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Running Bunny in Spring © Diana Ting Delosh Ink Brush, Watercolor, Digital |
We've all heard the phrase, celebrate the small steps that make up the journey. I knew what the words meant in an abstract way but spraining my ankle taught me to appreciate them in a literal sense. The road to being a picture book author /illustrator is a long circuitous marathon. Just when you think you're getting close to your goal there are a few more hurdles to jump and mountains to climb, maybe even a swamp or quagmire to navigate. Two steps forward, one step backward and onward you go, hopefully without falling into a ditch along the way.
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OLLIE ALONE Wrap around cover art for a picture book dummy that I'm submitting. © Diana Ting Delosh |
Submitted to editors, art directors and agents? Pat on the back. Ditto, promo postcard designed and printed. High fives all around when the mailing list is updated and the postcards are mailed. Go ahead, cheer for yourself, after all, most of the time you'll only hear crickets back. Get a rejection? Gasp, give yourself a hug and submit
something out, ASAP to counteract the negative! Oh Joy, if you
get a positive response - pass the yummies.
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My Promo Postcard featuring my illustrations: Front - Jabberwocky-Boy meets Octopus Back - Boy, Book Bed & Cat © Diana Ting Delosh |
Created new illustrations, stories, dummies, experiments? I keep a running created list. Writing down what I've created cheers me on. Doesn't matter if it's a personal art, experiment or big commission they all make my list. Seeing the list grow is it's own reward.
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Peace To ALL © Diana Ting Delosh Having some fun with Hand Lettering All line art is hand drawn than digitally colored |
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Create, promote, submit and cheer for yourself and your buddies with or without chocolate. In a competitive field with few positive responses to balance the long waits, rejections and too many crickets, celebrating the small steps may be the antidote to self doubt. Be your own best friend along your journey.
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Cherry Gelatin Dessert © Diana Ting Delosh Ink & watercolor |