sarahjcoleman

“While social media hugely increased the number of people who pursued art, it didn’t increase the number of people who can support themselves financially by making it.” I love using social media, but it can be an obligation, rather than a fun opportunity. If you've ever felt trapped in the ever-ravenous teeth of social media, this is for you.
https://www.vox.com/culture/2024/2/1/24056883/tiktok-self-promotion-artist-career-how-to-build-following

Three of my most favourite book projects have been for Algonquin, and I was saddened and a little alarmed to learn this week that they've been absorbed into Hachette and that Algonquin Young Readers will close. I've made a lifelong policy of working with a diverse mix of independents alongside the behemoths and everyone in between; the experience with each is different, and that goes for all clients, not just those in publishing.
If you' did covers for Elise and her team too I'd love to see 'em!

🔥"Flamin' Hot" Cover News🔥

This is my cover for the new book by Michelle Barry, this time a hot, floral concoction of ash and sparks. It's a mix of digital drawing, ink-on-paper and collage, with some feverish pencil work for the stormy space-rings at the back.

The first two books are 'Moongarden' and 'Seagarden' - you can see those two and a TON more YA more at https://www.inkymole.com/young-adult-books 😃

I have just learned that our cover for 'Once They See You' will GLOW IN THE DARK. We did not know this would happen three times in a row!
'Child Sarah' would, to borrow words from Josh, be freaking out that she drew the pictures for a book of horror stories that glows eerily in the dark. Cool. COOL.💀

WIP. Full Analogue. Making a black hole inspired by the brand-new photograph of the one inside Sagittarius A that I saw at a Brian Cox lecture a week or so ago. It was breathtaking, and quite emotional!
For a project going live later this year.

I've just found this @Warburtons advert I completely forgot I'd done. But I love crumpets, how was this even possible?? WAS I JUST TOO BUSY? And I don't remember being paid in crumpets either. 🙃

What happens when a child starts to outgrow their monster? Teddy knows. He can never unsee it, but you can find out in ONCE THEY SEE YOU, coming August 20th! Stories by Josh Allen. Pictures by me.
"You used to look for me under the bed, kid. Remember?
Well, I think it's time to tell you, I was never under the bed."
...preorders greatly appreciated 🎃 https://www.inkymole.com/once-they-see-you

My 15 year old self would have watched me flipping between After Effects, Illustrator, Fresco, Wix, Photoshop, Procreate, Adobe Animate, iCal and Freeagent today and instead of being impressed at my technical prowess would only have been confused about where the long-promised Filofax is.

I’m booking in my talks and university/school visits for the next few months; let me know if you’re scheming an event or know a school hungry for real-world input! The iCal fills up quickly. I do talks for humans from primary age to MA and beyond! Photos: on stage in Austria, London and Edinburgh.
It’s all on the Public Speaking page on my site: https://www.inkymole.com/talks-and-education

"But AI Says You Did, Sarah": a little article about a curious and surprising thing that happened at the weekend.
https://inkymole.medium.com/but-ai-says-you-did-277df4d8f2d5

🎃 GIVEAWAY! 🎃 It's just 3 weeks now till my new book with Josh Allen, 'Once They See You: 13 Stories to Shiver and Shock', is published. We're rewarding/bribing people for buying this book early! (Which as I've written about before helps *massively* with sales and publisher confidence). Order a copy from anywhere, email me proof of purchase and get all the swag in these pictures freeeeeeeee
All shop links here: https://www.inkymole.com/once-they-see-you
Thank you for reading! x

@beach@illo.social Luvleh. I've paid in booze too - whisky mainly. One bottle too valuable to drink which is a shame because I bet it tastes marvellous! The owner of the company strongly encouraged me to drink it but Childhood Me still can't bring herself to drink something that cost five times our weekly Aldi shop 😆

@beach@illo.social Bloody hell that's worse than being left off altogether!
I eventually did the cover for one of the books I've wanted to illustrate my whole life, proper bucket-list job, and I opened my box of copies and saw that they'd they 'forgotten to credit me'. I was absolutely crushed.

@beach@illo.social Wow. I really need to get my hands on ChatGPT. I've had clients over the years mistake my work for someone else's - which can be annoying, especially when you learn they then want you to copy that person! - but this is not that; this is something else. Client was in good faith. But I just kept thinking, '"what else could Sarah J. Coleman be 'credited' with doing?" 😬

Took the Elgrand into Brum last night for the
@designfestbrum's
‘Gather’ event. Digbeth's changed, but the relentless creativity on every wall and building hasn’t, it's like the area’s own humming, sentient spirit made of colour and energy. Zoom in for some wild reflections in that beefy chrome. Brum has a special place in our souls; I lived, studied, taught, gigged and socialised there, and we ran pirates from its infamous half-empty tower blocks for many years. 📻🌃