The 52 Week Illustration Challenge

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly"

(Robert F. Kennedy)

Earlier this year I joined a Facebook Group called the "52 Week Illustration Challenge" which was set up by author Tania McCartney and is managed by a host of exceptional illustrators. I joined the group on the recommend of another illustrator and enjoyed watching lovely illustrations pop up on my feed each week under a weekly theme.

As with most illustrators I know, I draw most days. Sometimes my drawing is for client's commissioned pieces and sometimes the drawing is for myself. If I sit and watch a movie at home at night there's a very good likelihood I will have a sketchbook on my lap and be pushing my pencil around the page for a creative workout. If I am on a train I will also pull out my little travel pad and lose myself between stations as I scribble and scrawl. On my lunch breaks when teaching youth theatre on the weekends I always open my art book and continue to make and create. I have never known to be bored when I am left to my own devices. To me, a blank page is a new world waiting to be born.

When I first started this illustration path two years ago I was involved in a Twitter drawing challenge every week but after a while the challenge stopped and I just went back to my own work. It was only about six weeks ago that I decided to actively join in on the 52 Week Illustration Challenge to push myself and my skills as an artist. So I thought: why not use all these personal drawing moments to respond to the challenge of drawing for a theme with this lovely Facebook group? I have nothing to lose. But the gains are wonderful: learning to respond quickly to a theme, developing style, honing skill, networking with other illustrators, having my work "out there" for positive commentary from the creative community.
And having a reason to draw even more!!

I started the challenge in week 35. Yes I came into the challenge later in the year! Better late than never though right? 

The themes I have participated in so far:
WEEK 35: BOTANICAL

I created this on a lunch break with pencil and pen. Here is a little time lapse video of me drawing this that I took on my phone:

WEEK 36: DANCE

I love to dance! Every week I am a student in an adult contemporary class (lots of 80s music and power moves!). The emphasis of this class is on fun and community. I think that moving the body is like a shower for the soul. Sometimes in class I get so happy that I have to breath a bit deeper or I swear I will start crying happy tears! Regardless of age or circumstance I hope that I will dance throughout my life. 

I created two versions of this illustration: one without a background on one on a stage (to honour my theatrical roots!) I was very proud to discover that this illustration made it into the weeks pics on the official blog page for the 52 Week Illustration Challenge - Dance

WEEK 40: GEOMETRIC

I got right into the zen zone drawing this! I love fine liner work and hadn't really put a lot of this "out there" in the world.  I was really happy with how this geometric bird turned out.

WEEK 41: FAUNA

I really enjoyed this particular theme. Being an Aussie girl, I knew I wanted to illustrate something that celebrated Australian Fauna. I started researching Australian mammals and ended up seeing just how many are disappearing forever. The more I read about endangered animals the more I wanted to create a statement that would catch people's attention and alert them to this issue. This illustration also was featured on the official blogs picks of the week 52 Weeks Illustration Challenge picks - Fauna

After more than a few requests I am happy to announce that I have uploaded this illustration to my Redbubble shop. 

"Endangered Australian Animals" can be purchased on quality prints, apparel, bags, stickers, stationery and more.

ENDANGERED AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS

WEEK 41: MELBOURNE

Illustrate the city I live in? Yes please! I spent a lot of time mulling over how to illustrate this theme as I adore the town I live in for so many reasons. I wrote a list of my favourite Melbourne experiences and locations and decided the best way to approach this was to create a novelty map of sorts. I didn't want to draw actual places but more encouraged those who visit to find these kinds of places and experiences. After putting it up on Instagram I was happy to see that the official account for the City of Melbourne clicked the like button!

Which brings me to the current week of the challenge.

WEEK 41: CARNIVAL

As a sometimes actor I have had the joy of dressing up in many a different costume for festivals, events, and carnivals as a roving comic character. I decided to base this weeks theme on a character I often play called Lady Lovely. This character is accompanied by her male companion Lord Gorgeous. These two fops enjoy throwing compliments at everyone they meet! I enjoyed choosing the colour palette and designing the carnival masks for this illustration.

