Ah – always the hairy question 🙂 I price my work on a job to job basis, and I I generally do not charge an hourly rate. I take the following into consideration:

• The size of the job (ie. how many images are needed?)

• The complexity of the job

• What will the illustration be used for? A once-off magazine article, or an advertising campaign?

• The size of the client

• The size of the budget

• The geographic regions it will be used in

• I usually quote on a one time usage, or licencing for a limited amount of time (ie. 12 – 36 months) .

Please seek advice before entering into full copyright transfer agreements; handy sources of information can be found in the Graphic Artists Guild handbook

The time taken to complete a job varies widely depending on the size of the job, the deadline and, to a lesser extent, the budget. It is quite common for me to receive a call from a magazine art director on Tuesday requiring artwork by Thursday. It’s not ideal, but certainly do-able, as long as there are no problems at the rough sketch stage. Otherwise, I would love to have a week or two to complete editorial / advertising work. Book illustrations tend to take longer as the projects are generally more involved.

Generally I use acrylics on paper or wood which I then scan and adjust in Photoshop. When I first began I also incorporated a lot of collage – cut up magazines rubbed back to create a textured solid colour, photocopies, found objects etc. I still like to use unusual materials, objects and textures – digital photography and scanning has greatly expanded my ability to do this, and ensures the accurate reproduction of the work (objects no longer fall off the artwork on the way to the photographer!). Though I work in a stylised manner I’ve not been able to go down the slick vector path of digital imagery – I prefer to keep a warmth and "human touch" to my work, keeping textures, brush strokes, mistakes and scribbles.

1. Never trust a celebrity publisher!

I have to admit I’;m at my best when I’m incorporating a human element into my work, but I do like to take it beyond the literal into something a bit more poetic ar symbolic.However a lot of the work I’;m commissioned to do nowadays is pretty straight forward / descriptive. As a result I’ve been setting myself new challenges and have become more consciously realistic in my drawing. My original aim was to create a distinctive world and language through my images, but now I think I would like to see how the real world can filter through. I also like subjects that I can lend a theatrical air to, or scientific subjects where I can call upon the wonderful world of molecules. I enjoy creating characters and expressions – from sunny to downright melancholic – playing with perspective, colour, and texture. I’;m also enjoying the idea of developing my interest in fashion illustration, to have fun playing with attractive surfaces rather than torturing myself coming up with new ideas to illustrate superannuation.

When I was about four years old I drew my first picture – of a duck. I was so thrilled that it looked like how I wanted it to look, and it impressed the grown ups as well. I found myself surrounded by drawings and paintings, in magazines, on tv, on cards and books and toys – they were part of my environment, and somehow they made life more interesting. When I found that I might have a talent for drawing, I stuck at it, and through the years it was the only area in which I was encouraged (though Mr. Stott thought I might have had a good career in drama in Grade 5!). Music was the other thing that I loved, but I had absolutely no talent in that direction (though I could play a mean tune on the recorder). So I thought being an illustrator would be a good option – lots of exciting projects, the possibility to work anywhere in the world, the chance to make the world a bit more of an interesting place, the chance of one day appearing on a Corn Flakes box. How many of these things have come true? Well, I’ve managed to travel a bit (though not asd much as I would like), I’ve had a few exciting projects now and then, and a few people have said they’ve enjoyed my work, I got an interesting email from a shaman once, and I almost got to do a biscuit tin – so I haven’t done too badly. Notice however, that I haven’t mentioned money…I also enjoy working in the realms of popular culture, creating images of strong imperfect women in contrast to the manipulated images that get passed off as real photos. When I do draw perfect women, they are presented more as wistful ideals that are obviously painted, rather than anything to realistically aspire to.

My original strategy was to become a graphic designer …(especially if I could work in the music industry) and then, after a few years, become an illustrator. So I went to study Graphic Design / Visual Communication at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology), but unfortunately I didn’t really learn anything. The teachers were jaded and disinterested – unfortunately…it was also a strange time, technology wise. The first Apple computers began to surface en masse, and it wasn’;t until third year that I saw my first colour photocopier. We learnt typesetting and shooting bromides and finished art with roll-on wax and blue grid board…But I digress! In third year we actually had a substitute illustration teacher for a couple of months – Ron Brooks – and finally I found my direction. He opened up the possibilities of what illustration could be – well designed, poetic, intriguing…After college I spent time recuperating from a car accident and then headed off to Europe for 6 months. When I returned I was brimming full of ideas – so many, in fact, that my design folio couldn’t actually get me a job! So I launched straight into calling myself an illustrator and learning on the job. My first assignment was found through a friend of a friend who knew an editor of an Accounting magazine, and the rest is a shambolic history.

I get a lot of enquiries from first time authors about this – thanks for the compliments! Unfortunately, however, I usually have to say "no", if there is no publisher involved as yet.

Having illustrations with your manuscript when you submit to a publisher also does not guarantee an increased chance of being published. If you are a first time author , they will go on the strength of your story and would source an appropriate illustrator for your project if they decide to go ahead with it. Books like the "Children’s writers and illustrators market" provide a good overview on how the industry works.

Self publishing can be a very expensive option for authors. Personally I have to admit I haven’t really worked on many such projects, but if you feel the need to publish, have a great story and a decent budget, feel free to contact me anyway.

Please note: I don’t work "on spec" – ie. I will not provide new work as free samples for a project to go ahead; however, I’m happy to provide samples with an agreed "kill fee" should the project be cancelled, or else provide low resolution copies of past work that may be appropriate to your project.

Also, please have the courtesy to contact me for permission before lifting any images from this website for use in presentations / proposals / blogs etc.