Lilla here. Today I’m sharing the first part of a FREE two part #MATSprep illustration assignment I’ve created for you to get you warmed up and ready for the brand NEW Bootcamp Special: Character Play course which starts Monday, February 7th!
Q: Hold up. What’s a #MATSprep?
A: It’s a free illustration assignment that I write for you to get you prepared and inspired for class! They’re open to everyone, whether you’re taking the class or not, and they’re a great way to learn a little more about the class, the art market, and my (dare I say it) unique teaching style.
Art by my artist Zoë Ingram.
Q: Okay. And what’s Bootcamp Special: Character Play?
A: You’re going to LOVE it! It’s a brand new course for Make Art That Sells this year, and I created it with Zoë and Riley because I want you to have more income streams for your art. It follows the same much-loved formula as my student-favorite, Assignment Bootcamp, in that you get something every Monday for the duration of the course – maybe a video, a mini assignment, an insight from a creative professional or something else – and a fresh new assignment every month that will help you crank out some gorgeous portfolio art designed to get you paying gigs.
It’s all about creating appealing characters, that you can license in two of the hottest art markets right now – children’s picture books and toys and games. A fantastic character is the backbone of a winning book or toy, and we’re going to show you how easy it can be to create them.
You’re going to love your teachers and their energy and knowledge! Meet brilliant children’s book art director and picture book author, Zoë (left), and creative director, art agent and smash-hit toy creator, Riley (right).
And secondly, I’ve put together two of my favorite Make Art That Sells teachers to teach this course: brilliant children’s book art director and picture book author, Zoë Tucker, and creative director, art agent and smash-hit toy creator, Riley Wilkinson. I know you’re going to love the energy of these two amazing creatives and the wealth of information they have to share with you!
Want to see them in action? Join me, Zoë and Riley for a FREE live Zoom event on Friday, February 4th at 12 noon ET/5 pm GMT! You’ll get to meet Zoë and Riley if you don’t know and love them already, plus we’ll be discussing the art you created for the free #MATSprep and tons more. Don’t miss it! Set an alarm on your phone now so you don’t forget!
Speaking of the #MATSprep, here’s your assignment: Bakery Desserts!
For the first part of this FREE #MATSprep, I want you to draw a few desserts that you might find in a bakery.
The gorgeous Tatte Bakery in Boston. What does your bakery look like? Let your imagination run wild. Make it uniquely yours!
What kind of bakery are you imagining? Maybe a French patisserie or Middle Eastern? Perhaps a whimsical bakery food truck or a dainty cupcake shop?
What kinds of desserts will you draw? Cookies? Eclairs? Sweet, flaky baklava? Curvy croissants? Ornate mooncakes? A slice of seven-layer double chocolate cake topped with loads of pink frosting, sprinkles and sparklers?
Art by my artists Sarah Papworth (left) and Tisha Lee (right).
Here’s a Memoir Moment from me: The Buttercup Bakery, on College Ave, was around the corner from my apartment on Alcatraz Ave in Berkeley in 1974 when I was a 19-year-old hippie art student at California College of the Arts. Fun Fact: Suzy Orman was a waitress there at the time, before she became a famous financial guru. What does the prep make you think of or remember?
The Buttercup Bakery in Berkeley, California. Does this assignment throw up some fun memories or associations for you? Food can be such a powerful stimulus for memories! Tap into that.
Lilla’s tips: Think about your color palette, and have fun with it. Will you go bright? Soft? Dark? Anyone who’s taken my classes knows how much I love color. Your choices here will affect the whole mood of your piece.
What medium will you use? Something precise, something messy? Again, this will affect the mood and tone of your finished art. The purpose of a #MATSprep is to play without any pressure, so try to have fun with it. And this course really is for all levels: it doesn’t need to be perfect.
Here’s a feast (ha!) of gorgeous art from some of the artists I represent to inspire you. (Don’t forget, these are just for ideas. It’s important to make sure that your work is entirely your own: you are your own brand!)
Lots of chocolate-y browns from Jenny Miriam (left) and pencil grey with pops of color from Erica Root.
Same colors, different palettes: green, pink and red from Rebecca Jones (left) and Tara Lilly (right).
Another Memoir Moment: here’s an image from an accordion matchbox card commission I did for Chronicle Books in 1997. I think I scanned in the brush lettering and drew this with my mouse, possibly in Fractal Design Painter!
Art by me, Lilla Rogers, for Chronicle Books, 1997.
Look out for Part 2 of the #MATSprep in next week’s newsletter! You’re going to take your art and turn it into a character! It’s easier than you think. Stay tuned!And of course don’t forget to share your art so that I can see what you do. Share it online via your social media tagging @makeartthatsells and using the hashtag #MATSprep so I can find it easily. I can’t wait to see it!
Lots of love
Your fairy artmother
P.S. Don’t forget to join me, Zoë and Riley in the FREE live Zoom event on Friday, February 4th at 12 noon ET/5 pm GMT – pop a Post-It on your sketchbook now!
