I’ve been twittering now for about 3 months. Long enough to have let the cosmic dust settle a bit, and the roaring chaos whirling by no longer leaves me panting on the floor, wondering HOW THE HELL do I get myself into these things? A few Twitter tools later… a whole lot of sizing things up or down… follow here or don’t… And I’ve emerged a much better artist, maybe even person! I survived, anyway…

Okay! A few days ago, a tweet flew by, amongst many, but the title of the Photoshop tool grabbed my eye and I clicked up to the blog. “Free Hi-Res Photoshop Brushes: Romantic Disasters” is the title, and indeed, there are 10 bee-yoo-ti-ful, FREE new brushes. The blog is at:

http://www.bittbox.com/freebies/free-hi-res-photoshop-brushes-romantic-disasters/

What I loved about this set was that they not only were beautiful, but they also are GRUNGE… thus the title “disasters” – and Grunge has become a real favorite of mine. It has the aura of nostalgia or vintage, and that has long been a favorite of mine, Victoriana Gurl and/or One Shabby Chick. (In progress, sorry )

Here is #10 in the series:

Romantic Disasters Photoshop Brushes, No. 10

The brush provided a beautifully lacey, romantic overlay to the primary background of mountains, lake, and shimmering sunburst over the mountains. The orange tones provided the setting for the theme of the artwork, which is ‘butterflies.’ A bit mystical and dreamy began to transpire in the work’s message, which was my intent. This is the first in a series for an illustrated book by the same title as this image: Butterfly Dreams.

I am thrilled at the outcome. I am jumping over having this new brush set in my Photoshop arsenal! Was I surprised to find this on Twitter? You betcha! Will I be surprised the next time around? No way, in fact my eyes are peeled for the next great tool… on Twitter!

Please take the time to comment! I value your visit, and your feedback!

Butterfly Dreams - ©2009 Leanne Boyd

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

Tweet This Post

One Intense Desire: Your Book In Print

If you are anything like me, as a creative with more than one goal, one intense desire… then you probably have either already gone the publishing route, or you wish to at some point in your artist’s career. There are so many facets to publishing! And once you dive into print book publication, you will realize that, again (and again and again), your learning curve will catapult. If you have several to many years in online publishing, however, you will find that a lot of that knowledge fits neatly with the print world.

The Artist’s Eye… The Publishing House Stance

The following article gives a good overview of processes. But I do hope you will also view the two videos below. The first one, you will probably find familiar to your own pathway. I sure did! My early years’ collections of artwork, studies, sketches, mirrored this video artist’s experience. The second video gives a view from a publishing house stance.

How To Find A Suitable Literary Agent

by Joesph Duff

 
Have you considered contacting a literary agent to help you publish your masterpiece? A literary agent can help you achieve what you have failed to achieve by yourself.

A literary agent can really increase your chances of publication. A great literary agent who has the right contacts in the publishing world can make it a lot easier for you.

Every day publishing houses get submission after submission of books proposals. Appointing a literary agent is a simple way where you can get your book in front of the right people.

But where can you find the literary agent who is best for you?

When you’re searching for a literary agent there are a range of different resources that will assist you.

One such tool that you will find useful to find a great literary agent is via a literary agent guide. Literary Marketplace is one such guide and it can be found in most bookshops and libraries.

However there are other alternatives such as the Guide to Literary Agents and the Writer’s Market guide. These guides contain contact and other details about literary agents as well as handy hints.

Since the development of the internet, the ability of finding a suitable literary agent has become a whole lot easier. Just start with a search in Google using ‘literary agent’ as your search phrase. You will find enough agents to choose from. In a matter of seconds you will be provided the literary agent’s websites and information on how to contact them.

How do you know if the literary agent is right for you?

The best manner to find the right agent is by comparing your book to other published works. If the editor and agent already publish books that are of a similar nature to yours then they might be interested in yours as well. However do be careful as literary agents come in all shapes and sizes and you ought to analyse their fee structure, credentials, testimonials and level of success before you make your decision.

It is time to go and get your book published. Go do your research and get yourself a literary agent.

About the Author:

There is nothing like a Published Book to widen doors for you and to lead you to opportunities that you dream of. Unfortunately, there is nothing like the book publishing industry to keep you from getting what you want. To find out more information on ways to get your book published by Clicking Here

 

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

Tweet This Post

By Dwayne Whiting

Children’s books are not always about the words and the morals. Sometimes children’s books are about the illustration.

Contrary to popular belief, most children’s book illustrators are actually hired by the publishing company rather than the author of the book. Sometimes this can be upsetting for prospective children’s book writers that really wanted to illustrate their book according to their own visions.

Sadly, most publishers have artists they already like to use. So if you are a children’s book writer that badly wants to illustrate their own book, you are left with only a few options:

Option 1 – Self publish

It’s an incredibly difficult process, but self publishing may be one of the only ways to publish your children’s book with your own illustrations. Selling them can be an arduous task, though the internet does provide a way for you to try to sell your story.

Companies that allow you to self publish are available almost anywhere, though they often charge hefty fees in order to allow you to print your work. Often times this method is best when you have a lot of time to dedicate to marketing the book and money to dedicate to its printing. Still, this may be the best option for those that simply don’t want to find another provider.

