The Importance of Shows: Mark Smith

We’ve asked several illustrators to comment on why they enter shows and in particular why they enter our 3x3 Shows. We’ll be sharing their comments over the next several weeks as we lead up to our show deadline.

“To counter the suggestion that shows are becoming irrelevant in a digital age of freely available information I would argue the exact opposite. It is the abundant availability of digital information that makes these shows an invaluable tool for already overworked art directors.”

“They provide a go-to guide for peer reviewed artwork/artists and not only guarantee a certain level of quality, but also (given that the majority of shows include illustrators on the judging panels) they leave the assessment of that quality in the hands of illustrators themselves.”

“I can understand how the intrinsically exclusive aspect of competitions might be distasteful to some, but I believe they also serve as focal points for the illustration industry as a whole. They can be an easy way in for people that have a relatively new interest in the field, whether these people are looking to commission work or studying to become a future practitioner, people who would otherwise be confronted with a sea of un-vetted information.”

“Paradoxically this un-vetted abundance can act as a barrier in itself, discouraging amongst others, the very people we would make our future living from. I firmly believe that anyone willing to provide a platform for illustration should be wholeheartedly encouraged and 3x3 does this in spades. It informs, promotes, guides and educates in equal measures, and I for one am both indebted to, and extremely glad of its existence.”

www.marksmithillustration.com

The Importance of Shows: Aad Goudappel

We’ve asked several illustrators to comment on why they enter shows and in particular why they enter our 3x3 Shows. We’ll be sharing their comments over the next several weeks as we lead up to our show deadline.

“Lately there is some discussion amongst illustrators whether illustration competitions are still relevant in the digital age. Not surprising as there are more channels to get you’re work in front of people nowadays then ever before. But perhaps that makes the competitions even more relevant. Amidst all the information coming our way I think it’s good to have a few curated/juried platform to which you could turn to find really good work. To me those stages are American Illustration, Communication Arts, the Society of Illustrators and 3x3.”

“What I especially like about the 3x3 ProShow is the mixture of ‘arrived’ names and ‘undiscovered’ talents. For me personally entering the 3x3 ProShow a couple of years ago was an important point in my carreer. Not only did it give me more confidence about what I was doing it also got my work noticed by art-directors.”

“I’m not saying this works for everybody and that there are no other efficient ways to get your work out there. But since I hardly do any self-promotion other then entering these competition I can assure they are still relevant when comes to further a career.”

To see more of Aad’s work check out 3x3 Issue 22 available in print and digital formats.

www.aadgoudappel.com

3x3 International Illustration Call for Entries

We are now accepting entries in the 2014 3x3 International Illustrator’s show. This year’s deadline for all shows is March 31, 2014.

What’s new?

We are adding an honorable mention category this year, while winners will need a majority of votes to get into the show, honorable mentions will need receive one-half the judge’s votes. Winners will be featured in our print edition and online, honorable mentions will be featured online.

We will be creating an app of the annual and it will be offered free to a select list of art directors worldwide. Art directors will also receive a discount when ordering our print edition.

We have added categories in our student show including illustration, animation and books. This allows our judges to judge these categories separately.

We’ve added an art director to our judging panel for the student show.

We’ll waive registration fees at our annual Nuts & Bolts Conference for our Student Best of Show and Gold medal winners.

Our Best of Show and Gold medal winning entries will receive a free page in our 2015 3x3 Illustration Directory plus they’ll not pay any publication fees for their best of show and gold medal winning entries.

Our Judges

For the professional show: Marieke Griffioen, Design Director, Edenspiekermann, Amsterdam; Paul Gonzales, Deputy Design Director, Los Angeles Times; Tim J. Luddy, former Design Director, Mother Jones currently art director at Brink magazine and illustrators Klaas Verplancke, Belgium and Mark Smith, United Kingdom.

For our picture book show: Élisabeth Cohat, Art Director, Gallimard jeunesse, France; Sylvie Frank, Associate Editor at Paula Wiseman Books; Jim Hoover, Associate Art Director at Viking Children’s Books and award-winning illustrators Anna + Elena Balbusso, Italy and Robert Neubecker, United States.

