Marie Dauenheimer Featured

Marie is feature on the Entrepreneurial website, BeInkandescent, "the Ezine for Entrepreneurs by Entrepreneurs"
Read the Article Here

Congratulations Marie!

Camera Lucida Review

Hi Everyone,


I hope you will visit the blog, Camera Lucida for a review of our show, IC15.

Ms. Ament's insightful review is certainly appreciated.

Truly this show and everything we do as the Illustrators Club is a result of your volunteer efforts. I am proud to be a part of our organization and always astounded by what we accomplish together.

Sincerely,

David Labrozzi
President,
Illustrators Club
of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia

IC15th Opening Night

The Illustrator's Club would like to thank Bruce Guthrie for the use of his photographs of the IC15th Juried Exhibition "Pour it on!". The event is hosted by Pepco’s Edison Place Gallery, in collaboration with The Illustrators Club of DC, Maryland and Virginia. The exhibition will be on view from May 11th through June 25th with the opening reception held on the 13th of May from 6-8:30pm. This year’s jurors include: Mary K. Baumann, Will Hopkins, Keith Kasnot, Gregory Manchess, C.F. Payne, Chris Sloan and Jack Unruth.

Maybe you see yourself here?

Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie 2010 - Thanks Bruce!

IC15th Juried Exhibition

IC15 Juried Exhibition Opening Reception

Illustration by Sally Wern Comport ©2010
You are cordially invited to attend the opening reception of the IC15 Juried Exhibition of the Illustrators Club of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
May 13th 6-8:30pm
Edison Place Gallery
702 8th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
This exhibition will feature outstanding artwork from over 120 of the area’s top illustrators.
The exhibit will run until June 26th. Hours of the Edison Place Gallery are Tuesday
through Friday, noon to 4:00pm. We would really like to see you there. Please plan to attend the reception and meet the artists.

ICofDC Member: Kerry P. Talbott

Kerry P. Talbott

website: http://www.kerrytalbottillustration.com/

blog: http://crawdadjoneshouseofennui.blogspot.com/

Describe your illustration style.

My style is mostly humorous; pretty traditional approach done digitally

What is your main medium?

I use a mix of media usually -- I start with a pencil or ink drawing, then scan and color digitally.

What is your illustration workspace like?

My workspace is on the top floor of my house and doubles as a geek room. I like to keep a lot of influences around where I can see them.

Describe your typical work flow.

I'm not a morning person, so I'll usually start the day by catching up on e-mails and drinking enough coffee to jolt my system awake. If I have a drawing on the board, I'll often do the most technical aspects of the drawing (things like filling in large areas of color, lining out grids, stuff that doesn't take much creativity) until I wake up sometime around 3 o'clock and feel awake enough to work on the more artistic aspects of a piece. I usually will work off and on until about midnight.

Who was your first illustration hero?

The first artist whose name I became aware of was comic great Jack Kirby. His work was so dynamic and fluid, I just had to know who this guy was.

What is your favorite category of illustration and why?

I don't know that I have a favorite category of illustration. I have a short attention span, so I tend to jump between editorial illustration, children's books and comics.

Can you describe the direction your current work is heading?

I'm trying to get more into comics and children's books. I really enjoy the respective story-telling aspects of both.

What do you do to promote your work?

I have my website and send out cards occasionally. I will also send an e-mail to a magazine's art director if they accept them. I also get a fair amount of word of mouth work from a variety of different sources.

What advice do you have for someone trying to become an illustrator?

My advice to anyone thinking about becoming an illustrator is to really look at the big picture. Everything you do in your life--who you're with, how you handle your money, how many kids you have, etc.-- affects your ability to create illustrations and make a living. It doesn't usually pay as much as it's worth and there's no long-term security in many, if not most, cases. You really have to love it to put up with the level of abuse that often comes with the territory. But when it's working, it can be very satisfying. Last thing I'd say is get out and smell the fresh air on a regular basis. Illustrators are often solitary creatures, and it just ain't healthy to spend that much time alone staring at white sheets of paper.

