How do you create your artwork?

I use a combination of traditional media and digital tools depending on the ask.

Do you offer personal portraits/commissions?

Unfortunately, I no longer offer one-off personal portraits or commissions for private individuals as my work is primarily for commercial brands and publishers. However, I do offer portraits as part of a suite of imagery for corporate clients.

How available are you?

Projects tend to book about 1-2 months out but exceptions can be made for editorial assignments.

Do you offer full book illustration services?

I do consider full book illustration for the big 5, but not for private individuals. Please don’t ask.

Do you have an artist agent representing you?

I did have an agent for a while, but I don’t currently. You can email me directly about any projects.

How long do projects take?

How long does it take to plan a wedding? Depends on the type of wedding, right? Simple and discreet or huge and opulent? The same logic applies here – how many images you require, the depth of conceptualizing, the complexity of the concepts and the style of illustration you choose will dictate the length of execution. In short, every project is unique and requires a conversation and a proper brief.

Do you come up with the ideas or do you just execute them?

Both. If you have an idea already with references – this is great and can lead to a much quicker turnaround. If you don’t know what you want, I can help you figure out the right direction, but this takes a bit more time to organize and solve to make sure a clear conceptual direction is developed first.

How important are good references?

The artwork can only be as good as the reference or concept. Bad references will likely lead to less-than-ideal artwork. The most beautiful results come from an array of ideas and references merged to create something new and wonderful.

What is your process like?

As a former ad & branding agency Creative Director, I am extremely process-driven. What this means is that my project management style is buttoned-down. You will be asked at the beginning of the assignment to provide a brief with a SOW, budget and brand guidelines. From there, I will provide an estimate for you to sign and a workback schedule for key deliverables. After a formal briefing with all stakeholders, brainstorms, product testing and any in-market research is done. Rough sketches follow and then once a direction is selected, final artwork is executed and provided in the agreed-upon formats. If you want to learn more, email me to book a call and I can walk you through this process in greater detail. You can also read about the information I need to assemble a quote here.

Email me at: hello@christinagliha.com

How expensive are you?

As a former CD who has hired creatives for over 25 years, I know exactly what current market rates are and the value of my work. If you’re looking for cheap and cheerful budgets – might I respectfully suggest Etsy.