Joe Mills

Business Cards

I’m not sure how much people use business cards, but I thought I should get some professionally printed. I even read an article recently saying that the business card is dead. Regardless, it gave me a chance to check out a local printer called M13 Graphics. They are pretty much what I expected. I just wanted a pretty simple design that reflected my web site and promotional sticker. And, the price was right…

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The Consume and Create Sticker

The Consume and Create sticker is complete. It certainly has the vector look but it is a slight departure from my previous illustrations. I am in the process of getting a quote from Sticker Giant, so the production will happen. Stickers with 4 colors are an investment, but I want more than just my promotional sticker. These are only going to be 2 inches by 3 inches which seems to be just the right size. Although, when I made a print out, I was afraid it was too small. Yet, it seems to be an appropriate size. Stickers don’t have to be the size of a piece of paper. I will give an update when I get the stickers.

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Social Networking and Web Presence for Illustrators and Artists – Part 2

I finally got around to working on part 2 of this list. This time I’m going to focus on the lesser known sites. They aren’t completely unknown, but I know these are harder to locate. Plus, they offer services that are different from Facebook, etc.

Disclaimer: I have used some of these sites more than others. I can say that a site becomes more useful as you use it. I think the problem many people have is that they expect to throw up their portfolio or make a post or two and clients will coming banging on your door. I believe these sites are yet another tool available to illustrators and designers.

Behance: Let’s start with my favorite. I like Behance because it is free and it is easy to get started. Projects and portfolios can be posted in a manner of minutes provided you have the images ready. Plus, I think the images look good on their site. The socialization piece of their site is my favorite. You have “circles” and you can invite people to your circle. I have found that most people will accept. I’ve made it a point to invite new people every few weeks. You can “appreciate” and leave notes on the artwork of others. I try to do this as well. The more people in your circle, the more notes and appreciations you are bound to get. When you post a new project, you can send a message to the people in your circle. I think it is a nice way to drum up a little buzz even if it is amongst designers. I feel like it could lead to a collaboration or something more, but for now, it is a good way to stay connected.

IllustrationMundo: This site basically allows you to point people toward your web site. If people or clients are looking, they might find you. Really…there is not that much upkeep on the site itself. You can submit a news item to their front page, but I feel it gets lost pretty quickly. If you have a site, though, it doesn’t take much to get started here.

DeviantART: This site is much more informal, so it tends to be relatively messy. You can get lost in here as well. Basically, it allows you to post whatever artwork you have and categorize. People do not always post finished work or portfolio ready pieces. New work that gets posted can get buried in hours after you post it. How can you get noticed? I do make it a point to post stuff on here since it is less formal, but I do not believe it is a great place to get noticed. One this I dislike it that the site automatically tries to make your work available for purchase by using the JPEGs on a magnet or post card. It makes everything seem so bush league. I do like the camraderie amongst the artists on here even though the vibe is not terribly professional. I will probably still post to here, but only occassionally. I feel like my energy should go elsewhere.

GigPosters: I joined this site when I believed that I might focus more on gig posters. That idea fell by the way side. (Although, an announcement by Janelle Monae has me rethinking my decision.) Anyway, this site seems cool if you are REALLY into gig posters. After perusing the forums, it is easy to tell that they are tough on newbies. If you do plan on going this direction, then this is the place to be. From what I understand, some top artists post their work here. If I do plan on making a gig poster in the future, then I will have to revisit what I’ve said.

LinkedIn: This is for the professionals. I guess this one is more well-known but it seems more for suit and tie type people. I’m not sure how much it would help an illustrator find work, but I really haven’t used it that way. Since this is a much more professional site with resumes and recommendations, I use it mainly to showcase my accomplishments as a teacher. Once again…it is just another tool.

