Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Leilani Joy's Disney Works for Wonderground Gallery

Hey Disney fans! I'm proud to present my finished works commissioned by Disney for their WonderGround Gallery in the Downtown Disney® District at the Disneyland® Resort in Anaheim, CA. These pieces made their official debut last weekend on August 16th 2014 and my original "Tick Tock Tink" found her forever home that very day! "Maleficent" and "The Queen's Way" are still available for purchase and Wonderground also offers beautiful double matted giclee collectable prints and postcards! The originals, prints, and postcards will be available until sold out at Wonderground Gallery, OR you can order via email or by phone! Wonderground Gallery is happy to ship worldwide! Contact merchandise.guest.services@disneyparks.com or by telephone at: 877-560-6477. Just let them know you are interested in Leilani Joy’s artwork from WonderGround Gallery and they would be happy to let you know what is currently available. All images are officially Disney licensed. All rights reserved. Be sure to visit www.wondergroundgallery.com for more upcoming events!


 "Maleficent" 14x30" Acrylic on Wood Panel. Available. $5,500.
  "The Queen's Way" 16x20. Acrylic on Wood Panel. Available. $3,500

 "Tick-Tock Tink" 16x20" Acrylic on Wood Panel. SOLD. $3,500

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Leilani Joy Does Disney!

Very excited to officially announce this news! On Aug. 16th I'll be appearing at WonderGround Gallery in the Downtown Disney® District at the Disneyland® Resort in Anaheim, CA. to sign and debut my latest pieces in collaboration with Disney! I'll be at the gallery from 2 - 4pm to sign prints! Event Info:http://disneyparksmerchandise.com/events/artist-showcase-with-leilani-joy-ryan-metcalf-and-miss-mindy/

More Details in my latest vlog:





Don’t live in California?  Luckily, Disneyland’s WonderGround Gallery is very happy to ship worldwide and takes orders via email at: merchandise.guest.services@disneyparks.com  or by telephone at: 877-560-6477.  Just let them know you are interested in Leilani Joy’s artwork from WonderGround Gallery and they would be happy to let you know what is currently available.

Here is a sneak peek of my Disney works in progress! All images are ©Disney and an official licensed Disney products. All rights reserved. 







Monday, June 16, 2014

REPOST: Freelance Pros Take the Zeros Out of Project Bids. Here's why.

I found this great and insightful article Freelancersunion.org and I thought I would share! I use this technique when I quote my clients and customers. It makes it easier for clients to understand your prices if you present them with a cost breakdown- think of it like your dentist for example. Decide what your time is worth and provide client with specifics like; 4 thumbnails cost $X.XX and 6 thumbnails cost $Y.YY etc. Hopefully using this methodology will cut back on customers responding with, "WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE"

Reposted Article by BY:  – JUNE 16, 2014

"Here’s a really simple piece of pricing advice that always works: cut the zeros.

Let’s say you’re doing an interior design project for a client. You list out all the services you’ll provide in your proposal, and then you give them a project fee: $5,000.
The client balks. Even though you provided a breakdown of how you got to that number, they want a breakdown of your hours or an itemized list of expenses. They try to haggle you down another $500.
What would happen if you quoted them a price of $5,180?
I bet your client would be happier. A specific number has greater meaning because it looks like you calculated your cost exactly. You took the time to break down all the custom component costs, and come up with a number for their needs -- not just the number you normally quote. $5,180 looks like an unrounded number with no padding.
I’ve seen it time and time again: clients don’t like zeros. It wakes up their never-far-away suspicion that freelancers pad their quotes and are trying to milk them dry. It’s a law of non-even price numbers that marketers have employed for centuries.
If you’re pricing your services right -- based on true value -- you will not be lying to your clients. This is not about misrepresenting yourself. It’s about making the proposal and bid process smoother.
This is not always going to make your clients happy. But try it and you may see a difference."


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Portfolio Updates!

I realized  I haven't updated the blog with my most recent work- so I thought it was time for an update! Here are a few of my most recent works! -L



"The Queen Wore Red," and "Alice Wore Blue" 
11x14" each. Acrylic on Hardboard Panel. 2013.
For the Bad Apple Artist Collective Group Show "Alice in Wonderland" Aberdeen, Scotland. UK.



 "Ebony," "Ivory," and "Prisma"
11x14. Ink and Watercolor on Illustration board. 2013
For "GET THE LEAD OUT V" Group Show. Swoon Gallery, Los Angeles CA.
"Kali"
16x20" Acrylic on Hardboard. 2013.


 "Morrigan"
16x20" Acrylic on Hardboard. 2013.

