Just in case you missed it, over at my D2PB Group Blog, I shared my illustration process behind my Groundhog Waltz illustration.
Drawn To Picture Books: Groundhog Waltz, Illustration Process: Diana Ting ...: Here's a peek into my illustration process.
BTW: Notice the rough sketch behind my illustration implements? It's a very sneaky peek at a personal project currently on my drawing board. Sh-h-h-h.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Monday, February 29, 2016
Little Red Postcard Design
I'm aiming for 3 postcard mailings in 2016. Here's the first, featuring a detail from my Little Red illustration on the front and Groundhog Waltz on the back. These are large postcards, roughly 5.5" x 8.5" the better to show off the illustration detail and also hoping that it will help make my card stand out. I use VistaPrint.com to print my postcards.
As this is a mailing aimed at the kid lit world, I try and pick illustrations that show off my narrative skills. I use the market listings from the SCBWI's The Book as well as the names/companies I've amassed from my own research via networking, conferences, workshops, etc. My mailing list is under 200 contacts.
Lately I've heard a lot of advice to use a small targeted mailing list. True this could save you a bundle in printing and postage. While, I do make a point to target only those places that publish picture books/kid lit art, it's still a fairly large list comprised of my actual contacts, dream places as well as "sort of why not" possibilities. I have found that it's better not to make it a too narrow list. In the past I've gotten work from those sort of/why not send them something places. When you consider that it's only a 49¢ stamp plus 25¢ per postcard print expense - a total sum of 75¢ per card, it might be worth taking a few chances.
Front of Postcard -Detail from Little Red - © Diana Ting Delosh |
As this is a mailing aimed at the kid lit world, I try and pick illustrations that show off my narrative skills. I use the market listings from the SCBWI's The Book as well as the names/companies I've amassed from my own research via networking, conferences, workshops, etc. My mailing list is under 200 contacts.
Back of Postcard - Groundhog Waltz - © Diana Ting Delosh |
Lately I've heard a lot of advice to use a small targeted mailing list. True this could save you a bundle in printing and postage. While, I do make a point to target only those places that publish picture books/kid lit art, it's still a fairly large list comprised of my actual contacts, dream places as well as "sort of why not" possibilities. I have found that it's better not to make it a too narrow list. In the past I've gotten work from those sort of/why not send them something places. When you consider that it's only a 49¢ stamp plus 25¢ per postcard print expense - a total sum of 75¢ per card, it might be worth taking a few chances.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Happy Year of the Monkey!
Monkey © Diana Ting Delosh - Ink, Brush pen, Watercolor FYI: this illustration is available as a Year of the Monkey Card at GreetingCardUniverse.com/DianasCards |
Wishing ALL a Happy, Creative and Prosperous 2016!
Every January I begin the year with my ambitions, dreams and goals and by the time Chinese New Year, February 8th, comes around, it's time to re-boot the list. It's about a month into 2016 and I can see what's working, what isn't and what needs to be tweaked.
What's been working is making a realistic daily list BUT more importantly focusing in on what task on the list MUST be done before I go to sleep. This actually has helped my chronic insomnia. So far so good.
Making a point to make more finished art has been good as it's helped me get to the point where it's almost as natural as my old style. However is it distracting me from progress in other areas? Must balance making more finished art with my other goals such as making that picture book dummy. Part of the only so much time in the day dilemma.
On Self-promoting, I've been experimenting with putting up more art on my twitter feed. Yes it will get you more twitter followers etc. and it feels great when it gets LIKED and RTed. It definitely builds your web presence as an illustrator. Not sure about actually landing you work. For that I still think getting out the postcards and submitting proposals etc. Next up old school postcards and submission packs.
Hope your Year is as fun and surprising, in a good way, as a barrel full of Monkeys.
What's been working is making a realistic daily list BUT more importantly focusing in on what task on the list MUST be done before I go to sleep. This actually has helped my chronic insomnia. So far so good.
