This is how I went about getting published on a charity Christmas Card.

Sketching strategy

I love how kids play dress ups. We used to have stage shows on the back patio when I was a kid. That was the impetus. With dad being a classical pianist I thought a Christmas Conductor was a nice touch.

Christmas in Australia is just a little different from the northern hemisphere. It’s hot! I wanted something that had an Australian feel. Thats why my Christmas Conductor in the final illustration is wearing shorts.

Document as you go

Illustrating old school is time consuming. It’s not being done digitally. Every mistake you make means it’s back to the drawing board. Take high res photos as you go.

Theme

I started with pencil, then pen, then colour pencil. I put outlines of Christmas trees and greeting cards in the background. This was to tie in with the theme of Christmas.

Colour

Consult a colour wheel. Choose an opposite colour if you want things to pop. Blue offsets the red foreground nicely. Think cool colours against warm colours

From sketch to final submission

Timeline

• September – I had just finished exhibiting artworks for a charity in Melbourne.
• Early October – Call outs were sent to exhibitors of that exhibition. I let them know I was keen.
• Late October – High res photo of artwork sent.
• Early November – This was when it was due. Send submissions early as you don’t know the competition. I sent mine 1 week before the deadline.
• Mid Nov – Advised the work was being used. Alot happens here. By the end I had completed the Media Release forms, given a short bio, and been advised of how many copies I would receive.