Give and Receive

Here's an idea, want to get more business as an illustrator? Promote illustration to art directors and don't do it for yourself, do it for the industry. Every art director knows when they're being sold something, so no matter how great your promotional mailing, it's coming across as selling. Try another tack.

Give a subscription to an art director whose given you an assignment, or send an annual as a gift. And it's not necessary to be in the magazine or annual though that doesn't hurt. What you're doing is promoting the work of illustrators and the industry as a whole. Sure it exposes them to other illustrators and that could mean more competition for you, but overall it'll be good for the industry. It will help art directors believe that illustration is vital. It's a soft-sell that can work.

Whether it's the Society's annual or ours, a subscription to Juxtapoz, Varoom or 3x3, making more art directors aware of how great illustration can be will mean more work for everyone.