Last week’s Illustration Friday prompt was paisley. I haven’t done an IF post in forever, so I thought I’d do this one. I did draw paisley but the scan in was so small, the paisley is kind of hard to see. I had fun in any case, so it was a successful doodle session.

Visit IF to see what other artists around the world are doing. The new prompt is satellite.

Last week was chock full. On Saturday my grandson had his 12th birthday. I can’t believe he is nearly a teenager. His mom was telling anyone who asked how old he was he was turning 4. Guess she just doesn’t want her babies to grow up yet.

Sunday I traveled out to Salem, MO were a week long event was happening. I was one of several guest authors/speakers and lucky for me, they had us set up in an air conditioned cabin. And we needed it. It was hot with a capital H. Temps averaged low 90s with highs around 98° and lows not dropping below the high 70s.  I would head out to my scheduled events, do them and then head back to the AC cabin to collapse and cool down before it was time to go back out again. I don’t do heat. Really. The event was wonderful in spite of the temperatures. I signed over a dozen books and made many new friends and was able to connect with old friends I had been missing and hadn’t seen in a while.

The event was scheduled until the 27th but I skedaddled out on Thursday because the youngest son got married on Friday and there was no way I was going to miss the wedding. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was held at our favorite local fine eatery. They closed the place down for us and served their wonderful specialties buffet style. After dinner was dancing. It was quite humorous to see the less than 5 foot daughter dancing with the over 6 foot son. The bride stood next to me watching and asked if her husband was looking that awkward on purpose. I told her I didn’t think so.

There were some truly awesome musicians at the event in Salem. Of them all, I think Shibaten is my new favorite! He is SO talented. I watched him preform and I still can’t believe one man can play all those instruments in one song. He sounds like a full ensemble. He told us the story of how he learned to play the didgeridoo, one of the instruments he uses. He said he bought himself one, and flew to New Zeland with only $400 in his pocket. His plan was to learn to play it well enough to earn enough money busking to get himself back home to Japan. I hope I have the chance to see him preform again. Amazing.

There are lots of other good things happening on the writing front. None I am at liberty to write about here yet. But I will be hiding away in the studio the next couple of months to work on some of the projects and hopefully be able to share information about them with you soon.

I have also decided not to continue with my illustrator interview series. Tracking down willing illustrators and nagging them to get the answers and images to me so I can post the interviews has just become too much of a time suck that I would rather be using in creating new artwork. I hope you have enjoyed the illustrators who have shared their process and art here. Maybe I will start the interviews up again when my to-do list is not quite as thick as the NYC phone book. You never know.

I just realized it’s been nearly a month since I did a daily doodle. So much for the daily part!

It seems to me that the flotsam and jetsam of everyday life tends to pile up more when I am out on book signings than when I am in the studio. Yes, I have to do the nitty-gritty stuff every week, but for some unknown reason it piles up deeper and faster when I am out of the studio. Plus, all the packing, unpack and repacking takes forever, especially when the heat and humidity hits one full force in the face like a used gym sock.

I am considering packing up for PSG in bits and pieces starting today. I head out Sunday. The weather wizards are proclaiming a heat wave until July. I think a trip to the store for a battery powered fan is in order.

I have been doing other artsy things even if I haven’t been doodling.

I decided I needed to get out in the world more in the capacity of rest and recreation. I am becoming rather one-dimensional with all the time I send creating, thinking and tweeting about kid’s books. Don’t get me wrong, I love that I can do this, it’s a wonderful blessing that my dream work is also my professional work, but I feel as if my brain function is in a rut.

So I ordered an ashiko and will be learning to drum. There is a monthly drum circle at Pathways, and I plan to attend. All things being equal, I wanted a drum that was unique. So I drew the rampart lion pair to the left for the drum maker to place on my drum. I am 99.9% sure I will be the only one with winged lions on my drum. I wanted the drum to be stained aquamarine but the drum-maker didn’t have that color, so I am settling for purple. The next drum circle is on the second. Hopefully, my drum will be delivered in time.

The group blog I am a member of, went live two weeks ago. Our first post had over 200 comments by the end of the day. Last time I checked it was edging toward 300 comments. The 2 dozen members of the group were all hoping for a good reaction but the hue reception we have received is beyond our wildest dreams. The blog/site has already been noticed by industry mover and shakers, several of which have either linked to us or emailed us directly. In fact, we even have been given an award. Yes, at two weeks old.  It seems as if the time was ripe for all things middle-grade and we began the harvest with a bang! After such a miraculous and huge launch, it’s going to be a tall order to keep up the momentum. My first post will appear on the blog somewhere in late July/early August. I have some rather huge footsteps to follow in. In keeping with my illustration background, I have decided to focus on graphic novels. Visit the site at http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/. The post up today is all about dog books.

