Illustrating Self Published Books

Happy May! Hope the spring months are treating you artists well!

I have a friend of a friend inquiring about my illustrations. She has no desire to be a writer, but has written a children's book and wants to self publish to give the book to friends and family as gifts. She is interested in having me do the illustrations but I have a few reservations.

Is the amount of work put into this project worth it? As someone very much still starting out, is this considered good experience and something to put into a portfolio, or is this a bad business decision? Nikki I know you have been published before, is the little-to-no-pay self published route one to try to get my feet wet?

Advice and opinions please.

Does this work better?

My final crit for our first project went well, overall. But one image needed to be fixed. Here is the original which the teacher said made the flamingo's neck look weird and not clear what he is doing:

So my redo has him more actively building the snow penguin.
Does this work better? Feedback?

Updates!

Hello, ladies! Hope the first month of 2009 went well. It's been a month since I've posted, so I had updates to share: I just started taking a 14-week "Children's Book Illustration" class at an art university, went to a local SCBWI meeting, and am starting a face-to-face illo critique group (first meeting to begin in February).

Anyone else have news?

Feedback Please

Happy Holidays! I've been working on this piece for a long time, but something needs to be tweaked and I'm not sure what it is. I'm starting to play with textures, shadows and shading. Let me know what you think needs a change.

Thanks!

Galleries!!!!

Hello artists!

I'm setting my 2009 goals now, and one is to get published. So in the effort to get my name "out there" (out where?) I'm entering some work in a nation-wide project that puts ALL entries into a gallery. I'm attaching the link to the Art House Co-op, based in Atlanta, if you are also interested. I'm participating in the Sketchbook Project (which is a traveling show) and the 10,000 project, which will be shown in Atlanta only, but 1,000 will be chosen to be printed in a book. Both entries ask for small fees.

I'll post my final pieces when they're complete. I'm still in the planning stages. :)

-Lindsay

Feeedback please

Good morning! I'm having trouble with this little boy's face. He's not "cute" yet. I'm not quite sure what to change.

-Should his mouth be open? Or not as wide?
-Teeth or no teeth?
-Should the bags under his eyes be removed?
-Dimples?

I feel like its close, but not yet there. Ideas?

-Lindsay

(12/3/08) Thanks for the feedback! Revised illo found HERE.

So much activity!

I haven't done an illustration with this many pieces in a very long time--which is partially why I want to do this piece, for practice!--but I'm not sure I'm ready to do it in color yet. The focus of the piece should be the people-- the distractions happening around the table and the bewilderment of the two kids in the middle. The food's there mainly to clarify that this is Thanksgiving... and also because, well, it's a dinner table scene.

That being said, I'm a little worried that the food might end up dominating the whole picture, or at least distracting from the people and the activity. Is that something that can be achieved through color (more contrast in the people, for instance) or should I tweak the composition itself? Actually, I'd love to hear ANY thoughts! Thanks!!