If you would like to join the challenge yourself (or just see some of the amazing contributions that have entered this challenge) head over the 52 Week Illustrations Challenge - Facebook page to check out the rules and how it all works!

Dreaming big,

Lou :-)

Self Belief

"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it"
(J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan)

It's been a jam packed few weeks since the release of my first illustrated children's book "The Day Jake Logan Robertson Ran out of Hugs" (written by A.Nicky Hjort). As the publishing company (Jetblack Publishing) is a relatively new and smaller publicity house much of the promotion and sale of the book comes back to the author and the illustrator letting the public know about it. I have spent as much time as possible over the last few weeks talking to people about the book face to face, through emails and on social media. I think when you are proud of the work you have done (and have spent so much time and energy on a project) it's easier to gather your own sense of pride and belief and tell as many people as possible about it!

I am trusting more and more in my dream to live off my art and to make not just my living as a creative but to make a GOOD living as a creative. It's a large leap of faith (and a challenging road to be an artist!), but the signs are all there that it is possible if I just keep working at it every day and back myself. I must say in following this path I am truly the happiest I have ever been. Backing myself means looking after myself. Speaking kindly to myself, eating healthy and delicious food, exercising regularly (I started jazz dance classes last month!) and continually working on my art and my creativity. I am filled with purpose on a day to day level. I think having purpose is one of the keys to having a full life. So is gratitude. The smallest blessings become more and more obvious. Gratitude is the measure of a rich heart and a joyous spirit.

After sending out some publicity emails I was contacted by a reporter from "The Weekly Review" - a Melbourne weekly full colour magazine. The writer - Sarah Harris - wrote up a lovely story of my creative journey.

"The Weekly Review" also has an online editorial. Which in terms of getting a story out there makes it easier to share around in this digital age! You can read the little feature here: Feature Article

THE DAY JAKE LOGAN ROBERTSON RAN OUT OF HUGS (And the day a dream came true for this illustrator!)

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them"
(Walt Disney)

So today, the 13th of February 2015 marks an important day in my journey as an illustrator and creative business. 
After perhaps six months or more of hard work, my first ever children's eBook "The Day Jake Logan Robertson Ran Out Of Hugs" by  American author A. Nicky Hjort and illustrated by yours truly goes on sale on the publishers bookstore!  The book explores the power that a hug can have. It's a touching and sweet story centreing around a little boy named Jake who inherently knows about the magic a hug can create.

An author (of another book) originally contacted me in June last year after seeing my work on Illustrators Australia and then reading my blog. She passed my details and portfolio onto Jetblack Publishing who then contacted me to ask if I would be interested in working on this lovely book. Jetblack Publishing is a relatively new publishing house based in Melbourne but works with illustrators and authors from all over the planet. One of the reasons I was quick to say yes to working with Jetblack Publishing is that they donate 20% of the price paid for each eBook to the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation. ALNF is the first independent charity in Australia dedicated to raising national language, literacy and numeracy standards especially in remote in marginalised communities. 

Having been a performing arts teacher to young people for well over a decade I couldn't refuse. I agree with the ALNF in that reading and writing is a basic human right. To know that my work may assist children who perhaps would not be allowed this right fills my heart with hope and pushes my pencil on the paper with much pride.

Visit the ALNF website to see their great work!


And Check out my book in the Jetblack Publishing Book Store!

OTHER EXCITING NEWS
Today is also the day I officially launch my very own website!
The task of creating a website is one I think I have avoided for the past year since graduation with a diploma in design. My web coding classes were the hardest out of all my classes. Codes, numbers and logical thinking has never been something that I excell at. However, after much discussion with fellow creatives and small business owners I knew that a website was imperitive to create one single online hub for all my online avenues. With a website I could link my online shops, have a little gallery of my favourite pieces, introduce who I am with simplicity and of course link my blog!

