Masterclass Series: How a Single DI Page Landed a $150K Campaign with David Goldman (Part 2)
Welcome back to the Directory of Illustration’s Masterclass Series. In Part 1, veteran Artist Representative David Goldman of the David Goldman Agency broke down the foundational rules of “Promoting 101” and explained why his group is going pedal-to-the-metal on print marketing.
This week, David opens up his ledger to share the concrete proof behind the strategy—including the exact real-world success stories, six-figure campaigns, and digital advantages that come from maintaining a strong presence in the Directory of Illustration.
James Yang “LOVE” Series Forever Stamps ©️ 2025 U.S.P.S.
Can you share a few success stories that came directly from being seen in the Directory of Illustration book or online?
David Goldman: Around 2015, I began to rep Aad Goudappel and we decided upon taking a page in DI. An art buyer I knew well saw the ad and called me up all excited about a campaign she was working on at R/GA for E*TRADE. She saw Aad’s promo page, which was exactly the style they were seeking. To make a long story short, we landed the project, which turned out to be close to a $150K job. It was the second-highest-paying project I ever landed for a commercial art project!
I once had an art buyer from Hungary contact me after seeing James Yang’s work, and she had a $6K editorial project—again, from being in DI. And I have many, many more stories about amazing projects that arrived due to being in DI.
Last year, I landed a dozen or so projects that were $3K–$30K, all from the U.S. except for one client in The Netherlands wanting a private commission for an outgoing CEO who found us via DI—it was a $7.5K project. A book company I never heard of on Long Island reached out for a wrap-around cover and two end-page illos; it was an $8K project, and again, he saw the work in DI. There were a couple of $5K projects, a $4K and a $4.5K project, and more, all due to being in the DI book that came out in 2025. I also landed an animation project for the State of New Mexico for $8K.
Aad Goudappel for client Managementboek
Anastasia Vasilakis for client: Sojourner’s magazine “Stopping Nuclear Proliferation”
The point being, when people have serious projects, they spend a good deal of time looking everywhere for talent. As the only remaining major source for illustration talent over the decades still printing a book, DI looks stronger and better to seasoned art buyers and corporations. Just the book’s title says exactly what it’s all about for people unfamiliar with our industry.
I’m always shocked by how ignorant some art buyers are, not knowing how to source talent nor how the entire commissioning process works. I would not be throwing my money out the window if I didn’t know for sure that the book attracts larger projects far beyond the world of low-paying projects—especially since rates for editorial projects, for the most part, have not increased for freelancers in the 46 years I have been representing talent. If anything, rates have decreased.
How have you and your artists benefited from the digital side of the Directory of Illustration (email campaigns, keyworded portfolios, global reach, etc.)?
David Goldman: The support of the social media team at DI has been extraordinary! Whenever new projects or awards are shared with DI, their posts to tens of thousands of recipients greatly force-multiply our own followers, helping us to reach our target audience. Being included in these blasts has been great, steady exposure that I know is noticed by people we have worked with in the past.
Oftentimes, people will reach out who generically say they have seen an artist’s work online, or they visited the DI website to search for a DGA illustrator, and when they describe the image they liked, I know for a fact it was something we had in a DI ad. Having DI in our corner always to promote each artist’s latest projects is like having our own digital marketing firm working 24/7. They know that if we aren’t benefiting from the DI book, their future is in jeopardy as a key destination for art buyers and for us advertisers to continue making a good living as professionals.
Arlen Schumer tribute to “Sly Stone”/ American Illustration Award Winner
Next up for the finale (Part 3): Now that you’ve seen the proof, how do you build a freelance career that stands the test of time? David delivers a candid, no-nonsense blueprint for illustrators trying to survive and thrive in today’s crowded market.
About David Goldman
David Goldman started out representing photographers on May 1, 1980, and took on his first illustrator, Norm Bendell, in 1983. By 1987, following the meteoric success of that partnership, he focused solely on representing illustrators. Over the decades, he has gone on to discover and team up with some of the top, award-winning illustrators working today. Along the way, Goldman has become an expert in orchestrating book deals, product licensing, animation production, and developing TV, museum exhibition, NFT, merchandise, and gaming properties across apps, television, and board games.
In 2020, he was invited to join the American Society of Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL) as the only artist representative serving in an advisory capacity to its board of directors. Modeling his career persona after the quiet, behind-the-scenes presence of the Tom Hagen character in The Godfather, David keeps a low profile within the industry. Anyone who has ever had dealings with him experiences his lightness, sharp sense of humor, and deep sense of fairness—creating the ultimate positive experience for clients while consistently setting his talent up for success. Underneath it all, his 46+ years of front-line experience is priceless, benefiting his roster daily. Freely giving advice to other reps and creative people from around the world is his favorite way to pay it forward in a fast-changing landscape.
Recently, an artist from Africa set out on a mission to find top-tier representation in New York City. A search through ChatGPT led him straight to the David Goldman Agency as one of America’s leading rep firms—an unsolicited honor that brought tears of joy to him and his wife. For Goldman, it stands as a fitting tribute in an industry that rarely recognizes artist representatives with formal awards.
