Bruce Outridge Production Blog

Focus Your Art On What You Know Best

Bruce — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:34:57 +0000

Are you trying to figure out what your target market is for your art? Many struggle with this but don’t realize they have a collection until they look back over the old paintings. Whatever your experience is in life is great content for your artwork because you’ve lived it. Most of my work is on the transportation industry because that is what I did before becoming a full time cartoonist. So while I may not be known in the New York Times, I am well known in the transportation industry here in Canada.

Most of your painting will come from your experience. Even if you paint landscapes there probably is a certain landscape that appeals to you more than another so that is what you should focus on. The secret to success in the arts isn’t to copy what others are doing but to create your own style and artistic property that is unique to you. Once you have decided on your subject matter and a body of work you can start directing that towards the people that would be interested in that type of art or subject matter.

If you focus your art, you’ll focus on your target!

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a cartoonist and illustrator from Canada. He specializes in the transportation industry with his work. More information can be found on his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com

The-Future-of-Trucking-cartoon

What is your Secret Weapon?

Bruce — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:50:30 +0000

This isn’t a James Bond article on how to surprise the other guy, however we all have a secret weapon that plays into what makes us unique. That weapon is different for everyone and changes all the time based on how people use it. I am talking about a weapon that is legal and cost no money. I am talking about a weapon that can help people, not hurt them. I am talking about a weapon that you hold the controls to and have the ability to release at any moment. I am talking about you!

Many of us don’t realize what our secret weapon is until someone points it out to us or we have a habit of studying ourselves like I do. Let me show you how this works. I have a business with my wife that has three divisions in it. If you look at the first division Bruce Outridge Productions you see that I am an artist and like to draw about the transportation industry in much of my work. You may say that’s fine no big deal. Then you look at the next division Outridge Consulting Services and you see I am a business consultant as well. Then you see our third division Outridge Translation Services that does French English translation for the province of Quebec. Now most people look at these and either say we are all over the map, or we are out of touch some would say. Well, they’re wrong! Hidden is our secret weapon. If you are not in transportation you may not see it, but for those in the industry that secret weapon is now very valuable.

My target market is mainly transportation so when I meet with a client I now have much to offer. I have been in transportation all my life and know it like the back of my hand. My secret weapon is the combination of all three divisions paired with my experience, not just one or the other by itself. If a transportation company is trying to market their services or recruit new drivers then I can offer them advice on how to proceed, I can actually make unique illustrations and design through my illustration business, and if they operate in Quebec we can help them with translating their literature and advertisements. All of that done in house, seamlessly. So my target market is the transportation industry experience I have, I ask you what is your secret weapon? Find that out and it may just open a whole new field for you.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is an illustrator, consultant, and cartoonist from Southern Ontario Canada. More information can be found on his websites at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com, www.outridge.ca,

Organizing Your Business with Project Jackets

Bruce — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:29:17 +0000

Right now you may be sitting in your studio or office, you’ve just started down the road as an entrepreneur and have a few client projects on the table. You’re able to organize them by laying the projects out on the desk in front of you and are able to recognize them just by the piece of paper and the pen that you used to write them out with. So you may not feel that you need project jackets for your studio. The truth is that you will grow, you will get more clients, and you will get tighter deadlines. At that point the days of recognizing projects at a glance will be gone. You will need some type of system that will help you keep track of the projects that are live on the board. May I introduce the project jacket. You may have even heard of these before as many artist use them, but what do you put on them and how does the system work?

Project jackets aren’t rocket science but can save your life down the road. What you put on the project jacket is up to you and everyone may be a little different based upon the services they offer. The first thing you need is a place for a tracking number. When we were a smaller organization I used to use the date (20120111) and would add a letter if I got another project on the same day. That worked for a while until the days started mixing together. So now we just create stickers that can be put on the front in sequential order. You will need a due date and an order date for the project. We also add customer numbers to each new client, that helps in tracking the growth of the business. You will need a space for a contact name, company name, phone, email, and address. You will want to add a spot for the type of project (book illustration etc), and any special instructions. I also add some empty space that I can write down a call log as to when I spoke with people on the project.

