Hey guys!
Do you want to know the number one trick that a lot of up and coming illustrators don’t know? In this post I’m going to share a real simple strategy with you that you can implement right now for fast results.
www.fashionillustratormasterclass.com
Now, let’s get into it. I'm a lil bit excited because i’ll share something with you that has made my understanding of being a professional illustrator so much easier.
Now drum roll please… I’m calling it the manifest menu method, cause i like my food and can’t cook for shit. So let me walk you through exactly how it works and how you can start using it today to maximize self promotion a lot easier and faster.
The manifest menu method is a way to take a step back and observe your portfolio as a commercial entity rather than a collection of your favourite pieces of work. As an example, say you’re walking round trying to find somewhere for some dinner, you go past a nice looking restaurant, you browse the menu, ohhh phad thai? Don’t mind if i do, you ask for a table for 2, cause you are on a date, you sit in, waiter comes over, you order your phad thai, right? Your commercial portfolio is absolutely no different.
As artists we like to think we have our style and that the clients will be able to visualise us adapting it to other subject matters, this is unfortunately wrong. Obviously there’s exceptions, if you have a particularly trusting art director or someone with a strong creative streak themselves, but on the whole clients want to know exactly what they’re getting before they commission it. It takes the risk away from them, helps eliminate delays in production and narrows down potentially endless rounds of edits.
I honestly thought my portfolio was golden, would browse it and think ‘this ain’t half bad!’ and wondered why people wouldn’t want to commission me for all kinds of projects but when i took a step back and saw that unless they’re after half nude ladies in huge floral gowns they won’t be able to have the vision to see what i can produce if i adapted my style to other subject matters so they’ll obviously just be more likely to use an illustrator who’s already experienced in what they were after.
Like, would you go into a restaurant that only serves ramen and ask for a big ol’ plate of fish and chips? They might have a deep fat fryer, get the potatoes cut and the fish battered in the back but if it’s not on the menu you wouldn’t think to ask now would you? Well why would a client’s brain think any other way, why would they commission you for something you haven’t shown any experience in or proof that you can draw it previously. You might be an amazing artist drawing runway fashion but if someone’s needing a portrait of Mary Berry they’re not going to want to receive an 8ft glamazon sketch of Mary Berry in the latest comme des garcons.
So think of it in that way, show people what you can offer and it will help maximize your self promotion methods.
The manifest menu method! See it’s not bad right? Now what I want you to do is give this a try today or tomorrow so you can start building some momentum and get results already.
Your homework is to look at your portfolio and write down clearly what you’re showcasing that you can be commissioned for, locate where your shortcomings are and start working on a portfolio that better caters to a clients need (last food reference i swear… making me hungry)
Look at the magazines or clients that you’re wanting to work with and see what they’re actively commissioning and cater your portfolio to that, face
If you’ve enjoyed my little trick, then oh boy I've got some good news for you. In my upcoming business of fashion illustration masterclass I'll be going into depth explaining not only delving into the second part of the manifest menu method but also giving away all my best tricks such as approaching clients, finding your style and getting your website to work for you. The course is going to launch in a few days, so make sure you keep your eyes open guys, no nappin.
This is going to be the most comprehensive training I've ever released and it contains everything I've learnt so far about maximising self promotion.
So go click the link below and sign up for the early bird wait list, as i said before there will be limited spaces in the course so early birds will get access to the course the day before everyone else, so will be the perfect way to make sure you don’t miss out.