Creating that "Great Idea"

There are many steps to coming up with great work and having a wonderful and creative idea. I know that sometimes it seems that creative professionals can pull ideas out of hats as easily as a magician and sometimes ideas do come rather quickly but there are crucial guidelines one should stick to when trying to meet a clients needs. As an illustrator or designer you should always allow some time to reasearch a client's target market and buisness needs. A great idea might only be great for you or to satisfy some artistic craving you are waiting to fill but how does this help out the people who have put their trust in you? So, what should you research to ensure that you are coming up with something fabulous that will actually help your client get what he/she needs?

Here's a little list of things to research when you get a new client:

Who is your client? What exactly do they do?
(Sometimes this is rather easy while other times I've had clients where I've had to look up the meaning of their profession in the dictionary before starting, rather daunting!)
Why did your client hire you?
(Exactly what needs arose for them to hire you in the first place? Are they looking to gain more clients in a juvenile audience? Do they always hire illustrators because it's worked for them year after year? Does illustration give them a personal touch or edge?)
So to narrow this down a bit:
What is their target audience?
(And are they trying to broaden their scope using you?)
Who are their competitors?
(And what are they doing to promote themselves/using on their products? Say you're doing illustrations for a package on a new doll. Take a look at Barbie. Why is she so sucsessful? What sets her apart from what your client wants?)
Think about the target audience: What else are the clients buying?
(Think back to the barbie situation: These children also wanted to buy Dora books, big thick chunky jewelry filled with purple and pink and love bright coloured candy)
What is the client wanting to evoke in their clients?
(Are they wanting to make the clients feel a certain way when they use the product/read the artical/look at an ad/packaging?)


Take time to research images & colours. Find out what is appealing to the target audience. If you know nothing about 8 year old girls hang out for a bit in the Disney Store then head over to Zellars to get a broad scope of what exactly your client is doing and desiring. Go to the library and read to children of this age. What are the parents like in this situation? Are parents consistently turning down certain products that children like? Sometimes it's just as important to take into consideration things like this as the true client is the adult.

With this said, illustration shouldn't always be about fitting into a market. If your client wants to break new ground take a look at what's out there anyway so you'll know who's creating new ideas, what makes their work innovative and how you can allow your own work to evolve (but remember, a client is the main thing that separates fine art from illustration so always always keep them in mind). Sketch... Alot! Don't show a client all of your sketches (unless they have requested this as it can become a buffet of ideas in which a client will want to take pieces of each idea and merge them. This will result in a bloated and ugly stomach where nothing get's noticed for it's flavour). Pick out the best couple of sketches (or just one!) based on your research and tell the client why you picked what you did. Explain the choice of colour, the composition, the arrangement of elements. Let your client in on your process, let them know how long each phases is and ask them questions. Don't be afraid to ask your clients questions about their business (clients adore talking about their business and it shows you care and want to do a good job for them). Meet them in person as often as you can. Look them in the eye when they talk. Take notes. See how they react to your ideas. If you didn't get a concept right the first time find out why it's not working. Maybe go back and explain why you did something a certain way.

In many ways finding a good idea is just the result of narrowing down the extra large field of "I can do anything I want!" which is so daunting. Following the above guidelines can take lots of the pressure off of you to create a masterpiece from nothing.

Good luck and happy creating!

One Brown Cow

This is the first complete image in a new children's picture book I'm working on with local author Patricia Gitersos. It's a very sweet story about a little brown cow who does odd and wonderful things. Focusing on a signature colour each page (this time the red boat) other colours will be a little more muted and soft. It's my first assignment in watercolour.

Etsy Alberta Blog

A new blog about Albertan Etsy sellers has just started and I was lucky enough to be the first person featured on it. Read the interview by clicking on the blog title. If you're interested in being featured on this blog or have some information to contribute go ahead and look her up on etsy (her seller profile is katelynjane).

Here's a spot of info on the creator, Katelyn Jane who has an etsy shop that features wonderful handmade bags:

Well, I'm the oldest of eight kids. I grew up in Victoria, BC but moved to Dawson Creek when I was in my young teens. I love it here and would never have stayed in Victoria if I had a choice. I got married two years ago this past summer and am LOVING it (: We bought a house last year and are doing it up, right in the middle of renos as we speak! I've actually only been making my bags for the past month or so. I saw the idea somewhere and thought "I can make that" and so I did. It now fills all of my spare time, it's an addiction!! I can't watch TV without cutting out a bag. I dont' really sell them anywhere else other than to friends and whoever is in my town and hears about them. I'm not full time but would LOVE that to be in the near future. Maybe when this starts on a roll I will be. Talk about dream come TRUE! I wanted to start the group because I love to get together with other crafters and love inspiration from others and brainstorming with people who are interested in the same stuff. I guess really, I love my schedule to be packed full...haha.

Roberts Snow

Lately all I've been spotting is snowflakes (not outside the window, but on the "web") and they're everywhere I look! I really wish I had some money this year to buy a very exciting christmas present because so many of the most exciting children's book illustrators have contributed to "Roberts Snow", a charity auction of hand painted snowflakes, that I'm practically rolling around with glee thinking about them.

