Looking Back to Move Forward
The fact that I haven’t added anything to the blog for quite some time leaves me with one advantage: I have a lot to report.
In the fall of 2008, “Vector Graphics and Illustration: A Master Class in Digital Image-making” was published by Rotovision. I co-wrote the book with Steven Withrow and it is available through Amazon and other book outlets.
The premise of the book was simply to demonstrate the difference between vectors and bitmaps, and point out the advantages of using vectors to relatively new users of graphics software. Where the “master class” part of the title came from I never understood. I always cringe when I read the title. I know most of my colleagues would immediately recognize that this book is not a “master class” at all. Having said that, I am also positive the book can have a great deal of value to anyone new to using programs like Illustrator and Photoshop. Students that I have now (more about that later), or students from my past at DCAD.
The book is organized in a way that every spread is a self-contained “lesson” demonstrating a very specific skill that the user will need to master or, later in the book, simply showing the effects of filters or combinations of techniques.
Steven interviewed many fantastic illustrators from all over the world, showcasing some terrific work. The breadth and depth continues to amaze me as an illustrator whose world tended to revolve around New York City and The Society of Illustrators. A world that is now woefully narrow.
Steven’s interviews with them are enlightening and entertaining and the diversity they represent is astounding when you consider that there was no budget to pay these people. Everyone who appears does so as a professional courtesy. Others that didn’t appear, and should have, we were unable to include because they wanted (and rightly so) to be compensated for their contributions. This is not unusual, but it was frustrating. As a matter of fact, the entire process was frustrating for all parties and I did not help the situation as I tended to express my frustration quite clearly. In retrospect, I am proud of the book (despite many failings that I know it has) and am in the process of doing others.
For anyone interested in pursuing writing in this market, approach it with one very definite reality in mind: you will spend many, many more hours working on it than you will ever be compensated for.
Check out Steven Withrow’s other books “Secrets of Digital Animation,” “Illustrating Children’s Picture Books” and “Character Design for Graphic Novels,” among others, and his blog “Crackles of Speech.”