Printfection: While Threadless and other t-shirt sites make you win a contest to get your designs on the web, Printfection allows you to upload your own designs and sell them. I chose Printfection over Zazzle and Cafepress because I heard their printing was more professional. I do not have a comparison to make, but I do like their printing. (Although, I feel if you really want to get into t-shirts, it would be better to go in other directions. I am actually thinking of screening my own designs this summer.) There is a lot of setup required to get going, but it is very customizable and lots of choices. Now that I have it all figured out, I can get a new design up rather quickly. Printfection has a base price for their shirts and then you add your profit over and above that price. I was even able to embed the store into my site so it looks more integrated with my design. The one issue I have with these sites that allow you to upload designs and open a store is promotion. How will people find you? Once again, a t-shirt store becomes another way to expand your web presence, but it might not be the most profitable right away.

Paypal: Paypal is well known…why is it on this list? I always thought having a Paypal store was real difficult and required a lot of setup time….yes, I was wrong. I think it belongs here because I figure other people believe what I…believed. I have posters I wanted to print and sell and having a Paypal store was the best way to do that. For now, I have a small operation, so I have not explored all of the features of Paypal. As it stands, it has been a great way for me to just receive money and ship out products. Maybe if my operation gets bigger…I will really have to explore all that it has to offer.

Carbonmade, EveryCreative, Jotta, and FormFiftyFive: I have only recently joined these sites and have yet to find anything compelling about what they offer. As my disclaimer states, though, I do not want to dismiss these sites because I have not really given them a go. Shall I say to be continued?

In the end, you can’t spend all your time promoting, so you have to pick the best venues to get your work to people. I continue to believe that just posting online is a vicious circle that can only lead to miss opportunities. It is only PART of a well-rounded promotion plan. (I will be the first to tell you that a great web site and a strong online presence is beneficial. People need a way to locate you and your work.) Right now, I have been trying to focus my attention on displaying my work locally and getting booths at fairs in the Chicagoland area. It certainly takes more effort and money, but you can’t sit in front of your computer all the time.

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5 Tips for Finding Time to do Art

Considering illustration is not my “real” job, I have had to find ways to be creatively productive while trying to educate a group of 60 5th graders. As strange as it may seem, being a teacher requires a lot of time and energy. Yet…I’ve been relatively successful completing artwork and holding a job down. So, I have five tips for the rest of the world:

1. Use down time to think about ideas
This might seem like a non-tip, but it is important to keep in mind. If you spend any time away from your job or commuting or at an uninteresting social event, think about new artworks or work out problems with current artworks. Since I do not have the luxury of doing my illustrations day in and day out, I use that time away to figure out what might not be working with a particular piece. It can actually be a good thing since it is impossible for me to let an illustration consume me. I don’t have the time. So, I use that time to let design issues or new ideas just sit and marinate before moving forward. Since I do not want to start something that ends up going nowhere, I can use that time to really decide, “Is this going to work?” This is an underrated part of the process.

2. Keep current artwork out at all times
I work on Adobe Illustrator so I always keep my current work open. It is a constant friendly reminder to keep working. It can be a pain if Windows decides to update my computer and reboot the whole thing, but that can be fixed. If I know it is there, I can’t ignore it. And since I like doing the work, I do not feel like I am bugging myself. And that leads me to my next point…

3. Work in small increments
Since it is open all the time, I can use small bits of time to put in work. Now, if I am really trying to figure out how to draw something or make an important choice in style, a small bit of time is not useful. I usually have lots of repetitive parts in my work, so I can use those half hour and hour time intervals to do some more monotonous work. I have found these to be particularly beneficial at the end of a piece because the design choices are already fleshed out in my head and I just want to finish the darn thing.

4. Work late at night
I wish did this more often. That time from about 10 to 1 can be very productive. If you are not afraid to stay up late, it can be a great time to tackle big issues or complete a larger section of your illustration. Plus, no one bothers you at that time and the only thing stopping you from doing work is…well…sleep. It is the most difficult to accomplish, though, because it can impact your next day. Plus, I get so tired some nights that I just can’t even think about it. Sometimes I need to put on a cup of coffee and just sit down and start working. If I do that, midnight just rolls around before  I know it. That is the best case scenario.

