I Recently Designed a New Logo for Answers for Freelancers.

So I recently redesigned the logo for Answers For Freelancers. Why? Well although I like the old one I wanted something a little punchier. So I decided to try something else.

Original Logo

















Fun, illustrative but not too wild about the background colors.
The blue gray is a little dull and the character is a little busy.















Problem solved.......
oops not really, a little dark and not everyone
knows what A4F is. So let's tell them and make it
easy to find us.
















Final solution.
I think this one is pretty fun. The colors are nice and strong and it reproduces
fairly well. I think we'll try it out for while and see what people think.
If you have an opinion please share it I'd love to hear from you.


All logos shown here were designed by Bob O's Logos
and are property of the Creative Independence Network -
owner and producer of the podcast Answers For Freelancers
© creative independence network 2007

Is your Blog Easy to Subscribe to? If Not it Could be Costing You.

Tonight I wanted to learn more about new media marketing so I went onto Google blog search and tried to find some blogs that would help me out. I found a couple right off the bat. I was on my way or so I thought.

I visited the first site. It was good, full of tips to help me increase visibility, up my search engine score and learn how to use word tracker. Great, just what I'm looking for. Now to find the RSS feed and move onto the next blog. What? no RSS feed? Are you kidding me? Really? A blog about increasing traffic, optimization and web marketing tips and no RSS feed?

It must be me... so I search again. Nope can't find it. Maybe it's here, maybe its not but it didn't matter to me because this blog had lost all credibility. How can you seriously be offering me tips on marketing my blog and not have a simple (and easy to find) RSS button? NEXT !!!

Selected number two. Good design, RSS tag right up top easy to find. Not quite what I was looking for but maybe future articles will prove useful. I subscribe using my Google reader.I continue the search. Same story for the next 5 sites. I subscribe to the easy to find RSS and dump the ones that make it difficult for me.

I just learned marketing lesson number one. Want people to subscribe to your blog? Make it easy for them.

Lesson two. Uh oh...Was MY site easy to subscribe to? No, not really.

So it looks like lesson number three is to learn how to fix that. Hopefully it won't be too big a deal. I'll let you know how it goes next time. See you then.

Can You Really Make Money from Blogging?

As I've mentioned earlier I'm kind of new to this whole blogging thing. I mean I'm no stranger to the world of blogging but I've never really been much on keeping up a blog or commenting on the blogs I read. I finally started subscribing to a few of my favorites earlier this year by using Google home page. As I read, I learned that more and more people are making money off their blogs... and we're not just talking beer money here. Some are actually quitting their jobs and blogging full time. I had to find out more.

The mission: Learn more about blogging income.
The solution: Subscribe to pages that teach about blogging.

I subscribed to the top ten blogs dedicated to making money through blogging. The number one rule mentioned on every single site was do not be a passive reader. Get involved become part of the community. Start your own blog, comment on other peoples blogs, but whatever you do, do not be passive.

Sounded like good advice to me. So I went out and commented on a few of my favorites. Nothing too wild. Just a few comments here and there. Then I sat back and waited for the money to roll in.

Ok, ok...even I know that's not how it works...but it did. It worked. The money did come rolling in. I know what you're thinking but it's true...here's how it happened.

I posted a comment on my favorite blog sites Problogger. It was a story about work spaces. I sent in a silly cartoon and it was posted on the site. The next day I got an email from a really great guy in Isreal who wanted me to do some artwork for his blog, Codswallop (my new favorite blog). Suddenly I was making money from blogging and not only that but I was international. So does commenting on blogs pay off? You bet it does. Will I continue to comment? As often as I can. Is this typical for people who post comments on blogs? Who cares... it worked and that's good enough for me.

If you've had a positive experience commenting on a blog or writing your own blog I'd love to hear about it. ..and remember the number one rule don't be a passive.

Updates for the week of November 5th.

Blog Update: After much consideration I've decided to leave this blog alone and keep it as an info updater and nothing more. So rather than change it to a tutorial, I plan to start a brand new blog for that.

The new blog is set for launch some time towards the end of Novemeber possibly the beginning of December. It will be dedicated specifically to budding freelance artists. I am really excited to be working with a great team of very dedicated and talented professionals on this one. Please check back for an official release date and site address.

Show update: Lot's of behind the scenes work going on with A4F. If all goes according to plan the A4F podcast will be just a small piece of what is on the way... again please check back for updates as things progress.

Studio update: Extremely busy right now. Wrapping up a project I've been working on for the last couple of months. A really fun book about a sassy cat and a crazy dog.

Still plugging away at the 7 reader book series. The art work is coming along great and I can't wait to see this one in print. Scheduled to finish up some time towards the end of February.

Will be selecting art for next years promotion in the coming weeks. Looks like I have a lot of really fun stuff to chose from this year. Going to be hard to narrow it down.

New A4F Logo Hoodie...

Get em while they're hot...

A4F logo
by
answers4freelancers

Get this custom shirt at Zazzle

A4F Logo Shirts !!!

Answers-Logo
by
answers4freelancers

Get this custom shirt at Zazzle

Attention Palms Daddies...

