Comments on: How to prepare samples to send to a publisher http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/ - ramblings & advice from illustrator Heather Castles Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:57:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Annette http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-907461 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:36:56 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-907461 Do art directors or publishers buy a piece of artwork and use it for illustrations. My daughter painted a really wonderful eyecatching acyrlic of a girl dancing about a year ago she was 8, but there is something so uplifting about this artwork. It's a little crude, because she was only 8. I think this little ballerina draws you in. You have to stare at her. Do art directors or publishers buy a piece of artwork and use it for illustrations. My daughter painted a really wonderful eyecatching acyrlic of a girl dancing about a year ago she was 8, but there is something so uplifting about this artwork. It’s a little crude, because she was only 8. I think this little ballerina draws you in. You have to stare at her.

]]> by: abbigail http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-900810 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:37:01 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-900810 Hello, this may be a dumb question, but how many illustration samples should you include? Hello, this may be a dumb question, but how many illustration samples should you include?

]]> by: Brigid http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-842673 Sun, 22 May 2011 01:05:50 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-842673 Thank you! You made it very simple and easy to understand. Thank you! You made it very simple and easy to understand.

]]> by: victoria allen http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-783951 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:40:53 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-783951 Hi, I am getting a portfolio together at the moment and have found the information on how to send work to publishers really interesting and useful, thankyou. One of our assistants at college is a professional illustrator and advised us to send images to prospective clients at 72dpi for fear of having your designs ripped off. It has happened to her, I just wondered what your thoughts were on that? I'm writing from the u.k., don't know if it's any different? Hi, I am getting a portfolio together at the moment and have found the information on how to send work to publishers really interesting and useful, thankyou. One of our assistants at college is a professional illustrator and advised us to send images to prospective clients at 72dpi for fear of having your designs ripped off. It has happened to her, I just wondered what your thoughts were on that? I’m writing from the u.k., don’t know if it’s any different?

]]> by: heather http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-740407 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:11:10 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-740407 Hi Lionel, Thanks for your comment on my blog. I'm actually a full time mum now, so don't have heaps of time to write... I put most of my tips up on my blog anyway so try aren't so secret! To quickly answer your questions... - yes, its ok to send a colour mockup... But from the horses mouth, publishers prefer manuscripts sent in plain Jane with no illustrations. It's best to submit illustration samples separately. Because publishers find in most cases either the illustrator can't write, or the author can't draw! But there are those rare occasions a person can do both, so Id submit a simple manuscript printout, with the mockup as well. - with getting a couple rejections, don't be discouraged... There are hundreds of publishers out there (I've put a link to the website i use to  find publishers on Illustrator Tips page on my blog) so just try to send the samples to ones who handle similar types of books, or at least in the same genre! - Photoshop isn't a good program to put in typography (it rasterizes the type so it doesn't look as sharp in the final product as vectorized type) it's best to do it in a professional layout program (InDesign or Quark) which generally the publisher does on their own. Hope this helps! Best of luck, Cheers, Heather Castles Hi Lionel,
Thanks for your comment on my blog. I’m actually a full time mum now,
so don’t have heaps of time to write… I put most of my tips up on my
blog anyway so try aren’t so secret!

To quickly answer your questions…

- yes, its ok to send a colour mockup… But from the horses mouth,
publishers prefer manuscripts sent in plain Jane with no
illustrations. It’s best to submit illustration samples separately.
Because publishers find in most cases either the illustrator can’t
write, or the author can’t draw! But there are those rare occasions a
person can do both, so Id submit a simple manuscript printout, with
the mockup as well.

- with getting a couple rejections, don’t be discouraged… There are
hundreds of publishers out there (I’ve put a link to the website i use
to  find publishers on Illustrator Tips page on my blog) so just try
to send the samples to ones who handle similar types of books, or at
least in the same genre!

- Photoshop isn’t a good program to put in typography (it rasterizes
the type so it doesn’t look as sharp in the final product as
vectorized type) it’s best to do it in a professional layout program
(InDesign or Quark) which generally the publisher does on their own.