5. Keep life structured
The myth of the kooky, unorganized artist is just that…a myth. The rest of my life is highly organized. I am always creating lists. I am very systematic about how I organize my life, and I am unwavering in my quest to be responsible. I pay my bills on time. I do the grocery shopping. Basically, I make sure I do everything that I am supposed to do…then I do my work. As far as I can tell, this is not something that can be sorted out overnight. I am constantly revising how I organize and what I organize. No matter my choice, though, it allows me to be creative since the creative side of my brain is not overrun by the side that can’t get its act together. I’m telling you…I’m not sure if I’d be able to create if I do not take care of all the things that just get in the way.

Hope that helps!

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The Expensive Print for Pixel Chicago

Recently, someone asked me for a print of one of my older artworks, Pixel Chicago. Since it was only one print, I knew the price would be more expensive. He was more than happy to pay the extra money for the work, so I went ahead and got one printed. The stock of the print is much thicker than the posters I ordered for Chicago 2010. Plus, the paper is much more glossy. Even though I think the print looks good, I still believe the quality of the poster prints is much cleaner. Still, it begs the question…what kind of prints should I sell? For a good piece of artwork, people will pay the money, but your market is much smaller. I am not going to make much of a profit off the one above, but I could get about 100 of them made for a smaller price per print. The overall price of the poster would go up and I would still make a good profit, but at what cost? Will people not be as interested if the price is much higher? Isn’t it more important at this point to get my artwork “out there”? Should I believe that people will buy my artwork no matter the cost because I have confidence in my work? I could spend about $50 more over the cost of 100 prints and get 500 posters and be able to sell them for a much lower price. Plus, more people are now interested. It is this high wire act I am playing with myself between looking like a professional artist with great, inexpensive artwork and looking like some hack who is just trying to sell a bunch of posters. It is the ongoing debate with myself, but I can’t help thinking that the inexpensive poster is the best route for me…at least for now.

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Social Networking and Web Presence for Illustrators and Artists – Part 1

As of the summer of 2006, I have jumped headfirst into social networking. I began the blog you are reading now, and I have never looked back. Now, I am trying to figure out just how important all of this is to my “business”. Maybe there are other illustrators and designers who feel the same way as me. It can consume you, and I am not sure of the initial or long term benefits. Part of me feels like you just have to try it and see what sticks. The other part…thinks it is just white noise. Let me break down some of the things I am doing and what has been the most useful:

Web Site: My father registered joemills.com in 1997 and it was one of the best things that could have happened to my online presence. I love having my name as the site especially since my name is very common. I have used it for different reasons over the years, and I think I finally have it in a place where it is most useful. I think a well-constructed site is probably the most important part of my online presence. While it is probably one of the few things people find, it is my flagship. No matter where people see me on the web, I can always point them back here.

Blog: I’ve enjoyed having a blog, but I do not think I have totally figured out the best way to use it. It really doesn’t have a theme that sets me apart. Plus, I really need to work on making my writing more interesting…there is a reason I enjoy drawing. I have focused on inspiration for most of the time, but I was reading recently that might just be pointing people away from me. I still think I will include inspiration on my site, but I need to focus more on my work. It does not pay to be humble on the net.

YouTube: I dabbled with some puppet videos in 2008 and did a few things last year. Plus, I have tried doing a few artist journals as well. I really love doing videos, but it takes me away from my illustrations. My issue with YouTube has always been production value. When I put something up, I want it to look just right. Obviously, that takes more time. I wish I was quicker with the video camera to capture things happening. I wish I was more comfortable making quicker snippets that I could just “put up”. I get too wrapped up in making a good production…and maybe there is nothing wrong with that. Even as I’m writing this, I’m wondering how a great video can help my business. I want people to find my artwork…not some cool video I made. It is hard to give video up because it is a fun medium. I just wish I knew the best way to make it work for me.

