Although still in its infancy, with the help of dependable WordPress, I’ve created my own domain-name website where everything is under one umbrella and can be found at:

http://junemalone.com/

…or by clicking on the ink splodge….

If there’s still anyone out there after my long absence, who is (daft enough) interested to see what I get up to, they can find updates on the ‘BLOG’ section. It’s not a conventional blog – being an in-demand illustrator – won’t leave much time for loitering in the comments section. Well that’s the plan anyway, so hope it works out.

Now that is out of the way…a big thanks for reading and commenting thus far!

And I hope the person who made my day by searching for “farts like rainbows painting” found what they were looking for. Stop me when my life gets too exciting.

Yup! That’s right….me.

Rather naughty for a Wednesday, huh?

Well someone has to set a bad example!

A careful review of my priorities clearly indicates that after said break – a drastic curtailment of blogging activities is also necessary.

It’s all Santa’s fault. He played such a blinder this Christmas, coming up with several gorgeous illustration related books. One book in particular had the same stimulating effect as when the first shot of caffeine kicks in. It gave me a deftly aimed thwack to the posterior, forcing me to establish whether I wish to continue treating my art as a hobby…. or gravitate towards it becoming a business.

Well duh!

Although this blog was intended to energise my artistic endeavours, the reality of me actually becoming an illustrator was an improbable quest playing at the edges of my imagination; an extravagant dream that was, perhaps, a bit far-fetched.

With all the warm encouragement received from too many of you to mention, some good practical advice and a dollop of vital determination – I must now critically re-evaluated my time and strive to take control of my creative future.

World domination, however, takes time, dedication and much more than caffeine. So, if I am to promote myself and be taken seriously within this very competitive area of work…sitting in front of the computer won’t get it done.

My first priorities must be:

• Decide who my target market is.

• Create an extensive portfolio of quality, specialised work.

…otherwise I’ll be obsolete before I’ve even begun to be mediocre.

Further time-consuming activities include:

• Design a business card.

• Build (attempt to) a website to showcase my work.

• Enter illustration competitions.

• Broaden and develop skills in related areas (learn Photoshop).

• Attend seminars, masterclasses and extra art classes.

• Read books by successful illustrators.

• Register with professional bodies and agencies.

• Think fatter.

• Fake confidence.

• Twenty lashes with a wet noodle whenever focus waivers.

Serious adherence to the above necessitates stepping away from the computer – less frequent updating of my blog and, regrettably, resisting the temptation to read your blogs as often. Unavoidable, alas. And anyway, blogging really has made my arse bigger…should you be interested.

Here’s a little something for you to ponder during the gaps.

Missing you already.

Her (brief) brief was that it had to fit on a narrow horizontal white card.

I was to illustrate that the occasion would be a relaxed, informal affair held in a country setting on a farm which boasts two fishing ponds. Pigs, goats, geese etc., were to be included. Some of the more adventurous guests (younger) will even be making use of the accommodation (!) provided. It’s going to be fun.

After numerous drafts, I finally drew the image in two parts – each on A3 paper as seen below. These were then digitally re-sized for a 99 x 210mm card. For some unfathomable reason, it wouldn’t scan well and therefore required intricate micro-detailed finishing. Which has taken days. DAYS. Tedious but worth it. I had to put them up here in a low resolution jpg so these images don’t really do it justice but you get the idea.

The happy couple are “thrilled” and I’m now officially a “clever old stick”. If only all clients were so easily pleased.

Now all I need to do is buy myself some stepmotherofthebride (SMOTB) wellington boots and go on a diet – only 6 months until the wedding.

I created the banner image for her way back in May 2009 – before even starting this blog. My friend has already thanked me too many times.

This last mention, however, was extremely significant. It means that I fulfilled my role as an illustrator.

As many invaluable lessons about being an illustrator were learned during this process, albeit without the pressure of a serious deadline, it should have been me doing all the thanking.

An illustrator needs to get over their own ego. Unlike a fine artist, an illustrator has to hand their creative control over to the client. Illustration is a service.

Illustrators undertake to communicate an idea within one potent image. The image needs to grab the viewer by the throat to entice them into reading the text. There needs to be sufficient information within that image to convey a message that would otherwise take hundreds of words. Illustration is a visual narrative. It must apply sound visual form to ideas. It has to sell a product.

The brief was (to be) “…done with toy houses or simple cartoonish line drawings. Across the panel there would be two house images, each next to a tree which remains the same for both. The left house is so big that you can only see a swath across the first story and the tree seems dwarfed. The house on the right is simple and shorter than the tree. The houses and trees are colored like with crayons.“ I believe I achieved that.

Parts of the image were drawn individually, as were these flowers, (barely visible in the finished image) in order to enable things to be moved around and re-sized using Adobe Fireworks. Molly, her dog, and the chair were photographs.

My friend tells me that I was able “to convey the (challenging) process of jettisoning stuff that makes possible the transition from big house to cottage” which means I’m totally tickled pink and unquestionably thankful to Joy for giving me the experience.
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Update: Coincidentally, Leslie White has also written about letting go of artistic control in the name of good illustration.

None of my own art again (I’m currently covered in wrapping paper and sticky tape), but this card by genius Pulitzer Prize winning Cartoonist, Clay Bennett says it better than I can.

I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you for visiting my blog this year – may all your baubles be shiny and your tinsel never droop…and once the sprouts have settled and the novelty slippers have lost their novelty, I hope that 2010 holds a plethora of artistic delectation for all of you.