I'd like to see my art in that magazine/newspaper

November 11, 2018 2:04 PM

How do artists get their art published for articles and such?

I follow a lot of young cartoonists (instagram and facebook) and I see their art getting showcased at a local newspaper/magazine and even bigger publications such as the New York Times and Guardian.

Is there a particular way to have them select your work? Do artists just randomly send their portfolios to publications in hopes of getting a response? Is that even realistic? Or do I absolutely need to have strings pulled? or know someone?

I realize that they probably get tons of submissions from a bunch of artists - but are there any tips to stand out? I know having my art published on some magazine can be a fruitless endeavor and I'm not searching for some validation - but it's just a personal goal of mine and I feel confident in my work. I feel like I've worked hard to refine my style and I'd like to try.

Thanks for the advice!

posted by morning_television to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Hey there! I spent many years as an art director for magazines, some major, some less so, and a big part of my job was commissioning illustrators. I generally learned about illustrators via three routes:

1. Printed promotional pieces mailed to my office
2. Promotional emails sent to my work email account, usually from an artists rep or email list service
3. Finding them from my own browsing online and of social media

I would generally hire illustrators whose work stood out to me and whose style fit the publication. It was rare that I hired someone due to connections (if ever), but that may just be me.

So yeah, I would say just send your work to publishers who you think are a good fit for your work. Use a service like Constant Contact to create your promotional emails and track the response.

As for standing out, the only thing that ever made an artist stand out for me was their art. So make sure a lot of your art is out there for people to see! Post it on your web site, Twitter, and instagram, and then track down the art directors you want to work for and follow them. They’ll take a look at what you’ve got and maybe follow you back for future reference.

Good luck, and don’t give up!
posted by ejs at 2:27 PM on November 11, 2018 [5 favorites]

Would also recommend illustrating articles from these publications to practice. Pick an article as a prompt and illustrate it. That way your portfolio website will be full of work that's relevant to your prospective clients. Also, if you're sending promo don't send it every week ---- every other month or every few months is what I do.
posted by Geameade at 3:01 PM on November 11, 2018