Comments on: What is Your Biggest Challenge as an Illustrator?

By: Great resource for aspiring illustrators: ESCAPE FROM ILLUSTRATION ISLAND « Drink & Draw (Montreal)

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:08:32 +0000

[...] Great resource for aspiring illustrators: ESCAPE FROM ILLUSTRATION ISLAND By Aimée van Drimmelen Many visual artists fantasize about making a career in illustration, but there are a lot of questions when you’re first starting out. How do I build a great portfolio? How do I get in touch with art directors? How do I promote my work? … One of my favourite places to go when I need tips or inspiration is the online community Escape from Illustration Island. Here you can find interviews, forums, and a regular podcast that will answer many of your questions. The top posts of February 2010 include How To Stand Out and Be Noticed, What is Your Biggest Challenge as an Illustrator?, and some great tutorials. [...]

By: Jenn

Jenn — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:54:55 +0000

The challenge for me is finding where my style ‘fits’. With my main character line being that of Mice fairies in bright whimsical colors, it’s hard to know who to market to…fantasy..animal…juvenile. Without finding my actual niche, it’s hard for me and for potential licensees to see where these illustrations might fit into a market.

By: Jeff Kunze

Jeff Kunze — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:44:54 +0000

Right now my biggest challenge is just juggling life and work. My wife and I had twins in August and once my wife went back to work, even though she’s working shortened hours it’s really hard to find time to market and do any illustration or design.
I also made the mistake of agreeing to teach 4 classes at a local college. I’ve taught this many before and still had time for work but now with the twins it’s crushing me. The classes are all on the topic of graphic arts and illustration but it’s not as satisfying as actually doing work, matter of fact sometimes talking about it all day and then not being able to DO it is torture.
I know this isn’t a permanent problem because the semester is going to end in May and I do love and appreciate my time with my two boys but I find myself staying up really late at night drawing because it’s the only time I have available.
Honestly I don’t have a solution but just wait it out for now.

To those that need help being inspired and motivation I have two suggestions that have really helped me.
One of the things that helps keep me inspired is a network of other creatives that I can talk about and show what I’m working on to. Also teaching or taking classes can help get you inspired.
As far as motivation I set a goal last summer to fill a whole sketchbook with non-work related drawings. Drawing just for fun and the enjoyment that I had felt I’d lost. This totally changed me for the better. After doing this all I wanted to do was draw and find new challenges.
I’ve also filled about 3 sketchbooks since then and I can see an improvement in my work.
Thanks

By: Man-Tsun

Man-Tsun — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:59:37 +0000

THATS TRUE, but we still have to think positive and keep trying!

By: Matti Kemppainen

Matti Kemppainen — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:57:02 +0000

My biggest obstacle is getting the lizard brain to shut up and just get pen to paper. I need to tell my self that it does not need to be perfect. Its a struggle. I try to create and maintain a schedule. Illustration Friday is a good start :)

By: Esther Loopstra

Esther Loopstra — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:33:58 +0000

I would say as others have, the two biggest for me are: 1) staying positive and inspired and 2) figuring out how to market myself and get work. Both of these issues at times have sort of paralyzed me. Right now I feel like I’m in a funk…just don’t know which direction to head, it’s hard to keep positive…I’m glad I’m not the only one!

By: shell3hats

shell3hats — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:02:01 +0000

This is the greatest site EVER! My biggest challenge is isolation and my second biggest challenge is the lack of time like a lot of the rest of you. I have a full time job as a designer/project manager at home. I’ve been working at home, salaried for seven years. And on the one hand it has been the best gift since I am a single mother. But on the other hand my social life has taken some hits. The company I work for is 1000s of miles away so I lack the camaraderie an out of the house job can provide. And since I work for someone else, my own art has to wait until night and weekends. Which I’m sure all of you know is hard to keep the energizer bunny going like that. BUT, even though these challenges can be tough, I am driven by challenges and it just makes me try harder, any success won after them is so much sweeter. Everyone keep trying hard! Gotta go, oven timer is ringing…

By: Julien Decaudin

Julien Decaudin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:02:28 +0000

Not officially illustrator yet – I’m working on it :) – my main challenge is to keep believing in my capacity as being recognized as an illustrator at some point even if I never worked on a commission yet. I try to start at least a personal project once a week and try to set deadlines to myself in order to act professionally

Also, I’m still working on my own style and I agree with previous comments about “doing things the way you know how”. There is an infinity of tools, styles, media to play with so I think it’s great to choose your “magic recipe” quite soon and carry on working on it in order to develop something unique (which is something everybody can do as we’re all unique!). I don’t say it’s not good to try different things – of course it is – but it’s only a step in defining a style.

Great subject by the way, as usual :)

By: Dave Pierce

Dave Pierce — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:42:46 +0000

I relate to the time problems fer sure, and my wife (without whom I couldn’t be here writing this instead of being in a 8-5-er) always comes up with something that has to be done today, instead of being at my work. But that’s minor.

I got started, back before computers were ever used in the biz and photography was taking over as illustrative media, as a layout artist and then an art director at ad agencies in Anchorage, AK. My entire career has been stuck for over 38 years in advertising, while all the while I dreamt of being an illustrator. Now I are one ;-D, but it’s very difficult to free myself from the tight, dry, straight-arrow style that’s required in the field of advertising (Think Norman Rockwell). Right now I’m illustrating a children’s book in which I can’t use any really artistic style either, due to the subject matter.

But after that’s done, I really hope to break these chains!

By: Caroline Attia

Caroline Attia — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:40:02 +0000

Hello this is my first post on the EFII community, I just discovered the podcast a week ago. Anyway, the toughest challenge is not feeling guilty when I take some time off or when I am less inspired. Also, I sometimes face periods where I don’t feel confident anymore in my work and want to trhough everything out, at the same time it’s a great way to always try to get better, but it’s frustrating…