For our student show: Jamie Trendall, former Art Director for The Times currently with Ink Global publications, United Kingdom and illustrator/educators Doug Panton, Canada; Robert Meganck, United States; Andy Potts, United Kingdom and Durwin Talon, Canada.

Ready to enter? Just click your link: 3x3 ProShow, 3x3 Picture Book Show, 3x3 Student Show. Have questions, check out our FAQ.

Illustration by Carlos Araujo

Gary Taxali Solo Show Opens at Jonathan LeVine

Opening reception this Saturday, February 22, 6-8pm, at Jonathan LeVine Gallery, 529 West 20th Street, New York.

www.jonathanlevinegallery.com

One Down, One to Go

We’re happy to report that the 2014 3x3 Illustration Directory is in the mail. Thanks to Mother Nature we had a bit of difficulty with the weather but everything turned out great.

Thanks to our printers at Allen Press outside of Kansas City who endured dramatically below-freezing temperatures and sheets of ice and several feet of snow. In total we only missed two days of press time.

And the 3x3 Illustration Annual has finally made it’s way to our printer in Canada. We had several printing issues which delayed releasing the job until the end of last week. Everything is now on schedule for a March delivery.

Our digital edition of the 3x3 Illustration Annual will be going out tomorrow and our iTunes app for the 3x3 Directory should have approval this week from Apple after making a software adjustment.

Next up our 3x3 medal design and of course the 2014 Call for Entries!

3x3 Spring Self-Promotion Workshop May 17

We’re once again offering a one-day self-promotion workshop. This new and improved workshop is broken into two sessions. Session One is devoted to the strategy of self-promotion, what and how we promote. Session Two is devoted to the tactics, where and when to promote.  We’ll also review your current materials and for those who take both sessions, we’ll give you a project for a new promotion piece and critique the results. A full explanation of what is covered in each session can be found on our registration page.

Our workshop is different than others as it comes from an art directors point-of-view. Using interactive exercises, we walk you through each step to a clearer understanding of what you should be communicating. The seating is limited so you receive more individual attention. And it’s affordable, $85 for each session or $150 if you take both.

So if you’re not getting the response you want when sending out postcards or email blasts this workshop can help. Research shows 80% of art buyers and art directors continue to respond to these traditional methods when hiring new illustrators.

Sign-up early as seating is limited. Registration closes on May 10.

Here are a few remarks from previous workshops:

“I thought the workshop was very informative, in regarding about the focus on ‘Self.’ I enjoyed learning about ourselves and each others. The discussion about different colors were very informative and fun. The printed email list was of great help, it was clear and direct, put us in the shoes of art directors.”

“I feel as though the workshop was something that was pivotal in my becoming an established illustrator or graphic designer. I don't intend to go back to school and doubt I would have learned this information from any other way.”

“The workshop had a lot of information and showed me new ways to think about marketing.”

“Charles is easygoing, well spoken, and clearly an expert in his field. He makes the information accessible and the workshop participatory.”

“The workshop helped to bring into a focus a lot of things that had been vague about how I think about my work, and how to select who to market myself to. It also was very helpful in showing ways of doing that.”

“The workshop provided me with some new ways of looking at myself as an artist, forcing me to ‘define’ my work in simple terms.This was tough, but I think continuing to refine my definition will end up being incredibly valuable. I am looking forward to approaching clients with this new perspective in mind.”

“The afternoon workshops was my favorite part of the workshop. There was more specific examples and guidelines that was relevant for me and I appreciated how specific he got with what to send to where and how.”

“The workshop was supremely informative. I only wish I had all of this information years ago. The workshop would be a value at twice the price.”

For more details or to purchase tickets through our Eventbrite page, click the button below.

3x3 Spring Workshop - Self-Promotion
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Brooklyn, NY

Session One: 9-12pm
Session Two: 1-4pm