I didn't realize that vectors were just drawings. I figured you had to create them through a bunch of specialized software. I always wondered how they did it. I to went to college to be a art teacher and for many many years did oil painting as well as watercolor. I think I'll try to find that free software and give it a try also.
Question though is when using the pen tool .... is this controled be your mouse or what? I have a hard time being able to draw a straight line with my mouse. Stupid question proubably but was just wondering.

You use your mouse, but it's not exactly the same as drawing a straight line when you're using the pen tool. With the pen tool, you click and drag a line around your image until you've finished tracing it. There are these tiny square points that are formed whenever you click down with your mouse button. You will connect these tiny squares with the pen tool to form an image. By holding down the mouse button and moving the mouse, you can also make the lines bend or curve. It takes a little getting used to. For just simply dragging with your mouse, you will need to use the brush or the pencil tool. It doesn't work that way with the pen tool, though.

If you traced your image from a picture, then you have to submit the photo with your illustration if you want to sell it at iStockphoto. No other agency seems to be really doing this. As for how long it takes, I've had a simple one sell enough to make around eighty dollars. It took me about twenty minutes to make it. And on another illustration that took a few hours for me to make, I haven't made hardly anything. So it's kind of random.

I prefer a flat fee based on complexity like iStockphoto has. I don't like how some companies allow the individual to download the jpegs instead of the eps file. For the price the buyer can increase the size, change the color, add or subtract details from the vector file; etc.

What is internet caps?

It's when Internet providers limit you to something like forty gigabytes per month for downloading and uploading stuff online. Also known as bandwidth caps.

Whiz,

Since you are using FP to show your portfolio, and since they give us a high commission, don't you think you should give them more relevance?  You show IS in the first page and you don't say it's FP in the portfolio page (although it's listed together with the other sites).

Regards,
Adelaide

The thing is, I've only had three sales with Featurepics in my year or two that I've been with them (480 or so files). I think that most people prefer to buy their images on the more common sites, so Featurepics is only useful for displaying them in my opinion. Then, after looking at the images, the buyers might click on one of my gallery links to purchase some of my images. That's my guess anyway.

Sales are good there this month and I have had no problems uploading with FTP.  I have had more rejections this month but that is my only complaint.

Same for me. They're even rejecting most of my illustrations, which is new. In the past, it seemed like they accepted almost every illustration I threw at them. I think they're tired of silhouettes or something.

http://twitter.com/jrtmedia

I used to have one follower, but I guess they became bored with me. I don't update my account that often. Mostly, I was just curious as to how Twitter worked.

I finished my website redesign the other day, and I just thought I would ask you opinions about it. Word of warning: IE6 and under web browsers will not display the site correctly. This is due to me creating the site mostly in CSS. Thanks for your thoughts.

http://jrtmedia.com/

Wait a minute. I thought there was a new rule that states you can't sell images that you use on other microstock sites through Alamy?

I recommend using something other than Verdana for your title (AnthonyMPhotography). You may want to make the title a little bigger too. And capitalize the "L" in links since everything else above it is capitalized. Also, you might want to have your contact information on every page. Maybe bold your links as well. The layout and color scheme is nice, though.

Quote from: kaycee on January 19, 2009, 10:41

Yes of course I would like that I�m not ashamed to get some good advice. I like to draw on paper or with the PC it doesn�t matter as long as I�m busy with my hobbie that includes also photography. 

Ok then. It is actually not different doing it on a pc or on paper if you do it the right way.

1- If you don't already have it, buy a graphic tablet. You have to have the feeling of a pencil. Wacom bamboo series are fine. A6 tablet is adequate and cheap.
2- Draw on paper just like you are doing traditionally. Then scan the paper sketch and drag it to an open Illustrator file. Reduce the opacity of the scan and lock that layer. Add a new layer and just trace your sketch with illustrator tools.
3- You can trace photos too, as long as they belong to you. Remember IS is very strict about copyrights. Only trace your own sketches and photos.

It is vital that you sketch anything on paper first then draw over the scanned file in illustrator. That is the way, to get high quality results. That is why having illustrator is no enough because sketchin is still the heart of all good vectors.

Things done with automatic rotate and trace tools are so obviously simple. And will never get into IS.

If you weren't already doing them the way I explained above, your work is actually ok taking into account it has been done the wrong way.

I just use the pen tool and trace photos; that's how I got into iStockphoto as a vector illustrator. I may try one of these graphic tablets for kicks, though.

Example:

Isn't everyone a "wannabe" at first?

I favor Dreamstime.

What I dislike about Fotolia is their watermark and the categories. I also don't like how you have to fill in your social security number before you reach $600. At least they finally encrypted it on the site. I guess all of the complaints to the BBB finally forced some compliance.