To inquire Sales@LeilaniJoy.com

Purchase Prints and More: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LeilaniJoyArt

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

April News and Updates!





Hi Guys! Leilani Joy here with some updates and announcements! Please check out my Shows and Events Page for upcoming live appearances: http://www.leilanijoy.com/Shows-Events and connect with me on my new network, Google+ at:https://plus.google.com/+LeilaniJoy/

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Facebook Gives "Fan Pages" the Finger



Facebook has changed it's page policies and now only about 1% of my fans will ever see my posts. It's very disappointing for people like me who have worked hard to build up a fan base on Facebook over many years. (See the full article on TIME Magazine's website here: http://time.com/34025/the-free-marketing-gravy-train-is-over-on-facebook/)

Prior to this new change it was only about 16% of fans that saw my posts, as stated by Facebook in 2012. Facebook made $7 billion last year in advertisments, but now they've decided they need more money. I'm not some big corporation and there are a lot of other small businesses out there who will never get noticed because of this new policy. Facebook had been a great free platform for small businesses to grow their customer base and increase their exposure without having to spend thousands of dollars on advertising. But I suppose all good things must come to an end- if there is potential to make money. 

The new policy suggests you spend $1500 (per post) to boost visibility to your OWN FANS. That is ridiculous and obviously I am unable to pay for such advertising. It will be fascinating to see if Facebook's new money making strategy actually ends of backfiring, and driving people away from Facebook. I'm certainly hoping some of my fans will follow me over to a new platform like Google+. 

In conclusion, I'll continue to post my updates on Facebook, until I really feel like it isn't making a difference (and be sure to subscribe to get notifications when I post updates, if you want to stay connected) 

But as of now I will be making a transition over to Google+ so please connect with me here https://plus.google.com/+LeilaniJoy/ 

I'll also be utilizing my other platforms more frequently like Instagram, Blogger, and Twitter. If you'd like to continue to see my updates and participate in my contests please make sure you connect with me on one of my other networks as well (http://www.leilanijoy.com/Network-and-Connect)

I appreciate each and every one of you and all the support I've received from you guys! I would not be where I am today without you all- but like any good business person I must adapt with the times, and times they are a changing! xoxo L

Monday, March 17, 2014

The Design Pricing Formula

Pricing is possibly one of the most changeling things we must do as professional artists. I can't tell you how many times a potential client has insulted me with, "Why is it SO expensive!?" The client rarely takes into account that as an artist you are providing them with a specific service and that we don't just do it "for fun." We have bills to pay just like you. It's doubtful that someone would challenge their accountant, doctor, or plumber in the same fashion. Typically they expect those services to cost a certain amount so they are willing to pay the fee. For artists though, it can be tricky- especially with places like Deviant Art where you can find talented young high school students willing to work for free! 

I often get asked how to charge for artwork, and I have a much more "wordy" and in depth answer to that in my FAQ section here,  http://www.artnuvogue.com/2013/05/faqs.html#artbiz

But recently I stumbled upon this fantastic little formula by David Airey (http://www.davidairey.com/) a professional graphic designer from Northern Ireland. He simplifies the process so perfectly here! While obviously design pricing isn't an exact science- these are definitely the big points to consider when charging for your artwork! Hope this helps you along your journey toward being a pro! xoxo L





Wednesday, February 26, 2014

GSCE Q&A with Leilani Joy

Recently I've been asked to do a few of these GSCE interviews for students looking to pursue a career in the art field. I thought I'd share the Q&A from my recent interview!


1.What was your first successful artwork? 

I’m not totally sure about this one, I think it was a collection of pieces. Right after graduating from the AAU (Academy of Art University, San Francisco) in 2009, I was contacted by a woman on Myspace (haha!) with a gallery space who had seen some of my school work. She asked if I could do 12 pieces for her gallery and I went nuts painting day and night for a month to get them done. In that series I did, “Kimiko,” “Jaeda and Jai,” “Leslie & Loki,” and quite a few others, but those three became really popular and I still sell lots of prints of them today.




2.Have you tried writing, singing, acting, or any other type of art?

All of those actually! I love creative writing and performance art! If I hadn’t been an artist I would have pursued writing professionally. I used to write daily for many many years and wish I had more time to do it now. I hope one day to combine writing with my art perhaps in childern’s books or graphic novels. I also love dance and performance and I trained in ballet, jazz, tap, and modern dance for about 10 years. In high school I became very involved in acting, drama and school plays. I performed in musicals as well, though singing definitely isn’t my strong suit- but I do love a game of Rockband or karaoke bars from time to time, haha!