I used the web builder Weebly for my website. And I must say - the process was very straightforward and enjoyable! No coding was needing. The templates that Weebly offer are easy to use and allow for creative flexibility so that you can create the exact look you are after. The result is a website that I think is both easy to navigate around and stylish.

Visit Lou Endicott Illustration & Design Webpage

I am so exicited to have louendicott.com.au as a hub for my work and for a place for people to contact me for commissioned work.

Needless to say, the heart is filled with much gratitude right now :-)

I hope wherever you are today you are dreaming big!
Creatively yours
Lou

Interview with Laura Wood

"I started doing this work later in life.. But I wasn't happy and one day I decided to change my path because I realised I couldn't do a job where my heart wasn't there. So I allowed myself to dream again and for the first time I let my heart choose instead of my brain…" (Laura Wood)

I recently had the utmost privilege of asking three exceptionally talented Australian illustrators some questions about the industry and their own work. 

In the answering seat for my second interview is Melbourne illustrator Laura Wood. Earlier in the year while waiting for a friend at a cafe I was flicking through a magazine. I came across a striking illustration that fascinated me in the way the illustration managed to tell a story in one single frame. I took a quick picture on my iPhone making sure I could read the illustrators name. Later I went searching online to find out more about the artist behind the picture. I ended up finding Laura Woods blog and Facebook page. After following both of these for a few months one day I decided I was brave enough to write an email to her asking for advice about the industry. The advice I got was invaluable. Recently I contacted Laura again and was delighted when she agreed to be interviewed. 

ABOVE: The picture I took of the editorial illustration that led me down the path to discovering the wonderful work of Laura Wood.

First of all congratulations on your new book ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” published by Ladybird. How did you manage to become the illustrator for this new book? How long did it take to illustrate?

I was lucky enough to work with Ladybird Books thanks to my agency, Good Illustration. When they offered me the gig, I was happy to accept the job, which was also my very first book project. 

From start to finish, it took me a couple of months, but not as a full time job.. in the meantime I was doing doing other work and finishing my diploma. 

You are a member of Illustrators Australia – a not for profit community of illustrators that includes access to events and online portfolio sharing. How does an organization such as Illustrators Australia assist you in your career?

For a freelance illustrator like me, Illustrators Australia is a good reference point able to provide support and exposure. 

Also, being involved in such community is a great opportunity to meet other people that share the same passion for illustration. 

Does having an illustration agent greatly assist you in helping you find work? And if so, do you have any advice on how to approach illustration agencies for representation?

So far, having an agent for me has meant getting work and recognition from bigger and more prestigious clients. 

However, I think it's still essential for me to keep promoting and actively looking for work by myself.

To approach an agent, I would recommend to send a quick and polite email with a link to your online portfolio explaining the reasons while you're contacting them. If they think you two could work together, they will contact you back!

Where do you think the main opportunities for emerging illustrators lie? Is it a matter of creating your own work or do you think collaboration is key?

For me it's all about creating my own work. But everyone is different and what works for me it might not work for someone else. 

So I believe the main opportunities lie in the things we find more comfortable doing. 

Within the world of design agencies are illustrators sourced regularly or is this usually an in-house job?

Mmm... not really sure. I haven't had lot of experience with design agencies so I can't really say. 

ABOVE: Illustration by Laura Wood while she was still studying. 

How did you start your own illustration career? What drew you to this as something you wanted to do for work?

I started doing this work later in life, after already having started a career in a completely different job. 

But I wasn't happy and one day I decided to change my path because I realised I couldn't do a job where my heart wasn't there. 

So I allowed myself to dream again and for the first time I let my heart choose instead of my brain...

What challenges do you think Illustrators face in a contemporary market place?

One of the challenges is for sure the fact that it's often not easy to get the economical recognition our work deserve. This is often because clients don't know how the our industry work and how much our work is worth.

Also freelancers have to face the challenge of running a business. This means they need to deal with tasks other than drawing and illustrating, such as managing money and marketing. 

Do you think the digital age has made it easier for illustrators to get their work out there?

