For the third year in a row, the Illustrators of AGM want to help out any way they can and are offering to work for FREE. The exclusive offer is available to non-profit organizations and charities that wouldn’t normally have the budget to commission original illustrations from the Montreal-based agency. AGM Founder Anna Goodson said: “We’ve been very fortunate and wanted to give something back to the industry. There are so many organizations out there that don’t have the budgets to spend on original illustrations. That’s why we wanted to help and offer our services for FREE.” Founded in 1996, AGM is a boutique-style International agency that serves the global marketing needs of the visual arts community. Today, AGM’s illustrators work alongside some of the world’s leading advertising agencies, design firms, magazines, publishers and newspapers. Anna continued: “Our exclusive offer is only available to non-profit organizations and charities, until February 29th, 2012. If you’d like to find out more, please send us an email or just give us a call. Anna Goodson Management http://www.agoodson.com info@agoodson.com 1. 514.482-0488

We’ve worked really hard on it for over 6 months now and finally its ready to download for FREE.

Whenever I come up with a new idea for a promo, I always want it to be AMAZING!

I decided this year that instead of printing a promo book like we have done many times in the past, we would venture out into the complete unknown and come with a promo that was fun, interactive and would showcase the Original Illustrators that we represent here at AGM.

I was really hoping to launch the App in the beginning of September 2011 but since this was the first App I’ve ever worked on, there was a lot of learning and lots of trial and error.  It reminded me of working on my first website back in the Spring of 1996.  I didn’t have a clue what a website was and therefore didn’t really know what we could or could not do.

Well it was the same with the App and I am happy to say that I learned a great deal in the process of working on  it.  I was also really lucky and spoiled to work with an amazing design team at Sputnik  of Toronto and can not thank them enough for their insight, vision and creativity of The Anna Goodson Management App.  David and Sarah did a wonderful  job and if you download the app, you will see for yourself how great the creative is.

As with everything we do at AGM your opinion is really important to us, so if you have a minute, please download our NEW FREE Anna Goodson Management APP, play around with it and let me know what you think.

We hope you like it!

Anna

HALLOWEEN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!

Come join the fun and participate in our AGM Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest.

Be as wild and creative as you’d like!

If you can not get a hold of a pumpkin in your area, feel free to use any vegetable or fruit.

The important thing is that you carve it yourself. Original carved pumpkins only, no generic stencil cut pumpkins allowed!

To submit a pumpkin yourself, please register for this website and submit your pumpkin as a news post. REGISTRATION LINK

Please VOTE AND LEAVE COMMENTS  on the pumpkins below and in the archives!

Please only submit one pumpkin. Once submitted as a news post it will be reviewed and published on the site for voting ASAP.

Have fun and get carving!

Voting ends at 12pm on November 1st, 2011. The top three entries will be posted on AGM’s website the first week of November.

2.Perfect your style. Work on having a distinct style that you have mastered over time.  If you work in several styles, choose one and focus on it.   Your work should be recognizable. Your style should belong to you.  If you can achieve that, then that’s a huge advantage.  Think of the illustrators that you love; you can always recognize their work right away when you see it.  Never try to copy a style that you think is successful, create your own, be original.

3. Think globally and not locally.  This is one of the great advantages of being an illustrator.  You can live anywhere and work with clients everywhere.

4. Create a personal website.  It doesn’t need to be complex or complicated.  Think of it as your online portfolio to showcase your work.  Keep it simple, clean and easy to navigate.

5. Sign on to some of the great websites that promote illustration.http://www.hireanillustrator.com, is a great one to get started. There are several out there and always do your research before signing on.

6. Keep busy working on your style even when you have no commissions in hand.

7. Get out of your studio or workspace to go for walks or a run or to take some fresh air.  It’s important to get away from your work and take some time to “smell the flowers”. You will feel much better and be in a better mood when you get back.

8. Participate in International contests.  This is a great way to get your name known and bring you some recognition if you are selected.  Look for contests that are reputable and not the ones that are just out there to take your money.

