different categories if you work in different markets (editorial, advertising, book, etc) or styles.

Example of a series of related images; all three have the same characters and setting, but with different perspectives, scale, and varying emotion. © Jen Betton 2015
Form: 
Make it easy to update. My first portfolio was made with carefully mounted boards. However, they were labor intensive to create, and it discouraged adding in new work. The same thing is true of a web folio – whether you have a custom site, or a blog, make sure it is up to date and you regularly edit out your weakest work. Also be aware of whatever size or format constraints there are for any competitions or shows you enter (like the SCBWI portfolio showcase). Whatever you choose, make sure it does not distract from the work, but complements it.

Branding: 
Make sure your name is easily visible! Put your contact info up front! This doesn't mean you have to put your contact info on every item, you can also use a cover or title page. It's good to use a consistent font and presentation with your business cards, postcards, website, and portfolio. 

Finally, fill your book with what you love to do! What you see is the kind of work you will get! Remember that "good work will always find a way in" – Lauren Rille.  
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2:22 PM , , , , , , , ,
A lot of watercolor artists have a texture problem – when the painting is scanned, all that lovely texture that grabs the paint also grabs the light from the scanner, and it can be overly noticeable in light areas of the image. So what are some ways to soften or eliminate this texture? 

Some of the KidLitArtists were discussing the different ways they address this issue, and I've compiled their methods here, along with links to tutorials on other sites. 

1. Scanning Trick
You scan your image twice, the second time flipping the image 180 degrees on the scanner bed. Then you use Photoshop's Auto Align feature to perfectly line up the two images (this feature is in CS3 and all later versions, it's found under Edit>Auto Align Layers). You can then adjust the opacity of the top layer until you have a nice blend between the two – and the opposite direction to the shadows means they sort of cancel each other out. You can also use layer masks to make more detailed adjustments to the layers.
Image by Elizabeth Baddeley
Tutorial here: http://ebaddeley.com/news/2013/7/9/how-to-scanning-cold-press-watercolor-paper

Good for small paintings that fit entirely on the scanner (unless you have the patience to scan your image in multiple pieces, merge them, and then do it again at 180 degrees!) and paintings that don't have a lot of fine lines and details that might not align perfectly.

2. Smart Blur Filter
For this technique, use the Smart Blur Filter (found under Filter>Blur>Smart Blur), and adjust the settings till you find the right ones to maintain a crisp image while blurring out the texture. (I personally like to duplicate the layer prior to using any filters, and then mixing the two using opacity settings and/or layer masks).
By Gordon and Susan Pritchard

Tutorial here: http://the-print-guide.blogspot.com/2009/02/removing-watercolor-paper-texture-in.html

I haven't used this one much myself, but I think it will probably work best when you have clearly defined edges, and a flat background. 

The following two methods basically use different selection methods to isolate the background, and then either delete it, or (my preference) use a layer mask to hide it.

3. Channel Mask 
This one removes the background entirely and makes use of the Channels Palette (open it with Window>Channels). You compare the separate channels till you find the one with the closest match to the information you want to select, then you duplicate that channel and use it to select that part of the image. Then Select>Inverse and delete the background. The tutorial goes through this technique in much more detail. 
Tutorial here: http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/blrbps_2fwks.htm
Similar tutorial at the bottom of this page: http://designshack.net/articles/graphics/a-complete-beginners-guide-to-masking-in-photoshop/

This one is good for when you want a white or transparent background, or if you want to replace the background with a different image. The tutorial includes a variety of other selection techniques. 

4. Color Range

Andy Musser uses the Color Range feature in Photoshop to make a selection based on color, and then remove the background:. 

Use Select>Color Range. Your cursor should be an eye dropper, click on the color you want to remove. To add more colors, or shades of the original color, select the “Eyedroper +” tool (in the Color Range controls) and click on them. The black and white image will show your selection, white is selected and black is unselected. 

After creating the selection with Color Range, using the “Refine Edge” controls will refine the selection. Then invert the selection and use a layer mask to remove it.

