Dani Jones Illustration

Summer Fun

Posted on 17 August 2010 | 6 responses

I can’t believe it’s mid-August already. It’s sad to see summer go.

These are a couple summery illustrations I made. Let me know what you think.

You can also buy these images as prints in my store.

How I Write Comics

Posted on 7 July 2010 | 11 responses

I received an email recently asking how I “write” my comics. That’s an interesting question because seeing as My Sister, the Freak is my first comic ever, I am still learning how to do this myself.

However, I thought I’d write this blog post anyway just to give you all a sneak peek into the way I work and write. It’s been a big learning experience for me, and I’m sure you can learn from it too if you’re trying to tackle your own graphic novel.

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Summer of Heroes

Posted on 29 June 2010 | 7 responses

[View with PicLens]

I’m going to kick off the summer with a brand new, all-for-fun, sketch project. I’m calling it the Summer of Heroes. If you are familiar with the Monster-a-Day project I did last Halloween, this will be similar.

Starting this week and for the rest of the summer, I’m going to create a series of sketch cards depicting my favorite heroes from pop culture. Think Superman, Buffy Summers, and Luke Skywalker. The art will be posted here at the top of this post as I finish them. Check back often to keep track of the progress.

As part of the fun, I will be creating these all on my Ustream show, where you can chat with me in real-time and discuss art, movies, and TV with me while I am drawing. Go here to watch the show and look at the schedule.

Watch the Show: http://danidraws.com/danidrawslive/
Buy the art: http://store.danidraws.com/summer-of-heroes/
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Creative Independence Interview

Posted on 25 June 2010 | No responses

I was recently interviewed by Bob Ostrom, one of the hosts of the Creative Independence Podcast. Bob and I talked about stuff like social networking, the Artcast Network, My Sister the Freak, Spacedock 7, and my advice for artists.

Special thanks to Bob and Chris Wilson for letting me hijack their show for an episode.

You can listen to the interview here.

15 Steps to Freelance Illustration Review

Posted on 15 June 2010 | 2 responses

Are you a new art school graduate who needs help getting an illustration business up and running? Are you an experienced illustrator looking to recharge your career? There’s a great new resource available today that I highly recommend for you.

It’s called 15 Steps to Freelance Illustration. It’s an ebook by Thomas James, creator of the awesome illustration website and podcast Escape From Illustration Island.

I’ve had the chance to read the entire book, so I can personally confirm that Thomas has made an invaluable resource for all types of illustrators out there. In the book, he outlines 15 steps to starting an illustration business. The process is simple yet thorough, covering general stuff like finances to current issues like social media promotion. I like that it outlines a set of necessary goals in an easy and doable manner. This is essential for new artists who are at such a critical stage of their careers. Experienced illustrators will also find plenty of helpful info for revamping their existing business.

In addition, buyers will receive a workbook that takes the goals outlined in the book and gives specific assignments to help accomplish them. It’s a great supplement to an already solid resource.

Given that there is a general lack of business education among art students (read Thomas’s Open Letter to Art Schools – a great read), you can’t pass up such a great resource like this one when it comes around. Most beginners are left stumbling and fumbling their way through the start of their careers. Many do not succeed. However, you’ll improve your chances greatly if you read and follow 15 Steps.

15 Steps to Freelance Illustration is on sale starting TODAY. Those who buy the book within the first week get a special introductory price, so be sure to check it out as soon as you can.

Download “My Sister, the Freak”

Posted on 12 June 2010 | 1 response

For those of you who follow my webcomic My Sister, the Freak, I just posted the final page to the first chapter. I am now making the first issue (containing the Prologue and Chapter 1) available for download as PDF and CBZ files.

These files will make it possible to read the comic on your computer or favorite mobile device, like iPhones and iPads. Note that you will need the correct software; there are many free and cheap apps that will read these files – I recommend GoodReader or ComicZeal.

Of course, you can always read the comic for free on the web at mysisterthefreak.com too.

The download is only $.99. You can purchase it here.

Ripple

Posted on 10 June 2010 | 11 responses

Artist Kelly Light was devastated by the news of the recent oil spill in the gulf. So, she decided to do something about it!

Kelly started a site called Ripple. On it, she is selling sketch cards created by her and many other artists, with 100% of the proceeds going toward helping the animal victims affected by the spill.

The above pieces of artwork are my contributions to Ripple. Visit the site to buy some great artwork and help out a good cause!

Store Re-Launch

Posted on 29 May 2010 | No responses

I recently renovated my store page in an attempt to make it easier to browse and purchase stuff. There are currently a few prints, original artwork, and downloads available, and I intend to update and add stuff on a regular basis.

New Features and Notable Changes

• A simpler shopping cart built into the site will make it easier to keep track of stuff. Payments are still processed through PayPal.

• All shipping is FREE.

• I’m starting to sell digital downloadable products. This is exciting because you can buy and receive stuff instantly. There is currently only one product (a PDF of my NESCBWI workshop), but I intend to fill this section with tutorials, videos, and digital comics in the future, so keep an eye on this page.

• People can now leave comments or reviews on the product pages. If you buy anything from me, I would love to hear any feedback, good or bad, about the what you purchased. It will help me improve the products and store in the future, and will also help shoppers as they make buying decisions. Thanks for your support!

To browse the store, go here: http://store.danidraws.com

Spacedock 7 – Sci-Fi Webcomic Portal

Posted on 24 May 2010 | No responses

If you have been following my webcomic My Sister, the Freak or are a comics fan in general, I’ve got a great announcement for you!

Several of my artist friends and I have started up a new website called Spacedock 7. Check it out at Spacedock7.com!

Seven creators, seven comics. This site will serve as the central hub for them all.

Each comic is sci-fi related. That means lots of aliens, spaceships, robots, planets, and babes. What’s not to like about that? Each artist has different styles and tastes, and it’s neat to see how each one handles the genre.

The rest of the SD7 crew includes Otis Frampton, Mike Maihack, Joel Carroll, Eddie Pittman, Grant Gould, and Katie Cook. If you are unfamiliar with any of these artists, please go check out their work because they are all awesome.

With the seven of us, we are each updating our comics on a different day of the week. MStF will reside on Saturdays. For the rest of the week, be sure to visit Spacedock 7 to get your daily sci-fi webcomic fix!

Improving Your Online Presence

Posted on 22 May 2010 | 2 responses

Thoughts from NESCBWI 2010

Last week at the New England SCBWI conference, I taught a workshop called 10 Ways Artists Can Improve Their Online Presence. During the class, I talked about various ways and methods that I have used to market myself on the internet. As some of you might know, I have a blog, a Twitter account, a Ustream show, and a smattering of other online profiles in various places across the web. They have all helped me network with industry people, improve my artwork, learn about the business, and sell stuff.

In my workshop, I did my best to share some of the lessons I have learned along the way. These are some of the more important points I brought up during the conference:

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