It is November already? How crazy is that! Time is just flying past, and things aren't calming down here anytime soon, I feel as though I'm working in my sleep just to get through everything. I know I've been very quiet on the blogosphere lately, but I've been working really hard and will have a whole range of things to reveal over the coming months which make it so worthwhile! These are just a few things I've been up to the past few weeks -
1. Trying desperately to bring chaos into order. I'm really struggling with the storage/transport of my market & craft fair stuff. I created a tiered trolley which works great, but I seem to have so much 'other' stuff that I always need to bring along too!! (Display stands, empty boxes to 'lift' display stands, etc. etc.)
3. Working on illustrating upon unusual objects for a variety of exhibitions and/or charity events. I can't get enough of these types of challenges, they take my work to a completely new level!!
4. Sketches for clients
5. A few more concept layouts for clients
6. Doodles in the journal to try and get some of my 'creative' frustrations out of me.
7. New stockists in the UK as well as throughout Australia which is very exciting!! Stockists include bookstores, retail stores, online stores and galleries. Keep your eyes out for some work near you.... !
8. I will be working with a gallery in France in the new year, so I'm over the moon about that and I'm working on some new paintings that will be shipped straight over there.
9. I was offered work at a graphic design firm for some huge illustration/design projects, but turned it down. There were a variety of factors involved in the decision - not able to hold copyright on my works, not allowed to get a lawyer involved in the initial contract negotiations, and not able to disclose when I created work for the company or display them in any of my portfolios, ever. It was really difficult for me to be able to let go of the thought of having my name associated with a work - especially since I would have been the one to have created it. So rather then continue to have an inner battle with myself, I walked away from it all. The positive from the experience was it really helped me focus on what I want to do with my illustrating and where I want to take it in the future. I've now honed down on exactly what I want to do, and what I'm aiming for.
10. I enjoy working with products, whilst a lot of illustrators outsource their entire production lines or choose only to license images. For me, I want to continue working with products. Whilst at times they can be time consuming, I absolutely adore creating them & interacting with people who are interested in my work. I am finding that it is also pushing my work to a whole new level, and my illustrating is growing up so quickly! I'm just adoring the paintings that I'm currently working on.
11. My tote bags, clutch purses and t-shirts are almost finished in the design stage and I hope to start creating the actual products next week. So exciting!!
12. I've turned into a fitness junkie. I'm trying to get super fit by February next year. Next week I start up bootcamp for 3 times a week, personal training sessions 2 times a week, a netball game once a week, and group fitness classes 2-3 times a week. Oh, and not to mention the bike riding all over the place because I'm refusing to drive the car whenever I can. Plus walking my two over energetic dogs every single day.... I'm going to be superwoman!
12. Last of all..... I've made an enormous decision and my Etsy store (http://www.aussiepatches.etsy.com) is now closed. Etsy is very important to me and it was one of the reasons I am where I am today. It opened up my work to the world, gave me exposure and helped support me to open an online store with very little expenditure (because as they always say artists are always poor!) It took many hours of deliberating with myself, but finally for a variety of reasons I realised that I just couldn't have a store there anymore.
First of all for the past few months the change in the economy has been wreaking havoc for those of us who are not in the United States and sell internationally. The rate used to be -
$1 US = $0.96 AU
but now it is -
$1 US = $0.65 AU
and there were moments it even got down to -
$1 US = $0.61AU
That is a huge price difference, and it was really affecting me as on Etsy, even though it is an international site, everything must be listed in US dollars which is a total pain. I am a person who believes strongly in integrity, and the constant change in currencies could potentially damage my reputation in regards to that. The reason being is that I don't want to sell a product to someone overseas for twice the price then what they could purchase it here at just because the economy drops. If I sell a product at $10, that is exactly how much I think that person should pay, not $18 because the markets fall and the conversion rates go crazy.
So I'm currently in the process of tweaking the finishing touches on my new webstore which I've gone all giddy over. It has every single product that I sell in it, including original artworks. It is a central place that people can go to, all prices are in Australian dollars, all items can be combined in postage, I can offer discounts & monthly specials, as well as know if someone would like something gift wrapped. Oh, and did I mention that almost every payment type in the world is accepted? Except chocolate. I won't accept chocolate as payment because I'm on a very strict diet!