Making a point to make more finished art has been good as it's helped me get to the point where it's almost as natural as my old style. However is it distracting me from progress in other areas? Must balance making more finished art with my other goals such as making that picture book dummy. Part of the only so much time in the day dilemma.
On Self-promoting, I've been experimenting with putting up more art on my twitter feed. Yes it will get you more twitter followers etc. and it feels great when it gets LIKED and RTed. It definitely builds your web presence as an illustrator. Not sure about actually landing you work. For that I still think getting out the postcards and submitting proposals etc. Next up old school postcards and submission packs.
Hope your Year is as fun and surprising, in a good way, as a barrel full of Monkeys.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Happy Groundhogs Day!
Monday, February 1, 2016
Meet the Artist - Self Portrait
Meet the Artist - Self Portrait © Diana Ting Delosh - Brush Pen, indigo wash, Photoshop |
I opted for a head shot and put in fat marker icons of what I like to draw. Originally I was going to write things like: likes animals, nature, chocolate and dislikes creepy crawly things, darkness, evil. Except that I LOVE monsters and murder and mayhem as long as it's all fictional and the good guys win in the end.
Not sure if you'd recognize me from this but it is me in spirit. Hey what can I say, I'm not a portrait artist.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Drawn to Picture Books - Group Blog
Current banner for the DrawnToPictureBooks blog |
Our Meet the Artists debut posts.
Diana Ting Delosh: Jan 13, 2016
Barbara DiLorenzo: Jan 20, 2016
Patricia Keeler: Jan 27, 016
Mike Ciccotello: Feb 3, 2016
Jason Kirschner: Feb 10, 2016
Deborah Cuneo: Feb 17, 2016
Monday, January 11, 2016
Make MORE Art
My 2015 #colour_collective illustrations #MyCC2015 © Diana Ting Delosh |
Last year I participated in #colour_collective on twitter and above is a compilation of all the art I created for that weekly art challenge. I had started it with the idea that I could use this challenge to try out new techniques, mediums, practice and just explore in general. Wasn't able to do all 53 weeks but it spurred me to make more art than if I hadn't joined in the fun. I'll be doing it again in 2016. This year I'll be doing it, with an eye to practicing and exploring my brush pen technique or even using just the brush or a bamboo pen even.
Here's to 2016 - and making MORE Art.
FYI: #colour_collective @Clr_Collective is a weekly Twitter Art challenge started by @PennyNevilleLee. A color is announced on saturdays and everyone posts the following friday at 19:30 GMT. The first color announcement of 2016 will be on saturday January 16, 2016. In the meanwhile some of the colour collective artists will be participating in the #MeetTheArtist challenge to be posted this Friday at 19:00 GMT. Will I be one of them? Perhaps.
And follow me at @dtdelosh
And follow me at @dtdelosh
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Looking forward to 2016
Winter Raccoon © Diana Ting Delosh ink watercolor digital |
Here's to 2016 and all the hopes and promises of a shiny New Year.
Wishing All a Happy and Creatively Productive, Prolific and Prosperous New Year
As for me I have my 2016 planner and my lists of things I hope to accomplish and how I plan to do it. The how, I feel is actually more important than the end game. I could say I want to have picture book contract with a major traditional publisher in 2016. However it would be unrealistic as there are quite a few factors out of my control. I'm much better having as goals:
• a few picture book dummies and /or manuscripts that have gone through the vetting process of my trusted illustrator crit group and/or my writer's group. One of my resolutions is to only submit my best. Which is why I really need the eyes and ears of my beta readers.
• Making a list of publishers/agents/editors that I feel would be most receptive to my projects.
• Submitting to the above.
• Working on multiple projects/proposals at a time as I can't afford to put all my eggs in 1 basket.
• Revamping my website/portfolio dianadelosh.com so that it's as enticing as possible.