Flickr: Some people use Flickr and Picasa as portfolio sites. I usually use it to put up pictures of events I attend like concerts. If you tag things just right, people will find your work. Since I am not a photographer, this site is not of much use, but it is one of the more popular sites. I do not think it works well as a portfolio since you are stuck with their structure, but I do like the ability to put up non-portfolio pictures that I find interesting.

Facebook: Obviously, Facebook is one of the premiere social networking sites. I think some people feel that you need it to promote yourself, but I do not feel like it is a good place to get noticed. When I sold my recent poster, I got more attention from a good old fashioned email than I did a Facebook post. I think that Facebook only helps keep the ball rolling…it is not the place to get noticed. Like a web site, though, I think it is a good place to send people when they are already interested in your work.

Twitter: Twitter falls into the same category as Facebook. It has gained a lot of attention this past year, and I have only recently started using it. The thing I like about Twitter is how informal it is. No site encapsulates this more. How does this fit with promotion? I think you really need something to say to get people interested in you. I just don’t always have anything interesting to say all the time. The other problem is that so many businesses and people have Twitter and Facebook accounts…what makes me stand out? I have said that it can really keep people updated on new things, but as my wife says, “If you really want to know, couldn’t you just search for it?”  I’m still going to mess with it, but I am continually thinking of ways to focus my online attention.

Google Profile: Since Google has taken over many online lives (including mine), I felt this was necessary. According to Google, it should make it easier for people to find you if they do a Google search, but I can only hope that is happening…

I will try and tackle more of the lesser known sites next time…

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Monsters Will Attack This City

I have just recently started my next poster. I had this idea for a bunch of monsters and robots and aliens to attack a city. I’m still working with the idea of landscapes, but I decided to distort this one much more. I can tell that I will have to be very mindful about how I illustrate each section. Since my last two were much flatter, I was able to use the same line quality for the most part. For this illustration, I will have to adjust the details and line thickness as I move back to the horizon and down towards the base of the buildings. I do have an underlay I am working with, but as always, I almost prefer to do a lot of the illustration directly on the computer. It helps me to keep the same visual style. I feel that the buildings are somewhat drab, but the monsters are going to be the real star of the show. I am also going to attempt to put more hidden jokes in this illustration. I have inserted a couple in my last one, but it was never my focus. This time…I think I need to push that a little more…

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New Artwork – No Waiver Park!

I have proved to myself that I can hold down a paying job AND complete another long term artwork. I just completed No Waiver Park this morning. It definitely builds on the style I used with Chicago 2010. Ever since I got back to doing artwork over 5 years ago, I never knew if I would reach this point or if I even wanted to reach this point, but having a style is a good thing. I am certainly happy with the way this turned out. I had this idea for a crazy amusement park for over a year, and it finally came together this year. I had different drawing altogether before.

This just never seemed right to me. Although, as I look at it now, it still feels like I could have turned it in to something. The direction I chose, though, I think worked out perfectly. I decided to break up the attractions so they could shine on their own instead of making them completely overlap each other. Plus, I ramped up the amount of children so it really felt more energetic and vibrant. I’m not sure how this compares time-wise or detail-wise with Chicago 2010, but I definitely felt more productive with No Waiver Park. I took an Illustrator class in the fall that added some tricks to my repertoire…

Now, the big question is…do I get posters made? It is certainly not as identifiable as Chicago, but I need to step out of my comfort zone and take some risks. It is not like I have to make them now, but I need to keep it in mind. As far as artwork goes, I have 3 poster ideas ready to go. One is another city landscape…Sydney. I have another landscape of monsters attacking a city. And, I have an idea for a group of crime fighters called The Misfits. I have a sticker idea that is only worth creating if I really want to get them printed. Finally, I have a t-shirt idea that I need to start sketching. I’m holding off because I seem to have a t-shirt idea every month that I either end up not liking or actually creating…and then not liking. No matter what…I can’t let go of making t-shirts.

