An introduction (sorry it’s a bit long)

[KayPotter]

Nice to meet you!

[Jacy13]

@lizardillo Welcome! I love the duck, haha. Can't wait to see more of your work

[Valerie Light]

Hello, welcome! I'm new here too. Thanks for sharing your portfolio- I really admire it! You have such a strong set of skills, and your website presents them well. Nice work!

May I ask, since you're new and have figured this out already- how do you change your forum icon into something cool, like your Lizard illo logo?

[lizardillo]

@Valerie-Light Thank you for those lovely comments, I have done a lot of corporate illustration while working at design agencies so I have to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades and draw in what style fits the client brand and brief, so there are quite a few different styles on my site. My work has dried up recently (yeah, thanks covid! ) so I'm using the opportunity to be the real me and do the career I set out to do many years ago, although I have been trying to do this off and on for years! Big brands don't seem to want donut eating ducks for some reason

To edit my profile pic I clicked on the profile pic circle, went to edit settings and it says "change picture" under the profile roundel on the profile page

[lizardillo]

@KaraDaniel Thank you

[lizardillo]

@Jacy13 Thank you. I've just looked at your Instagram and thought you may be interested in drawing challenge I'm doing this month called "Amfibuary" but I've just noticed you've already seen about it. Looking forward to an amphibious month

[lizardillo]

@KayPotter Hiya Kay, nice to meet you too

[Jacy13]

@lizardillo Yes! I'm very excited about it, haha

[Nyrryl Cadiz]

@lizardillo hi! welcome to the forum!

[Lynniesketches]

@lizardillo Hi Liz! Nice to meet you. I'm quite a newbie here as well. Totally agree with comments above, your t-shirt designs are awesome!

[lizardillo]

@Nyrryl-Cadiz hiya thank you

[lizardillo]

@Lynniesketches hiya, thank you. I’m loving to forum so far, I don’t know why I waited a year to join. I’m loving meeting new people and seeing their art. I enjoy doing designs like the shirts. They are sold by a third-party to add to his merchandise range so I have no idea how well they sell unfortunately I would love to try and have my own character-based range one day but I think I have a lot to work on before that point.

[Emma Echter]

@lizardillo Hi Liz, welcome! I've also worked for years as a graphic designer with illustrations being peppered in along the way. Well done taking the leap into illustration there's so much here - I joined in December after binging all the podcasts! Looking forward to hearing/seeing more from you.

[lizardillo]

@Emma-Echter hiya, thanks. It’s great to hear that you have the same path. I was meant to do an animation and illustration course at Uni (waaaayy back in 1998) but for various reasons ended up on a graphic design and marketing course. I can’t complain as it’s been good experience but it’s time to make the change. Do you feel like you are starting all over again? I’m a bit lost. It’s a bit daunting! There is so much good advice on here, I just need to work out what direction I need to go in. I think I will be doing a lot of random stuff and practise until I can sort that out Looking forward to seeing your journey too.

[Valerie Light]

@lizardillo Thank you so much for answering that with a screenshot and everything. So kind. Now to pick which illustration to use there!

[Emma Echter]

@lizardillo looking at your website, you look like you're not too lost! Looks fantastic. Very cohesive and professional.

I'm mostly lost in the business/networking side of things - how to actually approach potential clients... although hoping age and wisdom will make approaching people easier. After years of design, at the very least I know how to take feedback!

Slowly, slowly, slowly I'm getting works and style together for a portfolio. My aim is a 10 piece portfolio by mid-year. Might be a little ambitious... but I'm trying.

I also chose graphic design way back ('99) because I thought it would be more stable than an fine art career (I started a fine art / design double degree, then changed university's to do a straight graphic design). But have wanted to illustrated ever since I was a primary school student!

[lizardillo]

@Emma-Echter Thank you. Like you it’s the business and networking I’m not sure about. I know the graphic design and print industry inside out and I’m sure we both can take a lot of that experience and apply it. I have joined the AOI and eventually read their book about contracts and pricing that I bought a few years ago which was very good (https://theaoi.com/?taxonomy=product_shipping_class&term=book). I just need to work out what kind of work I’m going to be pitching for and who to. I’m not 100% sure it’s picture story books, it may be activity/educational books or games). I’m going to listen to the portfolio building course on svs to see what I need to add.

[Emma Echter]

@lizardillo Good idea - yes it's hard to focus on one area of work (especially coming from graphic design where each job is different), but absolutely there is so much we can apply. More than I initially thought when I started poking around the classes. Thanks for the link, I'm in Australia so some of the business references I find I'm not sure how much pricing relates, I really should join our equivalent, Illustrators Australia. I was going to wait until I had more of a portfolio to show for it, as all the memberships start to get expensive (thanks Adobe). In the past I have worked in a more vector style, and really liked the idea of educational resources (and made some in the way way back), although listening to some of the podcasts, I'm not sure if it's a great move money wise... but then if it's work, and it's enjoyable... yep. It's a hard decision

[Casual-T]

And a jolly cheerio to you, Lizardillo... Beautiful images on your website! That exploded burger in particular looks scrumdiddlyumptious! Now let me just check what I have in the fridge... I'm feeling a wee bit peckish.

Blast! All I found was half a head of lettuce and some sour milk. Foiled again! But as the old saying goes, when life gives you lettuce and sour milk, make some Veggie-Kefir. Wish me luck!

[lizardillo]

@Casual-T Hiya Thank you for you comments. Drawing the burger made me hungry Good luck with your Veggie Kefir