Can card artists make good book artists?

"How can I get into children's books?" is a question that is often asked by Greeting Card Artists.

The artistic limitations in designing a greeting card can frazzle some artists over a period of years. "I can't do one more Christmas scene with out contravening my own copyright" was a quote from Sarah Pitt when she joined Advocate Art.

There is no doubt that designing greeting cards is a challenge that many relish and are very successful at. But after a period, if you don't develop either, the industry will tire of you or you of the industry.

What next? How can I get into children's books? We have coached many artists through the process of producing a portfolio which a publisher will pick up on.

Designing a card is about sentiment, synergy with the sender and recipient and trend. Designing a book folio is about almost the same things just in different ways.

"Its very exciting" comments Senior Agent Kate Johnson. "Often the characters are there already, it's just simply a matter of bringing them to life with good characterization and then showing them following a narrative. After that, knowing which publisher is interested in that look and presenting it to them!" How did Sarah Pitt get on? She was published in 6 days and now has over 20 titles to her name.

Advocate have recently signed greeting card designers from studios such as Hotch Potch, RMS and Stewo besides others. Greeting card artists don't have to wait for the crunch day either. Why not supply both industries? The ideas spawned in one feed the other. An artist can also reduce their output in each industry and become more special by limiting who publishes their work because they are not over published in each. We at Advocate will be unveiling these new Children's Artists' folios at the forthcoming London and Bologna Book Fairs- come and see!