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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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Friday, October 15, 2010

REJECTION! - A few Antidotes

Rejection is not something I like to deal with but as an illustrator/writer it is an unfortunate part of life. I have to admit that while it still hurts I have learned to not take it too personally. Sure I still sulk and OD on chocolate but after a bit I brush my ego off and am back in the game. After all the only way to  avoid  Rejection is to take yourself out of the game and that is not an option unless you're retiring. Here are a few of my antidotes in random order. If you are an illustrator or writer please feel free to comment on how you have dealt with rejection. Let's learn from each other.

1 - Submit more stuff pronto. Yup, sounds counterintuitive but this actually works. You don't have to submit the project that just got rejected right out -but submit something, anything ASAP. Everyone of your submissions represents hope. If you have a lot of submissions floating around out there it's more likely that something will come back accepted. Don't put all your dreams into one project submitted to only one company.

2 - Work on a new idea - even better fall in love with your new project. Keeps your mind on something positive and moving forward.

3. Focus on the process not the result. Make it into a game. Right now I'm challenging myself to submit something weekly. It can be an art sample pack, a poem to a kid's magazine or a Picture book dummy /manuscript proposal, whatever. The weekly question of "Who am I submitting to and what" keeps me moving and the checking off  - "Yay, I did it" helps give me a mental boost.  It also makes me realize that I need to create more things so it's easier to to submit weekly. Another challenge to try is: Submit 10 different projects to 10 different places in 10 weeks.

4. Plan for rejection. When you submit a project have a plan B. Research who else maybe interested in your project and have their info ready just incase you need it.

5.  Accept it when they say the style doesn't suit their needs at the moment. They didn't say you are a terrible person. They just were not into your work. Move on. Someone else may love your style.

6. Wallow in the  Rejection. When all else fails OD on the chocolates and hide under the blankets just set a time limit -an hour, a day or even 2. Allow yourself to feel sorry for yourself and your project, even shed a few tears - you're human - just remember to get back on track, ASAP.

7. Learn from your mistakes. Take a cold hard look at your proposal. Is there room for improvement?  Revise, fix as needed and send it out to your plan B.

8. Work on your craft. One day, you may be pleasantly horrified by some of your earlier rejected projects and agree with the editors.

9. Diversify. Learn new things. Keeps life interesting. Your writing may be selling at the moment but your illustration may not, but at least something is getting a positive response. This also allows you to submit to different markets.

10. Adapt. There maybe nothing wrong with your project. It could be something you can't help like the economy or the market. Be willing to repurpose your art. So the picture book market is down maybe adapt the story for an early reader or chapter book Or try working on art for an older market.

It should also be noted that in this day and age where many companies are no longer responding to submissions unless they are interested, a rejection at least is a concrete response. I personally find the lack of response more unnerving than a definite yay or nay.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Illustration Friday: TRANSPORTATION!

© DianaTing Delosh
Ink & Watercolor
Here's my illustration for this weeks Illustration Friday prompt: Transportation. 
It's a piece I had created for a client almost a year ago. It's different from my usual subject and it just goes to show that you never know where a job can transport you stylistically or subject wise. It's always good to stretch your boundaries and reach beyond your comfort zone.
Visit dianadelosh.com to find out more.
visit IllustrationFriday to join in on the weekly fun. 

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Illustration Friday: Proverb

Moi Fall Postcard © Diana Ting Delosh
A Picture is worth a thousand words.
I wasn't quite sure how  to handle this weeks Illustration Friday prompt hence why it's almost friday and here I'm posting at the last moment. I mean sure a proverb but there are so-o-o many? Finally decided that  as an illustrator the above proverb was quite fitting. Here's  my entry, a girl drawing a picture of her cat.

This IF post is a doing double duty as it is also going to be my Fall 2010 promo postcard. I wanted to use 1 of my recent people illos for the image as the last few postcards were all about my animals. I've been hemming & hawing between this one and another in my portfolio,  Boy & his Wolf. Wasn't sure about using this image for fall - thought it looked too summery. However earlier this week, while running errands, I noticed that all the garden shops were carrying fall blooming daisies. So I'm having daisies for fall too. Did I mention that  I'm partial to this one? Now the front of the postcard is done. Think I'll just use my stock back - return address and all my contact info. Now I just have to wait for my check that's in the mail or a good sale at Vistaprint.com to turn this into postcards. 

If only the proverb was A picture is worth a lot of moolah!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Illustration Friday: Dessert!

Yummies!
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Waterolor

Come and get it! Here's my illos for  this week's Illustration Friday Prompt.
M-m-m-m-m yummy dessert. I just love dessert.

For more yummy art please visit my website.