9. Always be sure to get everything in writing.  Make sure that you send your clients a written quote before starting a job and make sure they sign it or at least reply to an email that they agree with your conditions.  If everything is in writing , there will be no surprises.

10. Believe in yourself.  Enjoy what you are doing.  Never give up and stay passionate about your work.  Love what you do and success will come.  Nothing is more important than being happy in your career.

I’ve been asking myself this same question.

Several of the illustrators that I represent have been contacted by a Rep from New York, asking them to participate in his NEW illustration contest. This Rep has been contacting illustrators that he has found on various illustration websites and sending them information about his contest.

Now, being a Rep myself, I always thought that our main duty and function was to find work for the illustrators that we represent and promote their work. The contest that this Rep is running states that you could win $1000 and an all expense round trip to New York City with the chance to meet with various art directors and present your portfolio. I am trying to figure out how this type of promotion will help the artists on his roster.

Trust me, I know that business has been tough for a lot of people in our industry and everyone is doing what they can to get their name out in front, but is this really the best way? Is doing an Illustration Contest when you are a Rep really the way to go? So I went on the website to see how one would participate and to my surprise found that there is a fee of $25 dollars per entry.  Like I said, I know times are tough but to spend so much time and effort on promoting a contest open to all in the industry does not seem like the best way to develop business. I mean, most of the people who will be participating or at least checking out the site will be illustrators.  So in turn, the traffic that is generated by this contest will not be potential clients but other hungry illustrators.

Is the Rep doing this contest to make money from the entries?  One really has to ask this question to truly understand the reasoning behind this. Does the rep feel that there are not already enough illustration contests out there in the first place that he needs to add another one to the list? The tagline on the Reps website states “ The Future of Award Winning Illustrators”  is he referring to “his contest” when he states this?

I am also wondering what the 42 illustrators who he represents think about this contest and how it’s going to bring work in for them.

Additionally, on the site there are several sponsors who have lent their names and logos to promote this new contest.  Some quite reputable I might add. Of course, we all know too well that they are also suffering from the impact of the recession and how it has affected their business in the illustration industry. So it’s only natural that they should join forces and together as a group go after as many pieces of the pie as they can get their hands on.

I don’t want to seem overly critical because I love the creative ways that Reps and artists alike are developing business for themselves. We all need to be creative, intuitive, original and forward thinking. Again, as a Rep who has been in the business for over 15 years now,  I ask myself, is promoting an international illustration contest something a Rep should do or should we leave it to someone who is not so directly involved?

I will let you all decide for yourselves.

Anna Goodson

In our industry of Illustration, why doesn’t anyone tell the truth about want-to-be illustrators. It would save a lot of people a lot of heart ache down the road. Why don’t the teachers tell the student’s who have no talent for illustration, that they are wasting their time in a program that they are not cut out for. Is it because they need the enrollment? Would the teachers get fired? Shouldn’t the teachers send them down the hall to the guidance counselor to help them find something they are truly good at?

Over the years I have been contacted by thousands of want-to-be illustrators and I have always shied away from telling them the truth about their work.
I guess I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but am I doing them a favor by not telling them?
So many of the want-to-be illustrators are young and looking for direction. Maybe if I was brutally honest about their lack of talent, they would look at other options.

Today, the illustration industry is flooded with people who “claim” to be illustrators. It seems like its one of those fields that everyone thinks they are good at. Its like they think because friends and parents compliment them about their artwork that they should illustrate professionally. I mean I put my daughters art work up all over the house and tell her how amazing she is but that’s a mother talking, not an agent.

On last nights American Idol show, Jennifer Lopez broke down and felt she could not go on because it was too painful telling one of the contestants that he was not going to move on, that he was really not good enough to be the next American Idol. I can only imagine how I would feel if I were really honest about all the portfolios that I had to look at.

Should we lead people to believe that they have talent and potential when they really don’t. What is my job as a professional in this field? Some would say ” expert” in the illustration industry. I mean if I don’t tell them who will. How much time, money and energy will they have to spend before they find out its a dead end?

