Meyer_Stephanie_Fashion and th

Fashion and the Illustrator: One Student’s Journey, and the Future
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Illustration Department
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Fine Arts in Illustration
at
Savannah College of Art and Design
Stephanie Jo Meyer
Savannah, GA
© May 2014
Allan Drummond
Megan Berkheiser
Lara Wolf
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract…….....................................................................................................................1
Introduction.......................................................................................................................2
The Journey......................................................................................................................3
The Present Process........................................................................................................7
Artist and Agent Interviews...............................................................................................9
The Fashion Market and other Applications...................................................................13
The Future......................................................................................................................15
Marketing Plan................................................................................................................16
Timetable…….................................................................................................................18
Budget and Expenses.....................................................................................................19
Conclusion......................................................................................................................21
List of Figures.................................................................................................................22
Figures............................................................................................................................23
Appendix A.....................….…………………………………………………………………..27
Appendix B.....................................................................................................................42
Bibliography....................................................................................................................45
Fashion and the Illustrator: One Student’s Journey, and the Future.
Stephanie Jo Meyer
May 2014
In this positioning statement, I will begin by sharing how my experience, as an
undergraduate drawing student, and in the retail management world after graduation,
led to my evolution as an illustrator. I will discuss the influences of both of these periods
in my life and how they helped me to develop my work and process, as well as my
journey to discovering my personal visual style. I will cover how my time as a graduate
student has helped me discover my strengths and improve upon my weaknesses. This
thesis will also discuss how I started out at an undergraduate level with no experience
working digitally, having it become my primary format at the beginning of my graduate
studies, and finally how I came back to traditional media and a digital hybrid. Lastly, I
focus on a strategy for marketing my skills to the appropriate markets and companies. I
also develop a budget and timeline for creating a legitimate business to support myself
while continuing to follow my passions.
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INTRODUCTION
To decide the path one’s life will take can be a terrifying choice. For many, the
fear of committing to a single career is just too daunting. What if it becomes dull after so
many years and is no longer inspirational? What if it becomes too much about making
ends meet and not enough about following a passion? So many questions abound.
Life imitates art. To begin an illustration is to start out on a path that may take you
many different places, but you must have a plan. Exploring a few different options is
essential before landing on the right composition, but eventually a choice must be
made. For example, after the color comp has been developed and it is not all working
together, and it begins to take on another life, it may take another path than I had
originally planned. In the end, I make it the best piece that it can be. The client is
pleased, hopefully I am as well, and there is a sense of achievement. I will flounder for a
while, but I will find myself again, make the commitment, and have a successful
outcome.
It has been a journey such as this that has led me to this point in my life and in
my work. After graduating with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2007 and fully believing that I
was going to have the career I had always dreamed of, life threw me a curve. An
alternative career was starting to develop, and I took advantage. I developed a career in
the retail industry until realizing that my original artistic path had indeed been the correct
one. I just needed these few years in another career to bring to light all that I needed to
do to make my true passion into something spectacular. The bend in the road had led
me right back to the place I had started, but with a clearer mind and a more inspired
heart.
THE JOURNEY
The sunlight is streaming through the sliding doors. I can feel its warmth
as tangibly as I can feel the texture of the carpet that I am sprawled out on. My elbows
dig into it, leaving the red imprints of rug burns, but I don’t even notice. My mother is
lying across from me, face-to-face, and the crayons are everywhere. As soon as I could
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hold a crayon, these artistic afternoons became a staple. We would draw everything we
saw, from my favorite toys and animals to the fruit that was arranged in a bowl on the
countertop. I was hooked. My parents had the insight to realize that this could possibly
grow into a huge part of my life and signed me up for drawing lessons at the age of 6.
Throughout my years of schooling, I involved myself with drawing in every way
possible. Aside from taking my school’s art courses, I entered any juried show I could
find, taught courses to young children, and even traveled to Italy during my
undergraduate studies in order to broaden my horizons. While my travels were some of
the best experiences of my life, what really helped to shape my love of drawing and
illustration was looking at Walt Disney Animation. From my first viewing of Disney’s The
Little Mermaid there were countless hours spent drawing characters, viewing more
Disney films, and reading everything I could find on animation and character design.
This passion for Disney’s world of dreams, fantasy, and art combined into the driving
force that sent me to major in fine arts for my undergraduate degree.
As my work at Ball State University progressed, my style took on its own life.
Realism was a strong point, but the ethereal qualities of an exaggerated animated
character always subtly found their way into the piece. My senior thesis was a reflection
of people in my life combined in a fantastical way with characters from Disney that I
loved as a child. I wanted to give credit to everyone who had influenced my educational
and creative progress, including those animators. While I do have extensive technical
knowledge in drawing, branching off from that knowledge and pursuing the work that
shows who I truly am required a courage that has been growing within me for many
years.
After graduating, reality quickly set in, and I began looking for employment. With
a background in customer service, I landed an assistant manager position in clothing
retail. I had always had an interest in fashion, but in order to be a successful salesperson I needed to immerse myself into studying trends and learning how to put
together outfits to fit the needs of different customers. Using my knowledge of color and
my creative eye, I developed a base of customers who trusted my judgement in putting
together ensembles that would make them look unique and tasteful at the same time.
My promotion to store manager within the company and the continuation of my retail
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career is a testimony to my business acumen and to all that I have learned from the
fashion and retail environment. While I worked on many commissioned pieces during
this time, I have now realized that I love both aspects of my professional life and plan on
combining them into a career that perhaps I was being led to all along.
Perhaps only now, looking back on the twists and turns, can I truly hope to have
a direction. I have looked at many different sources of inspiration during my
development. There had to be a way to combine the love of fashion with the passion of
illustration. Many of my idols of childhood in the animation world, such as Glen Keane
(Fig. 1) and realism, though always relevant, could not take me where I now intended on
going. I have always loved being transported to another time, and want my work to have
the same effect on viewers while also being able to communicate to the modern world.
