⭐️ How I Became a Represented Illustrator:
This is the brief story of how I got agency representation, I was always curious how other artists found their way so here it is!
If you read my intro post I mentioned that about two years ago I was signed to the T2 Children’s Illustration and Literary Agency and that it “literally saved my relationship with art as a career.” This is not an exaggeration!
my announcement art ft Ethan and Heather Long as sports doo-dads :)
In December of 2022, I was approached by my now agents who had found me on Women Who Draw! This was a huge shock to me since I had applied to be on that site yearsss ago and kind of forgot about it after checking for months and not seeing my profile pop up.
So anyways they slid into my DM’s and I genuinely could not believe it was real.
“Your work is outstanding. 1Sugarloaf is authentic, beautifully drawn and we just love the aesthetic of all your work and your overall personal vibe. Are you interested in writing for the kids market, in the middle grade novel or graphic novel formats?”
For more context, my work at the time looked like this:
I followed up and confirmed that they weren’t bots trying to steal my SSN and happily signed with them at the top of the new year in 2023.
Now at this point in my life, I had written off the entire concept of “art-for-money”. I assumed I’d run the course for what I could do and I’d never be able to earn any real money or make a career out of my art.
“Story”, books, and sequential artwork were very new to me and it honestly felt unnatural and incredibly intimidating. I recall very vividly crying on new years day after deciding to move forward with them because I was not sure I could do it! The imposter syndrome hit me like a sac full of bricks.
But fast forward two years and I have...
Illustrated a book that is going to be published by Harper Collins!!!
Worked on pitches for 6+ projects (picture books + graphic novels)
Delivered concept art for Magic Cat publishing
Grown my storytelling skills
Shared a personal comic that I’d been sitting on for 5 years
Made the most money I’ve ever made with my art!!!
If you showed me this list that day I sobbed in the woods I would never have believed you. I am forever grateful to T2 for taking a chance on me, and even more grateful for the perspective they have given me on what’s possible.
So if I could give any nuggets of wisdom to past me from this situation it would be this.
Put yourself out there! Take up space! Be seen!
Make work for yourself first! Be your own biggest fan. YOU DON’T NEED PERMISSION!
You can’t please everyone and you shouldn’t try.
Try new things! You can do more than you think
Worst case, you try and it fails but you still learn something. Best case you’ve unlocked even more ways to express yourself.
Just keep swimming.
Hopefully this resonates with someone who is feeling a little lost. A lot can happen in a day, week, month, year etc. Keep showing up and try to have some fun :)
Sugarloaf was a project I’d started as a graphic novel for my Undergrad senior project, then I had the chance to pitch it to Cartoon Network (they liked it but wasn’t a fit at the time) and then it just kind of floated for a year.
