Drawn!
John Martz

illosaurus on Blogging
An interview with John Martz at Drawn!

Drawn! is arguably the most influential illustration site on the web today. illosaurus questions founder and editor John Martz on the secrets of success in the blogosphere.

illosaurus : The first time illosaurus was mentioned on Drawn! our traffic went through the roof. Does knowing how influential the site is inhibit or empower?

John Martz : I think readers and other artists are aware of the site's traffic-boosting abilities, and if the site is affected in any way from this, it's simply that I have to comb through a lot more link submissions than I did when the site first started. The downside is that there's only so much time I can spend on the site, so I've learned to be more picky, I suppose, about the sorts of links I post.

It is empowering, though. There are times when I come across a new or relatively unknown artist, and knowing that I can give this person a quick boost of exposure is pretty rewarding. I've heard back from artists who got jobs because of being profiled on the site, and that's always great to hear.

In essence Drawn is a very simple concept. Why do you think it has become so popular?

It is pretty simple, and I was a little surprised when I thought of the idea that it didn't already exist. When people ask me about the success of the site, it always boils down to the simple fact that people, especially artists, like to look at pretty things!

How do you select the artists or websites that you feature?

I have a fairly extensive list of feeds in my RSS reader, which I comb through on a daily basis, but a lot of the featured sites come from reader submissions and the artists themselves who want a little boost in exposure.

When I, or any of the other contributors post about something, it's because it appeals to our own creative sensibilities. We write about things we like, and can only hope that other people think we have good taste.

Do you think being based in Canada gives you a different perspective?

Art is fairly universal so I don't think so. While we don't necessarily favour Canadian artists, we of course like to support homegrown talent, so visitors might be introduced to Canadian artists they might otherwise be unfamiliar with, but on the Internet there aren't really borders anyway.

Running Drawn has also raised your own profile in the illustration community. Has it led to any opportunities you might not otherwise have had?

It's hard to say. Who knows what jobs I would or wouldn't have landed had I not started the website. I like to think that everything I do is related to my career in some way and Drawn! is just one part of my job and one part of how I'm able to get my name out there. I'm certainly aware that it has helped my own visibility in the illustration community and for that I'm grateful.

You must have visited more illustrators' blogs than is healthy for one man. What's your recipe for a successful blog?

There is just one key ingredient for a successful blog and that's consistency. If your content is consistently good, and you post on a regular basis, you've got yourself a good blog. That being said, however, blogs are a very personal thing, and in many cases they're created for the benefit of the owner more than their readers, so I'm not sure there is a secret recipe.

There are, however, many ingredients on creating a successful online portfolio website. Charley Parker from the Lines and Colors blog hit the nail on the head with this post.

Do you think blogging offers illustrators more than a conventional web portfolio?

Even though many illustrators these days use the computer as a tool for creating art, not everyone is technically savvy enough to create, maintain, and update their own websites. The countless free blogging solutions available online make it easy for anyone not only to display their artwork online, but to keep their online presence up-to-date.

Blogs with comments enabled also create a means of instant communication with one's readers, fans, or potential clients.

Do you think the web will eventually replace other forms of self-promotion?

You ask that like it hasn't already! It used to be the only way to get your work in front of an art director was a) in person, b) direct mail promotion, or c) buying a page in a directory or source book. The web hasn't negated any of these methods yet, of course, but it has made self promotion feasible for those on tighter budgets or those living outside of metropolitan areas.

Finally, Drawn provides a daily dose of illustration for many illustrators. Has running Drawn influenced your work as an illustrator in any way?

Absolutely. Seeing countless artists' work on a daily basis constantly inspires me to be a better artist, and to try new things.