Escape From Illustration Island (EFII) is the brainchild of Thomas James, an Illustrator and Writer located in Portland, Oregon who works tirelessly to provide useful content, encourage community participation, and help Illustrators escape their isolation.

Thomas James is an Illustrator, Writer, and Podcaster based in Portland, Oregon.  In 2009 he created Escape from Illustration Island, a website, podcast, and art community devoted to sharing resources and inspiration with Illustrators and other creative professionals.  He is also the author of the new eBook, 15 Steps to Freelance Illustration, due out on June 15^th.

Thomas has written guest posts for Fuel Your Illustration, Design TAXI, and the Creative Freelancer Blog, and has appeared on Illustration podcasts and blogs such as Big Illustration Party Time, Chris Oatley’s Artcast, Art & Story, Zero 2 Illo, Workbook, and Ninja Mountain.

In his spare time, of which there is never enough, Thomas enjoys life with his beautiful wife Melissa and his awe-inspiring twin daughers Emma and Olivia.

Why did you start EFII?

Thanks so much for inviting me to answer your questions, Wendy.  I’m really flattered.

The name Escape from Illustration Island comes from the idea that Illustrators often live and work in the isolation of their studios.  I created the site and the podcast as a way of bringing creative professionals together to share ideas, resources and inspiration.  This has grown into a thriving community of artists eager to share, which is something that I’m both happily surprised by and extremely grateful for.

I see you have a podcast as well as tutorials, articles and other resources for illustrators. Do you find keeping all the content fresh to take time away from your illustration work?

Actually, I was beginning to feel bored and uninspired with my Illustration style, so EFII was a welcome diversion while still working on something related to Illustration.  Fortunately, I’ve been able to turn the site into an alternate income stream with the help of my generous sponsors.  This allowed me the freedom to take a step back with my art, and think about where I really wanted to go with it.  As a result, I completely overhauled my style to be something that I’m excited about again.  So, EFII has actually been a blessing in that way as well.

It seems as if the site has morphed into a huge thing. Was this a plan or a happy accident?

It started very small.  In fact at first it was just a list of resource links that I’d compiled over the years.  I quickly realized that there was a huge demand for a place that artists can turn to for advice, inspiration, tutorials, and other resources.  Being a podcast junkie myself, starting an audio show seemed like the logical next step.  Thanks to Nate Williams, I was able to also syndicate the podcast on Illustration Mundo, which helped to get the message out there.  I soon saw that I was in a unique position to speak to such amazing people as Steven Heller, Drew Struzan, Gary Taxali, Brian Despain, and so many others.

The more I did, the more things grew.  So, I gradually added more and more features to the site, such as articles, tutorials, reviews, etc.

So, to make a long story short, Escape from Illustration Island has been an exercise in noticing that I was onto something big and trying to make the most of it.

How long have you been an illustrator?

I’ve been an Illustrator since about 2003, which isn’t very long compared to a lot of people I’ve spoken to.  However, it feels like a long time to me because ever since I started I’ve been cramming my head with as much information as I could so I could be better at what I do.

What are some of your recent projects (other than EFII?)

The thing I’m most excited about is my new eBook, 15 Steps to Freelance Illustration, which will be release on June 15^th.  Basically, it aims to help artists to build a strong foundation for their freelance Illustration business through a series of tasks that they can apply to their own unique situation.  While there are a lot of other useful books on the subject, I challenged myself to strip things down to the most essential elements and empower every Illustrator to customize the process with the supplemental workbook.

I’ve also been building up my portfolio with work in my new style, since I’ve gotten rid of everything that I don’t identify with anymore.  Soon, I’ll be working on putting myself back out there and trying to find projects that I’d most like to work on.

Was the isolation of being a freelance creative something you wanted to alleviate for yourself? Has the EFII helped?

I’d have to say that I mostly wanted to help other artists to feel less isolated, but EFII has helped me to connect with the larger community in ways that I never even considered.  I’m so grateful for the enthusiasm, feedback, and participation that has made Escape from Illustration Island what it is today.

How long has EFII been active?