So I created all that information on a Word document and print it off on the front of a 9×12 envelope. You now have the important information on the front and a place to insert notes, sketches, etc that relate to the project. Once the project is completed the whole envelope gets filed in the cabinet. We use this system faithfully for projects, events, and more and it has worked well for us, hopefully it will work for you as well.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is an illustrator and consultant fro Southern Ontario Canada. For more information on Bruce please visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com or www.outridge.ca

When was the Last Time you Said Thank You?

Bruce — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:21:13 +0000

There are certain things that help you get remembered in life and one of those is the way that you deal with your clients and people in general. In the business world we spend so much time contacting clients, meeting them, quoting on the job, and then doing the project, at the end we invoice them accept payment and don’t see them again. Most of us in business are missing that crucial point of contact and the one that probably matters the most, appreciation! When was the last time you let your clients know that you appreciated their business? When was the last time you said, “Thank you?” A simple card or an email is sufficient or you can try a small gift, the point is it is important to say thank you. Most people are thinking incorrectly when asking why you say thank you.

My wife for instance when I started sending thank you cards out when I first started in business said to me, “Are you going to continue that on forever?” She also said that, “Nobody else does that so why are you?” The same questions she was asking was the exact reason why I was saying thank you, because no one else is doing it. I send a thank you card for each project or if it a regular client I will send them a thank you card on a monthly or by monthly basis. If it is an individual project I will print the client’s illustration on the card and they love it. I also have an electronic version of a thank you card for those clients that I only have an email for and no mailing address. As an artist many of my clients collect the cards and display them in their cubicles and offices. I have seen them tacked up on bulletin boards in offices, boardrooms, and sitting on desks.They enjoy them because they are personalized just for them. People like to feel appreciated. At the same time that you are telling them how much you care you are marketing to them by keeping your name in front of them. Many times they have sent the picture you did for them off as a gift so they like having a card with the image that they can show friends and family. I have gotten more work because someone walked into one of my clients office, saw the card on the bulletin board, and said, “I want one of those!”

Add the thank you stage to your marketing plan and watch your business soar. You’ll be glad you did, however like anything else consistency is the key. Good luck!

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is an illustrator and cartoonist from Canada. He also has a consulting business helping artists start successful businesses. Form more information on Bruce and his businesses visit his websites at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com, and www.outridge.ca

How Do You Improve for Next Year?

Bruce — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:34:00 +0000

If you are a caricature artist then you are in the height of a busy season. As it winds down this week all you will think about is sleep and how to get more of it, but this is also a great time to reflect on what happened over the last year and where you plan on going in the future. Was the year successful, or a flop? What could you have done differently that will make you better next year? Only you are able to answer those tough questions based upon your goals and dreams. There are two areas that you should look to improve on, one is your income; if you operate as a business you always want to be trying to improve your bottom line. The second area is your technique or workflow, how can you create better art, better products, or offer more service to your clients? These areas are under continual improvement. If you ever stop trying to improve in those areas you will find yourself going in a downward slope.

I would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Reflect on your past and improve your future! All the best!

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a caricature artist and illustrator from Canada. For more information on his work visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com

What Does Your Logo Say About You?

Bruce — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:40:34 +0000

A logo is one of the most important decisions that a company can make but most entrepreneurs starting out think that it is something to be taken lightly, skimmed over for more important parts of the marketing plan. Most companies with that type of thinking are selling the importance of their logo short. I have had businesses tell me they don’t need a logo or can’t understand why it costs so much just to have a few words linked together, but what they aren’t realizing is that the logo will represent your business for the rest of your company’s life if done correctly. So I ask you to take a look at your logo if you have one and evaluate it, what does it say about your company?