One of my main sources of inspiration for this period’s pieces is illustrator George
Barbier (1882-1932). Although he lived and worked in a period where the illustration
market was quite different than it is today, his pieces are still relevant in many ways. He
clearly has many of the art deco influences of the times in his work, and what goes
around comes around. Many vintage styles have resurfaced during modern times and
Barbier’s work becomes reflective on the fashion world’s newest remake film of The
Great Gatsby. 1 The great parties from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel are represented in
such works as Au Revoir (Fig. 2). “Gatsby” themed parties are thrown and people of all
ages rush out to find 20’s inspired costumes. Retailers and fashion houses use this to
predict their next collections. It can be seen in everyday brands in the local mall such as
Cache (Fig. 3) and Anthropologie (Fig. 4), as they reinvent prints and styles of the
bygone era. Using historical illustrators is not only still relevant, but modern.
Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898), another great illustrator of the past, was a great
influence on George Barbier himself. Upon discovering him, he revealed to me that a
limited (and sometimes non-existent) color palette would only enhance my finely
detailed work rather than dull it. His compositions using only one or two figures are
divine. His garments and pattern work are very precise, yet have a flow that draws the
eye throughout the entire piece. In The Peacock Skirt (Fig. 5) Beardsley keeps the
1
Alice Mackrell, An Illustrated History of Fashion: 500 Years of Fashion Illustration (New York: Costume
and Fashion Press, 1997).
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garment as the focal point with the peacock detailing being the largest dark shape, but
supports the top of the piece with smaller black spots in the hair, second figure, and a
multitude of intricate detailing. White space plays as big of a role in Beardsley’s work as
anything and learning to utilize this has been key to the success of my own pieces.
While researching practical applications and markets for my illustration style, I
came across a few more current examples of fashion illustrators whom I admire. Anja
Kroencke, Tara Dougan, Kerstin Wacker, and OHGUSHI, to name a few. These
illustrators are working in the field and have fantastic clients such as Vogue, Marie
Claire, and designers Iris van Herpen and Lanvin. While not all aspects of their styles
follow the direction I am taking, I see myself in their illustration works. The delicate
linework of Anja Kroencke’s hair (Fig. 6) , the stiff portraiture that Tara Dougan portrays
in her couture illustrations (Fig. 7), and Kerstin Wacker’s extensive use of patterning.2
These artists have also opened many doors of collaborations with fashion designers,
animators, and even restauranteurs to explore more possibilities for the fashion and
beauty market for illustrators.
Inspired by what my research had found, I saw that there was indeed a market
for what I truly wanted to do: combining my retail and fashion knowledge with my love of
drawing and illustration. Discovering a technique that I could consistently use to
enhance my style of drawing was an entirely different story. I knew what I wanted my
subjects to be, but what was the best way to execute them? Throughout my
undergraduate experience at Ball State University, I had very limited experience with
Photoshop and the rest of the Adobe Creative Suite. One course in the limited first
edition of Photoshop using a traditional screen and mouse was hardly any background
for being thrown into a digital illustration course years later and for the first time using a
Wacom screen and pen. At first I was impressed with my ability to quickly absorb the
techniques that many of my younger graduate counterparts had mastered years ago. It
was faster, cleaner, and much less final. If I chose a particular color combination and
found later that it was not cohesive, I could simply go into that particular layer and make
adjustments without restarting the entire process of the piece. This was encouraging.
2
Victor Cheung, Fashion Wonderland: Uncover the Power of Illustration in Fashion (Hong Kong:
Victionary, 2007).
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After awhile of working this way however, I longed to get back to my roots. Back to the
figure, back to drawing, and back to the feeling of the graphite or pen moving against
the paper. Back to the stroke of the brush and the silence that comes to the mind when
one is completely absorbed in one’s work. I experimented heavily with different ways of
bringing traditional mediums back into my illustrations. Quill pens were a wonderful new
alternative to the Micron, and required much more attention to skill and detail while also
adding an element of history to the heart of the work. The addition of watercolor to the
ink line brought into place the bright and selective coloring I needed to fill the blank
spaces. Watching the pigments move through the water and not completely knowing
what the outcome would be led to an air of mystery about the process that solidified the
technique for me. Using the papers that watercolor requires add the ever-important
element of texture to my pieces. Digital techniques allow the application of a texture into
any piece you choose regardless of how it was originally drawn. However, for the
simplicity of using the scratchy quill on the stubbled paper, and the feeling that so many
artists and writers in history also heard that same sound, there is no substitute. I know
that many digital techniques are beneficial to my mostly traditional work. They can allow
me to subtly manipulate anything that may have gone wrong with my line work or
change a color or a crop here and there and make certain that my work will print
beautifully for whatever publication it may grace. My journey has made a full circle.
From complete knowledge of only traditional mediums, to a whole new world of digital
painting and collage, then back again to paint and pen with an entirely new appreciation
of a simpler way of working yet still gaining all of the peace that illustration gives.
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THE PRESENT PROCESS
The route I take when creating illustrations is quite standard, though complex.
While many illustrators put a great deal of stock into being clever and fresh with their
concept, fashion illustration requires a different kind of innovation. Rather than being
witty which was never a strong point of mine, my thumbnails are focused on poses and
compositions. What pose will create the most interesting lines and best show off the
clothing? Beauty is a constant theme no matter what the illustration is promoting. This
does make the initial process perhaps a bit easier on my mind, but because there are so
many other areas to consider, this is a godsend. My thumbnails are messy, usually
ducking outside the primly drawn ink lines I use as dimensional guidelines. This is the
one liberating chance I get to use a more gestural style before getting on to the final
drawings. Thumbnails are a wonderful stage where there are no mistakes, only
opportunities. One image evolves into another and another until the best possible
solution is reached. It is a process, and a beautiful one.
The finished drawing is usually what I would consider a comp. I add value
using graphite to represent the final coloring. This is where the stylization of the figure
takes place, as well as where some of the details of the garment are added. I pick a
select few of my thumbnails to transform into these slightly larger drawings since I enjoy
this part of the process so much, and although some end up falling by the wayside,
many times I will end up using multiple images that can stand alone or be used as a
series.
Many illustrators choose to have one image completed at a time. This gives them
a sense of a finished product and the feeling of accomplishing more. I am the opposite.
When working on a series of pieces for the same project I generally choose to work on
each stage of all of the pieces at the same time before moving on to the next step. For
example, once all of the final drawings are complete, I move on and ink each drawing.
