50 Markets Presentation at MassArt

Would you like to learn about the 50 Markets of Illustration from the author of the book himself? Join John Roman on at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design for a live presentation showcasing each of the markets and including outstanding examples from each category. 

This popular presentation is where the 50 Markets of Illustration concept got its start, and is always well-received wherever it is held. 

This event will take place on Tuesday, March 17th from 7pm to 8:30pm in the Kennedy Conference Room (Kennedy Building, 2nd Floor) on MassArt’s campus.

For details, see MassArt’s events calendar here!

Don’t miss it!

Meet the Market: Children's Illustration

Trapped indoors by cold and snow? Brighten up the day with some Children’s Illustration! One of the most well-known markets out there, Children’s Illustration includes the prominent category of children’s books, as well as children’s magazines, educational publishing, comic book art, and more.

Knowing the popularity of children’s book illustration, it is no surprise that this is a very competitive market. According to 50 Markets of Illustration, 'It is important to be advised that the odds of landing a contract to illustrate a children’s book with a major publisher are somewhat low. This is not intended to discourage you from attempting to crack into this market, but rather to clarify the realities of achieving success in a very competitive field; publishers often look at dozens of artists for a children’s book before making their choice.’

If your artistic passion includes creating illustrations for a young audience, however, do not fear! 'The good news is that the children’s illustration market is not restricted to children’s books. It also includes children’s magazines as well as educational publishing and comic book art. In fact, working in these related satellite markets... is an excellent means to not only developing a strong “kid’s” style, but also a way to learn the ropes of the industry as a whole, and may even eventually lead to illustrating that children’s book you may be dreaming about.’

Children’s Illustrations are all around us - keep an eye out for the variety of industries that feature them, and you may be surprised to find a niche for your work!

A Wonderful Workshop at the Norman Rockwell Museum

John Roman presenting at the Norman Rockwell Museum

The '50 Markets’ book launch and illustrator’s panel at the Norman Rockwell Museum was a success! 

Panelists John Roman, Dennis Dittrich, Lynn Pauley, Irena Roman, and Mario Zucca had a wonderful time discussing the field of illustration with audience members, and their presentations and portfolio reviews were a hit. 

See more photos from the event at the Norman Rockwell Museum’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10153025979971605&id=35014306604

Thanks to those who attended!

Illustration Voice

50 Markets of Illustration has been reviewed by Illustration Voice! 

Editor Anne Telford says about John Roman’s e-book, 'The 50 markets he presents—complete with full-color examples of contemporary work—provide a wealth of opportunities and are so wide-ranging that surely there is inspiration there for just about everyone.’

The positive review summarizes, 'A brief overview of some of the markets covered in 50 Markets of Illustration include Editorial, Book and Children’s Illustration, Comic Book Art, Humorous Illustration, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Medical, Archaeological, and Botanical Illustration. Markets from Scientific to Technical to Info-Graphic Art are reviewed, as are Courtroom, Documentary, Map and Historical Art. Military, Nautical, and Aviation Art, are explored as are Portraiture, Sports, Product and Food Illustration. In addition, Roman’s in-depth examination brings to light literally dozens of other avenues of opportunity that exist for today’s illustrator.’

See the full review here!

Thanks, Illustration Voice!

"50 Markets of Illustration" Workshop at The Norman Rockwell Museum

We are very excited to share more details about an upcoming event which we announced back in November -  The '50 Markets of Illustration' Workshop at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA, on January 31st, from 1pm to 5pm!

The event will feature a panel discussion with John Roman, along with such award-winning illustrators as Dennis Dittrich, Lynn Pauley, Irena Roman, and Mario Zucca, with such topics as: understanding the realities of the current market; finding your passion and translating that to the industry; the importance of specializing; and breaking new ground.

Audience members will be able to ask questions and will also have the opportunity to receive a portfolio review from the panelists! In addition, a book launch and reception for ’50 Markets of Illustration will follow.

Admission to the event is free with museum admission and is free to members of the museum. 

For more information, visit The Norman Rockwell Museum's site here!

This is a great opportunity to gain valuable insight about the industry from successful illustrators who know the business well and are eager to share their knowledge - we hope to see you there!

Meet the Market: Greeting Card and Gift Illustration

During the holiday season, there is no shortage of decoration and festivity! With it comes an abundance of cards, toys, and other novelties designed by the many artists who have chosen to make the greeting card and gift markets their focus. 

From 50 Markets of Illustration, 'Greeting card and gift illustration covers a lot of ground in the industry. A wide variety of art styles and techniques are employed for serious and humorous greeting cards, puzzles, post cards, novelty gifts, and more.'

The greeting card and gift markets are closely tied to several other similar markets, since 'This category also branches out to licensing, concept art, and the collectible market with licensed characters adapted and developed into figurines and chinaware.’ For this reason, some artists may find it convenient to ‘double dip’ with this market and others.

You may also be pleased to know that 'All manner of mediums and styles are in demand in this expansive realm of the arts,’ so it is a market worth exploring for many artists!

With the greeting card and gift markets in mind, take an extra moment to enjoy the illustrations that surround you at this time of year and consider how your work might fit into these popular and lucrative markets.

Communication Arts - Where 50 Markets Got its Start

Did you know that 50 Markets of Illustration originally got its start as an article in Communication Arts Magazine? 

Published in 2012, the “45 Markets of Illustration: A Passion to Illustrate” article featured markets in the categories of editorial, advertising, and publishing; medicine and science; technical, graphic, and informational; historical and documentary; product and fashion; and gallery, prints, and entertainment.

Enjoy a blast from the past with the original column here!