Interview
Dateline: 06/14/99
This week I've had the pleasure of interviewing David Sutphin, owner of Dream Maker Software. I've asked David to share a little bit about his company, the graphic artists they use, and the graphic arts business in general. Without further ado, I'll let you jump right into the Q&A...
SC: How long have you been in business?
DS: We started in 1986, releasing our first computer based clip art package
in March of 1987.
SC: How people do you have on staff?
DS: Myself plus one other person although that has varied greatly over
the years. At this point all of our artwork is done by freelance artists; some
who do the original artwork and some that I have trained in the lost art of
bezier curves
with Adobe Illustrator.
SC: Can you give me some background information about Dream Maker
Software?
DS: Dream Maker Software was one of the first publishers of computer
based clip art. In addition to the Cliptures
clip art familiar to many consumers, we also publish two Cliptures volumes of
international
flags that are used by major publishers, world wide organizations, and governments
around the world.
SC: How does Dream Maker Software find their artists?
DS: Our Adobe Illustrator artisans are all persons that were on our staff
at one point. Our other freelance artists are all people that have submitted
samples that showed a style that I liked and felt would be marketable. I was
the original company artist and still do all of the illustrations for our Cliptures
World Flags volumes.
SC: Where do the artists get their ideas?
DS: For each Cliptures volume, we use one artist to do all of the original
illustrations so everything in that volume will have a continuity of style.
By doing this our users can mix and match illustrations in the same project
without things looking like they came from two different planets. We start by
giving the artist a subject group for the project and some overall conceptual
ideas based on the artist's own style of illustrations. Next, the artist works
up drafts for the illustrations for approval. Once approved, the artist does
the illustrations. If the idea well goes dry along the way, we do some brainstorming
together.
SC: Do you get suggestions for graphics from customers?
DS: Yes, we do and we really pay attention to them. Some are really good
and some are way out there. It's not uncommon to have a customer asking us for
something really weird like underwater basket weaving. They're an underwater
basket weaver and they know other underwater basket weavers, so, they're sure
it would make a smashingly successful clip art package. You have to filter the
requests but we do listen to all of them with our ears wide open.
SC: What software do Dream Maker Software artists
typically use?
DS: Pen and ink for the original work, then Adobe Illustrator for the
computer phase. As the original artist, Adobe Illustrator is what I cut my teeth
on and can train other people to do. There are other good products, but by the
time they came along, we were already an Illustrator house. It's cryptic for
most people, but once you understand it, bezier curves in Illustrator are a
beautiful thing!
SC: What does it take for a person to break into to
the graphic arts business?
DS: Real talent. For clip art, you have to be able to work in a style
and with subject matter that will have wide appeal to lots of people. We get
submissions from two or three artists each week but probably only contract with
only one or two new people per year.
SC: What advice would you give to someone trying to become a graphics
artist?
DS: First I would shake them really hard and ask them why, why, why!
Seriously, it's hard work and you're competing with lots of other people or
companies. You need to work hard at developing both your visual and technical
skills. Certainly the biggest future opportunities have to be related to Web-based
content and multimedia. That's the direction I would point aspiring graphic
artists in.
SC: How much time typically goes into to the creation
of a Cliptures volume?
DS: The original work is done by freelance artists who we pay by the
project. Taking the original pen and ink and redoing it totally by hand in Illustrator
takes anywhere from 2 to 8 hours per illustration, depending upon its complexity.
Working with bezier curves is tedious work. From there it depends on the number
of illustrations in a volume. A standard volume of 150 images would have about
600 hours of Adobe Illustrator work alone. There are faster ways to crank out
work, but nothing that can play in the same league as far as quality goes.
SC: How do you advertise your company?
DS: Primarily via the Internet and mostly from our own Web site: www.CoolClipArt.com.
We have a very user friendly site that not only has good product information
and online ordering, we also have a scrapbooking
section with lots of page ideas and occasionally other free projects too.
SC: What is your most effective form of advertising?
DS: I'm a big believer in the Internet. If you're creative, there is
a World Wide Web of cost effective marketing opportunities sitting in front
of you!
SC: What kind of packages do you have planned for
the future?
DS: Lots! More scrapbooking clip art. Some soon-to-be-released sets of
water color teddy bears that are adorable. We also have a collection of Web-based
graphics that will be out before the end of the year. And, a few other surprises
too!
SC: Anything else you'd like to mention...
DS: Thanks for the interest Sue! I would like to invite all of your readers
to log onto our web site at: www.coolclipart.com
and browse through our great clip art sets. If you're serious about your projects,
computer crafts, or scrapbooks, try a Cliptures volume and enjoy a whole new
world of quality and originality in computer graphics! They're awesome and you
will love them!
 |
Sue Chastain |
