Heards Design Partnership

Interesting start to 2012. After the last two winters of snow, freezing temperatures and being cut off for days on end, this mild January has given everyone I’ve met a cautious sense of optimism. Fingers crossed it lasts. We’ve had some interesting new projects to look at too. New label designs for Boddington’s Berries in Mevagissy. Apple chutney this time and a rare chance for me to paint some fruit in the style of my previous ones for their fruit preserves. New Artists to print for including two photographers who want big digital prints, and most interesting, an artist with an ipad image she’s created. We had a long chat on the phone about formats and profiles but she emailed it through and I have to say I’m impressed with the quality. It’s not dissimilar to work produced on a regular tablet, but when you think of the technology behind it, it’s portability and it’s quality, I don’t know how long I  can hold out against getting one in the studio.

We’ve done new work for John Hurford recently. Stunning images as ever, along with reprints for John Raynes and Sheila Hadley. I’ve also been asked to put work into two summer exhibitions. It will entail doing some new pieces for my soul but that’s no bad thing. Meanwhile the only paintbrush in hand is a 6″ emulsion one, as the fine weather has brought on a bout of decorating. And about time too…

The Watercolour workshops continue and I’m experimenting with new pigments after being inspired. I’ve been shy of acrylic sounding pigments but have seen some fabulous colours in use and want some of those deep, rich colours myself now. Results to be posted soon.

I’ve joined up with a couple of “groups” on Linkedin which has prompted a debate on short run, Print on demand (POD) books, ebooks and the future of the book as a means of expression, information and enjoyment. There’s no doubt that the internet is a tool of incredible power and can do almost anything but as someone said, you can’t cuddle a computer, and getting into a book is a whole different experience.

My own interest in the practicalities of, not only writing but also the process of production began to develop when I got halfway through my first real attempt at a novel. How to get it published? I had friends read it, engaged a professional editor to go through it, rewrote it and started the sequel all for fun. A printer friend reminded me that POD is now so much higher in quality and relatively economical that I might self publish a short run, say a couple of hundred to start, to gauge the market and get my name about. I should have known this already but I was consumed with the passion for writing and the idea of a million dollar advance coloured my mind. It’s not as if I hadn’t done it before. I’ve got two books of regional interest published plus two more of cartoons which seem to keep on going. Novels are different though and publishers are hard; everyone is either writing their own book or knows someone who is. Competition is tough and stakes are high as bookshops are closing and on-line sellers like Amazon demand a very hefty discount.

So, self publish? I spoke to my printer who quoted a straight forward, perfect bound paperback (PB) of 304 pages x 200 copies. I can’t remember the figure but I do remember getting a better price from a specialist short run printer further away. I reckon you’d get 250 copies for just over £700.00. In commercial terms this is still a big price for a PB. Publishers printing thousands, probably abroad, are getting their product for pennies. The discounts and commissions take a huge slice out of the cover price on the shelf and very few authors see much of the price you pay. You have to get your unit price as low as you can, especially if you are going into shops or wholesaling through distributors. However, if you’re really going it alone, marketing and selling direct, then 200% profit doesn’t sound bad and your family and friends can enjoy a good read and you can glow with pride.

Oh, I didn’t mention design. I’d really recommend your book is designed properly. Not just the cover – which is vital – but also the running text. POD printers often have templates and guidelines or FAQs but don’t try to do it in MSWord or any other home package software. I’ve seen books printed like this which are horrible, to look at and to read. I bought a book once because I knew the author and I knew it would be good. It was but the cover was absolute rubbish. No thought to, well, anything. It should have been a best seller but amid the other travel books in Waterstones it was hopelessly lost. Book design is a craft; bear it in mind.