Hope this helps! Best of luck,

Cheers,

Heather Castles

]]> by: Lionel Alvarez http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-737685 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:04:21 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-737685 Hi Tracy, A friend of mine and I are done illustrating the first of 3 song picture books. We printed up a prototype of the book at Kincos which we sent a copy to 2 publishers so far, and were later returned. They liked it but wasn't the type books they are looking for. Is it ok to send out a full color prototype to a publisher? Also, I love working with photoshop! I hand drew all art and added color with photoshop airbrush tool. Is it ok to add the type in photoshop as well? Looks clean and wonderful to us!? I know we need to be patient, and we love what we created, but it is our first time and just hoping we're on the right track. Are we ok? or can you suggest anything that may help us? We are also thinking of self publishing them but lack the investment money presently. Hope to hear from you soon! Thx! Hi Tracy,
A friend of mine and I are done illustrating the first of 3 song picture books. We printed up a prototype of the book at Kincos which we sent a copy to 2 publishers so far, and were later returned. They liked it but wasn’t the type books they are looking for. Is it ok to send out a full color prototype to a publisher? Also, I love working with photoshop! I hand drew all art and added color with photoshop airbrush tool. Is it ok to add the type in photoshop as well? Looks clean and wonderful to us!?
I know we need to be patient, and we love what we created, but it is our first time and just hoping we’re on the right track. Are we ok? or can you suggest anything that may help us? We are also thinking of self publishing them but lack the investment money presently.
Hope to hear from you soon! Thx!

]]> by: Han http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-712421 Wed, 12 May 2010 05:28:38 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-712421 Hi there, What would you recomend a cover letter contain? And another thought that just came to mind, im not sure if its a smart question or not, but because they have your artwork samples couldnt they just use it without you knowing? It sounds illegal. Hi there,
What would you recomend a cover letter contain?
And another thought that just came to mind, im not sure if its a smart question or not, but because they have your artwork samples couldnt they just use it without you knowing? It sounds illegal.

]]> by: heather http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-113310 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:42:57 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-113310 Hi Yuke, Thanks for your comment! As far as finding publishers, the internet is one way. Have you tried checking out your local card shop and writing down the name of the card publisher on the back, then looking up their contact information? There isn't really an easy way around having to do a bit of research to find out which publishers are taking new artwork. Good luck! Cheers, Heather Hi Yuke, Thanks for your comment! As far as finding publishers, the internet is one way. Have you tried checking out your local card shop and writing down the name of the card publisher on the back, then looking up their contact information? There isn’t really an easy way around having to do a bit of research to find out which publishers are taking new artwork. Good luck! Cheers, Heather

]]> by: YUKE http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-112685 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:19:28 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-112685 Great Info. How can I find publishers? I bought an artist and graphic designer's market book and surfed the internet. well, I have found about 53 publishers.Then,It seems now that there is no publishers any more in the world to sent my samples. Great Info. How can I find publishers? I bought an artist and graphic designer’s market book and surfed the internet. well, I have found about 53 publishers.Then,It seems now that there is no publishers any more in the world to sent my samples.

]]> by: heather http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-26490 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 05:00:35 +0000 http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/2007/01/09/how-to-prepare-samples-to-send-to-a-publisher/#comment-26490 Hey Tracy, Good question! I'm in the middle of writing up a little blog post on this...it's like asking someone how much should I charge for this 'shirt'...it really depends on the quality of what you're selling, who you're selling it to, and what it will be used for. The only 'quick' answer I can give you is this...work out how much you'd like to make an hour for your artwork...then work out how much time you will need to complete the project. Multiply the two together, and that's what you can charge for your illustrations. Whether it matches up with your client's budget is another issue! Sometimes the publishers give you a budget up front, and if you're happy with it then you'll do business together, otherwise have to negotiate a price you're happy with. Cheers, Heather Hey Tracy,

Good question! I’m in the middle of writing up a little blog post on this…it’s like asking someone how much should I charge for this ’shirt’…it really depends on the quality of what you’re selling, who you’re selling it to, and what it will be used for. The only ‘quick’ answer I can give you is this…work out how much you’d like to make an hour for your artwork…then work out how much time you will need to complete the project. Multiply the two together, and that’s what you can charge for your illustrations. Whether it matches up with your client’s budget is another issue! Sometimes the publishers give you a budget up front, and if you’re happy with it then you’ll do business together, otherwise have to negotiate a price you’re happy with.

Cheers,
Heather

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