Art in Action with Ruth Rowland
Ruth Rowland was showcased at Art in Action last week; the event which shows how artists work in studio.
Advice and Insights from Phosphor’s Top Artists
Phosphor Art are running a feature on their website called Meet the Artist, a simple five question interview which aims to gain a better insight into the world of their artists. Most recently featured was Chinese artist Nod Young who told Phosphor all about his current self-initiated comic book project and advises aspiring artists to grab every opportunity.
A new interview will be uploaded monthly so look out for July’s interview, which will feature the work of Jenny Lloyd.
See all previous interviews and some other news here:http://www.phosphorart.com/category/meet-the-artist/
Jenny Lloyd is represented by Phosphor Art
In conversation with Harry Lyon-Smith, director at Illustration Ltd
http://www.illustrationweb.com/
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Please give a short summary of your company history and provide a bit of information about yourself and how you got into the business?
The agency was started in 1929 by a lady by the name of Katherine Boland, and it was called the Katherine Boland Studio. She ran it with her sister until 1970 when John Havergal bought it on their retirement. He changed the name to The Garden Studio, reflecting its location in Covent Garden, London. 15 years later after various experiments into publishing and greetings cards, John found that it was the agency part that was most enjoyable and rewarding.
It's in 1985 that I found myself delivering portfolios to him as a motorcycle courier aged 20. I was paying off some college debts, and found myself quite regularly at John's door. An acquaintance evolved, which developed into a friendship and a job offer to join him as a trainee agent. (Train me he did, his professionalism and duty to our artists being very much alive in the agency 30 years on.) A decade or so later he invited me to be a junior partner, and a few years after that he retired and we made arrangements for the business to carry on.
inside the office on Albert Embankment
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How would you describe your day-to-day role as an illustrators’ agent?
(i.e. finding work, finding new clients, serving regular clients, managing accounts, scheduling artists time)
The agency has evolved into a more plural operation than the 1 man band it once was and it is what we do as a team that answers this question.
On the coal face, so to speak, there are 10 agents dotted around the globe who manage enquiries and jobs. Three are involved in the financial side of the operation, four handle marketing and promotion, and a further three vitally work with our artists and the agent team, keeping the portfolios looking great, managing new artists submissions and talent scouting.
The team!
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What are the commercial advantages for artists represented by your agency?
Immediately anyone joins us, and their work is live on our site, they have a large international audience of commissioners. We have an expanding number of agents in new developing territories, and work comes in from all corners of the world. Our website has been around from very early days in the history of the web, and it has enabled us to keep principle positions on the google rankings.
We are a large agency by most measures and with that comes advantages. Such as the scale and range of the illustrators that we represent for the clients seeking top flight creative geniuses...it is rare that we can’t offer an option that is either bang on, or pretty damn close, or perhaps an exciting alternative that takes their creative to new places. This rewards the agency with loyal and regular customers enjoying very friendly, consistent and professional service from our artists and the agent team.
We have developed a payment system that gets everyone paid either all or a portion of the fees quite soon after invoice.
Artists represented by Illustration Ltd
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What other benefits can an artist gain from being represented by you?
(i.e. Negotiating contracts, rights and usage licenses, support, time to work)
Our management systems ensures that as soon as a job is confirmed, the paper work is done and emailed to the artist and the client, with all the licences, fees, terms, deadlines etc clearly set out. The jobs are monitored and managed on a unique and efficient software, that we have been evolving for 2 decades. It connects to all the agents and gives us extraordinary flexibility to keep on top of jobs and help deliver clients top jobs, whilst alleviating pressure from the artists.
Furthermore, all the billing is automatically done when the job is finished, and a strict payment collection process is instigated….we hardly have artists chasing us for monies nowadays. If they do need the fee before it has been paid, we have an option that pays immediately if they wish.
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What are the benefits of networking within the wider artistic community?
(i.e. SAA Members, AOI & ProAction, events )
There are many good agents looking after the best interests of artists that they represent, and we admire them for their qualities...often with professional jealousies, that sharpens us up. However there are other agents that one hears who do not adhere to the standards that we have always held. The great thing about the SAA is that we know that the other members behave as per the constitution, and that is professional and fair. There are other agents who do as well, and we would like them to join the SAA to help develop our industry into a more influential and recognised barer of professional influence and practice.
Scrapbook Live event - Exhibition by 21 Illustrators from Illustration Ltd - London's Griffin Gallery
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How do you help your artists develop their portfolio and market?
Every Wednesday morning the team gathers and we review about a dozen or so of our artists portfolios, the jobs they have done, the marketing and promotion that we are doing, along with future plans. After this we have a good discussion with the artists, going through all the points raised, and sending a written report of it all. This we do 4 times a year with every artist on a formal setting, and of course a great deal more less formally in the throws of day to day business. Additionally we have regular meet ups, that we call ‘Face to faces”, that can either be in the office, by video conference or with a glass in hand...depending on location etc. It is all about enjoying spooling the artist’s and teams’ experiences that spark ideas and approaches that have client doors flying open.
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What do you consider is the main role and responsibilities of the illustrators you represent to help you to build their career?
