Visiting Lecturer - Andy Singleton

Andy Singleton

Artist/illustrator/designer

Fine art and commercial

Papercut artwork, large scale, installation, small scale is more sellable and displayable.

Degree - illustration with animation at Manchester Metropolitan. Degree work was a lot of detailed drawings on a small scale, he then started cutting into drawings to layer them.

Post graduation - part time job and commercial an personal work on the side. 

Personal work

Moved onto 3D work after exhibiting 2D. 

Commissioned for 3D work in gallery in Manchester. 

Used Kickstarter to fund a self initiated exhibition in New York with two other practitioners. 

Commercial work

Arts jobs, crafts council

Gallery in Wales window commission

Liberty window display commission 

Bird paper sculptures

Work needs to look good online, this is where a lot of work comes from

In flight magazine, using bird models again

Kensington palace, exhibition about Queen Victoria’s life - lace as inspiration, panel work to display alongside wedding dress and mourning dress.

Manchester gallery - frozen chandelier

Wales millenniun centre - ice storm and frozen waterfall

Harrods - window display animals 

Playstation - London skyline made from newspapers

Burberry shop window, london (near regent street)

Commercial work pays for the personal work.

Getting commissions becomes increasingly easier as online presence gets better and physical work gets seen more often. 

I noticed that Andy's work follows certain themes, a lot stemmed from his paper birds and this was carried through into multiple projects. The same goes for the ice theme from the winter window display to the frozen chandelier, ice storm and frozen waterfall. 

It was really interesting listening to Andy talk about his practice and it was good to learn about someones journey who started off in illustration but had managed to adapt and evolve his practice to fit into fine art, installation and commercial work. The way he spoke about the commercial jobs he has done makes me think that clients wont always give you the time or direction you need in order to create what they want, there can be a lot of last minute changes or limited time to install a piece. On the other hand, galleries are a lot more understanding and willing to give plenty of time for you to complete the work. I understand though that this downside is worth battling through if the payment is greater and after all, we all need to make a living. 

Tutorial with Patrick and John

The tutorial with Patrick and John today made me realise that there isn't an incorrect way to complete this brief. It is all personal and I need to spend some more time figuring out what I am interested in, where I want my work to exist and who I would want to work for. I need to find out what sums me up, either by figuring this out for myself or asking others what they think of me or what reminds them of me (aside from my work). What is my work mode and where does it fit? I need to understand who I am before I can figure out how and who can help me get where I want to be. 

The idea of thinking to the future was also brought up, not only for my work but for the world and how this will have an impact on my practice. What is educating my growth? This will all be explained in the end of year presentation. 

I showed the images from my previous blogpost to the table and it became apparent that maybe these two styles that I see as very different have more in common than I think. Maybe my more intricate drawing skills which are clear in my detailed work are actually still noticeable in my looser work. It was also mentioned that the way I apply texture and expressive brushstrokes crosses over multiple mediums. I am starting to see this now and I can understand that I probably look at it too much and it needs a fresh perspective to get a reasonable analysis. 

Next steps...

• Spend more time thinking! Who am I, what do I do, where do I want to be, who would be useful to contact?
• Look at domain names - I already know that there is an illustrator with the same name as me so the obvious domain name 'naomismithillustration' has been taken. I will need to think of something different. 
• Look at ThemeForest and Wordpress and start to develop a website. 
• Experiment with visuals, what do I want my business card, website theme, letterheads, etc to look like?
• Get information for a creative CV - what is relevant?

Defining my Practice

Continuing on from the task in the session, I started to list what I thought my strengths and weaknesses were, what my practice exists of and what I don't enjoy, and where I would want my work to exist. 

My practice - two dimensional, products, paper, packaging, editorial, decorative, analogue, textural, monochrome, fluid, detailed, loose, figures, natural forms, representational, stationary, homeware, textiles, 

Themes - natural forms, health, society, culture, animals, objects, positivity, travel, 

What I don't enjoy - politics, vector illustration, offensive themes, animation, abstract, narrative, comic book, 

Where I could see myself starting out - Etsy, Big Cartel, Facebook page, Instagram, print fairs, online campaigns, 

Products to sell or use as promotion - postcards, stationery, stickers, textiles, screen/digital prints, ceramics, greetings cards, repackaging existing products, 

Further down the line... - More established Etsy shop, Instagram, Facebook, (maybe twitter?), live website, blog, commissions, ranges stocked by shops (independent or chain stores), 

Ideas for methods of self promotion (for the brief) - business cards, Instagram account, Etsy/Big Cartel, Facebook, postcard sized print, badges/pins, something creative/usable to stand out (post-it notes, teabags, something edible, plant, coasters, USB pen, notebooks, pop up business card, mints, jigsaw) 

To understand more about the visuals of my practice I went through my blog and tried to pick out a few images that highlight what my practice actually is...