Your logo should tell your clients a number of things such as, what product or service the company offers, the culture of the company, is it fun and lively or serious and structured. The logo should feature part of or all the name and be easily read and understood. You will be putting this logo on everything so having something you are proud to show off is crucial.

Some of the mistakes that I see in many of the logos that people use starting out is that they use clip art, they don’t match the logo image with the name, and they don’t think about the colours of their business and how they will be used later. The other problem is that they don’t consider all the places they will use the logo as the company grows. A logo that is not set up properly will cost you more in the long run of both image and cost of being reworked that you are best to spend the money upfront and have the logo completed properly from the beginning.

So how do you design your logo to avoid these mistakes? First work with a designer that knows about logos and how to design them. Check out previous designs and don’t have your little brother design it. Remember you get what you pay for. Decide on the structure of your company, is it fun and lively, or serious and this may depend a lot on the services or products you offer. A legal firm will have a totally different look than a pizza business. Pick three colours that you like and feel represent your business that can be used for branding on everything. The most important step is to make sure your logo is properly vectorized. This means the logo can be shrunk down to fit on a business card or enlarged to fit on the side of a tractor trailer. I see people skip over this step and then have to spend money to have the logo reworked when they want to have t-shirts made or something later on.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is an illustrator and designer from Canada. His company Bruce Outridge Productions specializes in logo design, web design, custom illustration and more. For more information visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com

Be the Life of the Party

Bruce — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:52:34 +0000

As an entertainer at events it is imperative that you are a lively person and enjoy joking with a crowd. Too many times I see at artists at events where they sit quietly at their station, drawing the person that sits in the chair, asking them what they want to be the same as they do every other person and then don’t talk again. As a caricature artist like myself it is your job to make sure that the guests are having a great time. You may not be able to control everything but for those few minutes the people in your chairs are your responsibility. I was recently at an event with a few other artists and that was exactly how the other artist did their entertainment. They were great artists and very professional for the most part but could have kicked it up a notch in the laugh department. Sometimes you are the difference between a pleasant evening and a great night. I recently entertained at a Christmas Party for adults and I was the lone entertainment except for the guy in a large red suit. They had brought Santa in and as a guest and he tried to get the crowd going, but they weren’t taking him on. That may be because no alcohol was served, but he tried his best. They didn’t even have Christmas music playing. The place felt very quiet so I added to the event by being very bubbly and making sure I was entertaining the guests not only in my chair but sitting at the tables as well. A few humorous remarks did the trick and all had a great time. I even got some tips and promises of future events. If people see you having fun with guests they want to recommend you as part of other events, therefore giving you more business. This technique will work at any type of event or trade show. Just have fun with people and your business will thrive. Remember as a caricature artist or entertainer it is your job to help make the party a memorable experience. If you’re not willing to do that then you shouldn’t be in the entertainment industry.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a caricature artist, cartoonist, and illustrator from Canada. He entertains for companies large and small with his caricature art. For more information please visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com

Managing Assignments from Clients

Bruce — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:05:01 +0000

I am big on time management and it doesn’t matter if the projects are mine or for clients. Time management is the key to being successful as an entrepreneur, illustrator, and artist. Have you ever heard of those artists that have to wait and get the feeling of something before starting to get to work? Do you know any artists that have been working on a painting for years and never seem to finish? Now I understand that there is certain times when that is necessary especially if it is a large project, requires a certain process, or has multiple steps to completion.,but for most of us especially in business if we worked that way we would be out of business and that is a fact in the illustration world. The truth is you are on the clients schedule at all times. So how do you manage projects and get them completed promptly?