Then the ink drawings are scanned, and the painting is completed on each of the
pieces. Having an assembly line process is beneficial by creating a consistency in each
illustration that is clearly visible and unifies the series. A color that I want to be the same
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throughout a set may not mix precisely the same the second or third time so completing
all areas where I want that pigment seen in each piece all at once eliminates that
concern.
After I have carefully and painstakingly applied the ink to each drawing using a
light box and scanned each line drawing, the watercolor process can begin. In certain
areas of the piece such as skin or other elements that are not a focus, I will use a very
light wash. This wash is meant to only highlight a bit of a cheekbone or a shadow on the
leg from a skirt, but is very selective. For the rest of the colors, I use a stenciling
process. While the its invention cannot be credited to me, I do believe it contributes to
my line work and makes my traditional way of working much more manageable for
project deadlines. The initial step for this solution is planning. My color is very selective,
so I must choose which areas I want to leave white and which to fill in. This is very
important, making sure that the focus is where I want to direct the eye. The placement
of the colors can either aid or hinder in this process. Once the targeted area is chosen,
the stencil is created using a transparent marker paper. It is important that the paper be
thick enough that the paint will not seep through, but thin and transparent enough that
the area you are stenciling can be seen for tracing. Loosely tracing the area that will be
colored, it is then cut out and used as the stencil on the piece. Sponges are used to
apply the color over the stencil, giving it an unusually textured but flat surface that is
normally not attributed to watercolor. Applying the paint in this way allows the viewer to
focus on the patterning and line work of the illustration and not be distracted by heavy
watermarks or variations in hue that often come with the unpredictability of watercolor.
Each stencil is cut and painted until the entire piece or series is completed. Again, I
make my best attempt to complete this all at once for consistency in color and style.
Not every traditionally made piece can be perfect and with deadlines to meet one
cannot always restart multiple times until perfection is achieved. This is where my digital
training comes to my rescue. I have scanned my line drawing in before the addition of
color, and then scanned the colored works in when they are all applied so that I am able
to create separate layers. If I need to alter the colors I can now do that without ruining
the intensity of the lines. My Photoshop techniques are simple and usually consist of
removing the background of the line work to lay it over the color layer and perhaps a
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levels adjustment and a crop to get to a finished solution. The most rewarding part of
the process is seeing the final illustration in print. If I am printing for a show, I love to
print on archival cold press watercolor paper, which gives the piece the illusion of being
completely traditional, yet it is exactly how I want it and will now transcend time.
ARTIST AND AGENT INTERVIEWS
ILLUSTRATOR ANJA KROENKE
1. Who was your first client and how did you get in contact with them?
- My very first job as an illustrator was for US Glamour Magazine and that was shortly
after I signed up with my first US agent.
2. Who are your primary clients?
- My clients include, Aeroports de Paris, Bergdorf Goodman, British Airways, Estee
Lauder, M.A.C. Cosmetics, Neiman Marcus, Shiseido, Target, The New Yorker, The
New York Times, Tiffany’s, Victoria’s Secret, Nippon & US Vogue, W Magazine and
many others.
3. What new technologies have you had to master and how has that changed your
work?
- Social Media. I'm still figuring it all out, but it is definitely taking time away from
drawing.
4. How important do you think it is to have only one consistent style?
- I think it is important to really dig deep into one direction because there are so many
illustrators out there, so in order to stand out in the crowd, there has to be something
special or unique about your style and it takes a long time and really hard work and
practice to develop such style that is yours and identified as yours.
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5. What was the best lesson you learned when you were first embarking on your
illustration career?
- Never miss a deadline and always be nice no matter how crazy the client drives you.
6. Where are you from?
- Vienna, Austria.
7. Where did you go to school?
- I studied in Vienna, Austria.
8. What made you want to become an illustrator versus a fine artist?
- I always like art and design that is accessible to everyone and not just to an elite group
with the money, connections or understanding.
9. What would a dream project include for you?
- A collaboration with talented and like minded people for a challenging project.
10. What illustrators or fine artists have influenced you?
- In my early years Picasso, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, The Art of the Wiener
Werkstaette, Mats Gustafson, and Antonio.
11. How do you handle time management with illustration deadlines?
- I learned to never wait until the last minute to get it done. Sometimes you have to pull
night shifts and sometimes you have to turn work down if you know you will not get it
done in time.
12. What kind of music do you listen to in your studio?
-Mostly indie and alternative music and mostly very loud.
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13. Do you keep a sketchbook?
- A sketchbook per se only when I'm on vacation. Otherwise I draw all my sketches,
personal and for work on my favorite Borden & Riley marker paper pad and end up with
piles of loose paper that I try to keep somehow organized.
14. Did you have a day job when you started out as an illustrator?
- Yes, after I graduated I was a graphic designer for a few years and when I came to
New York I realized that being an illustrator could be a full time profession, so when I
found an agent I worked both "jobs" for a few months and then just jumped into the cold
water.
15. How many years did it take for you to break into the illustration market?
- I was very lucky when I started. In the late nineties there was a sudden boom in
illustration with great budgets and so much use of illustration, so within a few months
after quitting my job and working with my then agent I worked pretty much 24/7 for
many, many years.
16. What insight would you offer to illustrators who are just starting out?
- Oh my, things are so different now and with Social Media you really don't depend on
an agent anymore. Just get your work out there, work really hard and make
connections, things will most likely not happen right away but if you keep drawing,
believing in yourself and enjoy it, things will happen.
AGENT STACY ENDRESS at ILLUSTRATION LTD.
1. What do you look for in new talent?
- We look for a brilliant talent that compliments or stands out from the styles that we
have on the roster. We also look for professional illustrators that understand the
questions to ask a client and meet deadlines.
2. What are some of the things that your illustrators need to do to help you help them?
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- They need to reply to us quickly when we send them inquiries from clients. We need
them to keep their portfolios updated so we can market them in the best way possible.
Be professional and be kind to clients.
3. What is the success rate of fashion illustrators that you represent?
- It really depends. Some work full time, some work part time, and some struggle a bit
for work.