Images for course briefs

Personal work

I can see a clear difference between the work I do for briefs I am presented with and the work I just do for myself in my free time. I think this is why I am struggling a bit now the briefs are becoming a bit more self directed because these two styles are very different. I personally think that my ink/gouache work is more commercially viable as a style and I would probably want to keep my more intricate drawing style for personal projects as I get a lot of enjoyment out of this. I don't really see this style existing in the fields within which I would like it to. I hope to speak about this in the next tutorial. 

Lisa Congdon

Lisa Congdon is a totally self taught illustrator, designer and author. Her practice really inspires me, it literally shows that you can do anything if you set your mind to it. 

I love how full of life her work is, you can tell she is a grafter and spends a lot of time making and drawing. Looking through her website is inspiring me to pour my mind out into a sketchbook. Her work follows lots of different themes but the vitality running through it is consistent, you can tell she enjoys using colour and playing with shape. The range of styles and media she uses in her work is really inspiring, her work is uplifting and happy in general!

Briefing and Session Notes

Studio Brief Three - Creative Presence

Part 1
My visual identity, branding myself, print and online, promotional material, communicate my creative image, possibility of a logo or typeface, readability, usability, letterheads, creative cv, appropriately representing myself, make it about me!

Should have at least 50 or 60 contacts by next year. Invite them to grad show, open a dialogue with them. 

Part 2
Online presence, blogger, tumblr, issue, vimeo, make a website, domain name. 

Deliverables
Print and screen based outcomes, any additional materials, blog, active online presence, website. 

CV
Who I am, what I do, experience, give something practical or a gift so they remember you. 

Anatomy of a CV - avoid templates, should be flexible and tailored to who/where you are contacting, flexible order, emphasise the most valuable strengths. 

Standard CV Information - Name, address, telephone number, email, website or URL of online portfolio. 

Profile - 3 or 4 lines written in the third person. Skills, strengths and relevant interests, where I want to be, who I should be employed, what I do, make it a short summary to grab someones attention, try not to be too generic. 

Qualifications - name educational establishment, start with the most recent thing. Think about what is relevant. 

Employment and Experience  - Only relevant to position, competitions, clients, live briefs, exhibitions. 

Skills - financial, communication, presentation, creative, digital.

Additional - achievements, scholarships, awards, exhibitions, competitions, languages. 

References - make these available 'on request' so that people aren't being contacted without previously being told about it and also the references you give can always be up to date and the most appropriate for the position. 

DON'T - attach a photo, title the document as 'CV' or 'curriculum vitae'.

Writing a Profile
What am I good at? What are my skills and strengths? What do I do? Who am I? Where do I want to be?

Me - hard working, challenge myself, problem solving, aim to exceed expectations, efficient, good time management, consistent, professional attitude, 

My practice - interdisciplinary product, packaging, editorial, reportage, surface pattern, product ranges, homeware, textiles, stationery

My skills - visual skills, drawing skills, observation drawing, varied media, exploration, 

I found it really difficult thinking about what to write about myself, its hard to take a step back from what you do every day and summarise it in this way. My mind went almost blank. I felt like the responses I was coming up with in the session were too formal and wordy. I wasn't able to get my personality across. 

A hard working, interdisciplinary creative practitioner who aims to challenge and exceed the expectations of a brief. 

A hard working, determined creative practitioner working across disciplines to challenge a brief and exceed expectations. 

...with the potential to be applied to product ranges or packaging design. 

Clearly, this needs a lot more work. I think this is a task I will be battling with for a while, I don't think I'll be able to crack it entirely without exploring deeper into my own practice which is what is happening in the applied illustration module at the moment. I think at the moment it is about finding the balance between being specific enough to avoid sounding generic but also broad enough so I don't restrict myself. 

List of tasks for myself...
Continue with this task and come up with a few concise sentences. 
Re-read the brief. 
Analyse what I have so far in terms of self promotion. 
Explore methods of self promotion and find what would be appropriate for me. 
Research, research, research. 

AOI Lecture

I really can't stress enough how interesting and useful I found this lecture. Pricing my work and the legalities of forming contracts is something I have very little knowledge about but now I feel a lot more informed. These are my notes from the lecture. 

The Association of Illustrators (AOI) - formed in 1973, not has over 1800 members, non profit organisation. 
Available to help with pricing, contracts, rights and professional and ethical standards. 

Half of your job as an illustrator is to produce artwork, the other half is running a business. 
Self promotion - keep it functional, simple, professional, iPhone friendly, include your contact details, if you have a blog keep it up to date or don't have one at all, avoid online contact forms. 

Collectives - a good way to start up after graduation. 

Blog - include latest work, process, ideas, keep professional separate from personal, personal projects, self promotional material, dream briefs. 

Try not to be influenced too much by current trends, these will pass. Strive to find your niche and make something different. 

Social media as advertising - open up a dialogue, don't be unprofessional, don't post visuals for a brief without the consent of the company. Bechance is project based, can also use linked in or instagram. 

Mailers - physical mails (keep it A5/A6) are used to give a taster of your work, make it personal and directed, research who you are sending it to and reference why you would fit in to that area, follow this up a week later with a PDF of your work. 

