Saturday, August 17, 2013

Thank You for Your Rejection....

Anmerkung für meine deutschsprachigen Besucher. Der Artikel wird diesmal wahrscheinlich länger und textlastig werden, da ich auch eine Reihe Besucher aus dem Ausland habe, schreibe ich diesmal den Eintrag von vornerein in englisch. Aber mit Bildern. :) Vielen Dank für das Verständnis. 

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Thank you very much for Your rejection. That strikes as odd at first sight, doesn't it? But I mean it in a completly non-sarcastic way. I am honestly thankful that I get a response. Even if it is a rejection.

For those who aren't familiar with my current situation: I am at the moment searching for an art representative to cooperate. Or a publishing house who is searching for an illustrator with my style range. Or any other possible client.

Besides updating my numerous portfolios and posting on the usual social medias like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or this blog, I send my work samples to every possible client. And of course I'll get rejections, which also can be quite discouraging at times. But why am I thankful for a rejection?

The answer is, because at least the agencies, representatives and publishing houses let me know about their decision. I am not the only illustrator who write them during the week, sending in work samples or links to their websites. I am not one of 10 or one of 20... At least according to some illustration agency websites they get around 100 submissions per week. And as we all know, strolling through the countless portfolios, links and worksamples is not the first task of illustration agencies.

A good bunch of the agencies even state on their websites that they won't be able to give a review on every single portfolio or even that they won't answer to every single submission.

The first one is understandable, the second one is sometimes a bit hard, because it leaves to me the question, if my works are so unremarkable that the agencies aren't even bothered to give me a small note. Even if it is a rejection, because in my opinion a rejection is still better than total silence.

It is something that also bothers me with a lot of job offers. They are searching for a freelancer or a new colleague. You write them a job application, of course nothing copy pasted, only a carefully picked together job application for them, like they are the one and only company in the world You would work for. And then.... silence.

I have heard in cases like this, You should write again to prove that you are really, really interested. Okay, okay, not writing again, that's a mistake, I made too. But I thought if the job offerer writes You that they will get back to You soon, it will happen. And I thought, okay. And waited. Obviously a big mistake. So, I will respond again, because writing an application and sending in work samples was not evidence enough for my interest.

And that's why I say thank you for the rejections. Still showing appreciation that I got a response -even a negative one. Showing to the agency that I am fine with their decision, because they let me know about it.

The illustration market is a huge, crowded and complicated one. In my opinion there are just far too many illustrators for the market. And I have already heard from agencies' sides that they have to deal with the changes in the markets and the difficulties finding new clients. And so, where would be the benefit for me if I got into an agency out of pity or what else, and end up as a non-active illustrator?

My guess is that in some cases agencies and illustrators sit in the same boats. Or at least they should be aware about it. I can only write about my point of view as an illustrator struggling with her job. But it would interesting for me to read about experiences from the side of the agencies or publishing houses. I collected some experiences over the years that led to my impressions that agencies aren't sitting in their ivory towers. They have similar struggles like the freelance illustrator. Maybe only in a bigger range because they have to bring together the interests of the clients and of the illustrators.

The other side, why I do my Thank You-sketches is that it shows a major point in my job. Getting creative with the given situation.



 As I have to write some more applications and plan to send out more work samples and portfolios, this series will most likely to be continued.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Lernt Olinguito kennen! / Meet Olinguito!



Als ein Tiernerd begeistern mich natürlich immer Neuigkeiten und Funde aus dem Reich der Tiere. Heute rollte auf Facebook ein Link zu einem Video zu einer neuentdeckten Tierart über die Pinnwand. Olinguito is ein naher Verwandter des Wickelbären oder Kinkajous und des ihm sehr ähnlichen Olingos. Laut den Medien ist es die erste neuentdeckte Raubtierart seit 35 Jahren. Für mich natürlich Grund genug den Kleinen mit einer Zeichnung zu ehren.

 FAZ-Artikel

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 As an animal nerd news from and findings from the animal kingdom always amazes me. Today on facebook a link to a video about a newly discovered animal species rolled over my wall. Olinguito is a close relative of the kinkajou and the very similar looking olingo. According to the media it is the first newly discovered carnivorous animal species for 35 years. For me of cours reason enough to honor the little one with a drawing.

TIME Article

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Hab ich wirklich vergessen?.... / Did I really forget?...

Hab ich wirklich vergessen auch das Portfolio zu http://www.amazon.de/Avati-Discovering-Ecology-Mia-Pelletier/dp/1927095131 u posten? Ja, ich hab. Hier dann mal einige der Illustrationen.

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Did I really forget to post the portfolio to Avati - Discovering Arctic Ecology?? Yes, I did. Here some of the illustrations. :)




Monday, August 12, 2013

Rabe im Sturm / Raven in Storm


Ich will wieder mehr meinen Blog als Präsentationsfläche für meine Skizzen benutzen und solche ausgearbeiteteren Skizzen wieder hier hochladen und auf meinem Facebookprofil und meiner Facebookseite eine kleine Preview. Ich muss mal sehen, wie es funktioniert.

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I want to use my blog more as a presentation tool for my sketches again. That's why I want to publish more elaborate sketches like this one here, and show on my facebook profile and my facebook page a small preview. I will have a look how this works.

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