Book the course, make the leap! PLUS: Last chance to register for Illustrating Children’s Books 2020!

Hurry hurry! Registration for Lilla’s raved-about, life-changing online course, Illustrating Children’s Books, closes TODAY! This is the only time we’ll be running this course in 2020, so if you want in then book your place NOW. Today, we’re sharing a great Illustrating Children’s Books success story – read on below, or find more of our alumni success stories here.

In a recent Facebook Live for our business course for creative people, MATS MBA (Money BadAss), Make Art That Sells co-founders, art agent Lilla and best-selling author Beth Kempton, discussed the importance of taking risks with your business, even when it feels terrifying – like putting your art out there, or emailing an art director.

Art by Make Art That Sells student Josie Macey for Illustrating Children’s Books 2019.

Lilla said: “Being frightened is a gift, because it means you’re challenging yourself, and that means that you’re going to get better. You just need to take that first step, whatever it is, and keep going: I love seeing students in my classes who stick with something, because I know that they’re committed to themselves and to getting better and better at their art. Don’t wait to be perfect: just send the frickin’ email!”

Lilla adds: “My advice is to send your work to lots of people at once and then just keep making new art. A large percentage of the time you’re not going to hear back, and it could be a for a million different reasons, but you just need to keep going and you’ll get there in the end.”

Art by Make Art That Sells student Frida Hammar for Illustrating Children’s Books. Book your spot now!

Here’s a perfect example from Make Art That Sells student Hazel Ito, who got in touch recently to tell us about how she snagged her first book deal after taking Illustrating Children’s Books.

Hazel says: “I took the wonderful Illustrating Children’s Books, and out of that I joined SCBWI, made a portfolio of my work and started to pluck up the courage to create postcards to send out. About a month later, my local SCBWI chapter had our conference in Hawaii, and we had the opportunity for a portfolio review and manuscript review with publishers. I wasn’t really feeling 100% “ready”, but based on all I learned in from Make Art That Sells, I signed up for everything just to force myself, and met with an art director and editor from Beach Lane books (under Simon & Schuster). Being in Hawaii, we don’t get a lot of opportunities to attend conferences or meet “big” publishers and art directors, so I realized this was HUGE.”

Art created by Make Art That Sells student Hazel Ito for Illustrating Children’s Books. Hazel snagged a book deal after the course gave her the confidence to send her work out.

“The art director and editor I met were LOVELY, and said mostly positive things about my work and also gave me some constructive feedback, which was great. I followed up afterwards by mailing out a thank you postcard (a tip I learned from taking the course) with a cute little character in different poses and facial expressions, and didn’t really think much more at that point.”

Hazel continues: “Many months later, I was amazed to get an email from the art director saying she’d had my postcard stuck above her desk for months, and kept enjoying it, and said she’s been waiting for just the right opportunity to have me work with them. She asked me if I’d be interested in illustrating a book they had in mind for me. There was NO WAY I was going to let my dream job pass me by, so I said a huge YES – a contract arrived, I signed, and started work. P is for Poppadoms was published in November 2019!”

Full page spread from P is for Poppodoms, illustrated by Make Art That Sells student Hazel Ito who got the gig after she took Illustrating Children’s Books.

She says: “It was two things that really made it happen: firstly, Illustrating Children’s Books, which gave me all the steps, built my confidence and portfolio, and had me joining and diving into SCBWI; and then the conference that allowed me to meet publishers and share what I had made out of Illustrating Children’s Books. Without Make Art That Sells, none of it would have happened! I’m now working on my pitch and new dummy book which I have written and illustrated. Thank you to all the Make Art That Sells team and the amazing opportunities you open up for students!”

Huge congratulations to Hazel! See more of her art on her website and Instagram. Read more student success stories here.

HURRY! Last chance! Registration for Illustrating Children’s Books closes TODAY! Are you ready to book the course, make the leap and send the frickin’ email? Are you ready to make your very best art? Book your spot now!

Lots of love

The Make Art That Sells team xxx

P.S. You won’t want to miss Lilla’s WebinART today, Thursday July 20th at 7pm EST, where she will be chatting with the latest artist taken on by Lilla Rogers Studio!

Can you guess who it is? Here’s what Lilla had to say:

When I saw what she did for my Illustrating Children’s Book course, I knew I needed to chat with her about representation. Since so many of our top book artists are booked solid, I had my feelers out for artists that could illustrate children’s picture books. She fit the bill. She creates incredible, highly rendered, imaginative worlds that children will love. The sweet part is that she is also fantastic for decorative work, editorial work, and loads more. But not only is her work beautiful, and she’s a lovely person, too.

There are a few more hints scattered throughout this newsletter as well!

Join the WebinART later today and get to know the newest LRS artist;