You have no idea at how much crap I get. Really, its that bad, I am not making this up.  Its amazing that these people really think they have a chance at landing a commission.

I wish I could show you.

Being the true Sagittarius that I am, I have a tendency to be brutally honest in most situations. Well when it comes replying to emails or critiquing work, I take extra precaution and try to be nice. My mother told me a little white lie never hurt anyone.

So If you send me your work and you ask me what I think, I will most likely not tell you exactly what I think, even though maybe I really should.

I woke up this morning and realized that its my birthday!  Well not “my” birthday but AGM‘s birthday!

Fifteen years ago this week, Anna Goodson Management was born.  I admit that I didn’t know all that much about the illustration industry back then but I made it my mission to learn everything I could.  There was a lot of trial and error which is really a great way to learn things.  It was mainly through my mistakes that I learned the most. I was always very ambitious and wanted to be the best, most respected agent/rep in the industry or the world for that matter.  Back then however I was a complete unknown.  Even in my own city, no one had heard of me or of the agency.  So lets just say I had my work cut out for me.

My mission was to help artists make a living doing what they loved.  So many of the early artists that I took  under my wing, where complete unknowns when I began representing them. It was an awful lot of work to represent complete unknowns but also a great challenge. I made it my mission to promote new and up and coming artists.  Over the years there have been so many great stories and great illustrators that started their careers being represented by Anna Goodson Management.  Here are but a few…

I took on  Marcos Chin right out of school.  He was desperate to find a rep.  No one in Toronto would take him on because he was a complete unknown.  He was just starting out and have very little money.  He was working on the floor because he could not afford a desk. After representing him for several months,   I remember him calling me to tell me because of my hard work and efforts he could now afford to buy a table and chair.  I went on get, negotiate and manage one of the biggest contracts of his and my careers, the Lavalife advertising campaign.

Nathalie Dion was just starting out barely making ends meet.  I met with her and saw her book and immediately wanted to sign her on.  She called me back to tell me she didn’t think she was interested in having me take her on. I had to basically convince her to let me represent her.  Today, Nathalie is swamped with work.  Back in 2008, we negotiated with BBDO Dubai to have her illustrations grace the billboards of a big designer shopping mall called The Walk. The every popular “Baby Books” from Urban Babies Wear Black to the most recent Sporty Babies Wear Sweats are a huge success.  Nathalie illustrations are just about everywhere, from magazines, to book covers to advertising.  Its been one hell of a ride that just keeps going strong.  Nat is not only a wonderful illustrator, she has also become a close personal friend, whom I love dearly.

Katy Lemay, fresh out of school was actually stalking me to take her on.  Her style was so different back then.  She use to pick stuff out of the garbage, clue it together and have it photographed.  It use to take about a week before we could get a final done.  To say she was “struggling” is a complete understatement.  She bugged me so much that I finally decided to take her on, at least stop her from stalking me.  Katy Lemay and her work has evolved so much since back then. Her illustrations have graced the pages of so many reputable magazines over the years, such as Harper’s, Runners World, The Boston Globe, Elle and many others. Her illustrations have been seen as well in many annual reports, corporate brochures and advertising campaigns.  Katy and I go back to the very beginning and I cherish her friendship and devotion after all these years.

I remember Isabelle Arsenault coming up to me at an Illustration contest to ask me if  I would have a look at her portfolio.  She was just graduating and wanted me to take her on.  I liked her spunk and more importantly I loved her work.  Her portfolio back then was kind of all over the place but I saw her potential. She went on to do other things and I have remained a fan.