4. What are the benefits to having an agent rather than self-promoting only?
- We are able to market the artist in a way that is tough to do on your own. We have
exposure to a worldwide market having offices around the world. We have experience
with contracts and obtaining the highest fees possible. And we have a team that
chases payments.
5. What kind of a budget do most illustrators spend on self-promotion?
- I am not in the accounting department so I am not 100% sure as I am one of the
agents. I am guessing about $1000 USD per year, but it may be less.
6. In what places do you advertise?
- DOI, Workbook, Ispot, AOI in London. We heavily focus on SEO and website
placement. We also meet with clients face-to-face and distribute many newsletters for
clients.
7. Do you encourage your artists to join contests?
- Yes.
8. What is the best way for emerging illustrators to contact you?
- They can submit their artwork through the website.
9. What piece of advice would you offer to young illustrators?
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- Be ready to evolve your style to follow the market to keep yourself relevant. Always be
professional and courteous and go the extra mile when you need to.
THE FASHION MARKET AND OTHER APPLICATIONS
Since the time I made the decision to pursue fashion illustration, I have been
continually adapting my techniques and style to become marketable. The fashion
industry is extremely competitive no matter what aspect of it you are attempting to break
into. If runway illustrations are the goal, my watercolor style is able to adapt to the fast
paced world where you must confidently lay down a color and a line and declare it
complete. I am also able to labor over a pattern and diligently plan out compositions,
color palette, and lines depending on the requirements of the client.
While photography has for many decades dominated to industry of fashion
advertising, I believe that illustration is making a comeback. In his article Colin’s
Column: Could Illustration Offer an Antidote to Fashion Banality? Colin McDowell
questions the reign of the fashion photographer over the illustrator.
“The list of quality young illustrators is growing, yet it is strange how few
have been given prime space in mainstream magazines. They need work
and we need their vision. Where’s the problem?”3
He argues that many fashion photographers are chosen over illustrators for the
reason that they continue to push the medium to new heights and nothing can quite
capture the humanity of fashion as a photographer can. However, illustrators can bring
a quality to the figures and to the clothing that the photographer is unable to achieve.
Designer John Galliano said about illustrator Howard Tangye,
3
Colin McDowell, “Colin’s Column/Could Illustration Offer an Antidote to Fashion Banality?”
in The Business of Fashion (2014), http://www.businessoffashion.com/2014/02/colins-columnillustration-offer-antidote-fashion-banality.html
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“He made me understand line, on the page and on the human body.”
Whether I am expediting my style to be used with the quick, gestural strides of
models on the runway or smaller editorial pieces in fashion magazines, I have the ability
to be flexible for the needs of different clients. I can make the overall feel of the piece
adapt to the article of clothing or the article in print. Brighter colors and more stylized
faces emphasize a younger collection for the summertime. A more moody, sophisticated
figure will fit in perfectly for advertising a more adult clothing line for the professional
woman.
With so many successful fashion illustrators, such as David Downing, already in
the industry, it is important to understand the variety of markets to research and send
your work to in order to finally break into the market you most desire. Fashion editorials
are going to be my first target. High profile magazines such as Vogue use fashion
illustrations and focusing on some of these could land even larger clients over time.
Another important market that gives many illustrators a start is selling prints and other
products displaying your illustrations on Etsy.com. Having an online presence can
generate business even during the dry spells when higher profile clients are not calling.
Having work that appeals to the masses can do nothing but benefit the small business
in the long run.
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THE FUTURE
For my first year as a freelance illustrator, I plan on focusing my efforts on the
fashion and lifestyle market. I will be targeting women’s magazines, as well as up-andcoming fashion designers who need someone to sketch their collections. I also believe
that my illustrations are marketable on many levels and plan on starting a shop on
Etsy.com to sell prints as well as other objects that feature my work. The illustration
market has expanded to include many products4 that I will feature on Etsy. During my
first couple of years I expect that I will need a supplemental part-time job as well. I
currently work full-time in retail management, and while it would be ideal to continue
making a sustainable salary while beginning my work as an illustrator, I know that with
all of the time and effort I would need to put into a retail career that my illustrations and
marketing would suffer.
My main reason for wanting to move away from retail and enter into freelancing is
to separate myself from the corporate environment that I am accustomed to. Many times
I end the workday feeling that my decisions as a manager are unsupported by my
superiors, not because they are wrong, but because profit is the driving force.
Of course I do enjoy clothes, but my life can no longer be governed by such drudgery
and greed. I must fulfill my passion and learn to support myself doing what I love, no
matter how much of a struggle comes with it.
While I know that I will immediately begin marketing after graduation, I realize
that it is not realistic to expect to fully support myself with my freelance work during the
first few years. I expect that during the first six months I may only make around $500 per
month from illustration. I hope to add one new client per month in hopes that during the
second six months of the first year I can be making $1000 per month. If I can have at
least half of the clients I have accrued within the first year come back to me about once
a month while I continue to add new clients, by the end of the third year I hope to grow
my income to $1800-$2000 per month. If my client base continues to grow in this way, I
plan on pulling in $2500-$3000 per month by the end of the fifth year. If it ever grows
4
Steven Heller and Marshall Arisman, Marketing Illustration (New York: Allworth Press, 2008),
2-4.
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beyond that, then lucky me! These figures would include not only income from freelance
jobs but also anything I would make from my products on Etsy.com. In order to continue
to broaden my client base, I plan on making at least one piece per month to enter into a
competition as well as work towards having at least one gallery show per year.
MARKETING PLAN
My process for marketing my brand will begin immediately after graduation in
order to accrue work as quickly as possible. I believe that through this course my
branding has become consistent and unique and relates well to the work that I do. My
logo is original as it is not only my name followed by the word “illustration,” but has a
studio name. The portrait in my logo is the character that I use in the majority of my
work. I believe that clients will be attracted to my branding because it is colorful and
quirky as well as sophisticated.
In addition to the list of potential clients that I have already collected, I am going
to continue to research different publications that use illustration on a regular basis.
I plan on adding at least 10 new potential clients to my list every month. When I do get
work I will make new connections through those clients as well as traveling to New York
during my first year to show my work in person and generate interest. This trip will
include appointments with various art directors, fashion designers, and possibly agents
as well.
