There are some people born with the soul of an artist. To these lucky few, the act of creation is like breathing—it is not optional. Artists feel the undeniable need to create and possess an inherent inclination and talent for it, but the recipe for making a living as a successful artist takes more than just talent. It also takes a great amount of desire and ambition, a hefty dash of business sense, and a stubborn streak of will and perseverance to persist in becoming a success regardless of obstacles.
If you dream of a career as a commercial artist, then the Illustrators of the Future Contest is for you. The Contest was created by L. Ron Hubbard to give people with these qualities a step up, a shortcut up the cliff of adversity. It’s an amazing opportunity for artists who wish to make a living as illustrators. I only wish that I’d known about the Contest in the early years of my career.
The Contest was founded by Hubbard on the concept that “a culture is as rich and as capable of surviving as it has imaginative artists.” I am honored to be the Coordinating Judge for the Illustrators of the Future Contest and to have the very special opportunity—again in the words of Hubbard—to “give tomorrow a new form” by helping young illustrators achieve a strong start. I am extremely pleased to be surrounded by prestigious judges and past winners who dedicate their time and effort because they feel the same.
Participating is easy and free. This Contest was set up to help artists, and it’s legitimately one of the best opportunities a young artist can have.
All you have to do is submit three pieces of your best work through www.illustratorsofthefuture.com. You can enter four times a year (quarterly). Finalists are chosen by a panel of industry expert judges. We see entries from all over the world, and you don’t even need to speak English to enter or win. Each quarter, three Contest winners are chosen, so at the end of the year, there are a total of twelve winners for the year! Each winner receives a cash award, the opportunity to be published in the renowned annual L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers and Illustrators of the Future anthology, as well as the chance to win the grand prize.
The winners are flown to Hollywood for a huge black-tie celebration and book signing, as well as an entire week learning the ins and outs of being a successful commercial artist in today’s world. There are seminars and lectures by famous illustrator judges and guest speakers. It’s an invaluable experience centered on providing a head start to the Contest winners with the goal of leaving the young professional artists full of the knowledge and confidence to succeed. Galaxy Press has demonstrated their commitment to past winners by continuing to promote them and point out their accomplishments even after the Contest is over.
Imagine yourself as one of the illustrators. Here’s what would happen:
Once you are chosen as a winner, you are assigned a short story written by one of the Writers of the Future winners. You will then work with me (as art director) in the same manner as a working illustrator would work with a publishing house or client. You will submit three thumbnails, which we discuss, and then we will choose one to proceed with. I will help guide you through the process of creating a beautiful illustration for the story. I find that my own best pieces are ones that are not too overly art directed. I use a method of simple suggestion through the process, rather than overly directing—encouraging you to create a portfolio-quality piece that showcases your style, talent, and enthusiasm. I bring to your attention options for symbolism, composition, color scheme, and more that will help make the piece stronger—and then leave it up to you as the artist to interpret how you wish. This will be your published piece in the Writers of the Future anthology, and a strong portfolio piece to win work with.
Artists often struggle with the questions “But am I good enough to win?” “What if I’m not chosen?” “How do I have a better chance of getting chosen?” My best advice is to keep creating and keep entering. We don’t judge on style as much as we do on the ability to tell a story. I encourage applicants to try to send in pieces that illustrate a scene as opposed to still lifes.
“Be true to your work and your work will be true to you” is the motto of my alma mater, Pratt Institute. And truer words have never been spoken.
Artists are driven by passion and the desire to express themselves. This is true for not only fine artists, but commercial artists as well. You probably find that you have a favorite style or subject that you really pour yourself into. Other people can see the passion that you put into those particular pieces. Do what you love, and you will find or create a niche for it. Trying to create work in a style that doesn’t excite you just to match a trend will never make you as successful as being true to yourself. And if the world doesn’t accept your style, keep at it. Keep creating new work, keep submitting to the Contest, and keep showing the world.
What I’m getting at is, if you submit to the Illustrators of the Future Contest and are not chosen, don’t give up! You can submit quarterly, and each quarter there is a different batch of entries. Keep believing in yourself and your art, and eventually other people will believe in you too!