As far as promotion goes, I’m going to join a few more portfolio sites. I am going to submit an application to the Chicago Art Open. And from there…I need to start researching the spring and summer fairs and festivals to see what is worth my time…

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What I Learned at the Festival

Considering this was my first festival experience, it was obviously a learning experience. Here is what I learned:

1) I need something to cover my inventory. I do not want people to think that I have an endless supply.
2) People do not want to carry around a poster for an entire day. Some folks said they would come back and buy a poster and they did. Other folks did not. Do I bring cardboard tubes so at least it can be protected? Or, maybe a music festival is not the best venue…
3) In regards to number 2, I need some smaller items that can be carried. I was giving away stickers, but it might have been nice to have some stickers or magnets or cards that I was selling. Those can be carried.
4) The price was still perceived as “cheap” to people. Now, this is something that I’m struggling with. Since I have been buying at large quantities, the price points I have still allow me to have a pretty decent profit. Yet, if they are perceived as “cheap”, they might not seem as special to people. At the same time, I like the idea of inexpensive art. Something that can be just thrown up on the wall if you want. As I have found out, some people have framed my Chicago 2010 poster, so it can be seen as special if people feel that way. Plus, I feel like my style skews younger. Many older people walked by my booth and then kept walking. Younger people seemed to be more interested in the style and gave me a “that’s cool” even if they didn’t purchase. I’m not sure. I have not fully figured this one out yet…

For my first festival, it went pretty well. Now, I need to keep pushing the posters to shops around the city, prepare for festivals and fairs next summer, and make more artwork. I was able to get a good amount of sketching done in between purchases…

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Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival and an Update on the Business

Image courtesy of the Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival

It has been a while since I have given a comprehensive update on how the “business” is running, and I figured now would be the perfect time. My first announcement is that I will be a vendor at the Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival this Saturday. It is being held at Congress Theater from 11am to Midnight. I will be selling the “Chicago 2010″ poster, and a poster called “Cube Man”. Tickets are still available. I am not sure what to expect as a vendor selling my artwork to the “masses”, but it is the logical second step for me. This will give me a good idea about how successful I might be outside of my circle of family and friends. If all goes well, it gives me more incentive to hit the art fairs and festivals in Chicago over the summer. Or, I could try to hit other music festivals like Pitchfork. This festival is perfectly timed for me!

Speaking of “Chicago 2010″…I have been very happy with how my poster has been received. Us artists can be relatively sensitive, but at some point, you have to just take a leap of faith. I think it has helped that I picked a subject matter that is instantly recognizable. I was concerned that it might seem too “cartoony” for people, but the style seemed to be the right choice. It has given me more incentive to do other work in that style. Although, I will not be doing something as recognizable. I have thought about doing other cities, but I do not want to get stuck doing just cities. The Chicago poster was pretty personal to me, so I’d like to stick to subject matter that I have a personal attachment to. If I do work on another city, I’d probably do Sydney. Finally, if you ever do want to get posters made, I would go with Large Format Posters. They are somehow linked to another company called UPrinting. I was extremely happy with the results of the poster from a production standpoint. For someone who has never gone to “print”, I was understandably nervous. Designing on a computer screen and designing for print are two different animals. Yet, when I opened up that box, I was floored.

And lastly, my one bit of promotion so far has been my joemills.com sticker. If you are ever in the market for some inexpensive, “quick” stickers, I would go with Sticker Giant. They do produce 4 color stickers, but I was not ready to jump in that far just yet. I just wanted a little something to put in my poster sleeves with my web site on it. These stickers did the trick. Which reminds me…I had a hard time finding poster sleeves, but came across Clear Bags after some searching. They have poster sleeves of all different sizes. It is amazing how many unforeseen costs exist when you are trying to make money away from a 9 to 5 job…

I’ll give a post-festival post later…

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