EFII just celebrated its 1 year birthday last month, and it was really rewarding to look back on everything I’ve accomplished in the past year, and to look ahead at all the exciting plans I have for the future.

What future plans do you have for EFII?

Well, now that the eBook is finally finished, I’ll be focusing on sharing that with the community.  Also, I’ll be attending the ICON6 Illustration Conference in July as a media sponsor.  While I’m there, I’ll be covering the event from the inside and recording a lot of audio and video content to share with those who can’t make it.

I’m also working on an event in Portland, Oregon where local Illustrators and Art Directors can come together to discuss the goals and challenges they face.  I’m hoping it helps us to understand each other and helps us to work together in the future.

Basically, now that EFII is more firmly established I’m inspired to work on big ideas like this and try to be a positive influence on the industry.

Since you started working in this field, what changes have you observed in the industry?

I’m seeing more and more artists coming out of isolation into the light of day to communicate with each other and share resources.  Social networking is playing a big part in that.

How would you like to see the future of the illustration industry change? What would you like to stay the same?

I’d like to see Illustrators helping to raise the standards of what our time and creative energy is worth.  I think it’s becoming easier and easier for us to undermine our own efforts by working for little or no pay because we’re so desperate to get our work seen.  As far as what I’d like to stay the same, I hope we all continue to talk, share, and assist each other.  I think that’s something that won’t go away.

Are there any modern day illustrators whose work you gravitate toward? Do you feel they have influenced your growth as an artist?

I think that anyone who follows their own creative path inspires me, as well as artists who focus just as much, if not more, on the concepts they are presenting as the skill involved.  A lot of people can draw or paint a pretty picture, but it takes a lot more work and dedication to communicate ideas.

On a personal level, every guest that I speak with on the EFII Podcast helps to motivate me to keep creating and exploring with my work

What would you recommend for someone new to illustration as a career? How about for an old-timer trying a new approach?

To someone new to the career of Illustration, I would say to do as much research as you possibly can.  The more informed you are about the business, the more confident and successful you will be.  Also, I think it’s so important to stop comparing yourself to other artists.  That only holds you back from finding your own true voice.  To “old-timers” trying a new approach, I would say to be fearless with their own work.  If there’s something that’s making you want to move in new directions, then there is something powerful to be found there.  Follow that instinct.

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To purchase Thomas James’ new e-book follow this affiliate link: Click here to visit Escape From Illustration Island.
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Thank you, Thomas, for a very informative interview. I hope my readers will tune in for your next podcast. I know I will.

You may have noticed I’ve been a little scarce for the last week or so. I have been putting the final touches on a super-duper secret project.

It went live today! A blog for middle-grade book by middle-grade authors. We have been fielding congratulatory comments all day. Last time I looked we were up to 149.

I think now that all the back end fixes are taken care of, I can get back to my regularly scheduled activities. You see, I am the intrepid web master and one of two artists for the new blog. There are 27 of us all together. Below is the press release with full details. And of course, the site itself begs for visiting.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Middle-Grade Authors Launch Exciting New Industry Blog

June 7, 2010 – A new blog devoted to all things “middle-grade” launches today with fun giveaways, up-to-the-date news, unique views of the industry and more.

From The Mixed-Up Files… of Middle-Grade Authors (www.FromTheMixedUpFiles.com), named in honor of the iconic E.L. Konigsburg novel, is a one-stop shop for anyone looking to stay current with the world of literature for eight- to twelve-year olds. The site will feature regularly updated book lists, market news, author interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks at the making of books for kids.

“While there are many outstanding blogs devoted to young adult literature, we found very few that focus solely on middle-grade – and we wanted to change that,” explains Mixed-Up Files co-founder Elissa Cruz. “After all, reading plays such an important role during the middle-grade years. Each of us remembers that ‘one special book’ we read over (and over and over) that helped us navigate our way between childhood and adolescence. That’s why we have created a place where anyone – parents, teachers, librarians, kids, writers and industry professionals – can stay up-to-date and share their love of middle grade books.”

The blog is comprised of both well-known and emerging middle-grade authors, including Cruz, Kurtis Scaletta, Danette Haworth, Tami Lewis Brown, Mike Jung and many more. A  complete list of contributing authors and their bios can be found here: http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/about/member-bios/.

For more information, contact:
Elissa Cruz
elissadcruz@gmail.com
www.FromTheMixedUpFiles.com

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I do hope you’ll visit, enter the give-aways and leave comments. Of course, I won’t complain at all if you choose to spread the word to your writing and reading networks.