svetlania's avatar

svetlania

Svetlana Chmakova
2.7K
Watchers
33 Deviations
106K
Pageviews
Hi, guys, quickie note--if anyone's in Houston, TX this April 26th, I will be there, too, come to TeenBookCon to see meeeeeeee!  The fabulous creators Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki, who are amazing and the creators of "Skim", they will be there also and we're totally doing a panel together and I will likely embarrass myself geeking out over them.  There will also many other amazing authors presenting!  The event is free to attend and you can find the information here: TeenBookCon!
Yaaaaaay!!!
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

Really interesting and thought-provoking entry by Moonie-Dreamer on marketing one's work:

moonie-dreamer.deviantart.com/…

I posted in the comments there, but wanted to archive this in my Journal Entries for future reference, as well as give a heads up to people interested in the topic.  It's certainly an important one!!  This is less actual for people with a dependable 9 to 5 job, but for a freelance artist it's a must to consider these things, since you never know which of your promotional efforts will get you a job (or which won't).  For example, I never would have gotten the TOKYOPOP publishing offer if I hadn't joined the GirlAMatic and WirePop comics collectives; and I wouldn't have been invited to _those_, if I hadn't been putting my comics and things on my own website in the first place.  So, taking some initiative to be seen certainly went a ways there, for me.  And even so, was that enough effort? I know for sure I've lost potential readers by hiding under my art rock for months on end, instead of engaging with the online world and sharing my creative exploits.  I can't tell you the amount of people who are still surprised by the fact that I have books out besides "Dramacon"--and I can't blame them! "Nightschool: The Weirn Books" came out like a ninja in the night, with barely a word or two from me, its own creator, to announce its existence to people who had kindly followed me at that point. (...In my defense I was working like a dog all throughout that series, I barely had any leftover functioning brain cells to remember how to brush my teeth ;;;;OTZ). 

So, this is something I've come to realize over the years of working as a professional comics/manga creator--YOU have to give your work the best chance you can.  And this doesn't just mean sacrificing on the altar of comics-making fun things like outings with friends, videogames, being up-to-date on all the current anime (that's how I published those 10 books in 8 years!). It doesn't just mean staying at your desk and drawing when you could be watching a movie.  Giving your work the best chance means ALSO taking the time to have it Seen and Noticed by people. And this is difficult for us artists, since most of us are shy, retiring hermits by nature who think 'Everyone Else Draws Better than Meeeee' and 'Why Would Anyone Want To Even Look At My Stuff, Anywaaaaay'.  The wisest advice ever given to me by a writer friend on this topic was: "Don't take that choice away from people.  Maybe they'll like your stuff, or maybe they'll hate it.  But don't decide FOR them."  Words to live by, IMHO.

...That being said, I still have a deep need to hide under my art rock while I create, and that will always have to come first >.>  TL;DR--creating is important, getting the word out is important, but probably the most important is to find a balance between the two that works for you?...

Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

I made it!  I'm alive!  ...I have a headache, stoopid jetlag *cue copious amounts of Advil and coffee*

Re-posting the schedule info post from my Facebook everywhere, sorry if you see this more than once :D;;;

***

Okay, so I have my info for SacAnime! 
I will have a spot in the Vendor's room at table W33, so if you would like to say hi and/or something signed, please come by :D
I will also be running 2 panels:
SATURDAY--"Meet a Manga Author" panel 2-3 pm in Featured Events (I will be talking about my development as an artist/writer, showing stuff from various projects and embarrassing childhood photos :3)
SUNDAY--"Manga Drawing Workshop: Character Design" (I will be drawing a character from scratch using input from the audience).

For those unable to attend my drawing workshop--shed no tears, instead sign up for my class on Skillshare, it has all the stuff I will be talking about and THEN SOME, I really poured all my heart and ill-gotten drawing knowledge into this baby:


skl.sh/1gVYhH1


See you arooooound!

Svet~

Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

NEWS ITEM: I will be a guest at SacAnime in Sacramento, California this coming January 3-4!  I will be running a couple of panels and I believe will have a table, as well—so if you ever wanted something signed by me and live in the area, come by and visit!  Convention information can be found here: www.sacconventions.com/ 

I also made a special art print for the convention, a re-draw of that Alex/Sohrem scene in book 2 of "Nightschool: The Weirn Books"--I finally got it looking more like I see it in my head!!

Nightschool The Weirn Books--art print by svetlania

Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

My character design class on Skillshare finally launched last week. LOVING IT SO MUCH ;__;  Being able to see other creators develop ideas is one of the huge reasons why I teach, there's just no substitute for the creative melting pot of ideas that class environment can be...  Man, I miss Sheridan so much sometimes.  And my residency at ACA, those were such good times.  We just sat around that big table in our studio, drawing, talking, throwing ideas around...  I really need to write up some sort of diary report for that one day, because I don't want it to fade into the foggy corners of my mind...  In meantime, while Internet is not quite a peaceful secluded artist complex on a Florida beach, it has many other winning features indeed.

...But back to my point! In case anyone was planning to sign up for my class soon, you may want to know that there is a Challenge going on right now--the first 5 people to finish their character design packs by January 1st will get a signed limited edition print of a page of their choice from Dramacon or Nightschool!  So if you are interested, head over here: skl.sh/1gVYhH1

 For those not interested--MOOOOVIES 8D  I watched some recently.  And I burn with desire to share how awesome they were--we finally got to see Gravity last weekend and man, was I glad I made the time to go see that on the big screen in 3D, what a stunning film.  I've always been morbidly fascinated by the fragile balance of life thriving in the middle of vast amounts of deadly space surrounding our little air-padded rock, so the entire film was basically made especially for me??  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and that movie punched a hole in my SOUL.

Also: Hunger Games was so amazing again 8V  I'm one of the seemingly few people who loved the books even more for the ending (while many of my friends mostly just enjoyed the first book...), so now I am so wound up for the third movie it's not even funny.  I kind of hope they don't break it up into two parts, and I kind hope that they do, so I can have more of it.  I don't know.  I JUST DON'T KNOW.

Son of Also: Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Episode happened on Saturday and it was perfect.  I was spoiled last week with cinematic goodness, spoiled, I tell you!!  Can't wait for the new season.  ...It's funny that David Tennant was my 'first' Doctor, but Matt Smith's Doctor ended up being my favourite, in the end.  I'll be sad to see him go ;___; 

Next on the list is... Delivery Man!!  I am not expecting another Gravity, but the premise is very heartwarming and I am easy prey for stuff like that. 

Anyone else see any good stuff lately??

Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Featured

Svet will be in Houston on April 26th! by svetlania, journal

Of marketing and creators. by svetlania, journal

Svet's in Sacramentoooooo by svetlania, journal

Svet is a guest at SacAnime this January! by svetlania, journal

Limited edition Dramacon and Nightschool prints! by svetlania, journal