Instead of a "where I want to be by the end of the year" dream list. I'm making a list of specific projects and tasks that are steps towards my dreams and hopes for 2016.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Little Red - Illustration Process Post
Little Red © Diana Ting Delosh Ink Watercolor Digital |
Ink Line Detail for Little Red ©Diana Ting Delosh Assorted pens |
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Flying Squirrel for Illustration Friday - Animal
Thought I'd share this illo I did with Brush pen, watercolors and digital for Illustration Friday. I mean how could I not do IF this week as the prompt is ANIMAL! So here you go: my Flying Squirrel gliding on a starry night.
Just like this flying squirrel the weeks have been zooming by. I can't believe it's a week before Thanksgiving. Which means Christmas is right around the corner and 2015 might as well be over. Hold on there, there's still lots that can happen and things to do before the years up. There's still lots to paint and experiment and create with. Not to mention the mess to clean up after all the experimenting and creating but later for all that. Right now I'm enjoying messing with my brush pen. It seems to have a lot of possibilities with it's ability to go from thick to thin in one stroke. So I'll try to be more like my gliding friend and enjoy the moment of being and doing.
Flying Squirrel by Diana Ting Delosh ink & watercolor & digital |
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
#NerdyChickDraws Contest Winner
Nerdy Chick Draws Ink & Watercolor © Diana Ting Delosh |
I'm Happy to announce that my entry for the #NerdyChickDraws illustration contest won Honorable mention! Woo Hoo! You can read the post and see the other winning entries over at NerdyChicksWrite
Click HERE to see all the other entries
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
The 2015 CBIG Illustration Directories are Live!
YAY - the 2015 CBIG Illustration Directories are now up on the CBIG website. I am so proud to be amongst so many amazing illustrators. Please click on ILLUSTRATOR DIRECTORY to flip through the pages and see for yourself. Go take a peek. Did you find my promo pages in both directories?
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I'm honored to say that my Bear & Hare illustration made the cover of the 2015 CBIG Color Illustration Directory The cover images were picked via a vote by the CBIG membership. By the way, my promo is on page 10. |
Did you spot my promo on page 7 and my spot illustration on page 31 of the 2015 CBIG Black & White Illustration Directory? |
FYI - The individual pages are also being posted on the CBIG blog.
Happy viewing.
In case you are wondering. Yes, I did design both directories. Just like any other other CBIG member, I could submit a cover for each book that I had a page in. And just like any member I could vote for the 8 illustrations I felt deserved a place on the covers. Yes, we were allowed to vote for our own art. No, I did not tally the votes.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Illustration for Lucky 2 B Quilting Logo
Lucky 2B Quilting Logo illustration - signage |
This summer, I was hired to create Clover, the logo mascot for the Lucky 2B Quilting store. Originally, Cassie the new owner of the shop had inquired about usage of one of my dancing bunnies but I pointed out that my original art for that piece was barely 3" tall. For her store signage she needed something sharp at 14 inches high. Furthermore and perhaps even more importantly, I am using my dancing bunnies for all sort of things and was not planning on stopping. The solution was to create a bunny dancing with a lucky 4-leaf clover in her mouth just for her store signage. Note I only created the Clover illustration. The logotype and quilt background is someone else's handiwork.
The challenge for this job was that the line had to be sharp and crisp at about 14" high and still clear when reduced for use on a business card or letterhead. Since I work in traditional ink & watercolor vs digital vector art, I had to make sure my ink line would maintain its integrity at both ends of the spectrum. To figure this out, I enlarged my 3" bunny to 14" and matched pen widths to the blurry outline. Than I reduced the test lines to business card size to see which looked best.
This was a fun commission and Cassie was a pleasure to work with. If you're into quilting and other fabric arts, please visit Cassie and Clover online or at the store:
421 Main Street
Pecatonica, IL 61063
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
2015 Color Illustration Promo Page
All Art © Diana Ting Delosh Bear hugs Hare illustration Bearish Fuzzy Initial Caps: D T D ink & watercolor |
One of the problems I have with creating my promo pages is deciding on the art. For 2015, I finally decided to showcase my new fat ink style and my hand lettering. I chose my Bear hugs Hare illustration, from my picture book dummy, Bear and Hare, for it's emotional heart. Which in turn led me to design bearish fuzzy initial caps for my name.
