Illustrations Overview
“Let me help you round out the beauty of your written word with hand drawn illustrations.
No computer generated art is created here, but I can send your finished illustrations to you…
in the digital format of your choice.” –Elizabeth Berg
About Your Illustrations Project
For each illustrations project… I will prepare, after the initial conversation or two, a detailed list of questions for you. This helps us to fine tune your expectations and gives us a formula for producing your illustrations.
Good communication is essential in creating illustrations that match your vision. Illustrations may be thought of in this way: “a visual representation that is used to make a subject more pleasing or easier to understand”. But it goes much deeper than that.
An illustrator’s task is to read, or listen to the author’s CD, and ‘ingest’ the manuscript, poetry, or ideas offered by the author. Next, the inner work of sorting, envisioning, imaginary flights into worlds that may become a real location, if only on paper. Then out of a myriad of choices and possibilities come the first lines, the first sketches of a character, or a land of adventure.
Sometimes the author is sure of the visual appearance of the character’s illustration. Sometimes it is a blend of our worlds that produce their “arrival”. From the artist’s imagination, a blend with the author’s words and inner visions, translating them into illustrations that beckon the viewer into the world of the story-maker, the images create a seamless line. Illustrations must evoke emotions, and the images of the characters need to hold history and a potential in their depth.
Unlike many illustrators, I do not use one or two specific illustration styles:
From a very young age I have had the privilege of pouring through old and ancient books, most with wonderful illustrations. This gave me the feeling that all things were possible. I have mentally collected and blended many styles from history and futuristic visions. Illustrations are foremost in my mind always. Even when I am not working on illustrations for my clients, my mind wanders to the halls of limitless potential for the visual description of all manner of ideas and themes.
As a curious student of life, I am filled with more questions then answers, but the solidity, or seeming solidity of the worlds of my making, the result of my curiosity, gives me a foundation of plenty with which to work with my clients.
I am a traditional artist and work in the old school way, with pens, pencils, and paints. I don’t use a computer to generate original illustrations, but I can send your completed artwork to you in any digital format you require (TIFF, JPG, PNG, PSD, etc… via the Web and/or on a CD).
My Illustrations Come In Many Styles:
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Quick Sketch
Quick sketch is an illustration style that can be used to express an artistic ‘note taking’ form. It may be ussed to illustrate a correspondence letter, a poem, or any place a visual requires a softer less refined appearance. Consider a color background and a white line drawn or painted in the sketch style. A Chinese-like brush style effect can be used as a sketch as well. A sketch can also be used for the process of formulating ideas towards a finished illustration. They may also be used with delightful freedom in children’s book illustrations. This style also works well around the borders of story pages.
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Full-Color Illustrations
There is little to be compared to full color illustrations. The impact of a full color illustration can literally grip the mind and pull it right into the scene. Full color art can translate a story with remarkable precision. Sometimes the use of several mediums are needed to fulfill the task (pen and ink, oil pastels, gauche, and fine color pens may be used). Considering the variety of the art style used, the use of total coloration on the illustration produces impact.
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Black and White Illustrations
Black and white illustrations can be used to express emotion with any kind of written material. It is the clarity of the refined black and white line drawing that may be able to express the details of a character, or image idea within the content of the written material. Spot color can be an affective highlight in an illustration that is predominantly line art, just a taste of color in right location tells the story with subtle import.
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Children’s Book Illustrations & Illustrated Letters
My earliest memory of illustrations are from a book called, ‘I can fly’. I can still see the little girl on a swing. My young mind soaring through the sky in the illustration of the backyard swing set. The sweet gentleness of those first illustrations have been a guiding light to me in the power and impact of simple art in a simple story. After reading an author’s story, I spend time allowing the productivity of my imagination to offer illustration images and styles.
The story is a land, a village, a place sometimes known… sometime unknown. It is the experience I’ve had with old story books and ancient materials, as well as the experience I’ve enjoyed with my clients stories, that lends a path to the development of an illustrated book.