(i.e. Flexibility, punctual with deadlines, importance of personal work to help develop an artist’s visual language etc)
A static portfolio will sooner or latter begin to fail any artist. We have seen this countless times and is probably without exception. So a continuously evolving portfolio has to be part of the essence of any illustrator’s career. Otherwise it is all about being a professional, delivering beyond expectation and utterly charming to work with. If you need any help with the last point (and we all do) read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Cheesey in title, but there is a reason it has been the top selling self help book for over 100 years. Everyone joining us in the office has to read it...it is law in our shop.
In conversation with The Artworks
Tom Cole, Space Race book for Nobrow
This month we have the pleasure to talk to Lucy, Steph and Alex, the girls behind the success of the boutique agency "The Artworks"
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Please give a short summary of your company history and provide a bit of information about yourself and how you got into the business?
The Artworks is a long established agency founded in 1983. Current agents are Lucy Scherer, Stephanie Alexander-Jinks and Alex Gardner. Lucy came into the business through publishing and law, Stephanie through illustration and PR and Alex through illustration. We all have very different skills which when combined make the perfect team for any artist looking for representation. The Artworks is a very small agency and always has been. This is a deliberate thing, it’s like a family, and we are very close to our artists some of whom have been with us since the agency started. We are very focused on the future at this agency, either with the direction of our existing and established artists or seeking out the new talent fresh from college through our Startworks programme.
Sarah Gibb, Beauty and the Beast, Orchard
How would you describe your day-to-day role as an illustrators’ agent?
It starts early with a cup of tea and a chat about what we know is happening in the day. We do all of our website promotion and social networking in-house so there is a lot of that to keep on top of now. There is always a lot going on and the momentum of work is kept at a high pace because the phone is always ringing with new jobs or emails coming in so we have to be ready for that too. We speak to all of our artists all the time either on the phone Skype or email whichever they prefer. Many of them live locally so they come in for meetings about their work and what direction they want to go in and sometimes just to say hello.
Rob Ball, Pie and Mash shop, E17x17 exhibition
Kate Forrester, McDonalds Campaign
What are the commercial advantages for artists represented by your agency?
We have long-standing relationships with clients across all areas, this means that we can support our artists in any direction they would like to go and advise them of how to get into areas they might not have considered. There are many examples of this where by working on their folios with them and expanding their diversity our artists have been extremely successful in areas they might never have tried. Our clients trust our opinion so if we have faith in our artists they do too. Being with a small agency like ours means you get noticed and you are not competing with others who work similarly to you. It’s a rule of ours that we don’t take on artists that clash with existing ones. It’s tough enough as it is out there!
Chris Wormell, Adnams Campaign
Chris Wormell, Anchor Butter
What other benefits can an artist gain from being represented by you?
Exposure, reputation, guidance and support. It’s a team effort though.
Andrew Davidson, CD cover for Alex Clare
What are the benefits of networking within the wider artistic community?
Feeling part of something is very important, as unless you are with an agency or work in a studio it can be a very lonely business. It’s also crucial to know what is happening in the industry too so an artist can be sure that they are doing the very best for their career.
We would never encourage our artists to follow trends as such, rather to make sure that they are in fact the “trendsetters”.
Kate Forrester, card design
Debbie Powell, card designs for Lagom
How do you help your artists to recognise their market and help them adapt to new ones?
We have regular meetings and if necessary we set them projects to allow us to break them into markets they would like to try. The relationships with our clients is the key though and they allow us to work with them in order to help our artists break into those markets. Our artists have a great reputation so it makes things a lot easier.
Daniela Terrazzini, private view of Foyle’s exhibition ‘Life of a Picture’ 2013
What do you consider is the main role and responsibilities of the illustrators you represent to help you to build their career?
Professionalism, keeping their work fresh and making sure they stay in control of their style and not allowing it to become diluted. Never take anything for granted and stay positive and enjoy it.
Portfolio selection
Andrew Davidson, Rolex Masters 2012
What advice would you give to an illustrator looking for an agent?
Do lots of research as there are so many brilliant ones and they are all so different. Take a look at the kind of work they do and choose one that you think fits with your work. The more research you do the more likely you will find an agent that wants to find you!
Lindsey Spinks, Cinema scene – self promotion
Laurindo Feliciano – our most recent addition to the agency
Arena in conversation
This month we are talking to Caroline Thomson, Director at Arena Illustration Agency about her role as an agent, social networking and what newcomers should be aware of when looking for representation.
Please give a short summary of your company history and provide a bit of information about yourself and how you got into the business?
Originally called Young Artists, we were founded over 40 years ago by John Spencer. The agency flourished under the care and expertise of Alison Eldred throughout the 70’s and 80’s, evolving into Arena in the 90’s. Alison handed over the reigns to Tamlyn Francis in 2000 and I became a co-director in 2005. I studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Norwich School of Art and did a Masters in Illustration at the University of Brighton. I freelanced as an illustrator for 10 years, Arena represented me during that time and then I joined the team as a rep in 2001. We have carried on the tradition that has made Arena one of the most respected boutique illustration agencies in the UK. We now represent 32 very talented illustrators, many of whom are also authors.