And so a new era begins................
1. Trying desperately to bring chaos into order. I'm really struggling with the storage/transport of my market & craft fair stuff. I created a tiered trolley which works great, but I seem to have so much 'other' stuff that I always need to bring along too!! (Display stands, empty boxes to 'lift' display stands, etc. etc.)
3. Working on illustrating upon unusual objects for a variety of exhibitions and/or charity events. I can't get enough of these types of challenges, they take my work to a completely new level!!
4. Sketches for clients
5. A few more concept layouts for clients
6. Doodles in the journal to try and get some of my 'creative' frustrations out of me.
7. New stockists in the UK as well as throughout Australia which is very exciting!! Stockists include bookstores, retail stores, online stores and galleries. Keep your eyes out for some work near you.... !
8. I will be working with a gallery in France in the new year, so I'm over the moon about that and I'm working on some new paintings that will be shipped straight over there.
9. I was offered work at a graphic design firm for some huge illustration/design projects, but turned it down. There were a variety of factors involved in the decision - not able to hold copyright on my works, not allowed to get a lawyer involved in the initial contract negotiations, and not able to disclose when I created work for the company or display them in any of my portfolios, ever. It was really difficult for me to be able to let go of the thought of having my name associated with a work - especially since I would have been the one to have created it. So rather then continue to have an inner battle with myself, I walked away from it all. The positive from the experience was it really helped me focus on what I want to do with my illustrating and where I want to take it in the future. I've now honed down on exactly what I want to do, and what I'm aiming for.
10. I enjoy working with products, whilst a lot of illustrators outsource their entire production lines or choose only to license images. For me, I want to continue working with products. Whilst at times they can be time consuming, I absolutely adore creating them & interacting with people who are interested in my work. I am finding that it is also pushing my work to a whole new level, and my illustrating is growing up so quickly! I'm just adoring the paintings that I'm currently working on.
11. My tote bags, clutch purses and t-shirts are almost finished in the design stage and I hope to start creating the actual products next week. So exciting!!
12. I've turned into a fitness junkie. I'm trying to get super fit by February next year. Next week I start up bootcamp for 3 times a week, personal training sessions 2 times a week, a netball game once a week, and group fitness classes 2-3 times a week. Oh, and not to mention the bike riding all over the place because I'm refusing to drive the car whenever I can. Plus walking my two over energetic dogs every single day.... I'm going to be superwoman!
12. Last of all..... I've made an enormous decision and my Etsy store (http://www.aussiepatches.etsy.com) is now closed. Etsy is very important to me and it was one of the reasons I am where I am today. It opened up my work to the world, gave me exposure and helped support me to open an online store with very little expenditure (because as they always say artists are always poor!) It took many hours of deliberating with myself, but finally for a variety of reasons I realised that I just couldn't have a store there anymore.
First of all for the past few months the change in the economy has been wreaking havoc for those of us who are not in the United States and sell internationally. The rate used to be -
$1 US = $0.96 AU
but now it is -
$1 US = $0.65 AU
and there were moments it even got down to -
$1 US = $0.61AU
That is a huge price difference, and it was really affecting me as on Etsy, even though it is an international site, everything must be listed in US dollars which is a total pain. I am a person who believes strongly in integrity, and the constant change in currencies could potentially damage my reputation in regards to that. The reason being is that I don't want to sell a product to someone overseas for twice the price then what they could purchase it here at just because the economy drops. If I sell a product at $10, that is exactly how much I think that person should pay, not $18 because the markets fall and the conversion rates go crazy.
So I'm currently in the process of tweaking the finishing touches on my new webstore which I've gone all giddy over. It has every single product that I sell in it, including original artworks. It is a central place that people can go to, all prices are in Australian dollars, all items can be combined in postage, I can offer discounts & monthly specials, as well as know if someone would like something gift wrapped. Oh, and did I mention that almost every payment type in the world is accepted? Except chocolate. I won't accept chocolate as payment because I'm on a very strict diet!
And so a new era begins................
