Critique Clinic – November 18-20, 2011
How does it work? For three days a week (Friday-Sunday midnight), I will open the clinic to any artist who wants an honest peer review and critique of a card which gets plenty of clicks but no sales, so something’s probably not quite right, or you’ve got a new design you want to test drive, or you’re unsure about the marketability of a card. Or perhaps you’re a newbie who isn’t sure if a recently submitted card is up to a marketable standard. Anyone is welcome to participate. In fact, I encourage everyone to at least look at the cards in question and read the critique comments – you may learn something. The purpose of the clinic is to help artists improve the commercial appeal and marketability of their cards.
THE RULES
- ONE card per artist only.
- Card must be for sale at Greeting Card Universe.
- We will take an unlimited number of artists, including those who have submitted recently, HOWEVER I reserve the right to close a clinic for the day if the submissions become overwhelming. If the clinic has been closed, and you submit a card, your comment will be deleted.
- To submit a card for critique, post a link to the card at GCU in the comments section of this clinic post.
- Any artist is free to comment and/or give a critique of a submitted card. HOWEVER, post-and-run comments like “great card” or “you suck” will not be tolerated, nor will abuse. Criticism should be constructive, not destructive. Play nice or you will be banned.
- I also won’t tolerate temper tantrums if you decide your “artistic integrity” is being stepped on because you asked for a critique, and someone told you the photo you’re using isn’t in focus. If you can’t take honest criticism, don’t submit. Once gets you a warning; twice and you’re banned from submitting in the future.
- Artists who critique may do so by giving their opinion, posting an example of another card, or pointing the submitter to a video, on-line article, or other helpful suggestion.
- Don’t forget that artists who are giving you tips and helpful advice are volunteering their time and trouble. Be nice. A link back to their store on your website or blog is appreciated (but not mandatory).
- You are free not to take any advice offered. There’s no guarantee any card will be a bestseller, so don’t come into the clinic with unrealistic expectations.
- Rules may change as we go along and we see how things turn out, okay?
So without any further ado, I declare this week’s Critique Clinic open!
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Attention All Artists!
Tracie at PhotographyTK Designs has made a wonderful post on her blog which I think every single artist should read because it will benefit you so much: Rejection is NOT Failure.
With the new marketability standards introduced by GCU recently, artists have not only had new designs declined, but the weeding out process has meant that older designs aren’t exempt. Unfortunately, this has created a lot of hurt feelings, anger, and confusion.
I think Tracie’s breakthrough with its essential point will clear up a lot of that confusion for some people.
GO READ IT NOW!
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Design Spotlight: E.R. Miller
Today, our Design Spotlight is shining on artist E.R. Miller (Eileen Rudisill Miller, aka Rudy Miller) – I really like her style, and I’m sure you will, too! This particular design puts me in mind of Mucha.
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The card I selected is one of my favorite images, a beautiful forest fairy. I’ve always loved the pre-Raphaelite painters and their depiction of subjects from mythology and fairy tales. Though I don’t compare my style to theirs’ I do enjoy exploring those themes in my work. I also love this color palette. For me, a greeting card is not always about the words. I love cards with pretty pictures on them.
I have been making a living as an artist since I graduated from Moore College of Art in 1977. I was trained as a fashion illustrator and worked for department stores illustrating fashion for 10 years. I then transitioned into product design and worked at The Franklin Mint for 14 years designing dolls and figurines. 10 years ago, I started my business, E.R.Miller Designs. I work from my home studio, designing giftware for clients such as Lenox, illustrating children’s activity books and paper doll books for Dover Publications, and creating greeting cards and self-published paper dolls.
You can visit my website at E.R. Miller Designs
Become a fan on Facebook
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Design Contest: Making Merry – the Results
The voting is over and the results are in! Looks like Didou is our winner!
Thanks to everyone who participated. You had fun, yes? We’ll do this again after the New Year, I promise.
In the mean time, hope everyone takes inspiration from our contest!
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Dash of Inspiration – November 14, 2011
A Dash of Inspiration, A Cup of Creativity by Doreen
A Bird in the Hand
Last week while hubby and I prepared the yard for the upcoming winter months by covering the bar with tarps and saying good bye to outdoor entertaining for a few months, we watched a huge flurry of birds come to our bird bath and surrounding trees. As we watched this amazing variety of Bush Tits, Quail, Stellar Jays, Robins and Grosbeaks gather in and under the large pine trees in our yard, I couldn’t help but feel they were celebrating one last day of warm sunshine before the rain and snow is here to stay. So, let’s be birds of a feather and be inspired by these beautiful creatures of the sky …
Start by taking in 40 Beautiful Examples of Bird Photography from our friends at Noupe.com. That might just inspire you to create some cards for those Spring occasions which will be upon us quicker than you think and once you’re inspired go grab some wonderful brushes and tools to work with listed below.
29 Highly Detailed Bird Silhouettes
Feathers Brushes Set by Falln-Stock
Cranes Photoshop brushes by Aikensha at deviantART
Corners with Birds by Lileya at deviantART
Brushes for PS CS and higher, latest versions of GIMP and Paint Shop Pro.
Birds Brushes by webdesignerlab from Brusheezy
While we are on the subject of Birds …
Over 75+ Beautiful Twitter Design Icons from Creative Nerds
These are adorable and why not choose something different for your sites?
May your creativity take flight!
Image by Doreen Erhardt - This was my Nanday Concure named Baxter who loved Christmas. As soon as you hung his stocking he would say Presents? Every time you walked by it! Little Green Men, get it?
