Fernanda Cohen at Drawger.com

The Gap Gives Extra Exposure and PAYS!

2009-06-15T17:21:07+00:00

I'm in Madrid, running around in the heat from the Royal Palace to Chueca, Huertas and Puerta del Sol, having meetings, tapas and some Gazpacho.

I'm far from NY, removed from my usual work environment, just taking a break when I receive Gary's email titled "Just Say NO to Google" on my lifesaver BlackBerry. Naturally, I rush to read the article right away, it´s Taxali AND the Times!. Mark Heflin forwards it to me within 10 seconds, which triggers a chain of emails among ICON6 board members (full disclosure: I'm the vice president. For those of you who're wondering, we WILL cover this big issue, which also came up a few months ago with Gary's post flipping the bird.)

But this post is really not about ICON6- though do feel free to contact me directly or via Dragwer if you have any suggestions/concerns. But about The Gap, another millionaire corporation that has recently been working on a similar kind of campaign by using artists to promote their rather polished brand.

OK, they have the money and did not really pay a fortune, but they DID pay and gave artists exposure beyond belief. They actually print the artist's name, bio and signature on the back of every shirt, yeah, unbelievable, I think.

Now, despite the somewhat low budget because this project is part of its (RED) campaign, which is a non profit to raise awareness of AIDS in Africa, I felt the Gap made up for it by being extremely respectful of each artist's artistic identity and exposure, by not asking us to own the copyright to our work and by giving us as much freedom as any illustrator could ever dream of.

I still think they should have given us at least 100 tees of each different design for self promotion- we only get 1 (!!!) tee in each size for each design- but I personally can live with that.

Bottom line: Google can shove it, for all I know. As the article well said, we have plenty of exposure, now show us the money!

PS: Gary, you're my hero!

Fernanda

SVA, Parsons & Art Center @ SI

2009-05-05T17:25:30+00:00

SI Illustration Chair Lecture on 5/13/09

Hi everyone,
We have a great lecture coming up next week at the Society of
Illustrators. This time it's about illustration and education, with Ann
Field (Art Center), Steven Guarnaccia (Parsons) and Tom Woodruff (SVA).
I believe it will be fascinating to have such great speakers together on
the stage, where they'll discuss the present and future of illustration.

I have the honor to be the moderator.

Here is all the info:
http://societyillustrators.org/upcoming/educating_illustrators.cms

Wednesday, May 13th, from 6.30-8.30
128 East 63rd Street (between Park and Lexington Avenues)
RSVP @ kevin@societyillustrators.org

I really hope to see you there!

Do let me know if you have any questions.

XXX

Fernanda

Is Mr. Arisman on Crack?

2009-04-18T15:45:37+00:00

Whatever it is Marshall's been popping, sniffing, drinking or smoking, I want a double dose of it.

He recently posted this series of bizarre videos on Vimeo. It just shows how fresh he still keeps it at his age. I take my hat off (once again) to you, Mr Arisman.

My London Tour at The Groucho Club

2009-04-01T12:34:13+00:00

I was touring London last week, where I stayed at the celebrity-filled Groucho Club, had more Mojitos I can remember (which is really 2 or 3 for a non-drinker like myself), mingled with local celebrities I didn't recognize (except for Kate Moss and the Metallica boys), and saw quite a few clients. I've also never heard as many men say "lovely" every two sentences.... These are some sketches I did at The Groucho's bar, nothing brilliant, but cute enough I think. I had 5 deadlines that week, so after drawing so much I just needed to throw some quick lines to decompress.

I guess bigger IS better... girls? Thanks Andy, Leo, Rob, Laura, Julia, Jim and Adam for your comments. Glad you liked the header too! I just hope Robert doesn't kick me out for exposing nudity. Andy, we'll get together one day and I'll tell you all about it. Are you in NY?

Holland, Suares & Kraus Op-Ed Lecture at SI

2009-02-03T05:16:10+00:00

Hope you can make this lecture I'm moderating with J-C Suares, Jerelle Kraus and Brad Holland about the history and evolution of The New York Times' Op-Ed page.

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

6.30-8.30

Society of Illustrators of New York

128 East 63rd Street - NYC

Nicholas Blechman & Max Bode Lecture at SI

2008-11-12T04:31:35+00:00

Nicholas Blechman, Art Director for The New York Times Book Review and Max Bode, Art Director for The New Yorker, will discuss the pros and cons of illustrating and art directing, their different approaches, how the editorial field works in relation to illustration, how it's changed over the decades, upcoming trends and illustration vs.photography.

Moderated by Fernanda Cohen

Begins at 6:30pm.
$15 non-members, $10 members, $7 students.
RSVP tara@societyillustrators.org or call 212-838-2560

Click here for more info.

Gardasil Ad Campaign

2008-10-30T17:53:11+00:00

These are two posters that I did earlier this year for Gardasil through the NY-based ad agency DDB. Gardasil is a vaccine against cervical cancer, a revolutionary discovery in medicine.

I was happy (and proud) to be part of such an important campaign.