Today the Internet is increasingly responsible for much of the publicity that I can
create for myself. I have already purchased a domain name and have constructed a
website, though it is a bit crude. As I learn more about web design it will become more
professional. I plan on updating my website at a minimum twice per month with new
work and any resume updates, and I will also track visits using Google
Analytics. I have already started a Facebook business page and have signed up for a
Twitter account in order to promote my work and make new connections. At this
moment I do not have a blog, but plan on starting one in the fall after graduation. I
believe I will have some interesting content to begin with as my boyfriend and I will
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begin backpacking through Europe on September 15th. I will be bringing along a
sketchbook and blogging about our adventures in relation to the work I do while abroad.
I will update every day that a computer is available, and after our return in approximately
three weeks, I will continue with all blog and social media updates once per week,
setting aside a specific day and time period so as not to become consumed by them.
Mailers are also going to be an important part of my marketing plan. During the first few
years I plan on sending physical mailers quarterly. After five years when I will have more
consistent work I may move to sending them only twice per year. I will send two
hundred mailers at a time. For the most part I will use postcards, however, if it is a client
that I am extremely enthusiastic to work with I will send out a packet of samples and a
letter of interest. I have also made mini portfolio booklets that I can use as leavebehinds when going to interviews to help potential clients remember my work.
Employers at the SCAD career fair seemed impressed when I offered them the mini
portfolio and let them know that it was theirs to keep. I think that this offer shows that I
put forth extra funds and effort and that I am truly invested in illustration as a career and
value them as a potential client. I plan on using physical mailers the majority of the time,
but should funds be short when it comes time to print and mail, I have the backup plan
of using Mailchimp.com to send e-mailers instead. They may not be as effective
because e-mails have more potential to be forgotten but I must be realistic when it
comes to money. Sending an e-mailer is better than sending nothing at all.
Staying involved in the illustration community will also be vital for my career. I will
begin by joining the Society of Illustrators with an Illustrator-S Membership, which is a
discounted membership that can be used until age thirty-two. The cost for this
membership is $250. In order to keep myself busy during slower work periods, I will
enter at least three competitions in the first year after graduation with a minimum of one
per year in the time to follow. After registering with the Society of Illustrators, I will enter
their Illustrators 56 competition, with a deadline of November 1, 2014. The cost of this
contest is $48. I will also enter the Young Illustrators Award competition with a deadline
of June 1, 2015. I plan on entering my work into American Illustrations as well, however
I am unsure of their next deadline as the call for entries recently closed and information
about next year’s deadline is not yet posted.
17
In addition to these organizations, I will register an account with Etsy.com and
create a shop as a vehicle to sell my prints and other merchandise featuring my work.
The cost to use Etsy is .20¢ per item listed and the company keeps 3.5% of the profit
from sales. This is an economical way of getting my work to reach more people while
making a profit as well. I will also use my Facebook and Twitter pages as a way of
promoting my Etsy shop to interest more buyers. With these concrete guidelines I will be
well on my way to fully supporting myself as an illustrator.
TIMETABLE
•
October 1, 2014
Etsy shop officially taking orders and open for business.
Prints and other merchandise are stockpiled and ready
to mail.
Actual date completed:_________________________
•
November 1, 2014
Submit entry for Illustrators 56 competition to the
Society of Illustrators.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
December 15, 2014 Mail a holiday-themed promo card to 200 potential
clients.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
January 1, 2015
Purchase a membership with Society of Illustrators.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
March 15, 2015
E-mail a promo card to previous 200 potential clients.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
June 1, 2015
Submit entry for the Young Illustrators Award competition.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
June 15, 2015
Mail a summer-themed postcard to previous 200 potential
clients.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
October 1, 2015
Travel to New York, NY for one week for portfolio reviews
18
and interviews.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
September 15, 2015 E-mail a promo card to 200 previous clients and 50 new
clients.
Actual date completed: __________________________
•
December 15, 2015 Mail a holiday-themed promo card to 300 contacts.
Actual date completed:__________________________
BUDGET AND EXPENSES
•
October 1, 2014
Etsy shop officially taking orders and open for business.
Prints and other merchandise are stockpiled and ready to
mail.
Printing: $250.00
Etsy membership: $0
Subtotal: $250.00
•
November 1, 2014 Submit entry for Illustrators 56 competition to the
Society of Illustrators.
Entry fee: $48.00
•
December 15, 2014 Mail a holiday-themed promo card to 200 potential
clients.
Printing: $119.00
Postage: $98.00
Subtotal: $217.00
•
January 1, 2015
Purchase a membership with Society of Illustrators.
Membership fee: $250.00
•
March 15, 2015
Email a promo card to previous 200 potential clients: $0
•
June 1, 2015
Submit entry for the Young Illustrators Award
competition.
•
June 15, 2015
Mail a summer-themed postcard to previous 200
potential clients.
19
Printing: $119.00
Postage: $98.00
Subtotal: $217.00
•
October 1, 2015
Travel to New York, NY for 1 week for portfolio
reviews and interviews.
Plane Tickets: $314.00 (via www.expedia.com)
Hotel: $455.00 (via www.airbnb.com)
Subtotal: $769.00
•
September 15, 2015 E-mail a promo card to 200 previous clients and 50 new
clients
•
December 15, 2015 Mail a holiday-themed promo card to 300 contacts
Printing: $157.00
Postage: $147.00
Subtotal: $304.00
Other Expenses:
•
Business Cards (qty. 200): $69.00
•
Website Domain (1 year): $180.00
•
Supplies: - Microns: $2.89/pen x 20 = $57.80/yr.
- Speedball black drawing ink: $3.60 ea. x 5 = $14.40/yr.
- Quill (holder) = $1.49 ea.
- Quill (nib) = $1.39 ea. x 5 = $6.95/yr.
- Watercolors (Dr. Martins set of 14): $75.25/yr.
Subtotal: $155.89
•
Adobe Creative Cloud: $359/yr.
