Prints for sale
Print sales both online and at comic conventions have increased this year, which is a definite bonus. I've always been a commission artist; taking on projects for both business and individuals alike, and it was only in recent years I'd made some effort to produce art prints to sell. I'm focusing on A3 size and still keeping them at the lower rate of £11.99 on this website, compared to £15-£16 at other online retailers. They'll continue to be sold for this rate for at least the rest of 2019, so head over to the store for last minute Christmas shopping.
Colouring Book
I've more or less just finished working on a colouring book I had been commissioned to create around 3 months ago. The title is 'Manga Unicorns' - Yep, a combination of Unicorns with manga characters! It will be released next year and will post some more info once it's available. To work on a colouring book had been on my to-do list for a long time after the adult colouring book boom started around 3 or 4 years ago but at the time I was still busy finishing The Artist's Guide to Drawing Manga whilst working on my tattoo business. Although now I've finally got one colouring book under my belt, I'm considering working on at least another for 2020.
Tattoos
Despite my website focusing on my illustration and manga artwork, I'm still spending half my time tattooing and like the mix of working with a customer in my studio as well as times to lock myself away and sit in front of the graphics tablet for hours each day. My thought right now is finding time to produce some custom flash (tattoo designs) to pitch to potential customers. You might be surprised at how many people like and want tattoos but don't really know what they want. They often end up settling for whatever is fashionable at the time, so if I can provide an alternative to 'pocket watches' and 'dream catchers' then I'll be able to start cultivating a tattoo portfolio showcasing the artwork I'm best at and like to produce.
Finding the time
Like with many creative types, I think the tough part is often finding enough time to complete the many projects and ideas floating around in my head, and in that to-do list I mentioned earlier! If artworks like the ones above can take 10-20 hours or more to produce, there's only so many images that can be made each month alongside the usual tasks of admin, social media management and client communication. The challenge then becomes trying to narrow down exactly what to work on and when. Taking on new projects is exciting. I just wish there was enough time to turn them all into reality!