The objective of any promo piece is to intrigue the targeted viewer to take a gander at your website. Hope this page does the trick and leads them to: dianadelosh.com
In case you missed it, click 2015 Black & White Promo Page to view my page.
In case you missed it, click 2015 Black & White Promo Page to view my page.
Note: When the CBIG Directories go live they can be viewed at cbig-nyc.com and cbig-nyc.blogspot.com
Monday, September 7, 2015
Happy Labor Day!
PENGUIN BEACH Ink & Watercolors © Diana Ting Delosh |
For me, Labor Day has always signaled the end of summer and the start of the fall. Even if it still reaches 90º - autumn is in my head along with all the promises of a new fresh season.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
My Kathy Temean Illustrator Saturday Interview
Nicholas Bunny Blowing Dandelion Seeds © Diana Ting Delosh Fat line style - Ink, Watercolor and Photoshop |
In case you missed it, I was interviewed by Kathy Temean for her popular Illustrator Saturday series on August 8th. You can read all about my process and more at Illustrator Saturday - Diana Delosh.
For this interview I answered a lot of questions and gave a behind the scenes look at my new fat line illustration process, Nicholas Bunny. She also wanted, gasp, a picture of me. I mean the last "portrait " I had taken was on my drivers license. I was half tempted to send a pix of me at 3 but decided I should really grow up and asked a friend to take a proper photo. It was a lot faster and had much better results than weeding through family photos and cropping everyone else out. Kathy chose all the illustrations for the article other than the art for the process part. To be honest, I was really curious what pieces she would pick for the article. All in all it came out as a lovely illustration career overview. Thank You Kathy!
Friday, August 7, 2015
2015 Black & White Illustration Promo Page
2015 B & W Promo Page - Panda / Wildflower All Art © Diana Ting Delosh |
For my Black & White promo page I wanted to show my grayscale art and my line art. I also wanted to show that I do people and with all the fuss with adult coloring books, my line art. But I didn't want to show too many things. And of course they had to look good in a vertical format. Here's my solution.
Book Buddies illustration : ink with ink wash on Canson 120 LB watercolor paper. greyscale art.
Wild flowers illustration: ink on vellum paper. Line art.
Here's to hoping it's enough of a taste to get the powers that be to click on dianadelosh.com to see more. And Golly Gee Whiz - land me an illustration commission.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Make Money from Your Art - 3 Steps
Jester Pig, ink & watercolor ©Diana Ting Delosh |
From my perspective it seems to boil down to 3 actions you must do to make money from your art.
1 - Create the Art. Butt in chair routine.
2 - Show and Tell. Add new art: to your portfolio, submit, e-mail, mail out postcards, blog, tweet, FB whatever. No one knows you created something until you tell them. To expand on this concept, no one knows you exist until you help them discover you. If you want clients with wonderful illustration projects to commission you, they have to know what you do and where to find you.
3 - Do both of the above routinely and on a regular balanced basis. Yup, the old 2-step, Create and Promote with the added crucial 3rd step: routine and balance. Create followed by Show and Tell on a regular, weekly if not more frequent basis.
All well and good in theory, BUT what happens when you're working on a commissioned piece OR a personal project that you want to submit/propose that must remain hush hush, then what??? Sure you're creating daily but you can't do step 2 until it's published. Ah -this is where I trip up. Here's a list I've made for myself to keep on task: show other work, talk about other projects, tightly cropped sneak peeks*, toss out a hint, if possible - do other art that you can show off**, etc. The idea is to keep promoting your art and to not totally drop off the radar.
*It may be fine to show sneak peeks of personal projects but I'd be hesitant to do this with commissioned work... unless you've gotten permission to do so.
**This is where all those online art challenges come into play.
OR if you're so busy due to whatever life is currently dishing that one if not all steps are out of whack than what? This one is more complicated but I think the zen approach is best. Don't beat yourself up and just do what you can. When you can... and keep at it...at your current pace. Create, promote, repeat.
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