•
Scanner – Epson Expressions 11000XL – Graphic Arts Scanner $2,500
•
Cintiq 22” HD - $1,999
Total Marketing and Supplies Budget 2014/2015: $7,317.89
20
CONCLUSION
The journey after graduation is going to be the most important journey I embark
upon. My own personal motivation and work ethic will develop as I strive to create
something from nothing. Having only minimal life experiences and the dreams in my
heart, I must create a new path to follow. Out on my own there will be no professors to
guide me with their wisdom and experience on a daily basis, nor a career advisor to
show me exactly how to pursue the clients that I am hoping for. All of this knowledge will
still be retained but it will be up to me and only me to bring it all to fruition.
Throughout the time it took for me to find my personal voice and to plan my
future, my confidence increased and I have discovered that I am truly moving in the right
direction.
21
LIST OF FIGURES
1.
Glen Keane, Rough Animation of Ariel, 1989......................................................23
2.
George Barbier, Au Revoir, 1924.........................................................................23
3.
Cache, Gold Sequin Open Back Gown, 2014......................................................24
4.
Anthropologie, Rubied Dusk Dress, 2014............................................................24
5.
Aubrey Beardsley, The Peacock Skirt, 1893.......................................................25
6.
Anja Kroencke, Mural for Colette Malouf Store in Tokyo, 2012...........................25
7.
Tara Dougans, Keep Your Hands Off My Cat, 2010............................................26
8.
London.................................................................................................................31
9.
Spain....................................................................................................................32
10.
Paris.....................................................................................................................33
11.
Les Voyageurs 1..................................................................................................34
12.
Les Voyageurs 2.................................................................................................34
13.
Les Voyageurs 3.................................................................................................34
14.
Les Voyageurs 4.................................................................................................34
15.
Les Voyageurs 5.................................................................................................35
16.
Les Voyageurs 6.................................................................................................35
17.
Les Voyageurs 7.................................................................................................35
18.
Spring..................................................................................................................35
19.
The Party.............................................................................................................36
20.
Getting Ready......................................................................................................36
21.
To Market, To Market...........................................................................................37
22.
Logo.....................................................................................................................37
23.
Website Homepage.............................................................................................38
22
FIGURES
Fig. 1. Glen Keane, Rough Animation of Ariel, The Little Mermaid, 1989
(http:www.50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/06-glen-keane-ariel.jpg)
Fig. 2. George Barbier, Au Revoir, Le Bonheur du Jour, 1924
(http://www.artophile.com/dynamic/Artwork/PublicDisplay_George_Barbier_Au_Revoir_1023_35.htm)
23
Fig. 3. Gold Sequin Open Back Gown, Cache, 2014
(http://www.cache.com/detail/gold-sequin-open-back-gown/W8030C35591340/72)
Fig. 4. Rubied Dusk Dress, Anthropologie, 2014
(http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/clothes-dresses/29929643.jsp#/)
24
Fig. 5. The Peacock Skirt, Aubrey Beardsley, 1893
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beardsley-peacockskirt.PNG)
Fig. 6. Mural for Colette Malouf Store in Tokyo, Anja Kroencke, 2012
(http://www.anjakroencke.com/Beauty)
25
Fig. 7. Keep Your Hands off My Cat, Tara Dougans, 2010
(http://www.the22blog.com/2011/09/13/tara-dougans/#jp-carousel-19069 )
26
APPENDIX A
Addendum: Thesis Exhibition
Three Muses:
the Illustration Show
of
Stephanie Meyer
(with Tremain Farrar and Michelle Willows)
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Illustration Department
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of MFA
Savannah College of Art and Design
By
Stephanie Meyer
Savannah, GA
May, 2014
27
Promotional Poster
28
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
There is a beautiful simplicity that comes over me when I pick up a pen.
My focus is intense and I prefer to not speak while I am working on my lines. This
feeling of escapism is one of the reasons that I create. No matter what else is swirling
about in my brain, my strokes are sure and confident. I have always known I would
pursue an artistic field. I have strayed from my path along the way, however in the end
those brief detours have only led me closer to the finish line. Working for a living doing
what I love and seeing others appreciate it as well is more than anyone could ask for,
and that is what I hope to achieve with these little drawings.
Illustration is about communication, and in the majority of my work the message
is very straightforward. These pieces are about the beauty and intricate design of a
woman’s life: her garments, her hair, her experiences. A line tells a story, and color is
added either with watercolor stencils or digitally, whichever supports that particular
piece. I love beginning the drawing process with an idea in mind but I do not like overplanning them. Drawing this way gives my work its personality and lets my voice shine
through. In order to be confident working this way, I constantly practice life-drawing. I
must capture poses accurately to communicate the story. I love the process that comes
with working traditionally. That said, time constraints make working digitally necessary
as well. Being able to use the traditional mediums, and being able to edit them digitally,
puts the fun and confidence back into the inking and the painting. If I make a
mistake, I do not have to restart - I must simply scan and edit. I can escape the world
around me and lose myself while working.
My current work mainly focuses on female figures and the way they adorn
themselves, with environments and backgrounds playing only a supporting role. There
is a focus on hair, prints, and intricate detailing. I believe in mixing plenty of pattern and
line in the same piece just as I believe you absolutely can wear a polka dot blouse
under a striped sweater. These patterns play off of each other and, when well placed,
draw the eye throughout the piece. The colors are light hearted, playful, yet subtle at the
same time. They are there to support the line and give vibrancy and a mood to the
29
piece. I work with flat colors in order to not distract from the line. To me there is nothing
overly complicated about my work, and I prefer it that way. If it must become work then
it ceases to be passion, which would be a tragedy in itself. I make these illustrations to
communicate beauty, sophistication, and fun. They are an extension of myself, and I
see them as a door. This door can lead my life in an entirely new direction and at
the same time the direction that I was always meant to go.
30
Fig. 8. London.
31
Fig. 9. Spain.
32
Fig. 10. Paris.
33
Fig. 11 Les Voyageurs 1.
Fig. 13 Les Voyageurs 3.
Fig. 12 Les Voyageurs 2.
Fig. 14 Les Voyageurs 4.
34
Fig. 15. Les Voyageurs 5.
Fig. 17. Les Voyageurs 7.
Fig. 16. Les Voyageurs 6.
Fig. 18. Spring.
35
Fig. 19. The Party.
