Frequently asked
There's no silly questions but I might give you silly answers
A sprinkling of creative services from graphic design to book illustrations. I love the variety of my work. One week I could be running a workshop on self-publishing and the next I be could designing an entire branding package. For a more detailed list of my services and creative projects visit my services page.
I can’t wait to hear about your creative vision, to commission me you can email me directly at he***@li*******.com or visit my contact page to submit a form. I work flexibly so please be patient with my response time, I might be meandering out in nature or more likely stuck on the couch with chippies in hand.
Here’s a couple of things to consider and what I’ll probably ask to provide you with a quote:
- Is it for personal or commercial use? ie. is this a family portrait or a design that will be used in a book?
- What your timeframe for delivery is. Our creative schedules might not align so it’s best to give me an idea of when you’re hoping to have everything signed, sealed and delivered.
- If you have a budget in mind. I know, I know, that’s why you’re emailing me for a quote but if you’ve got a budget in mind it’s super helpful for me to know. My designs are an investment and most projects normally start from $2,000 as a guide.
Absolutely! I love book illustrations, they are my absolute favourite thing to design. I’m also a graphic designer and illustrator, so it’s like a combo deal. I can design your cover and even mock it up so you know what it’ll look like printed!
Pricing really varies on the project. Which I know doesn’t give you the clearest answer. Licensing and usage is a big one that will vary the cost of illustrations and design. For example, a book print of 1,000 with Australian distribution for 3 years will be a different price for a marketing flyer with a run of 500 and a distribution of 6 months.
For books, I take into consideration royalties, usage and distribution. For graphic design, I normally take into consideration usage and distribution.
I use the Australian Society of Authors pay rates as a guide when quoting book illustrations and design. You can find this information here to give you an idea of what rates are expected in the industry.
One of the first things to understand about working with me is I love organisation and a clear plan. Creativity cannot be rushed but it can be gently shaped into achievable objectives and that’s what my clients love about working with me.
The following is a summary of my standard design process, depending on the complexity of the project this will scale accordingly.
Stage | Description |
---|---|
Briefing | This stage is where we’ll work together on outlining your project goals. Taking into consideration your vision, aspirations, branding, tone and timeframe. It’s also a great time for a coffee and chat. – Initial onboarding questions |
Moodboard and Colour Palette | There are many emotions that colour and design can convey. This is why selecting the right palette from the beginning is important. In this stage, I’ll create a mood board and colour palette that will visually guide the design process. This is also an excellent checkpoint to ensure we’re on the same page stylistically. |
Design Outlines | In this stage, I’ll sketch out each illustration. Now, these will be roughly drawn images and details will most likely be left out. This is a great way for us to quickly visualise the movement, focal point and angle of the design. Revisions at this point are common. |
Design Refinement | Once you’ve approved the design outlines I’ll move into the refinement stage. This is where I’ll create the full design work using the colour palette and style we’ve agreed on. In this proposal, I’ll have included revision time to this stage. You’ll be sent the designs for approval and feedback. |
Handover | The final stage and one of the most exciting. Depending on the licensing agreement we’ve come to you’ll receive your files on handover. Commonly they are print or digital-ready files for your convenience. At this stage, the project will be closed and your work will be made public (if that’s how you’re sharing it!). |
I sure can! Normally I have my own variation of styles that I work in, like watercolours and pencils and of course my love of pink! I believe in being mindful and respectful of others’ cultures and will not work in a style that I believe is an overstep into something that is not appropriate. If you are set on a specific style or aesthetic I can assess this with my skillset and values to determine if I’d be the best fit.
Of course, I’d love to nail everything first round but sometimes things need a little tweaking. In my proposals and quotes I’ll outline how many revisions are included, my normal process is to allow for two rounds.
I consider a round of revisions to be an individual set of changes handed over. I don’t do drips and drab revisions, the timeframe can get blurry and we could be working back and forth for a while. Instead, I like to say it’s an email with dot points on what ‘s to be changed and that’s a round down.
If the project requires more rounds of revisions I can include this in the proposal stage or if we’ve reached the revision limit I offer hourly rate revisions after the agreed-upon rounds.
Paper delivered by pigeons only. Frank’s great but he’ll require payment in the form of apples.
I hand over final designs in different formats depending on the project. Normally that looks like SVG, JPG, PNG and PDF for most work. I do not provide raw and editable files unless specifically stated in my proposals.
One, it’s messy with licensing and two Frank’s territorial with my work.
No, but kind of yes. I don’t do the actual printing but I work with printers all the time. Sending files directly to them and liaising with them so you get the best quality and products that you want.
You sure can! I have a collection of art prints of selected illustrations and designs available here. Or if you’ve seen work of mine that you love that isn’t listed there please get in contact at he***@li*******.com or send me a form via my contact page.
Absolutely. If you’ve fallen in love with a design or pattern and want to license it for your brand please reach out. I offer licensing on *most* designs. Send me an email at he***@li*******.com or send me a form via my contact page.
Not at this point in time but it’s a dream that my work will be worldwide one day! If you’re interested in ordering a copy for overseas please get in contact with me to discuss further at he***@li*******.com.
Absolutely, I have a portfolio page on my website that I update on a monthly basis. For more up-to-date work in real time please check out my social profiles, Facebook and Instagram. I post there on a regular basis with my works in progress and illustrations that might not make the portfolio cut.
I wanted to create purposeful, fun and joy-filled books. My stories are inspired by the world around me, my first children’s books were created around Ballarat because it was a town that I adored living in. I wanted children, families and visitors to the region to see and experience it the way I did.
From there I’ve created a book centred around grief, an emotional experience I went through as a child losing my mum. I write stories because I love what I do and in turn I think that comes through my work.
I adore the opportunities I have to visit schools and host events. I can absolutely provide workshops, school visits and public speaking to a variety of audiences on topics such as my children’s books, publishing, design, being a business owner and beyond.
If you have an idea or opportunity that I would be a good fit for please reach out to be at at he***@li*******.com or send me a form via my contact page.
Thought of a question I haven’t answered? I’d love to hear it, send me an email at he***@li*******.com and I’ll pop it here with a response.