Ebooks. I just don’t know enough about it. I’m advised by some that this is the future. iPad, Kindle and others are seemingly commonplace but not where I live. I have to find out more before I commit. I have a sneaking feeling that design and illustration may well not figure and everything will look like textedit but I may be wrong. I’ll go along the route that my book will be on paper and it WILL be illustrated by yours truly. I have so many ideas that it’s likely to take as many years to draw it as it was to write. Where did I leave that quill?

I recently posted a thought on various notice boards and chat forums; why aren’t more books illustrated for the adult market? Novels, I mean. They used to be once; Sherlock Holmes, Dickens, ton(ne)s of Shakespeare etc. Lots of short stories and serialisations but very little else today. The response from the web is very encouraging, my new found friends are all for it and cite other examples of artist/writers who’ve done it. I have been reminded of the fabulous work of Mervyn Peake along with other more contemporary author illustrators.

My thoughts are born of an amount of self interest. I’ve illustrated children’s education material and one off projects all my professional life. Those close will know I’ve written and illustrated two regional interest books of my own and books of cartoons but a few years ago I got the writing bug, and seriously. I’ve completed a 130,000 word adventure; a swashbuckling tale set in the interegnum (1655) in Cornwall and Brittany. Wrong-doing, pirates, maidens in distress, murder, the lot. Now I’m 1/3 into a sequel and rolling. I’ve had it read by an editorial consultant who, with sage advice and cogent comments liked it, as have the few friends I’ve been brave enough to ask. Recently though, I’ve thought, Hang on – you’re an illustrator, Duh! Why not break the mould and put pictures in it! This flies in the face of all current beliefs that the English book buying public don’t buy illustrated novels; it’s not done. Perhaps they’re not given the choice; perhaps they actually do like pictures. My only problem is TIME. Writing the damn thing took four years of spare time and winter nights. Imagine illustrating it! My webfiends are adamant even though their advice includes woodcuts and graphic novels. Some examples out there are gothic in the extreme but if I can settle on a style, a concept, a look, I’ll do it. This isn’t a rehearsal is it? One life and all that, and it’ll probably never see the light of day anyway the publishing world is that tough. So I’m off to steel the will and sharpen the 2Bs. I bet someone out there is thinking the same. The revolution has started; we’re drawing our own brave new world.

A few days ago I started a painting outdoors, an autumn woodland scene near Horsham steps on Dartmoor. The river Bovey courses through the boulder choked valley and at this time of year is both colourful and damp. Perfect watercolour country. I posted my field sketch and thoughts on a painting and here’s the start of the finished piece. I’ll try and up-date as I go along.

At the watercolour workshop I quickly brushed in the darker tree shapes as a guide and indicated where the golden beech leaves would go. I’d previously drawn the scene again based on photo’s taken and referring to my sketch. My next move was to begin to build up successive tones for the darker background, the shadowy woods, and keep some of the yellows and oranges of the mid ground.

near Horsham steps, stage 1

I splattered on masking fluid with a tooth brush over the yellows and brighter greens, let it dry thoroughly, splattered again, brushed in more colour, darker this time and kept a loose hand on brush work. You can repeat this process as many times as you want. The resulting mass of colour is quite dense but it gave me enough texture to work with. I rubbed the mask off at this stage. Partly to have a look and partly as I don’t want my painting to look overly “done” with the technique.

near Horsham steps stage 2

Once the making is cleaned off you can reappraise the whole thing. I’ll build up the dark woods now, establish tree shapes and start to build the foreground rocks.

Ian’s Watercolour Workshops. We’ve been asked if we’d do a Saturday workshop for painters who can’t make mid week mornings. So, our first Saturday Session is on December 3rd at Whitchurch Community hall from 10.00 t0 4.00.  We’re going to be looking at temperature in particular, warm and cool palettes and creating light and shade. Many painters go on holiday specifically to paint in the sun so we’ll be looking at sunny landscapes and enjoying visiting nice paces from the summer. Please bring your favourite paints, sketchbooks and packed lunch. There’s a good pub across the road too. For more details ring Ian on 01822 617337.Sat Session