Here's the "scoop" from the Roberts snow website (title is linked to the site):

Own a piece of art from your favorite children's book illustrator while helping to fight cancer. Participate in Robert's Snow: for Cancer's Cure, a unique fundraiser for cancer research. Since 2004, this online auction has raised over $200,000 for Dana-Farber, and with your help, we can continue this holiday tradition in 2007.

"Robert's Snow" is a children's story about a mouse not allowed in the snow. Children's book illustrator Grace Lin wrote the book, which was inspired by her husband Robert's battle with Ewing's sarcoma. After the book was published, Grace gathered artists from all over the children's book illustrating community to create special snowflakes to be auctioned off, with the proceeds benefiting sarcoma research at Dana-Farber. These snowflake auctions became known as the event "Robert's Snow."

Farmers Market Update

I'll be at my booth again this saturday at the down town farmers market (104th street and Jasper ave-103street) from 9am to 3pm with some new things:

ATC Artist Trading Cards

I just joined this interested artist community called Monday Artday "Artist Trading Cards" or ATC for short. While watching the last couple episodes of Veronica Mars last night I created three cards that are up for trading. Unfortunetly one of them falls a bit short of the standard size of 2.5 x 3.5". Click the title of the blog to start trading!

Greeting Card Sale

A few months ago I found a fun website that allows artists to sell greeting cards with their own images on them. It's one of three places you can buy my work online (the others being etsy and cafépress) because it's free to upload as many images as I like and I get a bit of a royalty every time something sells. This, I feel, has been a good opportunity to make a little money off of images that I have created that are not yet owned by someone else.

I just received a bit of a coupon via email for this site which I'd like to pass along to anyone interested in buying some cards from artists such as myself. The promo code you have to enter is FALL 199 (which you enter at the checkout). This makes each card only $1.99 US which currently is almost on par with the Canadian dollar.

Click on the title of this blog to go to Greeting Card Universe.

Also, all of the cards on my site are now available as free personable ecards.

Silent Auction for Bissell Centre

The silent auction for the bissell centre will be at City Hall this Friday from 6pm - 10pm. The last pieces are being fired in the kiln (i can't wait to see them!). Hope to see some of you at the auction.

The picture is of my finished piece (not yet fired, so colours will change quite dramatically and it will be glossy). Comes with matching cups (how sweet!)

Linda Fisher: Art Show on this September

Last week an art show opened up at Stony Plains Multicultural Centre (5411 - 51 St Stony Plain, AB) featuring the work of Linda Fisher. These paintings embody vivid portraits of landscapes, still lifes and portraits of "watchers". If you get the chance you really must go to the gallery to see these paintings up close (my pictures quite frankly do not do them justice). Each painting utlizes an amazing balance of colour (I wish I could grasp subtlety as Linda has), form and shadow. Each brush stroke is beautiful and expressive. These paintings look fantastic up close.

Linda was one of my instructors at Grant MacEwan back in 2001. I have since grown very fond of herself and her husband, Steve, with whom I worked at the Royal Alberta Museum. I'm not sure there could be a finer family. Thank you so much for coffee and cookies this weekend and a tour of your show. I was inspired and very very humbled. Can't wait for your next show!




images © linda fisher. all rights reserved.

Farmers Market This Weekend!

I'm going to be at the downtown farmers market this Saturday (all by myself this time, but same spot). Come see me for a chat if you have some time. Each week people think I'm at the Strathcona farmers market... well, I'm not. Here's the address for the Down Town farmers market: Located outdoors in Downtown Edmonton, Between Jasper Ave & 103rd Ave, On 104th Street. It's RAIN or SHINE from 9 am to 3pm.

Meanwhile, here's some new products.

Chicken Lil' Bulletin Board $60
(link to board can be found by clicking on the title of this blog)



Foxy Coaster Set $55

Sketching Sketching

Instead of creating more birdybear products (those wood burnt creations you may have seen posted here lately) I've been getting back to drawing. Not drawing for a client or a specific target audience... just for me. And it's been fun, sort of a relief actually, to have some time to do this.

click the title to see more images.

Midway Fun

I've been working on updating the way I draw children. Here's a sketch I was finally able to finish last week.

© crystal driedger 2007. All rights reserved.

Colour palette generator

Here's a fun way to dissect your paintings and photographs. Done by "Big Huge Labs" you simply upload a picture or connect to your flickr site and ta da!... your very own colour palette.

Bissell Centre & CrankPots fundraiser

A unique fundraiser came to my attention earlier this month and I gathered some close artistic friends of mine to help out. The Bissell Centre in co-operation with Crank Pots on Whyte ave has allowed quite a few Edmonton artists to paint a piece of pottery to sell during a silent auction later this month (I'll update you exactly when this happens). Some of the pieces are so good you'll whip out your wallet in a jiffy to buy them up as Christmas gifts.

My piece, in progress.


Mermaid Teapot in progress (the piece will get darker once it's been "fired" in the kiln).


My sister in front along with some other friends painting away, creating masterpieces. Can't wait for the show! I'll post more pictures of the pieces after the auction for those of you who aren't from Alberta and can't make it out.