So my presentation yesterday at the SCBWI Oregon Spring conference went over nicely. The grandmas went missing just before I was supposed to go up and talk. I think they got lured into the tea room. I was in extremely good company. Mark Fearing spoke just before me on Graphic Novels. He's an amazing ...
Tag Archive: illustration
Don't create art in the computer.
I'm a professional digital illustrator. I also train people how to create digital illustration. You know, like in a computer. Pixels, vectors, Adobe products, Apple gear, WACOM tablet, LCD, external drives. Electromagnetic Hell. So some students will find it odd that the first thing out of my mouth when I talk about method is, "Don't create your ...
Bread, Coffee, and Computer Art
Bread Jenni (my wife) can do amazing things with yeast and flour. Here's where I suddenly become a non-expert and kind of an idiot. I'm happy to be a baking idiot because the stuff she bakes is so freaking awesome that I would pretend to be a baking idiot even if I weren't. She makes our ...
Client Profile: Womb to Bloom
Dear Freelancing Artist, Did you know there are hidden rewards in a freelance art career? Rewards that take you farther than the ability to buy tonight's keg, that is. If you're new to freelancing as an artist, you need to hear this. I wish they taught this stuff in art schools. It's about sustaining your career in ...
Be Your Own 'Bot
If you're a subscriber to the club, you can skip ahead and enjoy the post. If you're not in the club, here's what's happening: Members of the Sparky Firepants Images Club enjoy the benefit of an original, high-resolution illustration every month. Sometimes they're big, sometimes they're small, but they're always wacky and fun. You can ...
Cheap and free vector software to get you started!
So you want to get started creating your art digitally, but somehow that humongous software price tag is holding you back? Here are two THREE vector app solutions I found just for you: NeoOffice Draw (FREE): This is part of a family of open-source office apps that work on Windows, Mac, and Linux ...
Because you are awesome. Yes, you.
One of the things I love most about maintaining a blog is the people I meet. It's a huge thrill when a conversation gets going in the comments. Even when everyone doesn't agree, it's still super cool because I get the privilege of hearing new ideas and perspectives. I read every comment and when I ...
Literacy, Interactivity, and Changing their Lives Forever
I just picked up an amazingly cool book from the library this weekend; "Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever" by literacy expert and children's author Mem Fox. Here's an excerpt from Chapter Two that struck a chord with me: "Because words are essential in building the thought ...
Work for Free!
Two things caught my eye recently and I had to share. I've followed a few conversations lately on Twitter about spec work and working for free. I can't tell you how many times I hear artists who are trying to break into freelancing ask, "Should I work for free?" They're understandably confused because they see others doing ...