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Critique Clinic – November 11-13, 2011
How does it work? For three days a week (Friday-Sunday midnight), I will open the clinic to any artist who wants an honest peer review and critique of a card which gets plenty of clicks but no sales, so something’s probably not quite right, or you’ve got a new design you want to test drive, or you’re unsure about the marketability of a card. Or perhaps you’re a newbie who isn’t sure if a recently submitted card is up to a marketable standard. Anyone is welcome to participate. In fact, I encourage everyone to at least look at the cards in question and read the critique comments – you may learn something. The purpose of the clinic is to help artists improve the commercial appeal and marketability of their cards.
THE RULES
- ONE card per artist only.
- Card must be for sale at Greeting Card Universe.
- We will take an unlimited number of artists, including those who have submitted recently, HOWEVER I reserve the right to close a clinic for the day if the submissions become overwhelming. If the clinic has been closed, and you submit a card, your comment will be deleted.
- To submit a card for critique, post a link to the card at GCU in the comments section of this clinic post.
- Any artist is free to comment and/or give a critique of a submitted card. HOWEVER, post-and-run comments like “great card” or “you suck” will not be tolerated, nor will abuse. Criticism should be constructive, not destructive. Play nice or you will be banned.
- I also won’t tolerate temper tantrums if you decide your “artistic integrity” is being stepped on because you asked for a critique, and someone told you the photo you’re using isn’t in focus. If you can’t take honest criticism, don’t submit. Once gets you a warning; twice and you’re banned from submitting in the future.
- Artists who critique may do so by giving their opinion, posting an example of another card, or pointing the submitter to a video, on-line article, or other helpful suggestion.
- Don’t forget that artists who are giving you tips and helpful advice are volunteering their time and trouble. Be nice. A link back to their store on your website or blog is appreciated (but not mandatory).
- You are free not to take any advice offered. There’s no guarantee any card will be a bestseller, so don’t come into the clinic with unrealistic expectations.
- Rules may change as we go along and we see how things turn out, okay?
So without any further ado, I declare this week’s Critique Clinic open!
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Design Contest: Making Merry – Voting
Don’t forget to vote in our Design Contest: Making Merry!
We’ve got some talented artists and their beautiful holiday designs, so vote for your favorite today.
The voting period ends November 15th. Whoever receives the most votes will win a $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com.
Better get moving, ’cause I hear jingle bells!
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Design Spotlight: Sri Devi
Our Design Spotlight falls on Sri Devi of Heart to Art – thanks, Sri!
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My November horoscope highlighted the 3rd as a day when a nice surprise out of the blue would happen, so to receive Corrie’s e-mail asking if I’d like to do a Design Spotlight is an honor befitting such a pleasant surprise. Thank you Corrie!
The card I’ve chosen, for many different reasons, also happens to be my most recent sale and the last two sales have been from this collection giving thanks to teachers.
In addition to being a French and Phys. Ed Teacher at Waldorf Academy in Toronto, Canada another area of my responsibility is being the Substitution Co-ordinator. Last minute (and sometimes in advance!) I get phonecalls from teachers needing a substitute teacher. So grateful am I for the wonderful roster of teachers, parents and returning students who fill our substitution needs with their loving care and expertise. It seems every year we are blessed with a new super hero that has extra time to devote to supply teaching.
As a member of our Care Committee at school I get to combine my passion for creating greeting cards with a love of honoring people through thanks or support during life’s events, joyous and sad. I wanted to create a card to thank our Substitute Teachers for their wonderful contribution and chose an artwork piece from my Astrological Collection entitled Virgo Harvest.
For this collection, I chose a portion of the Virgo piece showing a path winding through apple trees as this is the time of year we return to school, apples for a teacher and Virgo being the zodiac sign of service guiding the way.
The quote I had originally wanted to use for this series was from Kahlil Gibran “Your work is placed in your heart.” Here GCU introduced me to the world of copyright issues, and how I needed to get permission to use the quote. There is a thread about this topic here.
From my experience I didn’t get very far at figuring out how to obtain permission to use the quote so the opportunity was there to create my own and that’s what I did. To highlight the gratitude I feel for our teachers it came as “Your heart shows in your work. Your work shines in our hearts.” It was a rewarding result and the reviewer’s praise kept me beaming for a long while!
Being a part of GCU has been a wonderful experience. There is such diverse talent to inspire, a willingness to help and learn from each other and heartfelt sharing of life’s events, joyous and sad. It nudges you to be a better artist in your chosen area and urges you to branch out too when you see what others have also accomplished
Thank you to all. May y(our) sales be swift and often. Best wishes always, Sri.
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Design Contest: Making Merry – Time to Vote!
Here are the entries in our Design Contest: Making Merry.
It’s time for you to vote for your favorite card. How do you do that? Leave a comment on this post with the number or artist’s name of your favorite card. Remember, this isn’t about marketability or anything like that – this is you voting for the card that speaks to you the most. Ready? Voting closes on November 15, which gives you a week.
The artist who receives the most votes will win a $15 Amazon gift certificate. Artists, if you have a blog, Facebook or Twitter, I suggest you get out there and start promoting. Good luck, everyone!
1. Betsy Bush
2. Beverly
3. Didou
4. Jenny Fenlason
5. Lisa Charlton
6. Naquaiya
7. Robin Chaffin
8. Sheryl Kasper
9. Janet Palaggio
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Dash of Inspiration – November 7, 2011
A Dash of Inspiration, A Cup of Creativity by Doreen Creative Tinting & Toning Okay, in the past two-weeks we’ve chatted about… Highlights & Shadows’ in Part 1 of this mini-series ‘The Color of Light’ in Part 2 This week is the final installment and we’ll learn more about Creative Tinting and Toning: When and How to apply it. To give you some great examples and video tutorials on this subject, I’ve created a blog post on my own Resource Site: Tinting Photos 101. Enjoy the journey!
Image by Doreen Erhardt
GCU Community 