Fig. 20. Getting Ready.
36
Fig. 21. To Market, To Market.
Fig. 22. Logo
37
Fig. 23. Website Home Page.
38
DOCUMENTATION OF EXHIBIT
39
40
41
APPENDIX B
LIST OF CONTACTS
Last Name
First Name
Company Name
Industry
Email
Fashion Design
Phone Number
Shaw
Kelley
Geneologie
[email protected]
864-504-5622
Abry-Reetz
Samantha
L’Agence
Fashion Design
[email protected]
323-556-3455
Miller
Amanda
Ralph Lauren
Fashion Design
[email protected] 212-705-8284
Abbot
Trish
Knock Knock
Greeting Cards
[email protected]
310-396-4132
Acosta
Maribel
Designer Greetings
Greeting Cards
[email protected]
732-662-6700
Arnold
Kevin
Bloomin’ Flowers Cards
Greeting Cards
[email protected]
303-443-3591
Baldwin
Mark
Borealis Press
Greeting Cards
[email protected]
800-669-6849
Moyer
Dale
Surface Design Association
Surface Design
[email protected]
201-568-1084
Malarcher
Patricia
Surface Design Association
Surface Design
[email protected]
201-568-1084
Gibson
Grant
Crafts Magazine
Surface Design
[email protected]
020-7278-7700
Coates
Stephen
Crafts Magazine
Dentry
Sarah
Interior Design Media
Hershey
Moira
Wild Apple
Surface Design
[email protected]
800-756-8359
Mullan
Michael
Wild Apple
Surface Design
[email protected]
800-756-8359
Surface Design
[email protected]
Surface Design
[email protected]
Sommer
Alexis
View 2
Glass
Polly
Wrap
Surface Design
Harrison
Christopher
Wrap
Hedley
Steven
Brennan
Anna
Macdonald
Torie
Carter’s Inc.
Surface Design
[email protected]
Merchant
Alison D.
Lilly Pulitzer
Surface Design
[email protected]
Maus
Suzanne
Tween Brands
Surface Design
Blackwell
Connie
Burton & Burton
Surface Design
Comiskey
Denise
101 Things to Do Magazine
Magazines
Kim
Chun
Girl’s Life Magazine
Johnson
Iris
Walker
Lisa
Padelford
Surface Design
[email protected]
020-7278-7700
646-805-0236
31-020-6177624
[email protected]
44-0-779-3412-129
Surface Design
[email protected]
44-0-779-3412-129
Wrap
Surface Design
[email protected]
44-0-779-3412-129
Wrap
Surface Design
[email protected] 44-0-779-3412-129
404-407-3076
610-878-7742
[email protected]
614-775-3267
[email protected]
706-548-1588
[email protected]
707-443-1234
Magazines
[email protected]
410-426-9600
20/20
Magazines
[email protected]
212-274-7000
2 Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
416-469-1429
Lori
360
Magazines
[email protected]
Kalil
Jamie
417 Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
417-883-7417
Kennon
Jessica
417 Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
417-883-7417
McKenna
David
5280
Magazines
[email protected]
303-832-5280
Odendahl
Kent
5280
Magazines
[email protected]
303-832-5280
619-594-5200
Pritts
Dana
5280
Magazines
[email protected]
303-832-5280
Flagg Leaver
Julia
7x7
Magazines
[email protected]
415-362-7797
Claudio
Victor
AAA Going Places
Magazines
[email protected]
813-289-1326
Avraham
Danielle
All You
Magazines
[email protected]
212-522-1212
Ward
Travis
All You
Magazines
[email protected]
212-522-1212
Chiu
Jennifer
Advertising Age
Magazines
[email protected]
212-210-0200
212-493-4100
Mrozowski
Nick
Adweek
Magazines
[email protected]
Palecek
Jane
AFAR Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
415-814-1400
Ridgell
Robin
Apparel Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
803-771-7500
Miller
Katy
Atlanta Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
404-527-5500
Bush
Chris
Business First of Louisville
Magazines
website fill-in email
502-587-1703
Henz
Laurie
Bust
Magazines
[email protected]
212-924-5492
Andersson Pappan
Sonda
Cape Fear Publishing
Magazines
[email protected]
804-649-0306
Kane
Kenny
Cape Fear Publishing
Magazines
[email protected]
804-649-0306
42
Mackey
Amanda
Capper’s
Magazines
[email protected]
Chang
Wendy
Card Player
Magazines
[email protected]
785-274-4305
Ledder
Erik
Careers & Colleges
Magazines
[email protected]
Whitaker
Ronda
Casual Living
Magazines
[email protected]
336-605-1143
Wright
Ellen
Catechist
Magazines
[email protected]
937-293-1310
Jorgensen
Debbie
CED
Magazines
[email protected] 973-920-7738
702-856-2222
978-692-4174
Lesser
Robert
CFO
Magazines
[email protected]
Ursino
Darren
Chain Store Age
Magazines
[email protected]
617-210-7797
212-756-5270
Nilsson
Camilla
Charleston
Magazines
[email protected]
843-971-0121
843-971-0121
Smith Monk
Melinda
Charleston
Magazines
[email protected]
Suchy
Scott
Charleston City Paper
Magazines
[email protected]
843-576-0380
WIlcox
Ryan
Charleston Regional
Magazines
[email protected]
843-849-3122
Business Journal
Dubuc
Isabelle
Chatelaine
Magazines
Leduc
Marie-Michele
Chatelaine
Magazines
Whitcher
David
Chemical Engineering
Magazines
[email protected]
212-621-4694
Braverman
Robin
Chemical & Engineering News Magazines
[email protected]
202-872-8727
Sotolongo
Mario
Chemical Week
Magazines
[email protected]
212-884-9514
Butler
Francesca
Chess Life
Magazines
[email protected]
931-787-1200
Urban
Todd
Chicago Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
312-222-0287
[email protected]
708-386-5555
Magazines
[email protected] 514-843-2185
[email protected] 514-843-2185
Ennis
Claire
Chicago Parent
Higgins
Paul
Chicago Reader
Sather
Roseanne
Children’s Ministry
Andrews
Scott
Chill
Magazines
[email protected]
905-337-1887
Richardson
Daniel
The Christian Century
Magazines
[email protected]
312-263-7540
Seymour
Scott