Project management 101, know how long your process takes. If you do need to think about a project for two weeks before drawing your thumbnails you need to know that so you can build it in to the project details. Treat every project as if it were for a client, even the personal ones. I like to add dates of completion to all projects, break them down into steps and create a completion date for each step. This helps you complete the project on time, makes you feel that you are moving ahead successfully, and gives you a timeframe to work with. Build a system for each project that is the same, what I mean here is to make sure you create a job jacket for each project, put on timelines and contact information for the client and put it in a working file adding the steps to your calendar. This way all the information is together and you know when you have to complete the steps. This organizational trick will help you get organized. A tip for your calendar is to block out time in your calendar for production. If a project will take two days to complete then block out two days on your calendar to work on the project. You now know if you can accept another project that week or defer it to the next week. This will give you the time required to finish projects in a controlled manner.

As an illustrator my clients can’t wait two weeks until I feel like completing their project especially when multiple projects are due at the same time. Organization is key to success in business so don’t overlook it.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is an illustrator, cartoonist, caricature artist, and business consultant from Canada. To view more information on Bruce and his work please visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com or www.outridge.ca

Building a Website?

Bruce — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:54:58 +0000

So you have started your own business or maybe you are just interested in showing your artwork to the world and want your own website. These days not having a website is the same as not having a store front. In fact when I am working with clients to help them set up a business the first things I suggest they have is a website and business cards. Most people however either do their website wrong as they don’t understand how the backend of the internet works or they create the wrong or no focus for the items being displayed. It is very important that you take some time to plan your website out and make sure it is doing what you want. Also important to remember is that you will be updating your website on a regular basis so think about how that will be done in the future if you are having someone build the site for you. So what do you need?

Before you spend any money decide how serious you are about the business. If this is a part time venture, or you are just featuring your art then a free site through someone like WordPress should be sufficient. You can build it yourself or have someone help with the initial setup. WordPress is good because you can take care of the site yourself without any software, etc. If you are more serious then either have someone design a site for you or do it yourself with proper software, but this may be more of a learning curve and time commitment.

Your site focus is very important, make sure you have thought out what will go on your website, how people will get around, and what you would like to feature. Make sure the focus is on your main items and they are represented on every page through links. Once the design is done, the back end should be done to give you the best results with search engine optimization. There is a format to use for this so you may want to read or consult people who specialize in this area. Always be looking at ways to improve the site once it is up and running. Remember the site is for your clients so make sure it is fun, relevant, and user friendly.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a cartoonist, illustrator, designer from Southern Ontario Canada. His illustration business handles projects for clients from illustration to web design and more. For more information visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com

How Well Known are You?

Bruce — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:56:10 +0000

As artists this is a question we get asked all the time, well I do anyway. As a caricature artist many people and customers at events will ask how long I have been performing, how well known I am in the area and so forth. The general answer I give is that I am very well known in my own mind and locally, of course this is said with a touch of a laugh and joking smile. The truth is isn’t as funny however, how well known are you? From a marketing perspective this is a great question. As someone who helps small businesses and companies with their marketing programs it is important to know how well they are known in their local areas. Trust me I am a big dreamer and being known all over the world as the greatest would be cool, just not likely. So how well known are you?

My advice to all artists and entrepreneurs starting out is to get a following in your local area first. Display and exhibit within 200 kms of your home base and network with the people you would like to work for in that area. As I am from Canada my goal is to eventually be able to work and sell my product within the United States (legally). However there is no sense doing that if I don’t have steady clientele from my local area. Opening your customer base to a larger market should be a move to expansion rather than steady clients.

In my case I am well known as the caricature cartooning guy. I am not the only one, but come in at the top five. Being known that way has helped solidify much needed work over the years. The other way to solidify your presence is within an industry. Much of my work is in the transportation industry so in those circles I am also well known as one of the only cartoonists around.

So get local, get known, and get work. The expansion will come down the road and when it does you will have many clients to help you build your new reputation.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is an illustrator, cartoonist, and caricature artist from Canada. He also runs a consulting business helping entrepreneurs run successful businesses. For more information on Bruce please visit his website at www.bruceoutridgeproductions.com or his consulting website at www.outridge.ca