R and I had a very interesting talk about promotion this morning. I have been wavering between here and there about what I need. Do I need the Ispot? Portfolios.com? or the new offering the Directory of Illustration? First off, I am an art director--and frankly, feel competitive and anxious working with other art directors. I play nice...but such agita that surfaces my competitive dragon--and it is not easy to be pleasant. The thinking of why does this guy have this client, and or why am I helping this guy be successful when the work they do is equal or less than my own graphic design.

I have been incorporating my illustrations into my work evidence Steuben, a new wine project, the old wine project, work with Cornell. I have been selling work off the website and with Ithaca Art Trail. We are getting royalties on work both of us have designed together. So, we are driving the ancillary income stream. Next, the only work that surface with these web sites are clueless jobs (on spec, or total buyouts with quick turn around for $300 an image, or for entities like cigarette companies). All of that does not work at all for me. Third, the illustration invites people into the design work and vice versa--one helps the other for me.

The Memento Mori work will evolve into illustration, product design and development around that idea and content. My website is working and maybe another website will work too (not as expensive as these other places). What I need is a rep, a team of people to help me figure out an entree into the market and for the images that do not go there, a gallery (even local) that will carry my work. I would like to sell my little books (maybe through places like the Dia Bookstore) and would like to target the skate and surf market which some customized pieces and marketing would help.

So, probably no re-up with these organized illustration sites. My website can do the same work--and the exposure to art directors and art buyers is not really something that is going to effect my working in the markets and with the people i better understand who I want to work with.

More later>>