3.To learn to draw, what are the top 3 resources/guides/classes that you suggest for beginners in drawing people? 

I wish I could narrow it down to “3” but unfortunately I think there are A LOT more than “3” resources you need to learn to draw the human figure. I’ve taken somewhere in the ballpark of 10+ classes on just drawing the human figure alone! Eeep! That’s a lot! And I still consider myself learning. To get started though I would suggest a basic “Analysis of Form” class- in which you basically learn how to interpret light and shadow and draw still life objects. Once you master some of those techniques you can use them on the human form. After that you would want to pursue a nude figure drawing class- possibly a series of them- it really takes a while to master some of the common forms and shapes of the human body. Once you have some familiarity with the nude figure you may want to pursue a clothed figure class and also a quick studies or gesture drawing class. The clothed figure classes will help you better combine your understanding of drapery and fabric and how it covers the human form beneath. A quick studies or gesture drawing class is great for learning to interpret more quickly and learn to draw more dynamic poses for your figures.


4. What is your favorite/ best art style?

 I would never say one style is “better” than another, but I do find myself personally attracted to art nouveau, art deco, pop surrealism, fashion illustration, and also abstract art. I would say my personal style is a hybrid of all of these.

5.What classes (outside of college) have you taken? Are they expensive?

 In high school I enrolled in the Saturday Art Experience offered at the AAU in San Francisco for high school students. It was an awesome way to try out the Art School experience and take really fun classes that aren't available at a regular high school. I took it both my junior and senior year. I took “Intro to 3D modeling” (at the time I believed I wanted to be a 3D animator-but changed my mind in college.) I also took “Comic Book and Graphic Novel Illustration” which I really loved. I suppose “expensive” is relative, and I wouldn’t say it was “cheap,” but I really had a worthwhile experience and it solidified my decision to go to the AAU for my formal training.

6. Why do you continue to do art?

 Because I MUST. Haha…. No, but seriously, I love it! It’s been part of my life since I was very small child and I can not imagine not doing art. Sure, I get burned out- and yes- doing art for a living is quite different than just doing it for fun, but there is still something so incredibly gratifying about creating something from my head that never existing in the world before- and that’s why I love what I do.


7. How do you define your style of art?

 I think I pretty much answered this already, but I usually like to describe my style as just that, “my style.”  My style is a collective of influences, styles, and personal experience that can only come from me. I do find it hard when I hear young artists say over and over “I can’t find my style” and they settle for emulating other artists. There is NO NEED for that! You don't need to “find” your style because just by being “you”- you already have your style! Yes, it takes lots of work and you should still seek art education, but you will find that you naturally gravitate toward a certain way of creating. You should embrace that which makes you unique, and never do things because you see other people doing them and finding success at it. True success only comes by being yourself.

8.Who supports you on a daily basis? When you're struggling?

My boyfriend and family are the best support system I could ask for! My parents have always supported me 110% and gone above and beyond to nurture me and encourage me to pursue my passion. They are still right by my side at every show and always a source of inspiration and an example of hard work paying off.  My boyfriend, Brian (whom I live with and is a fantastic artist himself) has also been an incredibly supportive partner and I’ve grown so much artistically since knowing him. He encourages me without criticizing but always offers insight and pushes me to improve my craft.

9.Was there ever a time when you felt art was not for you?

Haha! More times than I’d like to admit! But I don’t think it’s excusive to the art field. Choosing a career path in the arts is not an easy road and there will be struggles. My journey so far has been very organic and there have been many times where I had no idea if I was doing the right thing and I often worried that I was doomed to fail, but somewhere along the way I decided to just keep at it. I’ve been nearly a straight “A” student all my life and I learned early on that if you are willing to work hard enough you will succeed- regardless if you’re the fastest or most talented etc. With that said, pursuing an art career is not for everyone and there are certainly a ton of talented artists who prefer to do art as a hobby and not pursue it professionally or exclusively.  I think you just need to decide if you love it enough to brave the risk. In fine art and freelance it can often be feast or famine and you often may find yourself drawing for other people and not always enjoying it, but for me the rewards far out weigh the risks and cons. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else! 

Friday, January 3, 2014

Leilani Joy at WonderGround Gallery, Downtown Disney®

So excited to finally be able to announce this! This January I'll be the featured guest artist at WonderGround Gallery in Downtown Disney, Anaheim. My prints will be available in the store and I'll be doing a meet and greet and signing on January 11th and 12th from 1-4 pm! Come and by and meet me! Hope to see you guys there...


And also this is my 100th post! YAY! An an excellent 100th post it is! 

More info on the Disney website here: http://disneyparksmerchandise.com/events/leilani-joy