Yes, absolutely. I truly believe thru the internet we have now the possibility to put our work under the eyes of creative directors all over the world in matter of seconds and without spending a cent. 

I think it's fantastic. 

What do you think the future of illustrative print publications might be? Is it a shrinking medium due to the computer age or do you think that printed works are in fact becoming more treasured pieces?

I'm not an expert on the matter, so I can't really predict what is going to happen in 10 or 50 years about print publications. 

However I think books and print products will always keep a place in our lives, no matter how digitalised we get. 

My hope is that the digital market and the print publications would coexist and be two different and complementary possibilities for illustrators. 

The above illustrations are from a brand new interactive app illustrated by Laura Wood "The Three Bears and Goldilocks" available via iTunes. 

To follow Laura's journey and to get updates on all her amazing work and projects check out her blog: Laura Wood's Blog or her web page: Laura Wood Illustration

I Hope

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning."
(Albert Einstein)

I love this quote by Einstein. I have been holding onto hope this month more than ever. The big question for me is "where will all of this passion to illustrate take me?" 

But the more I have pondered on this, the more I try and let it go.
I think the important thing is really not to keep looking too far into the future. Instead it is to grasp what is in front of me right now - that is to LIVE FOR TODAY - and trust and hope that these day to day workings will gather momentum and plant seeds that will sprout so gradually and naturally that I will be standing in a field ready to be reaped before I even know it. 

So what is in front of me today?

Firstly, my studies. I am just months away from graduating. There is still much to be learnt before the end of January. There are connections to be had with my classmates as we inspire each other along. There is a wealth of information to be sought after from my teachers. There is the joy of knowing that as a student I have the right to make mistakes - and fail spectacularly if needed. It's part of the process of learning after all.

Secondly, my work as a drama teacher. Although this work is not illustration based, it is fuel for inspiration and passion. Children need you to be present and awake to reach them. And when you reach them the magic can happen. I recently directed three casts of about 60 kids in each in a musical version of the ugly duckling. Earlier this year I volunteered to create the poster for these performances. On the weekend the last show was played with the final cast. It was when I was doing one of the final runs of the show that I realised I had a group of seven year olds peering over my shoulder with concentration while waiting for their turn to go on. They were pointing at my doodles, which until then I had not noticed were on almost every page. As they waited for their turn to go on stage they excitedly waited for the page of my script to turn so that they could see the next drawing I had absent-mindedly scribbled while nutting out directing notes.

As they smiled and moved closer to inspect my work the words of one of my favourite writers - Ralph Waldo Emerson - suddenly flew before my mind's eye:

"To laugh often and much
to win the respect of intelligent people
and affection of children…..
This is to have succeeded."

The joy on these kids faces was infectious. If kids are loving what I do then I must be on track. After all, if a child doesn't like something - they will tell you! They are the best and most honest of critics.

The show poster I designed for Honk:

So what else is in front of me?

Well, this is the obvious one. My sketchbooks, my pencils, my pens, my Wacom and my computer. The artists tools. Drawing almost everyday is second nature now. I am jumping at chances to take my pencil for a walk on the page. After recently joining Twitter I started to seek out other illustrators across the globe. I found a little fun weekly drawing challenge set by a design agency in the UK - Broccoli Creative Design.  To keep my pencil moving and inspired I have entered a sketch every week called "Saturday Scribbles" based on a set theme for the last month or so. It's been fun to see my work shared and retweeted and to know that oceans away people are engaging with what I love to do.

Here are some of my contributions:

Theme: Moustache

Theme: Bears and Bandages

Theme: Fireworks

Theme: Frost

Soon I will be sending my portfolio out into the world to seek representation from an illustration agency. This is a little bit nerve wracking, but I am feeling that perhaps an agent might point me in the direction of actual paid work. While thinking about my hopes and my dreams I drew this picture (which prints are now available from my Etsy shop I hope - print for sale)

So what are your hopes and dreams for the day? I hope that you have hope in your own hearts.

- Lou