Happy Festive season! We are so proud of our wonderful Make Art That Sells alumni and are pleased to showcase some festive designs and products they have created for the season. Here is part 6. See all the festive showcase posts here as they unfold.
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Scandinavian Christmas elves. The designs were watercolors scanned in and printed at Spoonflower.com. I wanted to have 3-dimensional elves to have as a group on a shelf, and tea towels for the kitchen.
The elves are for sale at the local Christmas markets that I am attending and the tea towel was a preorder through my social media and mailing list.
I felt the Children’s book illustrating class was life changing for me. I have been a fine artist for a long time and people have always been telling me that I should be illustrating kid’s books, but I had no idea where to start. This class gave me the tools to start sending portfolios out and get work.
Lilla and Zoe were amazing teachers, and the Facebook group was just as warm and inviting. I learned so many new things! Artistically, what surprised me the most, was that I became so much more comfortable with hand lettering even though I thought I was coming to draw children and animals. I also became more proficient in drawing figures. The class was super fun, I feel like I really found my calling and I can’t wait to start pitching to art directors in 2017 and hopefully get a book illustration job in the next two years.
See more work here: Website | Instagram | Facebook
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The classes helped me to reinforce certain techniques and my style. The experience of being part in this year’s MATS Illustrating for Children’s Books provided a more in depth understanding about character development and movement. What I like about the MATS courses is the fact that it takes you out of your comfort zone and pushes you to create different subject matter based on briefs that you wouldn’t otherwise explore. The MATS courses have helped to diversify and enrich my portfolio.
In 2017 I look forward to collaborate with new companies and partnerships already established and follow-up exciting projects in the pipeline which are in line with my passion for nature, picture books and its conservation for future generations.
See more work here: Website | Instagram
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This image is a personal Christmas card I designed. I have taken MATS A, Home Dec, GTS and Children’s Book Illustrating. I am working on MATS B self paced. My work has improved so much this year. I am so excited by what I have seen in my own work, especially during the children’s book course! In 2017, I’m going to continue to grow my portfolio and hopefully send out some work by the end of next year.
See more work here: Website | Instagram
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Becca Campbell Smith | The Story Smith
“Christmas in the Sand” is a Christmas card commissioned for The Little Labs Shop in Burbank, California. This card was illustrated as a collaboration with Love Notes Stationery, which is a greeting card brand formed with my three close illustrator friends.
The inspiration for the design came from when I lived in California and felt left out of the magical snowy winters that the rest of the country sang about. I imagined a magical Christmas somewhere where snow would never exist… in the ocean.
I have taken MATS A, Bootcamp, GTS 2016 and Illustrating Children’s Books.
These classes have been so fantastic in helping me grow and develop my style. This was my first year seriously trying illustration. I felt so lost on who I was as an artist and with every class I’ve become more and more comfortable being myself and what that looks like.
My plans for 2017 are to keep growing and learning. Now that I’ve found my style, I’d love to keep refining it and getting that magic. In January, I’m taking the leap to start sending out my art to agents and art directors, which is scary, but Lilla has prepared us well.
See more work here: Website
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Eveline Vanparys | Kleine Vos Illustraties
A Christmas Card inspired by Bruges in winter time
I learned so much about the markets and I got tons of inspiration from MATS A. Now I am taking MATS B, learning even more. I really enjoy taking these courses, they’re helpful, inspiring and fun!
See more work here: website
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Transform your art career and Make Art That Sells. Registration is open for Illustrating Children’s Books (starts 16 January, 2017), Assignment Bootcamp (starts March 2017) and our amazing self-paced versions of MATS A & MATS B which include a huge vault of reviews from Lilla and class assignments from all our previous sessions.