One poster is meant to look fresh and youthful (the daughter's perspective), and the other one is meant to look mature (the mother's point of view). I also had to incorporate lettering.

I guess this is a follow up to some of the comments on my Veer posting. I believe assignments/clients that pay fairly and challenge our minds are always first, even if sometimes they're not the ones I enjoy the most.

The assignment paid for every single sketch I made, every single change that came up, and even every single image I finished but wasn't used.

They drove me crazy for three months, but I can't even remember how or why anymore....

This is the second poster they printed, for which the pattern had to look more mature because it represents the mother's point of view.

This is one of the posters I finished that wasn't actually used- though it was one of my favorite ones.

Another pattern they didn't use.

Veer: the antithesis of stock illo?

2008-10-30T04:08:12+00:00

John Newton, who I'm sure a lot of you know from his days as an AD at Rolling Stone magazine, commissioned 10 pieces from me for Veer, his new job.

I'm not a big fan (or a small one, for that matter) of stock illustration, but I must admit I like the way Veer does it, and that's why I kind of gave in. Not to mention the fact that Joe is an illustrator himself, so that alone made me trust him right off.

He commissioned 10 illustrations from me, not for a huge fee, but decent enough to make it worth my time. What also made a significant difference was how much freedom he gave me, which made me feel like I was actually taking a much needed break from commercial work.

So, even though I also gave Veer the right to recycle 10 of my (other clients') images, creating work from scratch for them was what really pulled me in- oh, and a high royalty percentage, no doubt.

I guess if a stock illustration site is giving me (and other illustrators) work, then there is really nothing wrong with that....right?

Hope you enjoy the first 5 images, they're all nature-driven.

Marcos Chin Workshop at SOI

2008-10-23T06:40:33+00:00

My dear friend and fellow illustrator Marcos will be leading a workshop at the Society of Illustrators of New York on Wednesday, October 29th, from 6.30 to 8.30- followed by a print signing.

RSVP at tara@societyillustrators.org

Click here to find out more about it.

This is another one of the "special events" I'm coordinating at the SOI....

Kid Robot Lecture at SOI

2008-10-17T17:50:17+00:00

If you remember my Pictoplasma posting a few months ago and wrote saying you missed it, well, this is pretty close to having it back.

I'm organizing (and moderating) a lecture with Paul Budnitz (founder of Kid Robot) and Mark Graham (founder of UK-based ilovedust) at the Society of Illustrators of NY on November 5th, from 6.30 to 8.30.

Paul has already posted it on his blog, so I'm sure we'll sell out soon and it will be packed with toy lovers, but I want illustrators to make it there too.

It's not posted on the Society's site yet, but you can RSVP at tara@societyillustrators.org .

Drawings for SooJin Buzelli, Too! :)

2008-10-17T17:33:28+00:00

When I saw Edel's posting, I couldn't help thinking I wanted to post my Buzelli drawings too- because, really, it's all about SooJin, not Plan Sponsor. :)

Inside joke: The lighting I had when I did these was decent enough, no complaints or elevator mirrors.

This image is about being way too addicted to emaill, and it was published with another 2 images in their October '08 issue.

This image is about being confused, which I actually felt like when I read the article.

This image is about the new tech-driven generation of college graduates but how, in the end, certain things never change.

Tom Woodruff's PPOW Show Tonight

2008-10-10T15:18:27+00:00

Tom Woodruff, the chairman of the undergrad illustration department at SVA, an amazing professor and a great artist, is having the opening for his latest exhibition, The Solar System, at NY gallery PPOW.

I wrote something about it for American Illustration's Dart (though Peggy gave herself credit by mistake. No, she was not his student, I was. It happens.). The article includes a brief interview with him.

http://www.ai-ap.com/dart/?cat=4

WHEN: Friday, October 10th, 6 to 8 pm

WHERE: PPOW Gallery, 555 West 25th Street, 2nd Fl.

WHAT: Thomas Woodruff's Solar System

Victoria Roberts Workshop at the Society

2008-09-16T04:00:04+00:00

I've been hired by the Society of Illustrators of NY to coordinate a series of what they call Special Events in the next few months. The goal behind this is that the Society focuses not only on the past (and the present) but also on the future of illustration- not that I'm a symbol of future or anything, but young and proactive enough to be able to help and contribute a bit.

The first workshop is with Victoria Roberts:

Date: Wednesday, October 1st, 6.30 - 8.30 pm
Workshop: Cartooning & Humor with Victoria Roberts
Description: This is a hands-on workshop with the New Yorker cartoonist Victoria Roberts, who will share the magic behind creating a panel cartoon and humorous comic strip, how to build charming characters and engage the audience. Attendees must bring their own art supplies to be able to work.
Info: http://societyillustrators.org/upcoming/upcoming.cms?t=6
Please email tara@societyillustrators.org to RSVP.
$35 (non-members); $20 (members)
Address: 128 East 63rd Street (@ Lexington, F train)

Spread the word!

Thanks....

Pictoplasma Rules!

2008-09-07T13:49:23+00:00

Pictoplasma ended last night and it was a blast. Damn, animators can really kick our butts when it comes to entertaining a big crowd, with all those moving images, which often turn into 3D toys, balloons and such.

