Copyright

Copyright is a intellectual property right that helps protect your work from being used by others without your permission. Intellectual property rights are automatic rights. This means that once you have created the idea or invention you have automatically gained these rights. However, no one can own an idea, not without creating something. Every idea has previously been inspired by something else. Copyright laws prevent other companies from using your work and making a profit from it.
By copyrighting your work you are allowing yourself to chose what happens to your work.

There are 4 major types of copyright:
Patent - Helps protect an invention or idea you made and prevents others from using the idea.
Designs - Help protect the visuals of the idea. Everything has been inspired by something else that someone else has created before you. By copyrighting you are able to decide how to tackle who
Trademark - Legally registered by use as representing a company or product.
All of these allow you to have the protection without applying for anything.

The Pitch - Lino printing

I have chose the method lino printing because it is one of my favourite printing methods. It is a very useful technique to use when mass producing work. Lino printing is a similar to wood block printing except with linoleum and not wood. This is a great technique to create more artistic curves and grooves into a design in comparison to wood block printing. Lino printing is no longer used in companies anymore - it is mainly used in the fine art world.

What you will need:

• Something to draw on the linoleum block such as pen or pencil.
• Linoleum block
• Brayer (ink roller)
• Glass/plastic surface 
• Paper
• Oil based printer's ink
• Lino handle 
• Lino cutter

Firstly, you draw out the design onto your piece of linoleum block. Then you use a lino handle and cutter.  The lino cutter is a V-shaped gouge that is especially for cutting into lino. Any parts or the lino that is left uncut would be the part that will print onto paper. The ink is then rolled onto a flat surface evenly before you roll it onto your lino. Once you have rolled ink onto the design, use the paper to print out the image.
There are many different ways to cut out the lines to create different effects. By using the lino cutter to cut into the linoleum it would make the line that had been cut out, negative space. People tend to use the negative space around the illustration and the printed images as a block illustration. Each cut makes a really good texturised effect on the page.
Many famous artists have used this method. Picasso is one of the most famous printmakers. He made some of his lino prints by using 'reductive' print methods.

Publishing

'Individual or corporation responsible for the printing and distribution of digital or printed publications. Publishers also handle the marketing efforts for the publications and usually are not the creator of the material. Publishers simply serve as the intermediary between the author of the publication and the consumer market' - Business dictionary.
There are different types of publications such as:

• Editorial
• Design
• Sales and marketing 
• Binding 
• Printing
• Distribution

There are many more sub categories that specialize in different areas of publishing that require different amounts of illustrative work. 

General or consumer groups

• Mass market -  including paper backs
• 60% of industry sales in the uk
• Best selling fiction
• Best selling non fiction 

Small press

• Independent publishers 
• Small percentage of market
• More daring production
• Rise in demand

Children's books

• Growing market - both print and digital
• Picture books
• Younger fiction
• General fiction
• Teenage fiction
• Non-fiction

Journals

• Educational 
• Academic
• Reference
• Scientific
• Professional
• Medical

Editorial

• Newspaper
• Periodicals
• Magazines
• Small press like Zines

Areas of publishing

• Editorial
• Design
• Production
• Marketing
• Distribution
• Legal
• Administration

I have chosen the book 'Winnie the Pooh'. I like this book because I grew up reading it and E.H.Shepard is a great illustrator who I have taken a lot of inspiration from. The whole concept of these series of books is really inspirational to me. The published is Methuen & Co Ltd. (London). It was founded in 1889 by Sir Algernon Methuen and began publishing in 1892.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/publisher.html

Consumer

Knowing who the consumer is when you're trying to sell them your work is really important. The consumer is the person who purchases your goods and services (the person who ends up with the end product). Typically people and economists talk of the consumer as a stereotype, with little capability to think individuality - not whether to buy the product or not. There is a trend in marketing to individualize the concept, engaging in mass customisation to appeal more to consumers.

As an illustrator, you want to create something that the consumer wants, with regards to what the illustrator wants themselves. It is possible to trick the consumer into thinking that they want what you want by influencing their decisions. The way the consumer can access products and be influenced, is changing rapidly in the digital age. This is creating more targeted user demographic and it also means more information about different consumer groups can be gathered.

The consumer is ever changing and what they want changes within a digital world much faster, and companies are constantly competing for the next big thing. Marketing companies work hard on influencing the consumer so that they want what the companies have. The consumer is always the central focus when creating work in a commercial world.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions
Exhibitions are a way of presenting your work by putting it on display for others to see. You mostly find exhibitions in art galleries or museums. They are used as a way to promote yourself as a designer and gain recognition. They vary in sizes depending on how big the event is. It is a great way to showcase your work to others. It's important to know your target market when thinking about where to exhibit your work. 

There are many different kinds of exhibiting your work...

Residencies
An artist in residency are programs that allow artists and other creatives to work away from their usual environment and obligations.
Galleries or museums can employ an illustrator or designer to create work for an exhibition. 
Included is their accommodation and monthly wage. This is a good ay to exhibit your work except the work has been commissioned by them, which legally means they own it and therefore can muti produce you work. 


Festivals
Festivals are a great way to meet other illustrators and showcase your work. There are lots of fun workshops and useful talks from big illustrators and designers. This would be a good place to exhibit your work because 

Hastings illustration, Illustrative Berlin is the biggest festival for illustration, The london illustration fair. 

Industry Structure

DESIGN HOUSES
A design house is a company that employs individual illustrators and graphic designers to work on briefs from clients in the design house and externally. The employees are to work within their 'house style'.
Case study: 'I love dust' http://ilovedust.com/

FREELANCE
A freelancer is a person who works for themselves - is self-employed. They must work from a legal structure. Unlike a design house, they must secure commissioned work themselves. They can be represented by an agency who will sell their work for them and will take a percentage of their earnings.
Case study: - 'Ed Grace' http://www.edgrace.co.uk/

NETWORKS
Building a network has been made much easier with online social networking sites like behance and Facebook.

• Building a network
• Support your market
• Introduce to new markets
• Expanding opportunities
• Creative CV's

COLLABORATION

• Building a network
• Support your market
• Introduce to new markets
• Expanding opportunities

EXHIBITIONS

• Selling artwork
• Originals
• Limited editions
• Site specific
• Installations
• Self initiated 
• Commissioned

COMETITIONS

• National and International recognition
• Opens up possibilities
• Exposure to a wider audience
• Work is often exhibited or published
• Potential prize money

Agencies

Illustrators are represented by an agency or work in house.
If you work for an agency you work within the house style. If you are freelance or represented by an agency, you are employed for your individual illustration style.

Agencies work on behalf of illustrators. They find the illustrator new clients, help promote the illustrator, develop their portfolios and give the illustrator feedback on their work.

Where do you see yourself?
I would like to be represented by an agency and eventually become freelance. I think that being a part of an agency is important for me as an illustrator to help me understand which area of illustration I would like to go into the most. An agency would also help me make contacts which could benefit me later on if I become freelance. I would even like to consider starting my own illustration agency eventually. However, I don't want to limit myself to one area of illustration style;  I want to leave the door open for many job opportunities and set myself apart from others.

How do you want yourself to be represented?

I'm not sure how I would like to be represented just yet. I think I need more information on the pros and cons of being apart of an agency before I decide.
I'd like to learn more about the cuts they take out of your profit and how much work on average you would get.

How do you want to be perceived by the market?

I want my illustrations to be recognisable by the style so I am probably most suited to freelance work rather than working for a design house.

How do you want to win commissions?
I'm not entirely sure yet.