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Welcome to my blog , The Hare Illustratère. I'll be posting about my art process and journey as an illustrator/author here.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Happy GroundHog's Day

Groundhog Awakes!
© 2010 Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Wake Up and smell the coffee - it's Groundhog's Day!
Staten Island Chuck has reported that he didn't see his shadow, which means an early spring. Hope he's right. Just the thought of an early spring warms me up.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

IF: CLUMSY

BAKING BUNNIES
© 2006 Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor
Illustration available as a print

All it takes is a few errant carrot peels and one clumsy bunny for a kitchen calamity when the bunnies make a carrot cake. Here's an oldie from my portfolio for this week's Illustration Friday prompt - CLUMSY.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Optimistic Starts


SNOWMAN
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor
Attended the 1st CBIG meeting of the year. The speaker, SM, an executive editor, from 1 of the Big NYC pubs, was very upbeat and optimistic and gave a lot of really good advice. Here's just a sampling.

1 - Seasonal ideas sell. Book stores do seasonal promos - publishers like that a book can get this boost. As the artist/writer we should just submit the seasonal ideas anytime as publishers sign up the projects way in advance. Show that you can do seasonal art.

2- Strong, quirky, independent, character based stories sell. Think Fancy Nancy, Harry Potter

3 - He's personally not into anthropomorhic animal stories .

4 - 2012 will be a big year for picture books - his opinion based on demographics. Get your manuscripts/dummies submitted now!

5 - Sharpen the text. Keep your picture book word counts around 500. Less is more.

What a great meeting to start off 2010. Now to use that positive energy to keep me moving though the months ahead! Quick send that tailored art sample pack ASAP.

Friday, January 8, 2010

2010 Creative Goals Simplified

Aside from the usual be organized, prosperous, productive, prolific, creative - And how I plan to do all this in a routine & balanced manner. Specifically I want to:

• Finish my mid grade Mystery Manuscript/art & Sub
• Bunny & Bear Picturebook Manuscript/dummy & Sub.
• Create proposals /sub to other markets.
• Create mid grade/YA illustration portfolio samples: jacket & interior art. - approach these markets
• 3 Mass Postcard Mailings: 1 - Jan/feb_, 2 - before May8!_, 3 - Aug/sept_
Greetingcarduniverse: Reach 1000 cards in store mark (Ended 2009 with 505 cards in store. This was 1 of my few bright spots last year. Hope it continues to improve and shine in 2010)

Must Keep mind and all 4 limbs in motion and moving towards the finish line! In 2009, I felt like I was stuck in a hamster wheel! Sure I was very busy - but most paths seemed to deadend. Must break free of the wheel!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!

FRUIT PUNCH, Greeting Card
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Whew - 2009 is finally over - Cheers to 2010!
Wishing all a wonderful, creative, productive and prosperous New Year!

Monday, December 21, 2009

IF: UNDONE!

NOEL DANCERS
DianaTing Delosh
Ink & Watercolor Christmas Card


All the weeks of rehearsing their perfectly choreographed routine had come UNDONE with one misstep. Here's my entry for this weeks Illustration Friday prompt.

Hope you're all having happy holidays.
We were walloped with 2 feet of snow yesterday - needless to say - love the look, hate the shoveling.


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

IF: HATCH!

With Egg
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor Greeting card

Pappa Rooster and Moma Hen can't wait for their egg to HATCH! They are so in love and happy together. Here's my illustration for this week's Illustration Friday's prompt.

I need to hatch a plan to make oodles of money with my art. And since we're just playing around, let's make it fool proof, quick, easy and fun.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Christmas Polar Bears

Christmas Polar Bears & Wreath
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Christmas Card available at Diana's Cards

Thought I'd share my latest Christmas Card art on GCU and the 1 I'm using as
my personal Christmas card. Now I'm anxiously waiting for my cards to arrive by Fedex. My address labels are ready to go -just need to buy stamps -and it looks like this year my cards will be out on time. So far it looks like Happy Holidays vs. Merry X-mess.

Wishing all Happy Holidays now in case I get get bamboozled by too much garland later.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Support your local NYC Artists!

If you're in the NYC area and looking for affordable unique gifts please check out The Degenerate Craft Fair. A sort of anti-art-fair, The Degenerate Craft Fair features over 20 artists, designers and their work - in time for Holiday shopping - most items are less than $50.

The fair will take place in 3 separate locations over 3 weeks in December., bringing the artists and their work to very different venues: a DIY performance space, a storefront and a Chelsea art gallery.

For addresses, directions and a complete list of events go to: www.degeneratecraftfair.com
For a PDF of the press release click HERE!
Organised by Amy Wilson and Shannon Broder

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Fall Bear Postcard, CBIG Review, etc.

Bear Walks in the Woods
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor, portfolio & used as fall 209 postcard.
This is the illustration I used for my latest postcard self-promo campaign - just sent off aproximately 220 postcards. Needless to say I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will land me a nice juicy assignment or two.

I can't believe it's already December! Yikes where did the time go? What have I been up to? I meant to be better at blogging but it seems November has gone by with nary a peep from me. Well I've been busy with CBIG - specifically the November review and getting the above postcard campaign out - not to mention the usual art biz and family/Thanksgiving stuff. So now that I've fully digested November -I guess it's time to dish.

My CBIG Portfolio reviews with 2 art directors. I'm only using initials out of respect for their privacy and because this is proprietary CBIG info. I opted to see MR from HC a giant publishing house, whose Children's division published infant to YA books and RP from SP, a mid sized publisher whose juvenile division only published picture books. In general the reviews went well - both liked my animals. I also showed 2 dummies but as art only.

MR/HC: wanted to see more angles, varied perspective, view points etc. I sat opposite her as she reviewed my portfolio and as I viewed my work upside down - this flaw was obvious to me. Note to self - look at my portfolio upside down more frequently. Luckily for me 1 of my recent dummies demonstrated the varied persoectives and viewpoints she craved - whew. She also wanted me to create more oomph, drama with my illustrations. Yes - she liked my latest Bear series (the above is 1 of 3 new bear illustrations) YAY they were worth working on late into the night!

RP/SP: liked my animals a lot as well as my dummies. Unfortunately it is just a matter of everything aligning: right story/right art/right time. She also liked my B&W work and some of my book cover samples in my portfolio - she thought this might be something I could develop further. Her company is only doing picture books but many other publishing houses have middle grade & YA dept (and mid-grade/YA market is doing very well right now - maybe more opportunities).

Yup - got some work to do. Make sure my portfolio reflects the fact that I do different perspectives and view points, shows narrative, drama, etc. Create more Jacket & interior spot art to go after the mid grade/YA market. Lastly, write a wonderful picture book manuscript for my animals so next year I can show a dummy as both art and story.