Whew! After starting this back in FEBRUARY, I’ve finally gotten this project done! I’ve received lots of good feedback – I could have tweaked and tweaked this forever, but I decided I’ve got to stop somewhere and send it out already…
In case you haven’t followed along with this project in my other posts, here is the entire series:
The Cover
This is the cover illustration I created for the booklet. I like how I was able to keep it simple, yet it still seems powerful and introduces the characters well.
Other Additions
When you first open the booklet, there is an introductory page with my contact info and a little about me. I stuck one of my earlier sketches on the page at the last second. It was just for decoration, but I like how it ended up acting as a small introduction for the rest of the story and the following illustrations.
The back cover has my name and website. The little sketch was another last minute addition, but again it adds to the story contained in the booklet. I like the cute little surprise ending it creates.
Print, Staple, Cut
The booklet’s size is 5″x7″, so I printed the pages as spreads on both sides of letter-size sheets of paper. The pages were then stapled down the center, folded in half, the edges cut.
To print it this way, the pages have to be reordered and rearranged so that they print in the right places. I used InDesign to create a PDF that I could easily print repeatedly to make multiple booklets.
Once the mechanics were figured out and the files created, each booklet takes only a few minutes to put together.
Mailing
Because the booklets are thin and small, they are pretty easy to mail. Just stick them in an 6″x9″ envelope with a two-oz stamp. I designed it this way from the very start of the project. If I had made a big, complicated promo that was difficult and expensive to mail, it would have been a waste of my time and money.
Final Thoughts
A Few Advantages
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Productivity. It gave me something to work on when I didn’t know what else to do.
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Artwork…that I can use in my portfolio.
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Practice. Working in a series, creating a story, using the book format. etc.
Some Disadvantages
This kind of booklet is probably not the best for my main source of promotion; it takes a lot more work than a postcard and I can only put together about 50 or so at a time without it straining me mentally and financially.
So, my mailing list for this promo is not very big. However, it is a very specific, targeted list that covers my main job goal: picture books. The booklet does a good job of showing how I would treat a picture book, and the extra effort (I hope) will grab the art director’s attention and will not be so easy to throw in the trash.
Tips
A few pointers if you’re inspired to create your own promo booklet:
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Keep it simple. Make great artwork, but don’t get carried away in the details. If it gets too complicated, frustrating, or time-consuming, you’re more likely not to finish the project at all.
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Keep it small. You need it to be easy and inexpensive to print/mail.
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Remember the goal – to bring art directors to your portfolio. Plaster your web address onto it and make contact info easy to find.
The End
I’ve made a mental goal to start producing one or two of these booklets per year. They are fun and educational, and are a good supplement to the normal postcard mailings. Have any ideas for my next one?
You are welcome to leave any further comments about the cover image, the interior, etc., but at this point the booklets are in the mail and on their way to art directors. Can’t make much changes now. We’ll see if it catches any attention. I’ll keep you updated if anything happens…
Related posts:
Bravo! This is a gorgeous promo and I wish you much picture book assignments in the near future because of it! I was wondering what kind of paper/printer you used? Very curious because I am thinking about making something similar but using it as a wedding invitation (crazy, I know.)
Other similar ideas are to send out a themed calendar in January…I’ve been thinking about that.
Anyways, a big WOW from me and thanks for sharing.
Fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing your journey, it’s really inspiring. I’m sure this will get you some great contacts if not great book deals!!
What about an original story for the next one?
Nice work with the booklet. It gives me encouragement to keep drawing. The cover looks so attractive, it makes me want to read the book. Thank you for your valuable advice.
These came out wonderfully. :D
A possible headache saver: If you’ve got InDesign, under the File Menu, at the very bottom, should be an option for InBooklet SE (it may depend on if you’ve got Creative Suite or not). If you go ahead and layout your inDesign book in the correct page order (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), then click on that option, it’ll walk you through an automated process that figures out how to layout the spreads for you, without you having to manually rearrange the page order. It will let you preview it, and make your page layout options (saddle stitch, page size, etc.), as well.
Thank you for the comments!
chickengirl – The cover was printed on matte photo paper. Epson sells a good paper, but this particular project is printed on Staples brand which I like also. The interior was printed on just white card stock. Because the sketches weren’t full-color, the color accuracy/contrast was not as important, and it is cheaper. It was printed using a regular inkjet printer – mine is a Canon. In fact, it just went dead for some unknown reason, now that I mention it. Grrr…
Melissa – Yes, I’m aware of that feature and that is exactly what I used to create my pdf file – that probably wasn’t very clear the way I wrote it. I like creating the pdf’s first because InDesign takes FOREVER to load the artwork every time you print.
Dani, Amazing… The piglets look so awesome!! I simply love it all :D
Keep up the incredible work :D
This is fantastic!!! Thank you for showing the process. Your work is totally inspiring. Hope you get some major contracts out of it!
It’s stunning! Love the cover! Beautifully designed. I want to be you when I grow up. You should have contracts stacked up on your doorstep in no time. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us.
[Tutorial Ilustrar un Libro de niños]
Dani Jones nos trae un tutorial…..
http://ihatedesign.frih.net/blog/tutoriales-ilustrar-un-libro-de-ninos/
This is SOOOOO awesome! Thanks for the inspiration! Your finished product looks gorgeous :)
Dani, your work is incredible!!!
You have such talent!
Sharing is caring, thanks for the inspiration, not inspiration to follow in your amazing footsteps. but to leave illustrating to professionals like you. I have children’s books bubbling up inside me and you or other illustrators would do the message so much more justice.
I came to Hawaii for 3 months to write the kiddies books. That was the intention. I have been here for 7 weeks and it has been more of a process of gathering inspiration that getting it out. I know the message and have had it for some time now. It will come out at the perfect time. I know that. In the mean time, I am having the holiday of a lifetime!
Where are you based? I am from South Africa and am an architect that has been living and working in Dubai for the last 2 years. I know I have more to give the world than more skyscrapers and that is why I am doing what I am doing.
Thanks for sharing your gift!
Hi Dani,
I’m attempting a similar kind of thing to this for my Self-Initiated Project at college. Just wanted to say thanks for all this info and inspiration you’ve posted! Your booklets look brilliant.
Dani, thanks so much for sharing this process. I’m in the middle of doing my first children’s book project – and I’m doing the layout as well as the illustration. The other day I did the InDesign layout, which was a chore but thankfully I remembered a lot of things from the InDesign seminar my last employer sent me to.
Now I’m into the illustration phase – today I’ll be doing a lot of sketching. So thanks for all the information, the hand-holding thru the process, and the great idea for a self promo piece. I love it. I’ll probably create something similar in the future, and Project Gutenberg sounds like a wonderful resource.
Thanks for taking all the time to put this blog series together – I’m sure you’re quite busy, but I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate it. See you on Twitter, and thanks again.
-rob
your artwork is fabbbbb :)
Your work is very nice. Indesign may be loading slowly because, rather than just link your pictures in the story, you are actually embedding them in the document. You must NOT do this. This makes Indesign files huge. All they need is a link to know where to look for them on your computer. And your images should be 300 dpi, CMYK. No larger resolution than that, or it will indeed take forever.
Terri Aigner