How would you describe your day-to-day role as an illustrators’ agent?
My day can be very varied which makes my job so interesting. It’s important that I understand how each of my artist’s work so I can schedule their time effectively. We have a hands-on approach at Arena and are very involved throughout the job, so some of my day is spent going over a brief with an illustrator or contacting clients, for feedback on roughs, quoting on new jobs, negotiating amendment fees or new contracts.
We take general portfolios out to show our clients. These showcase a selection of our illustrator’s recent work; pertinent to the client we’re seeing. We always tailor every portfolio, including individual artist’s portfolios to suit each publishing, design or advertising client. We also email PDF portfolios to clients who may not have time to see us personally
The website is often the first port of call for our clients, so I spend time writing various blog posts, updating news about our artists and updating their online portfolios. We also use social networking to great effect, spreading news as it breaks
Of course, it’s also important that we invoice regularly, so that our artists can get paid quickly.
What are the commercial advantages for artists represented by your agency?
One of the huge advantages of being represented by Arena is that we have a very wide client base to introduce an illustrator to. Our website and promotional avenues can give an illustrator great exposure in the market place. We tend to advertise in a variety of places, and we send out smaller, one off promotions targeted at specific clients on our database. We obtain higher fees for our artists, thanks to many years of collective experience in quoting on a day-to-day basis.
What other benefits can an artist gain from being represented by you?
An illustrator can get on with creating, whilst we get on with business of promoting them, sorting out the brief, negotiating fees, contracts and invoicing for the jobs on their behalf. Contracts can be a minefield and again, it is our experience of seeing many that helps and enables us to negotiate better advances and rights.
We feel we have a reputation to look after, so when we take on an artist it’s important that they share our sensibilities and want us to help them build a career, we’re there to listen to them and understand the goals they want to achieve.
What are the benefits of networking within the wider artistic community?
We liaise closely with other SAA member agents on a regular basis which gives us a wider network of fellow industry peers, with similar ethics who are willing to give advice, support and share important information. The SAA have a representative on the Pro-Action committee, which was established to improve the rights of artists, it petitions companies with questionable business practices and contracts.
We have close links with various Universities, giving their students an insight into what we do and the commercial world of illustration.
We’re also members of the AOI and offer advice to their members and involve our artists in many of their events and competitions.
We take advantage of Social Networking, which has opened up new avenues for us within the wider artistic community.
How do you help your artists to recognise their market and help them adapt to new ones?
Knowing your illustrator’s market and adapting to new markets is very important in this technological age so we try to understand their strengths and weaknesses and help them develop their work throughout their career. We pass on any feedback we receive from our clients to our artists, advising them about possible directions to experiment with when they are producing new samples. We also encourage our artists to participate in events, talks and other socially aware activities to broaden their knowledge of the industry and engage them with their peers.
What do you consider is the main role and responsibilities of the illustrators you represent to help you to build their career?
Like all relationships, the one between an illustrator and their agent needs input from both sides. It’s a partnership that with nurturing will hopefully last many years. We like to be updated regularly with an artist’s latest speculative samples. Personal work can really feed into an illustrator’s commercial work; we actively encourage it and think it’s essential to an artist’s career. An artist must be able to develop and progress their visual language and it’s our job to help them do that.We insist that our artists are punctual with deadlines, organised and industrious, we both have a reputation to maintain. The reality is that a lot of commissions can expand and be delayed, so we also have to be flexible. We have to schedule an artist’s work time, so we need them to keep us up-to-date with any holidays, teaching, family responsibilities or part-time work they have arranged.
What advice would you give to an illustrator looking for an agent?
The illustration world is highly competitive, there are more illustrators coming out of University every year with the expectation of getting commissions. Those that succeed have to be very single minded and tenacious irrespective of whether they are seeking representation or not.
Choosing the right agent is a good start, many specialise or have strengths in certain markets, and so a freelance illustrator must do their homework before choosing an agent to approach. They need to understand the market their work fits into and find an agency that serves the same market. It’s vital to get along well with the agent as they will often be an illustrator’s support, quality control, sounding board and often their agony aunt – all rolled into one. It’s important to take time to decide on a suitable agency and not to rush into an agreement that you may not understand. An agent should be able to answer all questions with transparency; this is a relationship that must be based on trust.
Agents get so many samples sent to them, so an illustrator will need to present their work with professionalism. It sounds obvious, but I can’t tell you how many samples I’ve opened that are poor quality copies with no covering letter and no contact details. Most agents have some indication on their websites as to how they accept submissions, and who to send them to. Always follow these guidelines. If they’re sending work by email, ensure that they send low-resolution jpegs only, so they don’t fill up an agents inbox.
From our point of view, we’re not looking for a “jack of all trades”, but someone with an original visual language who stands out from the crowd. We prefer to take on new illustrators whose style doesn’t clash with anyone else on our list as we feel that it would be a conflict of interests.
Approach agents who belong to The Society of Artists Agents, a member run, trade organisation with the broad aim to promote the use of illustration and to unify and improve the working practices between illustrators, agents and clients.
Next month, Artists Partners