An Afternoon with Bill Mayer
Last week, I asked Bill Mayer for the chance to visit his studio in Decatur. Over the course of the afternoon he took me on a tour of his studio and shared his illustration process, all the way from thumbnail to final art to storage and organization. I also had the opportunity to sit in as he taught a Professional Practices class at his studio, and to enjoy some Mexican for lunch with his wife Lee and assistant Goni. Mayer is as clever and likable as you would imagine when viewing his illustrations.
Sketchbooks
Bill Mayer’s intelligent work is completely uncensored in his many sketchbooks, which I had the pleasure of perusing. I was astounded when Mayer’s assistant Goni Montes, whose portfolio can be viewed at Goniart.com, claimed that the pile of sketchbooks I saw was “only the tip of the iceberg.� These journals are an excellent way of experimenting with different techniques. In the illustration field it is essential to remain fresh. Bill’s continued search and discovery of new mediums and methods keep his process from becoming “like an assembly line.� Mayer sketches in his books all the time, even while watching TV. He also draws in them when ideas pop into his mind during or after work on other illustrations. This is especially convenient because his supplies are already out. He also uses when he travels or “whenever (he) is held captive somewhere.�
In one of the funniest entries, he depicted various calamities befalling some obnoxious unchecked children who were disturbing him on a plane. Mayer jokingly suggested that this form of self expression was a healthy way of dealing with hostile urges.
Bill also pastes old postage stamps in the books and uses them as the starting point for illustration. This method is where the idea for “My Ego is Bigger than your Ego� began. The illustration was completed for an article advising couples of ways to put spice back in their marriages. When an art director saw Mayer’s sketchbook drawing of the profiles cut from two stamps placed on the crotch area of a male and female body, he loved the idea. Mayer’s use of sketchbooks have also produced the witty results “Sheephenge� and “The Bunny Bones.�
Mayer’s Work
Mayer’s illustrations have a wide range of style from the minimal color used in his skeleton series to the vivid palate used in his frog series. I was inspired by the bold violent splotches of crimson used in the otherwise black and white piece “Termite Killing Machine.�
Bill Mayer has worked for clients such as The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, the Wall Street Journal, Mattel, Cartoon Network, Levi’s, Jose’ Cuervo, Time, IBM, Delta Airlines, Yupo, and RJR Nabisco, to name a few.
He is especially gifted at character development. A few of my favorites are the bald man in the piece for Yupo and the huge purple gorilla in the Gorilla Gum Packaging.
The Process
Mayer has worked on concept drawings for animated movies such as Ice Age and Robots. He prefers freelancing, where his schedule is less predictable. He elaborated on the pros of free-lancing, explaining that freelance illustrators are able to enjoy that “optimistic white space� at the end of one job before beginning another.
I asked Bill if there was ever a time when he could not see eye to eye with an art director. He said his job is to make it look good regardless. He continued, “You can’t give up just because you don’t like an idea.� Mayer likes it best to work as a team and come up with ideas together.
Bill sometime blows up his original thumbnails to maintain the naive quality in a tiny sketch. This way it is easy to ensure the essence of the idea is not lost. It is also useful when he wishes to give a piece a folk art feel.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned from Bill is that even as a creative person he values organization. Being especially disorganized myself, I plied him with questions on this topic. Mayer begins a new folder for each job he undertakes and places the job number on each piece, and every copy, both hard and soft, that relates to that job. He also keeps all reference materials related to a job to save time when he is recommissioned by the same art director. All art is backed up on hard drive and on CD.
Advice to Young Illustrators
In this economy starting out as an illustrator can be difficult, but on the bright side Mayer believes that most illustrators are good people and are happy to help out the next generation, because they remember what it’s like to be in our shoes. Mayer is certainly a prime example of this generous spirit.
Some other advice he has for those of us just starting out is to enter as many shows and competitions as possible. The more you enter, the more likely you are to gain recognition. But beware: in addition to entry fees, publication fees are also charged to those participants selected. If you are not selected for publication in the first few contests you enter, do not lose heart. It is important to have a thick skin. The contest results can be influenced by luck-based factors like your placement in the pile of entries. For example, if your work is viewed when judges are drowsy after lunch, you may be overlooked. Also, if your work is in a pile of sub-par pieces, you may be lumped together with these pieces. So remember, persistence pays off.
While e-mail and direct mailers are important, they are only “a piece of the puzzle.� Some art directors won’t call until they’ve seen a few cards from you to make sure you are serious. Although you might not receive any responses right away, it is possible that your card has been filed away and may be pulled out at a later date.
Young illustrators seeking work should come up with a “hit list� of those you most want to work for. Research these potential clients and learn everything you can about them. You can even add a personal message, or paint the envelope to set you apart.
Remember, the players are always changing. Half of the job is keeping track of who is in charge of choosing illustrators. Really good art directors are only at their job for 5-6 years before becoming creative directors.
These days, stock illustration has taken over much of the lower paying jobs, but do not give up. Put together your best work and get it up on your web site. Mailers and postcards are great reminders and a great way to direct people to your web site. Be very critical of what goes on your site; some art directors judge you by your worst piece.
Gallery Work is a Useful Tool.
Although buying space in directories can be expensive, it is best to view these fees as future investments. Turn-around usually takes at least a year. If you choose to buy space in one or more of these directories, you may want to consider purchasing space for 2 pages or an entire spread to ensure that you are noticed
Anything artists can do to get their work out there is beneficial. Interactive promotions are an especially great way to get noticed--the more fun the better! Mayer has created Halloween masks, one of which includes his famous Curious George Bush character (originally created for The Village Voice), and Christmas ornaments. The templates for these fun pieces are sent along in his e-mails and can be printed out and enjoyed. These clever mailers have a high chance to be viewed by more than the original recipient.
Portfolio Center students share a strong desire to communicate ideas, the willingness to let go of preconceived notions, and the compulsion to learn new ways of thinking. These qualities are fostered by the school’s constant stream of industry bigwigs, who bring their varied and colorful perspectives from all over the country. These creatives, who are always generous with their time and energy, tend to hang out with students, conducting informal workshops and continuing the day’s discussions over dinner. Often, what results are provocative interviews—written, shot, and designed by PC students.
