It’s hard to believe a year–a decade!– has gone by already. I don’t know about you, but I find time not marching, but racing by! Whew! So with the arrival of 2010, I want to take pause and reflect over 2009′s accomplishments, work-wise. I also want to share my plans for 2010, but will do so in a separate post. First up…Some highlights of 2009!
Illustration jobs were pretty steady–despite the recession–so I was happy to have had textbook work and repeat-clients from various book publishers and magazines for children, doing illustrations, spots and spreads throughout the year. I’ve been working on greeting cards for one company for a few years, and though jobs from them slowed down a little, I still was asked to do quite a few.
It was a special treat when Highlights For Children asked me to do a poster and sign them at their booth for the International Reading Association this past February in Phoenix. Talk about getting out of the studio! I had never been to Phoenix and it was fun to go and hang out with some of the folks from Highlights for a few days.
Speaking of my studio, my space is small and cramped, so earlier in the year, I did a little rearranging and changing to try and make it less so. It’s still not all I would want it to be, but it’s at least less stuffy. And this was my first full year using the Cintiqs (I have a 21″ & 12″); they worked well for both the studio and traveling. No complaints.
As for marketing, etc., My website is still in need a of a mega make-over. We changed hosts a few months ago and that should make a difference this coming year. Besides my website and blog, I had folios on two other pay-for sites. I can’t say I reaped much from them so I am reconsidering what to do with those. I am still involved with Illustration For Kids and appreciate these creative gals and the benefits from having bonded with them over the last few years.
As for my work itself, I still have an on-going battle with liking what I produce. That’s par for the course for artists, I understand, but I wish there was a way to turn that switch off! I wasn’t quite as hard on myself this year (I don’t think), and it helped to have developed a new style late in the year that was looser and more painterly than my line work.
Coming up soon: hopes & plans for 2010.
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