I have many children’s book illustrations examples for you to look at. Please take note of certain pieces that you feel some connection to. We can use something the feel of the art as well as a direct use of style. Let me help you round out the beauty of your written word with my beautiful illustrations.
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Commercial Illustrations
Some commercial illustration projects require simplified symbolism to illustrate and accent typography, like an icon image used with a company name for a logo. Some projects, such a DVD or CD jewel case cover, may require a full color painting to best represent it. Other commercial projects may need a graphical stylized image for their product label to represent the company. While simplified futuristic icons work well, consider the history of art as the potential illustration for your project.
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Fine Art Illustrations
Take a look at my fine art illustrations on this site. If you are looking to fulfill a vision in a fine art commission consider the potential. If you believe you can describe it to me, I believe I can deliver. I would love to create custom illustrations for you.
We can discuss the possibilities, using inspiration from even seemingly unusual sources; an inspirational phrase, music, a beloved poem, a dream vision, concepts from philosophy, beauty from other cultures, ideas from all over the world. Portraits of animals, people, and environments from your photographs may also be used as illustrations ideas for me.
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Mural Illustrations
Murals have the added aspect of the environmental in their affect. The enchantment is palpable. Every mural project is completely different from the next.My mural illustration styles range from fantasy and semi-realistic, even a quick sketch Chinese brush style to a customize them. Murals can be created to your specifications on canvas. That way you can take it with you, or move it to another location.
Murals are priced individually. A wide and varied range of possibilities are open as to style and complexity.
I can work within your budget. Art sketches and renderings for your mural must be paid in advance. If you wish, you may take my inital mural drawings or idea sketches to another artist to complete them for you.
How To Begin Your Illustration Project:
Illustrations, Art Consultations, and Pricing…
1. Our first meeting is free, to exchange thoughts, possibilities, and potentials for your illustration project. Let’s talk!
2. Once you have decided to proceed I request a $250 retainer fee. This will cover the reading of your manuscript and I will begin working on a clear understanding of your artistic needs.
3. I will prepare a folder and list of questions for you to help us both clarify your goals, intentions, and visions.
Every illustration project is completely different from the next and it will be personally designed to the unique qualities of your artistic product.
4. We will establish a time to meet, by phone or in person, go through the questions, and together we will begin to create a clear outline for your project. I will be ready to answer any questions you may have at that time as well.
5. We will initial each aspect of the agreement for your final product(s) such as, the number of illustrations, and a detailed descriptions for each of the illustrations required.
6. A fee will be set for your illustration project and written agreement signed off, where upon a deposit for 1/2 of the amount set will be collected.
*A Few Important Thoughts:
Time spent listening to a CD or reading the manuscript is calculated into the fee.
*I am respectful of the need to protect your materials. If you so choose, I will sign a nondisclosure agreement with you in order to place an added sense of security to your special materials, manuscripts and ideas.
Illustrations Are Priced With These Considerations:
1. Illustration method complexity
2. Time-potentials (your deadline)
3. Number of images within the illustration project
4. Time spent reworking and changing initially agreed upon requests, after two minimal changes
*Note: I am always willing to revise and/or rework your artwork twice per project.
When you need to add a character and/or delete elements, all of which affect the entirety of a work, changes that are beyond what has been mutually established and agreed upon, (initialed) style changes and method are necessary for completing the work to your satisfaction, a price per hour for these changes will be established in advance. I can also work with your project budget, and I’ll let you know what we can do.
Illustrations Copyright Considerations:
Your artwork and illustrations include “Full Copyright” and “Unlimited Use” to you as the legal owner. Once the original art is paid for in full, the illustrations are yours to use freely without copyright consideration of the artist. I will be happy to put that in writing for you.
About Your Illustrations Project:
Let me be your artistic assistant. I want to journey with you. Take me into the world of your story and I will translate that into illustrations for you. Let’s communicate… just give me a call at 503-278-5396.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Berg