Below is a talk that Deb gave. When, where, and to whom she gave this talk, I do not know. This page is not part of Deb’s original web site.
A Talk
Deborah M. Allen
Deborah M. Allen
I started working as an Illustrator in 1974 while still in college. My college education began while I was still in High school. Art Center School then in Los Angeles awarded me a scholarship to attend figure drawing classes. I started working after school and summers when I was 15 years old as a silk screen printer. When my family moved to New York, I entered Southampton College on Long Island, NY. I received a B.A. in Visual Arts with Honors. I had a strong interest in art history, so I took a course in college at Parrish Art Museum and became a curator intern. I quickly discovered that handling other people’s artwork was not as much fun as making my own work. So in my senior year, I took an internship as a Design Illustrator. I continued to work as a Design Illustrator until I found an opportunity to work in Europe in the Army. I had been to Europe as a sophomore in college and wanted to return and see more. In the army I worked on preparing briefings for the generals at Army Air Defense Command and on secret army regulations.
I can’t show you any of this work because you don’t have secret security clearances and you have to be investigated by the Army etc. first. When I returned from Europe after 3 yrs. in Germany, I became a Freelance Illustrator and started to sell wood cuts in sidewalk shows. I met my husband and took time off to start a family. After all of my children began to go to school, I started to accept work again. I also volunteered to teach art at Neuse. But the need for more time to work as an illustrator forced me to focus on illustration and getting computer skills. Computer skills are very important to illustrators now . (I will show art work during the talk).
Since I work as a Freelance Illustrator, I set my own daily routine. My work time is from 8:00 to 11:00 in the morning most days. But if I need to finish a project, I may work all day until I finish it. Even when I'm not working on art work, I'm thinking about it and planning what I will do next.
Artists never stop creating. Good drawing skills are very important. I draw on paper or in my head all the time. I have paper or a sketch book always nearby to draw my ideas or something I see. (Here’s the sketch book I keep in my car). This is my latest project. Its an eagle to be used on a lamp. I had to look at many paintings and drawing then draw many eagles before the client decided which one he wanted. (I’ll show the drawings)
As a Freelance Illustrator I get paid for each project I finish. Sometimes I get paid part before I begin and the rest when I finish. The amount varies a great deal. For the illustration of the Neuse Baptist church that you see on the church pens I got nothing. For this eagle I’ve received $ 1,000.00 with the promise of $1,000.00 more on completion and royalties from the lamp sales.
Art can be very time consuming, and I have to force myself to put the pencil down at times. My family needs me more than art.
Copyright © 2013 by Thomas Coley Allen
I can’t show you any of this work because you don’t have secret security clearances and you have to be investigated by the Army etc. first. When I returned from Europe after 3 yrs. in Germany, I became a Freelance Illustrator and started to sell wood cuts in sidewalk shows. I met my husband and took time off to start a family. After all of my children began to go to school, I started to accept work again. I also volunteered to teach art at Neuse. But the need for more time to work as an illustrator forced me to focus on illustration and getting computer skills. Computer skills are very important to illustrators now . (I will show art work during the talk).
Since I work as a Freelance Illustrator, I set my own daily routine. My work time is from 8:00 to 11:00 in the morning most days. But if I need to finish a project, I may work all day until I finish it. Even when I'm not working on art work, I'm thinking about it and planning what I will do next.
Artists never stop creating. Good drawing skills are very important. I draw on paper or in my head all the time. I have paper or a sketch book always nearby to draw my ideas or something I see. (Here’s the sketch book I keep in my car). This is my latest project. Its an eagle to be used on a lamp. I had to look at many paintings and drawing then draw many eagles before the client decided which one he wanted. (I’ll show the drawings)
As a Freelance Illustrator I get paid for each project I finish. Sometimes I get paid part before I begin and the rest when I finish. The amount varies a great deal. For the illustration of the Neuse Baptist church that you see on the church pens I got nothing. For this eagle I’ve received $ 1,000.00 with the promise of $1,000.00 more on completion and royalties from the lamp sales.
Art can be very time consuming, and I have to force myself to put the pencil down at times. My family needs me more than art.
Copyright © 2013 by Thomas Coley Allen