Finding Clients - AOI directories, don't blanket bomb! Research who you want to work for, your work won't apply to everyone. Bikinilists.com

Accounts - Be a book keeper, register your business, register for income tax, claim tax back on 'cultural expenditure', tax return every year (this will be 4 times a year by 2020). Keep physical paperwork!

Copyright - Protects any work by a creator, lasts for 7 years after death, doesn't require a copyright symbol, copyright can be sold or licensed out, there is no copyright for idea and styles, you can't benefit financially from something that already had copyright. 

Copyright assignment - copyright can be assigned to a client, this should be for a high fee, they can have it forever and use it on whatever they want, this is not good for the illustrator as it means loss of control and you are not allowed to use it in your portfolio. There is no reason that the client would need to own it for that long, it is best to licence and re-licence. 

Moral rights - paternity is being identified as the creator, integrity is the right to not be subjected to derogatory treatment. These always exist. 

Online rights - put your name in the file name, low resolution is best to avoid copying or unlawful use of the image, no watermarks (they look messy), try and include the copyright symbol on the bottom of website page or social media. 

The exchange of money means that it is a business agreement and this required a contract. The contract should include fess, payment dates, basic rights of an illustrator, pay in full on the delivery of artwork, deadline. 

Acceptance of commission form - the licence (where the usage is, how long for, the size it will be used at), delivery dates of roughs and final artwork, customers (end usage company name), are covered, local, european, UK, worldwide (online would usually be worldwide), exclusivity (most are specific so they are exclusive, not exclusive would mean you could license the same image to other people too).

Contracts - binding agreement, clarity and certainty, professionalism and confidence, evidence for dispute. 

Crucial clauses - termination, cancellation, rejections, sub-liscencing. Contest them if they are not what you want, you have the right to do so. 

Pricing examples:

Label illustration for limited edition whiskey bottle - £800 - £1000

1/4 page illustration for glossy magazine - £200 - £250

Bus shelter advert for UK restaurant chain (6 months usage)  £1800 - £2000

2m x 2m mural painted by you for a design firm - permanent - £2000 - £3000 + day rate

DONT WORK FOR FREE

You deserve payment and don't charge any less because of your position (young/student/recent graduate)

Quote accurately - sometimes the information you are given is not enough to give a quote. Ask for it!

How many outlets? Is it worldwide, UK based, local? How many staff does the company employ? Is it for print, billboards (OOH), web?

Pricing and licensing - license is different to the sale of originals and sale is nothing to do with copyright. 

Accurately pricing - criteria. 

Who is the client? What is the company profile? 

Usage? What is it? Re-uses can be negotiated later. 

Territory? Uk, Europe, worldwide?

Duration? Editorial is usually 3 months, duration is usually the period of copyright for children books.

Budget? Take into account the success of the company. 

Don't work on a day rate!

Ask if information is not given. It shows professionalism and allows for additional negotiation. Clients will start to consider what they actually want rather than being vague about potential outcomes. 

Advertising 

Above line - publicity material, paid space advertising, newspaper/magazine, out of home, social media, sponsored online locations. 

Below line - not paid space, fliers, direct mail, social media. 

Large snack company, 1 year print and digital campaign - Licence £6500 - £7000

Editorial - Usually fixed but depends on the client, usage and size, territory and duration. 

Free newspaper, large circulation, UK, single use, interior article - £350 - £400 per half page illustration. 

Consumer magazine, UK, one month, print and web usage, quarter page size - £230 - £250

Packaging 

Usage - food, drinks, cosmetics, full coverage, limited coverage. 
Territory - regional, national, worldwide. 
Duration - limited edition, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years. 

Large UK Supermarket, UK licence for up to 5 years for a range of 12 printed packets - £400 - £450 per illustration. 
Large drinks brand, worldwide licence for up to 1 year for all packaging - £2750 - £3000
UK local restaurant regional licence for 2 years for pizza boxes - £280 - £300

Publishing
Usage - picture book, novelty, children's book, fiction, non fiction, educational, cover, spread, half page.
Territory and duration. 
Flat fees - similar to editorial. 
Advance and royalties - percentage on RRP or net receipts. 

Author and Illustrator - picture book, english language licence for period of copyright.
Flat fee - £7000 - £8000 or advance against royalty - £5000 - £5500 plus 10% of RRP. 
Illustrator only - picture book worldwide licence for period of copyright.
Flat fee - £4500 - £5000 or advance against royalty £2500 - £3000 plus 5-7% of RRP. 
Adult fiction cover - UK and commonwealth licence for period of copyright. Flat fee £800 - £1000

Duration of licence (example)
1 year - £3000 original fee
2 years - 60-70% of original fee
3 years - 2 x original fee
5 years - 3 x original fee
10 years - 5 x original fee

Working on a day rate suggests copyright assignment - don't do it!

Useful books - Illustrators guide to law and business. Becoming a successful illustrator.