Have a yummy Labor Day weekend!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Dragon on my Back


DRAGON PICNIC
© Diana Ting Delosh

Whew finally got this dragon off my back and onto the paper. This illustration started out as a fun project but due to too many interruption, it just dragged on. So now it's finished and I'm not sure what to think of it. I'm happy enough with it to add it to my portfolio. I'm also glad that I have something to show for my efforts as this is my entry for the upcoming CBIG group exhibit; Dragon  & Magic, art inspired by the books, The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame or The Magic City by E. Nesbit.

Needless to say my choice was The Reluctant Dragon. Really enjoyed the story about a peaceable poet of a dragon and the boy who befriends him. In this scene Dragon recites his latest poem to the boy as they snack on cheese and berries.

Do I love it? Don't know -  I'm just so glad it's finished and I can now move on to what's next on my list.

More on the exhibit in a future post.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Illustration Friday: Star Gazing!

New Moon & Stars
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Here's my illos for this weeks IF prompt: Star Gazing. The new moon surrounded by swirling stars.

I had originally created this illustration for my card store as a Ramadan card. It's interesting that the Muslim holidays revolve around the new moon while the Asian holidays revolve around the full moon. Either way the ever changing glorious night sky is always a source for inspiration. 

Friday, August 13, 2010

Friday the 13th!

Black Cat Friday the 13th
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Blackie the feisty black kitty says
HOWDY and HAVE A
HAPPY & LUCKY FRIDAY THE 13TH!

This card and 700+ more of my whimsical card designs may be seen at www.GCUniverse.com/dianascards

Celebrating my 3rd Anniversary at GCU!
SPECIAL OFFER
Free Shipping when you order 20 cards or more
 - use code AUGSHIP20 - ends August 18th. (U.S. only)



Illustration Portfolio at: DianaDelosh.com

Friday, July 23, 2010

Illustration Friday: Double!

Twin Doves
© Diana Ting Delosh
 Ink, Watercolor & Photoshop
Art is available on cards at www.gcuniverse.com/dianascards
See my portfolio at dianadelosh.com

Mirror image twin doves. Yup -you're seeing doubles. Here's my entry for this weeks IF prompt: DOUBLE.

On the subject of doubles, I have met my doppleganger. She works at my local super market and looks like a younger version of me. What's too coincidental is that instead of Diana her name is Diane!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Golden Mosque - Sketch to Card Art


Golden Mosque
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor


Non-mainstream holidays are a big seller at my online store Diana's Cards. Most likely because the brick and mortar stores have very little selection if any for the non Judeo Christian holidays. So it was a no-brainer for me to do a new illustration for the upcoming Muslim holidays. Here's my approach  for the subject. As the upcoming holidays are religious I decided to do a mosque as the focus of my design.

What better mosque to be inspired by then the famous Golden Mosque of Jerusalem. Did a Google search and did this rough sketch from the image references on tracing paper. I wanted to use the reference as a jumping point, an inspiration not a true depiction of that famed building - so no print outs for reference. 

This reference sketch was actually done awhile ago and just put aside until I had time to work on this project. Finally yesterday, with Ramadan coming up fast in August - it was time to push this illo out now. Amazing how time creeps up on you and how that ticking mental clock can be a great motivator. 

The art process begins in earnest: 
Step 1 - Resize sketch and transfer onto watercolor paper via my light box. Decide that it's not balanced. Too heavy on the right, needs something more on the left. I add buildings to the sketch, erase it. Sketch in more trees - it's ok -but not inspired. Remember that there is actually a newly built mosque right around the corner from me. It is a rather plain structure accept for the rounded pink scallops on the top of the building. Fills in the empty spot nicely.

Step 2 - Go to ink - I use double 0 and triple 0 rapidiograph pens filled with waterproof ink for my line work. Use the 00 pen for the foreground and 000 for backgound and detail, texture. This goes smoothly and I  scan the line art in case I screw up in the next step. 

Step 3 - Coloring.The painting is pretty straight forward. Take a step back and realize that the pink in the back building is too bright and makes it pop out too much. Change it to purple. Also decide it's too plain and add more lines for texture. Last a moody night sky is added in and stars are painted in white gouache. I like that the white can be more opaque or translucent, gives more depth to the stars and the the night sky.  I could've dropped in the sky with Photoshop but I like the effect of mixing the black, blue and purple directly on the paper. Art is finished.

Final Final Step - Scan and clean up in photoshop and make into product. I did say this was for my card store - yup it's loaded and submitted as 3 designs for 3 different categories and in about a week it will be ok'd and available for purchase. Maybe this design's too late for Ramadan 2010 but there's still Al Fitr in September and Al Adha in early winter. While we're at it - might as well make it available as a print. So better late then never.   

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

IF: BREAKFAST!


Cat Family
© Diana Ting Delosh
Ink & Watercolor

Breakfast with the cat family. Poppa Cat and Bart are sitting down to a nice bowl of crunchy cereal. Momma is tending to baby. What is Clarisse up to? Don't they notice that she's sneaking off?

This is my entry for this week's Illustration Fridays prompt - Breakfast. 

To see more of my work at DianaDelosh.com