Be sure to check Kerry's portfolio at the IC of DC website.

David Hagen in City Paper

IC Member David Hagen found himself in the hot-seat over at the Washington City Paper.com. Click the link and
Read the Interview

And don't forget to follow David's every move on his blog at: hagenillustration.blogspot.com

ICofDC Member: Jason E Axtell

Jason E. Axtell

website: jasoneaxtell.com
blog: http://straysngates.blogspot.com
blog: http://sketchyscribbles.blogspot.com/

Describe your illustration style.

I try to find a balance between simplicity (flat/graphic) and dynamic, colorful compositions.

What is your main medium?

Mixed - Pencil, Ink and Digital

What is your illustration workspace like?

Currently, way too small. It's a corner of my bedroom so it's a little crammed but comfortable. Primarily a drafting table I've laid out flat to set up my computer (a Mac Book Pro, 21" Dell Monitor and Wacom Tab). Somehow I've also managed to fit a couple storage boxes of assorted paints and pastels on the drafting table. This is all flanked by a coffee table turned shelving unit where I hold the rest of my art supplies, scanner and printer. Another drafting table is in storage until I can move into a larger space.

Describe your typical work flow.

I begin everything with sketches to plan out the composition. I deliberately push myself to try differing angles, compositions and subject matter until I've come across something I think will work. I then scan the sketch into Photoshop and enlarge it to the size specified or maybe a little larger. I fill in the image with Cyan set at 20% and Fade using the Screen option. This gives me a nice light (and I do mean light) blue. This is printed out onto HP 32lb LaserJet paper using my InkJet printer (InkJet on LaserJet paper works since I use the printout for pencilling and nothing else).

Side note: I like this paper because of its slick surface; it handles pencil and ink splendidly.

This gives me a blueline version of the rough sketch. On this I go back in with a blue pencil (Prismacolor or Col-Erase) and refine much of the original sketch until forms, perspective and any other details seem right. I then go over that with either pencil (as I do for my comic strip, Strays 'N Gates) or with ink (Town of Hardeeville). I then scan the full pencilled or inked drawing into Photoshop where I use various tools to refine the black line work until it's crisp and clean.

I apply color with my Wacom Tab on a separate layer set to multiply. Sometimes, additional effects require extra layers (the lighthouse glares in Town of Hardeeville). I always make a finalized (and flattened) TIF file and a smaller web version.

Who was your first illustration hero?

Rockwell provided some of the earliest memories of inspiration but another that I believe has had just as much of a profound effect is Philip Travers' cover art for the Moody Blues album, In Search of the Lost Chord. I've always found it hypnotic and majestic, composed to represent and simultaneously transcend space and time.

What is your favorite category of illustration and why?

I'd have to go with Fantasy/Comic Art on this one but that's really generalizing it since even within each of those is a wide variety of styles and technique. I've always enjoyed work that pertains to fictionalized worlds and characters. The amount of research necessary to produce some of the most profound Fantasy/Comic Art goes hand in hand with imagination, not an easy feat, but one that comes with years of experience, open-mindedness and experimentation.

Can you describe the direction your current work is heading?

Certainly more digital, but that's being vague. My goals pertain more to subject matter than style. But I would like to refine (ie. simplify) my work to a graphic style that tells a story at it's most vivid. Telling stories through (or with) my art has always been the aim, no matter what style I choose to communicate it with.

What do you do to promote your work?

I have my own web site, which is in dire need of an update and a re-design, but it doesn't attract as much traffic as I would like. I try to push myself into social networking sites (Facebook, Blog's, etc.) which help, if but a little. I also have some backing from previous employers who have helped get me the contacts necessary to promote some of my work. Craig's List has helped in the past. I'm hoping the IC will do the same (only recently joined). Having an actual physical book to show around at conventions has always been the biggest and best publicity in my opinion.

What advice do you have for someone trying to become an illustrator?

Don't give up. Be persistent. Keep drawing. Don't procrastinate.

Be sure to check Jason's portfolio at the IC of DC website.