Pablo Lobato was a complete unknown.  An illustrator living in Argentina, trying to get work with no avail.  Pablo couldn’t even get jobs from the local magazines.  I actually don’t remember how we first got in touch.  I don’t remember if I contacted him or he contacted me.  All I do remember is that as soon as I saw his work I was totally blown away and thought he was a genius.  My heart started pounding and I could not wait to take him on.  It was such an exciting feeling.  I remember emailing him and telling him that I had to get his work into Rolling Stone. I just saw it there.  Of course everyone wants to work with Rolling Stone but I knew in my heart that he would get in.  I hounded the art directors there non stop.  No, I didn’t personally know any of them, so I was cold calling.  I just kept telling Pablo that I would get him in.  I didn’t know how but I would.  Well finally the day came and they called.  I remember we were all screaming in the office.  Pablo was beside himself.  I was going to make him a famous illustrator.  I kept telling myself that and I kept telling him.  One day I got a call from Prince’s agent, or the artist formally know as Prince.  They wanted to buy an illustration that Pablo had done for a newspaper.  They wanted to buy all the rights.  I struggled to come up with what I thought was a fare budget.  When I told Pablo, he could not believe it.  He told me he told his mother and that she cried.  This I remember was one of the happiest days of my career.    Today Pablo is a regular contributor to Rolling Stone, The New Yorker and many many other reputable magazines around the world.  I am still his biggest fan and consider him a genius of our time.

Lino, Isabelle Cardinal, Violet, Janice and Monica I am still a great admirer of your work and appreciate your devotion after all these years!

There are so many more geniuses in our agency today that you need just have a peak at their portfolios to see for yourself.

Looking back , I want to thank all of the artist that I have had the honor of representing over the years. Weather you are still with us or not, thanks for your trust and for believing in me.  It was always a great honor to represent such talent.   I want to thank all the clients who have worked with us and trusted us over the years.  We really appreciate all the work you send our way.  I want to thank my staff, MJ and Sylvie, could not have done it without you.  I want to thank Darren and Jane who have become my extended family on the other side of the pond.

And last but most importantly, I want to thank  my family for all your support and love.  Everything I do, I do for you.

Last week my 6 year old daughter told me that she wanted to grow up and be an agent just like mommy.  I said “great, you are going to take over Anna Goodson Management” and she replied ” No mommy, I want to start my own agency and call it Sacha Goodson Management. “

Here is to the next 15 years at least, don’t want to have to compete with Sacha Goodson Managment.

Art, photography, graphic design and advertising played an important part of my upbringing.   We are four kids and back in the 90′s all four of us were working in advertising.  We use to all sit around the dinner table and all talk about what we were working on.  Today,  only my brother and myself, me indirectly, are working in the field.  My brother Scott, founded this little advertising agency a few years ago, that he named after some  kind of frog, a StrawberryFrog.  It’s a little agency that you might have heard of.  He has a few offices here and there around the world.  In fact, Scott kind of looks like Don physically but is not at all like him. Yes, he’s also a creative director but nothing like Don.  My brother is also really good-looking.  Not sure a sister can say that about a brother but he is or at least all the girls tell me he is.  Scott for one, doesn’t drink.   Well he drinks but not all as much as Don and never at the office or in the morning. He also never smoked, cigarettes.  My brother is also married to a beautiful blond.  I know what you are thinking, Betty.  No, my sister-in-law is not at all like Betty.  She’s the one that wears the pants in their family and she doesn’t ride horses.

I am getting off track here, back to Mad Men.  If you are one of the rare people who have not seen the show, I can’t say anything bad about it.    Mad Men really depicts the advertising  industry  during that era to a T, all the good, the bad and the ugly.   You really get a behind the scenes view of really what went on in the industry and in life in general during that time.    Everyone in the show drinks and smokes way more than I could have even imagined.  I remember during the first episode of season one how the smoking and drinking upstage everything else.  I was almost holding my breath for fear the smoke would transcend from the TV into my living room.  With each season we find ourselves being more and more drawn in.   I have yet to see the last episodes of season four and when I do, I know that I will be thinking only of one thing and that is,  how long before season five comes out?

I think it’s a great read for anyone in the industry, whether you are breaking in or trying to staying afloat.

To see how “Mad” our illustrators really are, click on the image bellow.