Should I send my portfolio to publishers right now?
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your art looks really great to me and I think the 50/50 approach is a good way. I think from each application, you will learn something and you get a view of what you should still improve.
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Looks like others have already said a lot of what I would say. So in short, yes you should send it! I'd say this is a relatively low risk thing to do so go for it!
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Send it now! Love your work. You may get some good valuable feedback. Do 50/50 as you suggested but send your work to 'really intimidating' ones too. I did this, I sent out work to publishers working backwards on my list, not sending to dream clients firstof all and then I thought just for curiosity I'd send to one at the top of my list which was 'Random House' and they gave me a lovely reply commenting on my artwork and said they would show their colleagues. No work came from it but the response was a good boost, it was almost like at a time when I was questioning my direction their comments were some sort of validation if that makes sense.
So my advice is just go for it, the responses, even if they are rejections, they may shed light on your direction!
Good luck!
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@Phil-Cullen thank you for the good advice. I am in teh similar situation. Always good to hear from fellow artists who have done this process before.
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@lenwen Thank you a lot!!
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@StudioLooong Thanks so much for your in depth response, I appreciate it a lot and it made me feel more hopeful :)!
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@Bricz-Art Thanks much for your weigh in, I appreciate it a lot!!
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@Judy-Elizabeth-Wilson Thanks so much!!
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@NessIllustration Thanks so much for your uplifting words!
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@Zachary-Drenski Thanks!!
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@Laurel-Aylesworth thank you!
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@robgale Thanks a lot! That helped me :)!
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@alicia thanks!!
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@peteolczyk Thanks!!
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@xin-li Thanks so much again!
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@DOTTYP thanks!
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@Eywin That would be great, thanks!
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@Griff thanks!!
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@Phil-Cullen Thanks so much, I appreciate it a lot! Have you since then started working on children’s books yourself?
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@nadyart I Illustrated my first book through an Irish publisher last year and will possibly be doing a second and third book in the same series. The publisher contacted me and asked me to submit a sample to see if I was the right fit for the project and they liked what they saw I suppose. I must add that it was 14 month after I emailed them my portfolio that I got that response and by that time none of the same images were still in my portfolio. This is why I would suggest getting out there and making contact and even if its a rejection, politely say would they mind seeing new work in 6 month or something to that effect and if possible get feedback.
I think your work is lovely, I would imagine publishers would think the same. It is about you being on their radar when a specific project pops up for them, that they feel would suit you. The first line of the email I received from the publisher was 'We finally have something that might suit you...' I was totally unaware that they were even considering me as I had never got a response after my initial email, only the offer 14 months later.
