I often get emails asking for advice on how to start out or how I started out, so I’m dedicating this page to whoever would like to know more. PLEASE do remember to ask around as this is all only from my experience and perspective, for what it’s worth. No advice will replace your own first-hand experience.

After Art School I stayed on in Edinburgh and went on what was called “The Enterprise Allowance Scheme” (£40 a week from the Government) and booked in lots of portfolio interviews with Art Directors from Design and Advertising Agencies. Unfortunately a lot of them didn’t turn up to the meetings and it was all very disheartening till one Art Director (who did turn up) suggested I move to London, Germany or New York as my style of work wasn’t going to earn me a living in Edinburgh. London was the option I was most comfortable with and so made a few preparatory trips, one of which was for a month when I booked loads of meetings – none of which were cancelled. All those meetings resulted in only two magazine commissions, but as someone kindly said, “See every meeting as sowing a seed – you never know which or when they’re going to grow”. After plucking up courage I moved down to London in 1990 and have been here ever since.

Slowly the odd illustration job came in, between which I carried on with interviews and keeping my portfolio as sharp as possible. Every art director I met I asked if they’d recommend another to me so I always had new people to see. I was often given advice – some very disheartening and damning – and listened and tried so hard to learn. Publishers would say my work was too sophisticated for children and to go to magazines or Design Studios and those art directors would say my work was too child-like and to go to children’s publishers. A very tedious Catch 22 till I got some magazine work and had printed work to show art directors. This gave others confidence to commission me further. Being shy at that time didn’t help but I persevered as truly I hadn’t a clue what else to do if I couldn’t illustrate. It therefore didn’t seem like a slog but a necessity to keep driving forward and believing in myself.

It took a couple of years but slowly commissions started to come in and before I knew it the sown seeds began to grow and didn’t stop. Fear kept me working extremely hard, but it was interesting and thankfully no two illustration jobs are alike so it keeps your mind active and stretches you. It’s a good career but a battle to get ones foot in the door.

If you can, do try to get yourself a web site so Art Directors can look you up online. I’ve found this invaluable – more important to me now than a portfolio. Do however have a portfolio and make it as beautiful and enticing as you can. It is your showcase, you will be judged by it, so prepare it in a way that really reflects your talents and abilities at their best. Art Directors are by nature highly visual and will appreciate a well-presented folio to show to their colleagues and clients too.

If you are not sure how to go about this, here in LondonThe Association of Illustrators (www.theaoi.cominfo@theaoi.com T: 020 7613 4328) have what’s called a Portfolio Consultation whereby you can make an appointment to discuss your folio and how to present it, what to put in it etc. It’s important to create a portfolio to suit your strengths – ie if you’re more children’s book orientated, editorial, advertising, general etc. If you’re not able to come here, then do see if you can ask an art director near you to give you advice (look up Yellow Pages or The Association of Illustrators have directories you can buy). Their time is precious but you never know…

Once you’re set, perhaps with a website and definitely with a portfolio, you need have your work seen. I am out of the loop, but on asking an agent they did recommend making appointments, as I did when starting out, with art directors, dropping off your folio with them or hopefully seeing them face-to-face. If the latter, do ask advice on who they’d recommend you see next and perhaps what they think of your work and suitability for jobs etc. You’ll soon get a handle on where your place is in the market and can pitch more effectively from there.

Another idea is to use a company who have up-to-date records of addresses and contacts across the board in the industry. One company I know of iswww.bikinilists.com but there are others, so do check out who feels right for you, or if this approach feels right for you. It doesn’t work for everyone and I haven’t tried this yet, so can’t really comment.

The Association of Illustrators has a showcase annual called Images. You can submit artwork into various categories once a year and they have a selection committee who choose the beat works and they get compiled into a large book which gets sent out to thousands of art directors across the various fields in the industry. Not sure if The Society of Illustrators(www.societyillustrators.org) – if you’re US based, do check them out.

Sending postcards, samples of your work with your contact details etc directly to art directors is another idea.

I get asked quite a bit about how to present your work. What publishers seem to want to see is how you would tackle a book layout (this can be in pencil) and how a cover would look in colour and also one double page spread from your book in colour. Just one would do, no need illustrate the whole book incase of inevitable changes or unsuitability with the text etc. Ideally publishers would love you to write and illustrate but we’re not all blessed that way, so don’t worry if you haven’t a story. Find a story you do like, re-work it to your way of thinking and style and make an appointment with a port-folio of your illustrations and ideas and the publisher will probably be able to see very quickly how you’d fit in with their lists.

Another thing to do is to go to a bookshop and check out all the books that your style of work would sit comfortably with. List those publishers and make your appointments. Here in the UK, the Children’s Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook has all the publisher’s contact details and masses of good advice. Another book I found is Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market UK. These books will give you much better advice than I ever could.

This is a great way to get your work seen. Deadlines can be tight which will stretch you, money not always great but you will have printed work for your portfolio and it’s always interesting.

Up to you – think Literary Agents (they can take on illustrators too) take about 15-20‰ for a book contract. Illustrator’s agents take about 30-40‰ and for this they usually have their own website, they field calls, organize fees, will present your portfolio to clients, invoice clients, advertise (though I think you pay a ‰ of this too) and promote your work, give advice and feedback and basically look after the business side for you. It’s not imperative to have an agent, but if you’re not business minded or would rather not deal with that side at all, then it would be well worth you trying.

The Association of Illustrators (Graphic Artists Guild, T: 001 212 791 3400.) will have a list of agents and their contact details. Again, make sure your portfolio is up to date and scratch and see if you actually like who you are meeting as this is like any relationship – you have to get on, trust and respect each other.

I’m often asked about what paper etc I use. I use acid free watercolour paper, good quality watercolours (so important – the student ones don’t seem to be so clear and beautiful to paint with) and occasionally dip pen and ink. After I’ve finished the painting I scan the artwork at 300dpi and tweak it a bit if necessary in Photoshop, I then give it a code and save it in a folder on my desktop. I now always send my artwork to clients digitally with one exception as they like to scan artwork themselves and always do a beautiful job… therefore well forgiven. I use an Epson Perfection scanner (4180 PHOTO – a few years old now) and work on a Mac.

Not sure what else to say really other than thank you for coming onto my site, hope I’ve been of some help and wish you the best of luck!

The Association of Illustrators also have another couple of publications that you might find useful – “The Illustrators Guide to law and Business Practice” and “Pricing“. In the US, the Graphic Artists Guild’s Handbook gives you all the information you need on pricing and ethical guidelines. It’s a wonderful book and you can order it online via www.graphicartistsguild.com or 001 212 791 3400.