Joe Mills

Camille

Camille is an illustration I came up with…for no real reason. I posted the sketch earlier, and I decided to just make it an illustration. I am not sure if it will go anywhere from here, but I wanted to just make it. My favorite part of the illustration is something I created while working on it. I wanted a paisley background, so I created my own paisley pattern to drop behind Camille. I kept the overall design very simple and did not go very far with the shadows and highlighting. I was more interested in the details created on the hair and the shirt. It seemed like just the right amount of complexity for this drawing. Now, it’s done…and I move on.

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Thriller!

In my other life as a teacher, I recently finished a once in a lifetime teaching experience. I learned and then taught about 20 5th graders how to do the dance from Michael Jackson’s Thriller. This was my first time teaching dance and it was a nerve-racking experience. I think one of the great things about teaching is taking a risk and hoping for great results…and the results were great. Over 6 two-hour class periods, these students learned the steps to the dance AND were able to perform it together. It is hard to stress how much work it took for them to all perform it together…it is harder than it seems. Anyway, above is the final performance…that’s my inspiration.

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Consume and Create Sticker

I have decided that I am going to move forward with this “Consume and Create” theme for my work. Well, let me be more specific…I have always wanted an identity for my business. While my posters are one side of my business, I wanted something that would tie everything together. Almost like the Joe Mills “brand”. It has been a quest of mine and I think I’ve stumbled upon something that I can live with…and it has been right under my nose this whole time.

I have always been fascinated with the reasons we consume and the reasons we create. Consumption is something that we all must do, but, in my mind, it has taken over. I believe that creating is one of the few things that cannot be taken away from us. No matter what your financial or social situation, as humans, we have been given the power to create. The joy of creation is one of the reasons I create in the first place. It is so much a part of me and what I believe is important. Yet, many people don’t create. Many people believe that consumption is the way to live.

So, I have turned to this idea of consuming and creating in my artwork. The index of my web site says “create”. I made an artwork based on this idea of consuming and creating. I even made a small video for an education class I tool a few years back. It has found its way into the background of my web page and on my sticker giveaway. It only seems natural that it becomes the Joe Mills identity.

This brings me to the title of this post…the Consume and Create sticker. I have just begun putting it together, and it will become the first sticker I sell. Basically, it is a bottle of plain old vanilla Consume and a sweet, hot bottle of Creation sauce. When I read that in print, it seems rather cheesy, so I am trying to erase the cheese by making a very clean and finely crafted sticker. I’m just glad that I have settled on something…

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Janelle Monae Gig Poster

I tried, unsuccessfully, to get permission from Janelle Monae’s camp to make a gig poster for her upcoming show at Schuba’s. Yet, I’m going to try and make one anyway. In their defense, I only sent one email, but I thought would get some response. Maybe I should try again…

Anyway, I had this “weave” idea while on vacation a couple weeks back and I like the way it looked. I’m not totally sold on this sketch right now, but I’m going to throw it in Illustrator and see what happens. My original idea had the weaving continuing through the letters with smaller strands. I ditched it with this sketch because it seemed too busy. I want to make the strands metallic and put a red glow in the letters. I’m also thinking about putting silhouettes in the background as well. Plus, I want to have some control boxes on the outside of the weave strands. So, even though this sketch is underwhelming…there is a lot of work to do…

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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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The Consumption of Art

The ongoing theme throughout much of my artwork has been the battle between consuming and creating. While my artwork does not speak to this theme directly, it is certainly the reason why I create. Our world bathes in consumption. Over the past two decades, I feel it has taken an unnecessary perch atop the minds of the people in the United States and the world. I believe that if you are only a consumer, you lead a very empty life. You go to work. You come home. You buy a bunch of stuff. You go back to work. We have gotten away from the power of creating. (I could go on an on about the importance of arts education in our schools, but that is an entirely different subject.) Creation and creating have been such important part of my life that I refuse to abandon it as I grow older. The arts have so enriched my life that I believe that I owe it to myself to create. While consuming is a natural part of life, it should not be…well…all-consuming. People should and need to create.

Which leads me to my point today…if I expect to sell art, aren’t I asking people to consume? It is one of these questions that just sticks with me. If I am denouncing consumption in one breath, aren’t I being hypocritical by asking people to buy and consume my artwork? To put it simply, I don’t think so. I think anyone who enjoys art will feel compelled to consume it at some point. And if that means you have to use money, I think that is the expectation of the artist. If I listen to a new song on the radio, is it wrong to purchase the song and the album? If I like an artist, shouldn’t I be able to buy a book of their work and purchase a ticket to see their work at a museum? Now consuming for consumings sake certainly brings many other issues, but I think art needs to be consumed to an extent because the image of the starving artist is cliche. It is possible to be successful and financially secure as an artist, musician, dancer, or actor.

One of the examples I always point to in my head is the show The Wire. I think television is quite possibly the ultimate consumed item. You have to buy a television. You have to buy cable. And, people spend hours of their life watching television. I’ve made it no secret that The Wire is my favorite television show. If you believe that television should, on its best day, be considered art, then you have to think about what makes a television show great art. Personally, I believe The Wire is great art. While shows like Jersey Shore and The Bachelor and Jon and Kate Plus Eight are the kind of garbage the networks shovel out, it is important to note that it is possible to create great television, or great art, on a medium that is highly consumed. I made it a point to purchase the boxed set of this show because I wanted to support what I believe is great art…not just add another box of junk to my shelves. I don’t want this to sound like an advertisement for The Wire, but it helps to illustrate my point. Great art can and should be consumed. So, am I asking too much for people to buy? No. It just depends on whether or not people think it is great or not…

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A Drawing That I Want to Do Something With

A couple months ago, I created the drawing you see above. I do not know what possessed me to create this picture, but it just sort of came together. Now, I wish I knew what to do with it. It feels like it could be a character, but I do not have any personality traits that seem interesting enough to accompany this person. I will probably just make a more finished drawing in Illustrator and see what comes to me. For now…it is just a sketch…

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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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Student Mosaic

I do not normally use this space for student work, but this is worth the post. My 6th grade students from 2007-08 worked on a mosaic celebrating the architecture of Hyde Park. It has finally been installed, and I snapped a couple pictures today. It is located on an underpass between the Museum of Science and Industry and the lake. It is one of many mosaics on the underpass. If you are ever in the Hyde Park area, take a few minutes to check it out. It is certainly one of my proudest accomplishments as a teacher.

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Hoang – Vietnamese Artist

My brother-in-law recently got back from Vietnam, and he brought back a lot of artwork. The one I was most impressed with was the one above. I don’t think the picture does it justice, but it is an abstract city landscape of a city in Vietnam. (Forgot to ask which one.) It looks as though the artist took every color in his palette and built up the layers of each building. It is very dynamic and the simple choice of constructing the image is stunning. The smears going up and down add this sense of movement. It almost seems like a mistake that just worked out. I wish I had a web site to send you too, but in some ways, this is just one of many anonymous artists around the world…

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