Chronicle of Higher Education Magazines
[email protected]
202-452-1033
Winkler
Ellen
Chronicle of Higher Education Magazines
[email protected]
202-452-1033
Brooks
Katie
Cincinatti Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
513-562-2788
Johnson
Danielle
Cincinatti Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
513-562-2788
Saunders
Grace
Cinicinatti Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
513-562-2788
Giencke
Jeff
Clean Link
Magazines
[email protected]
414-228-1134
Miller
Kristen
Cleveland
Magazines
[email protected]
216-781-6318
Minister
Scott
Columbus Dispatch
Magazines
[email protected]
614-461-7580
Coleman
Kimberly
The Commercial Appeal
Magazines
[email protected]
901-529-2344
Aleman
Tina
Commonwealth
Magazines
[email protected]
212-662-4183
Green
Stefanie
Cornell Alumni Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
607-272-8532
de Nikolits
Lisa
Cosmetics
Magazines
[email protected]
416-764-1704
Strain
Celia
EQUUS
Magazines
[email protected]
301-990-9015
Karamarkos
Nancy
Food Arts
Magazines
[email protected]
Li
Fanny
Food Arts
Magazines
Magazines
[email protected]
312-321-9613
[email protected]
970-292-4373
Magazines [email protected]
212-779-3334
212-779-3334
Lim
Karen
Food & Drink
Magazines
[email protected]
416-365-5935
Crook
Melissa
Food in Canada
Magazines
[email protected]
416-764-1755
Sidor
John
Food Logistics
Magazines
[email protected]
631-845-7109
Jones
Danielle
Glamour
Magazines [email protected]
212-286-7701
Martine
Grace
Glamour
Magazines [email protected]
212-286-7701
DeSear
Emily
InStyle
Magazines
212-467-1279
[email protected]
Richmond
Lori
The Knot
Magazines [email protected]
Chamberland
Amelie
L’Actualite
Magazines
212-219-1929
Fournel
Jocelyne
L’Actualite
Magazines
[email protected] 514-843-2186
Peressini
Dino
L’Actualite Pharaceutique
Magazines
[email protected]
Fava
Gigi
La Cucina Italiana
Magazines [email protected]
941-366-8225
Morance
Peter
The New York Times
Magazines
212-556-1234
[email protected] 514-843-2186
[email protected]
514-843-2186
Metropolitan
43
Uong
Minh
The New York Times
Magazines [email protected]
212-556-1234
Metropolitan
Weigand
Richard
The New York Times Metropolitan
Piazza
Charlie
Next Magazine
Magazines
[email protected]
[email protected]
212-556-1234
212-627-0165
Wolfson-Nadboy
Nicole
Niche Media
Magazines [email protected]
646-835-5200
Kaples
Laura
San Antonio Magazine
Magazines
210-268-1100
Ochoa
Dennis
San Antonio Magazine
Magazines [email protected]
210-268-1100
Robison
Wendy
Seventeen
Magazines [email protected]
212-649-3100
Arthurs
Gideon
Tarragon Theater
Theater & Arts [email protected]
416-536-5018
Baniel
Liad
Lincoln Center for the
Theater & Arts website fill-in email
212-875-5000
Bromstad
Talia
Alliance Theater
Theater & Arts [email protected]
404-733-4712
Burns
Michael W.
Quatrefoil Associates
Theater & Arts wesite fill-in email
301-470-4748
[email protected]
Performing Arts
Orta
Alberto
Vogue
Magazines
[email protected]
212-286-7351
Corrigan
Meghan
The Knot- Geogia
Magazines
[email protected]
212-219-8555
317-237-9288
Segedy
Chris
NYLON
Magazines
Cline
Katie
Indianapolis Monthly
Magazines
[email protected]
Edwards
Allison
Indianapolis Monthly
Magazines
[email protected]
317-237-9288
Ratcliff
Andrea
Indianapolis Monthly
Magazines
[email protected]
317-237-9288
Windisch
Dave
NUVO Newsweekly
Magazines
[email protected]
317-237-9288
Hamann
Friederike
DASH
Magazines
[email protected]
317-237-9288
44
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anthropologie: Rubied Dusk Dress, 2014. (http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/
product/clothes-dresses/29929643.jsp#/).
Anja Kroenke: Mural for Colette Malouf Store in Tokyo, 2012 (http://
www.anjakroencke.com/Beauty).
Aubrey Beardsley: The Peacock Skirt, 1893. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Beardsley-peacockskirt.PNG).
Blum, Stella. Designs by Erte - Fashion Drawings and Illustrations from Harper’s
Bazaar. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1976.
Cache: Gold Sequin Open Back Gown, 2014. (http://www.cache.com/detail/goldsequin-open-back-gown/W8030C35591340/72).
Cheung, Victor. Fashion Wonderland - Uncover the Power of Illustration in Fashion.
Hong Kong: Victionary, 2007.
George Barbier, Au Revoir, Le Bonheur du Jour, 1924. (http://www.artophile.com/
dynamic/Artwork/PublicDisplay_George_Barbier_Au_Revoir_1023_35.htm.
Glen Keane: Rough Animation of Ariel, The Little Mermaid, 1989.
(http://www.50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/06glen-keane-ariel.jpg).
Heller, Steven, and Marshall Arisman. Marketing Illustration. New York: Allworth Press,
2008.
45
Mackrell, Alice. An Illustrated History of Fashion - 500 Years of Fashion Illustration.
New York: Costume and Fashion Press, 1997.
McDowell, Colin. “Colin’s Column - Could Illustration Offer an Antidote to Fashion
Banality?” The Business of Fashion, (February 3, 2014). Accessed February
3, 2014. http://www.businessoffashion.com/2014/02/colins-column-illustrationoffer-antidote-fashion-banality.html.
Robinson, Julian. The Fine Art of Fashion: An Illustrated History. London: Bartley and
Jenson Publishers, 1989.
Tara Dougans: Keep Your Hands off My Cat, 2010. (http://www.the22blog.com/
2011/09/13/tara-dougans/#jp-carousel-19069).
46