For some children’s artists, this interview might be a little hard to hear and to bear. For others it could offer new hope.
Jo Ann Miller of Serbin Communication’s Directory of Illustration suggests that illustrators and would-be illustrators think a little bit outside the book.
Jo Ann Miller of Sebin Communications’ Directory of Illustration greets a Transformer at this year’s San Diego Comic Con
You’ve seen artists’ directories – the big glossy annuals where artists or their reps buy display ads. There were more of them around in the days before the Internet. The ones that are make sure to also provide their content online.
A couple, Picturebook and the UK-based ChildrensIllustrators restrict their focus to children’s artists.
But the Directory of Illustration is the dreadnought battleship of illustration directories, aiming its marketing guns at not just children’s publishing but the waterfront of graphic arts. That means children’s products, fashion and cosmetics merchandising, corporate and retail promotion, medical illustration, the animation industry and, well, even landscape design.
With the Toy Industry Association as a partner, the Santa Barbara, Ca. based publisher also turns out Play! (“Illustration for Toys and Interactive Games — Your primary source for hiring toy and interactive game artists.” ) Serbin Communications’ other publications include the Best of Photography Annual, the Medical Illustration Sourcebook , and Designer Jewelry Showcase — to name just a few.
It’s not cheap being in the Directory of Illustration. $2,500-$2,600 gets you a full page with 30 portfolio images. Artists sometimes share pages with others who have the same agent or art rep, for example. Artists re-up year after year. Program benefits include national advertising, distribution to 30,000 illustration buyers, free website design and cross promotion with Contact (described as the leading talent directory in Europe and the UK.)
If you’re like me and some other freelancers who keep a death grip on their wallets, you question trading your hard earned cash or IRA nestegg for a paid showcase.
Why do it when you can upload images for free to your Flickr page, WordPress.com blog, SCBWI portfolio, or favorite art web ring?
Why do it when you can mail out your own Christmas postcards to the small ranks of children’s
LOL awesome article and the pictures are magical
Thanks for sharing
[...] On Mark G. Mitchell’s blog, How to be a Children’s Book Illustrator, he shares an interview with Jo Ann Miller of Serbin Communication’s Directory of Illustration. Jo Ann talks about how promoting and [...]