Option 2 – Show the publisher that you are an artist

It may be difficult to self-publish, but it is even more difficult to convince a publishing house that you are both a writer and an artist – especially when they don’t know you. When you first send a manuscript, these companies do not want to receive manuscript after manuscript filled with unprofessional illustrations clogging up their mailbox and wasting paper.

But that does not mean it is impossible. If you perfect your images to show these publishers that you truly are the artist meant to take the lead on the work, you can get your work published together. If it is your first time publishing, however, be sure and expect a few extra rejections than you would normally get. The busiest publishers will not even look at a manuscript if it appears that a lot of superfluous paperwork has arrived with it.

Option 3 – Design the templates for the art, but allow the publisher to find the illustrator themselves

Before you assume you are the best person to illustrate the work, consider for a moment: Are you really the best artist for the work? Or do you simply have a vision you want to portray? If it is the former, consider options 1 or 2, but if, like most people, it is the latter – consider drawing out rough sketches of your visions but allowing the publisher to do what they do best. These sketches should be professional, as always, but at least you are not imposing something on the publishing company that they may not be happy with.

Option 4 – Illustrate?

For some people, publishing a children’s book is a goal not because of the story, but because of the illustration. In these cases, why not consider sending in samples to publishing companies and becoming just an illustrator instead? If you prefer to paint or draw and children’s book storylines are less important, becoming an illustrator is always an option. And, once your foot is in the door, you can always come out with a children’s book of your own someday.

These days, “Children’s books” have become synonymous with “colorful illustration.” Because of this, many people want to publish a children’s book with their own illustrations. If this is the case for you, consider one of these three options. You may not get exactly what you want, but you can still be a children’s book creator regardless.

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

Tweet This Post

I’ve been known to say, since the age of 16, that all I’ve ever wanted to be is Maurice Sendak in a skirt. Listen, if you do not know who Sendak is, then your childhood was deprived. If you never met Max, then you probably don’t have the proper gratitude-thermometer for all the nice things in your life.

Stay tuned… My goal is for a very expanded section on Children’s Illustration and books. A lifelong dream… I have two published kids’ books, and more upcoming

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

Tweet This Post

10 Hot eBook Design Elements That Every eBook Maker Must Know!

by Kieren Moran

 
Everyone would like to increase the amount of sales and conversions that their product achieves, and one very good way to achieve this quickly is by using highly effective eBook design methods. There are just a few things that you must be doing with your eBook to ensure higher conversions and fewer refund requests. Although seemingly simple, these eBook cover design points can be considered among the most important because they are the aspects which tell your web page visitor exactly what your product is about, and will most times be used to judge the rest of your eBook contents.

Since you want your customers to appreciate you new eBook both before AND after they have bought, it is recommended that you use good eBook design within the eBook layout also.

The Right eBook Cover Design

Three core values that your eBook cover design should present include a high degree of professionalism, enhancement in the viewer’s level of perceived value, and an artistic and presentable appearance.

There are a number of ways for you to make sure that your cover design is effective. You should not rush the creation of your eBook cover design. You are going to want an eBook cover design with a readable font style and size, an image that fits well with the concept of the eBook, and a design that is visually appealing without any clutter.

When readers see your visually appealing eBook cover design, they will be much more likely to trust that the content inside your eBook is authoritative, well written and professional, and this will create more conversions and more sales than ever before.

eBook Design

The inside eBook design on the other hand has a different set of requirements. You should include images in your eBook design, but they should be proportionate to the written content rather than overwhelming it.

Fonts And Ease Of Reading
When it comes to the font color used inside your eBook design, you need to remember that reading is tiring after a while- and so anything you can do to make the text easier to read will be appreciated. This means usually a black text on a white background is best, with few exceptions within text boxes and the like.

Interactive Table Of Contents
You should also make sure to include a table of contents for easy browsing, so that your readers can find what they are looking for without a hassle, and also make each section of it click-able using internal page links.

Easy-To-Maneuver Layout
A well written, well put together eBook design is one that utilizes readable fonts and colors, a solid and easy to maneuver layout and short pages in a font that is sized well not only for reading on a computer, but also for printing as well.

The average page of your eBook should be approximately 300 words, which leaves enough room for a chapter title and an image if you so choose. You should not include images on every page, as this can bog down the appearance of your eBook.

Print Your Book For A Refreshed View
To help get a much needed new perspective on your eBook design you should consider also printing a portion of it out onto paper. Simply seeing it in ink will often times trigger new ideas and help you make the changes you’re after.

Excellent Design = Higher Conversion Rate!
Having a well designed eBook will often help you attract higher conversion rates and sales online. If it is easy to tell that you have put much time and energy into your eBook then your customers will appreciate your efforts… leading to them telling others about your attractive and helpful eBook.
 

About the Author:

Kieren P. Moran has done ebook cover design for years. His approach is creative and unique, and yet his turn-around time is second to none. He currently specializes in doing great ebook design for clients the world over but is based on the site called TrustyCovers.com.

 

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

Tweet This Post

Sometimes… words ruin the entire effect.

A Wisely Chosen Illustration - Visit often to view my most current digital illustration!

My most current digital illustration:

Butterfly Dreams - ©2009 Leanne Boyd

©2010 Leanne Boyd - 1WebDiva.com. All Rights Reserved.

Tweet This Post