.......................................................................
Jen Betton writes and illustrates for children. 
You can find her work at www.jenbetton.com
@jenbetton on Twitter
www.facebook.com/jenbettonillustration on Facebook
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7:00 AM , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Over the years I have encountered a few creatures dwelling in my mind that can impede growth. Fortunately, these critters can be trained and kept in check. Below are my field notes from my experiences with the three most common species.


http://jessicalanan.com/

The Ego (Vanus Fragilis)

 Habitat: Your mind
Diet: Flattery and attention
Habits: Strictly solitary

The Ego is a sensitive soul. It craves reassurance and takes failure quite personally. Desperate to convince itself that it is valuable, the Ego and will avoid situations where failure might occur. "Don't enter the contest, don't send the manuscript!" the Ego will plead, because it's easier to say I didn't try than I didn't succeed.

Unfortunately for the Ego, failure is a necessary part of growth. We learn the most when we push ourselves out of our comfort zones and try new things. The best way to succeed is to increase our failure rate, and the best way to learn is to face our failures head on and look at what worked, what didn't, and why.

    Tips for Tempering an Ego:
  • Avoid overfeeding. Egos gorge themselves on attention.
  • Cultivate gratitude.
  • Remember: The Ego is not you—it just lives in your mind.
  • Set up a nice little Ego-cage in the back of your mind where it can stay out of the way.
  • Stay away from junk foods like flattery, which lead to a bloated and irritable Ego.

http://jessicalanan.com/

The Critic (Incuso Virosa)

Habitat: Your Mind
Diet: Negativity
Habits: Venomous. Often nocturnal, brings up worries at bedtime.

A wild Critic can lash out at your work (or life in general) with potent venom. “You aren’t talented enough,” the Critic will whisper in your ear. “Look at this other person’s work. It’s so much better.” The Critic will dredge up your mistakes and mockingly parade them before your eyes at your moment of greatest weakness.

As terrible as it sounds, A Critic can be helpful if it is trained to come out only when needed. The Critic is handy when deciding which thumbnail composition is better and why, or editing that manuscript in the second draft. But if it starts telling you that everything you make is garbage or that you’re not nearly as good as so-and-so, it’s time to go back in the kennel.

Tips for Coping with a Critic:
  •  Use a muzzle to keep it from biting
  • Feed it as little negativity as possible. 
  • Don’t let the Critic’s words become your own.
  • It’s okay to tell it to settle down. (Yes, out loud. Try it, I dare you!)
  • Critics shy away from laughter and fun. Remember fun?
  • Surround yourself with positive, encouraging people.

http://jessicalanan.com/

The Sloth (Choloepus Languidus)

Habitat: Your Mind
Diet: Inactivity
Habits: None

The sloth really wants you to succeed. It does. But it would rather not give up its Netflix marathons and surfing Facebook on its phone.

The Sloth is the creature that will tell you that your first thumbnail is good enough. Why bother trying other compositions? It will discourage you from taking those figure drawing classes you need, because that sounds like a lot of work after all. If you have a feeling that you need to work on your craft but you never seem to get around to doing it, you might be contending with one of these creatures.

Not to worry! Sloths can be trained. When properly employed, a Sloth can stop you from becoming a perfectionist, particularly on the projects that just aren’t worth the time. If you’re getting paid a pittance for an illustration, it probably isn't time to make the Mona Lisa. All it takes to train a Sloth is a little bit of priority shifting and the adoption of some new habits.

Tips for Training a Sloth:
  • Track your time and identify distractions.
  • If online distraction is a problem, you can use LeechBlock (Firefox) or StayFocused (Chrome) to limit the sites you can visit during specific times.
  • Put your phone out of reach and turn off notifications.
  • Force yourself to work on a project for just 20 minutes. Chances are good that the Sloth will slink away as you start to have fun with the project.
  • Work at a consistent time. Find a schedule that works for you.

In a Nutshell:


If you have a Critic, Ego or Sloth, don't beat yourself up over it. It's normal! Identify the species that is impeding your growth the most, and take a small step this week to help tackle it.

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Jessica Lanan is a children's book writer and illustrator living in Boulder, Colorado. See more of her work at jessicalanan.com, on facebook or twitter.

MKRdezign

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