Dino Day at the Fun Park

I had no idea I could paint so fast! This past weekend brought a new challenge. My agent has been helping me to flesh out my portfolio, and fill gaps in subject matter, particularly with animals and contemporary subject matter. As she continues to show my art to editors, it is becoming increasingly important for those gaps to get filled.....quickly. So this past weekend, I turned around this piece: Dino Day at the Fun Park.

It was challenging to get the piece (from concept to completion) done in just one weekend, but the tight timeline also forced me to get a bit innovative, and to make some departures from my usually style. I really wanted to use bright color, and to focus on getting greater contrast than in my past 4-color pieces. So I applied the paint more thickly than I normally would start off with, and began building up shadows aggressively. Normally, I will paint a piece, and then add some finishing touches in colored pencil. This time, to define forms more quickly and to add texture, I integrated the colored pencil as I painting - going back and forth until the colors were what I wanted. The result is a brighter, more textured look that I am pleased with overall. I also enjoyed the freedom to experiment with paint-pencil color combinations, and plan to continue to explore this technique in future pieces. I also enjoyed being forced to use animal subject matter, and the playfulness that those characters add to the piece.

Hope you all had a fun and creative weekend as well!

"Jennifer Zivoin", presented by....

I am happy to announce that I am now exclusively represented by MB Arists.

For a while now, I have been investigating getting an agent. I first needed to decide "Is representation right for me?" For some artists, signing on with an agency might not be best for them. After talking to many artists, some represented and some not, I decided that an experienced agent would be better at expanding my client and project base than I would be on my own.

And so, I began the search for an agency that would be a good fit for me. I knew I wanted representation in New York, the major publishing center of the US. After searching through various promotional directories, agent listings, etc, I finally narrowed the search down to 4 agencies that I thought would be appropriate. I sent samples and letters of inquiry. It is a two way street. Agents don't have to take you on board, so I expected some rejections. MB Artists showed the most interest, and we began dialog right away. After talking to Mela, going through the legal particulars, and talking with some of her represented talent, I became convinced that this agency was right for me. It was especially exciting to hear from the artists themselves, and to learn about their experiences and how MB Artists has played a role in their career developments. I was very glad that Mela also felt I would be a good addition to her talent base, and it is with great excitement that I now join the MB Artist family.

I am looking forward to meeting new clients, taking on unique projects, diversifying my portfolio and continuing to grow as an illustrator. I am also looking forward to focusing more attention on my artwork, and stepping back from the marketing side of the illustration business. I feel that this more concentrated focus on creating art will ultimately benefit my clients, both current and future, as well as provide me with a deeper satisfaction in my work.

Plus, now that I'll be making some trips to New York to connect with MB Artists & clients personally, I have an excuse to plan an exciting working-vacation in NYC!