You know who you are. If you're a Seth Harwood fan like me, I've got something special for you. Check out these smokin' new logos I've done for Seth. If you think they're as cool as we do.... pick one up on a shirt, hat or even a poster... just click on the big Harwood button below and follow the links.

If you haven't heard Seth's pod-cast, Jack Palms 2- This is Life check it out. He'll be at Dragon Con next week so be sure to say hello.

Answers for Freelancers

Well summer break is over and we're back in the recording studio. Hope you all had a great summer and took a little time off too. If you haven't already, please come check us out at:

Answers for Freelancers.

For more on my art check out my websites:

Bob Ostrom Studio

Bob O's Logos

The Logo Site is Up.

Well it took a little longer than I had hoped but it's finally up and running. Had a few deadlines that required my attention before I could finish. Anyhow for those of you who are interested, here's the link:
http://www.boboslogos.com

Starting a new logo site.

I've decided to start a new logo design website. The idea here is to begin marketing logo design separately from the illustration website. Although my logo design is based heavily on illustration the feeling was the logo design was different enough to separate the two. The website will be going live later this week. I'll post a link as soon as it's ready to go.

Late One Tonight....

Getting busy again....
Got a some late nights ahead.
Started a new google group for freelance artists.
If you want to check it out try this link:

A4F-Google Groups


Don't forget to post....

This Seemed Like a Cool Idea

Although this has nothing to do with my own art it seemed like a pretty cool idea.
Check it out:
Bum Rush The Charts – Can The Wisdom Of Crowds Beat Out The Music Industry… Again?
http://bumrushthecharts.blogspot.com/

Where's Wichita?

Sorry Wichita fans. I know you’ve been waiting for a big announcement but I haven’t heard back from Wichita in a while. I’m not sure what he’s up to but I’m sure he’s very busy right now. So hang in there and as soon as I hear something I’ll let you know.

In the mean time go check out his site .... and be sure and tell him Bob sent yah.
http://www.wichitasblog.com/

Answers for Freelancers

Just posted a great new show on the Pod Cast: Answers for Freelancers
It's an interview with Mitch Joel from Twist Image and you HAVE to check it out. He did a great job and I guarantee if you listen to it you'll be inspired. Check it out at Answers-for-freeancers.com.
Hope you like it.
Enjoy.
Bob

Hey Wichita fans here it is...

Hi Wichita fans. Here'n it is. That logo I was a tellin yah about. I just finished this last week. So it's hot off the presses. Enjoy.... and don't forget to check out Wichita's site: http://www.5minuteswithwichita.com/
(you might have to cut and paste the URL because I'm having a little trouble building a working link)
When you go there make sure you watch the YouTube movie he's posted. It's as funny as funny gets.
All for now.
Bob

Latest Project...

Hey Wichita Rutherford fans, guess who's designing a new logo for Wichita? Yep, you guessed it Bob O Studios. We're real excited too because we're huge Wichita fans from way back. So check back soon and we're sure to have some art posted. In the meantime don't forget to check out the new podcast ...Answers for Freelancers.

Bob Ostrom Studio

Welcome to the Bob Ostrom Freelance Illustration blog. In this blog I'll feature some of my latest projects and keep you up to date on what's coming next.
Thanks for visiting and don't forget to vist my online portfolio at: http://bobostromstudio.com/

Bob Ostrom is represented by Deborah Wolfe LTD and can also be found at : Illustrationonline.com

Super busy this month....

Just picked up a nine book deal last week so looks like I'm gonna be pretty busy for the next month. Still working on a few things but should have them wrapped up early next week then it's onto the books.

Be sure to check out the pod cast next week because we're planning on adding some new voices. Hopefully it will help us find some new listeners and I know it will definitely add some good content to the show.
All for now.

This week's big project

Hey guess what? I just finished my new haunted house sticker book today. What a blast. It took me about two months from start to finish but I was loving every second of it. (Too bad the dealine almost killed me.... )

Of all the books I've done so far I'd say this one is probably my favorite. It's very similar to the dinosaur sticker book I did for Sterling Press last year. And get this... it comes with 100 monster stickers to boot.

So how cool is that I ask you? Well pretty darn cool I'd say. Make sure keep an eye out for it next fall in your local book stores. I'll update you with the title and release dates once I get em. See you soon.

Yep, I do Licensing...

When I first started freelancing I did a lot of licensing. I was afraid to do it at first. My first real job was for Parker Brothers. One day I was walking through Bradley's and saw a bunch of games in the toy section. I thought to myself I could probably do that. So I copied down the address on the side of the box and cold called the next day. Somehow the creative director took pity on me and arranged an interview with me.

I took a day off from my Ad job and drove up to Beverly Massachusetts. I had a portfolio full of cartoon type illustrations. I'm not sure how but it was enough to convince them I could handle the job. The first one I did was an original. It went over pretty well but then they asked me to do something for Disney's Little Mermaid. I tried to turn it down because I didn't feel I was ready but the creative director asked me to give it a shot. I managed to pull it off and the next thing I knew I was the Disney guy.

Shortly after that I found a rep in NY, NY who was ALL licensing. from there I did Rugrats, Ninja Turtles, Barenstain Bears, Cat in the Hat, Thornberry's... you name it I was working on it. Here are just few samples of the work I did.