As an ICON board member who was (and will be) way too involved in the behind the scenes of the conference, I couldn't help feeling like we, illustrators, should be inspired and borrow a little bit (or a lot) of that fun and dynamic, it surely can't hurt....

It also helped me realize that animation and toy design are (part of) the future of illustration. What those guys do, draw and doodle (on ecstasy) basically, is exactly what we do but they take it to the next level. A level that pays better, delegates more and creates an unusually massive and addictive kind of following (not that the Times is not "massive" enough, but you know what I mean.)

A representative example of this is Friends With You, who put together quite a performance at Pictoplasma. It wasn't informative or educational, but it was visually stunning, which actually worked for me because how many different speakers can you really listen to talk about the same kind of stuff?

It was also a treat running into, and meeting, fellow Drawgers David Goldin and Rob Dunlavey.

["part of..."hope that doesn't sound as absolute. I have a tendency to be pretty extreme. My apologies if I offended anyone....]

Selling Personal Work Feels Damn Good

2008-09-01T20:26:08+00:00

I'm in a good mood today, a great mood I mean, I just sold one of my personal drawings: "Geo Oval." It's an image I drew during my first year fresh out of college, when the days were long, my Inbox empty and the phone remained silent.

Back then, not THAT long ago, I'd draw images mostly to amuse myself, build my credibility among art directors, and assure people like Steve Heller that I was in it for real.

As it happens, the more commercial work we get, the less personal work we produce. It's a vicious and inevitable cycle, I think, where something that makes us feel so good (getting work, it is), can really suffocate us too. So, every year I "force" myself to put time aside to put together at least one full personal series of up to 12 pieces. That way, I can breath again every day....

I'm glad I created Geo Oval, it always stay in my heart, that's for sure. Bon voyage!

Obama + Art= No immigrants, please

2008-08-22T16:02:27+00:00

I've been out of the loop for a few weeks because I've been working and running around like crazy in Buenos Aires, where I have a studio and spend a few months a year. I miss you Drawger friends, I really do.

So last Wednesday I get a message on my NY cell phone from SSK, an ad agency based in NY. They want me to work on a campaign for Obama, hopefully the biggest one, they say. They've hired 10 illustrators, including me, to do a portrait of him. I say "Yeah, sure, love it, bring it on, let's do it!"

Then they ask, as a by the way kind of thing, if I'm an American citizen. I reply I have a greencard and I'm married to an American, is that enough?

No, it wasnt't. The Obama campaign does not work with non-American citizens. NONE.

Now, my question is, is that discrimination? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Post Your Shows on Drawger for DART, pleeease

2008-08-01T14:05:22+00:00

Hey fellow drawgers,
As some of you may know, I write for Dart (AI-AP) from time to time and, even when I don't write a full feature, I'm always sending them interesting shows and stuff, like the ones Laura and Joseph just posted,

This is all to say: PLEASE POST YOUR SHOWS HERE, so I can take a look and add them to the list of stuff I send to Dart when there is enough to share.

Thanks!

Illustrator Travel Kit

2008-07-29T19:07:05+00:00

Because Mark B. requested it, here is a picture of my on-the-go illustration kit:

Flat as a book scanner (Canoscan Lide70)
2 different sizes of paper (NY Central)
BlackBerry (or iPhone, if available)
Favorite gouache colors (I actually bring more colors than that)
Brushes
Archival ink Prismacolor & Micron pens
Memory stick
Mechanical pencil & lead
Eraser
Black ink (triple bag it, it always leaks)
All-purpose, beat up computer
Argentinian passport (any nationality will do)
All corresponding cords, cables and chargers
An understanding wife/husband/lover helps too!

Hope it encourages all of you who seem to want to travel more but don't get out enough. It helps me remain somewhat sane while I live in NY.

Good Wood Show in BK

2008-07-26T19:48:42+00:00

Don K. already posted the info about the show yesterday, but in case you didn't catch his posting or the review I wrote for Dart (AI), "Good Wood" is opening tonight! (Saturday, July 26th)

The exhibition features 50 decks painted by 45 different artists, including Don Kilpatrick , Leo Espinosa, Nathan Fox and myself.

WHERE: Third Ward, 195 Morgan Avenue (@ Stagg St.) www.3rdward.com
WHEN: Sat. July 26th, 7 to midnight

It should be lots of fun, hope you can make it even if I can't (damn!)

Don, thanks for bringing me into Drawger and for putting Andrew in touch with me!

Working from East Hampton

2008-07-26T00:00:11+00:00

Those of you who saw the video James & Greg (Yang and Nemec, that is) produced for ICON5, know by now that I tend to work wherever I go, and I happen to go to too many different places at times.

Last week, Ottawa was my work destination, where I managed to finish a line of 12 zodiac tees for a client in NY: http://www.fernandacohen.com/content/images/editorial_241.htm

This weekend is East Hampton, where my friends Laurence and Joel have a magnificent house with, well, the infamous and indispensable wi-fi connection. Yay!