Illustration trends vs your creative voice PLUS what materials to use
Two more chunky questions for this week's episode:“How do I choose the right materials and techniques when I love them all?”“How do I keep up with new tech and trends without hopping on every train and going bananas?”It's a longer one this week! A podcast title that went in the bin was: Mouldy bingo dabbers: A love story. A moment of silence for that title. It woulda been great, but not very useful or searchable 😆Alas.Timestamps00:00 – “How do I choose the right materials?”01:00 – You don’t have to pick just one02:00 – Mixing media04:15 – Why learning 'the proper way' can sometimes kill your weirdness06:30 – The gouache phase 07:30 – Storytime: The incredible grasshopper drawings09:00 – Wrong materials = the right results10:00 – Drawing with stuff you don’t like13:15 – Listener question: “How do I keep up with tech & trends without going mad?”14:00 – Learning Procreate while making a book??17:00 – Trends are sneaky19:30 – Don't force yourself into a trend box22:00 – Are you a fan or trying to be someone else?24:00 – Going off-gridStuff we mention:Our Find Your Creative Voice: Fly Your Freak Flag courseThe doors are open! You can join right now.Want a fun excuse to make stuff without overthinking it?Try our free Colour WorkshopGot a question for the Good Ship Illustration podcast? Send it here, go on! Podcast question formRight, we’re off to draw with things that smell like school. Mmmm. Bye!x Tania, Helen & KatieThe Good Ship IllustrationCome and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
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24:59
Perfectionism, CMYK & a shout out to Barry in the cupboard (lovin' your work, Barry)
This week we’re answering TWO of your excellent questions:“How can I stop overthinking my story and just... FINISH IT???”“Which is better, RGB or CMYK?”Here’s what we chat about:That annoying feeling when you know your story’s missing something but you can’t figure out whatAsk your characters what they eat for breakfastMagic picture book editors - you don't need to do it all alone!And... how Helen sent a whole book to print in RGB and no one stopped her (justice for Barry in the cupboard)This episode is especially for you if you are stuck in perfectionism mode or feel personally attacked by the confusing colour settings in Photoshop/Procreate.Timestamps:00:00 - “How can I stop overthinking my story?” 01:15 - When feedback clings to your brain like a wet sock 02:30 - Mild peril 04:15 - Character stuff06:30 - Asking weird questions = finding the heart of your story 08:00 - Maybe... you’re actually a nonfiction illustrator? Hmm! 09:10 - How to make your agent's life easier AND still move forward11:00 - QUESTION 2: RGB or CMYK? Which one's better?11:40 - Sad, sad orange 13:00 - Barry in the cupboard and the mystical RGB loophole 15:10 - Saving your artwork (and your sanity) Stuff we mention:Our Picture Book Course is the best place to learn about story arcs, and how to stop overthinking every. single. thing. Join the waiting list hereOur free Colour Workshop will BLOW YER MIND. Download it hereGot a question for us to answer next? Submit it here:Podcast question formSee ya soon.x Tania, Helen & Katie The Good Ship IllustrationCome and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
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18:38
How to become a paid illustrator (The step-by-step guide! lol)
This is something we hear quite a lot, and it's a BIG broad question: How do you actually become an illustrator who makes money. Dear Good Ship Illustration please break it down for me, step by step.No pressure (aaagh 😅)Alas, there is no tidy step-by-step guide… but in this episode we're doin' our very best to give you a solid direction to head in.Step 1 = loadsa drawingFinding your creative voice and confidenceSharing your browniesHow to balance a job while building your illustration careerA big ol' mistake new illustrators tend to make - not you though. You're cleverer than them. Timestamps: 00:00 – Where to start 01:30 – THE STEP-BY-STEP PLAN (lol, sorry, there is no plan) 03:20 – Share! Or else!! 05:45 – Job juggling 08:15 – Feeling behind? (Does anyone ever feel ahead though?? No. Nothing to worry about then.)Taraa for now.x The Good Ship IllustrationCome and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
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17:06
Should you quit Instagram if you're an illustrator?
This week, we’re answering a question from listener Eilidh:"How do you navigate social media? Do you have a strategy or just post willy-nilly?"Gah. It’s complicated. In this episode of the podcast we chat about:Do illustrators really need Instagram anymore? Should you have a strategy, or is it fine to post when you feel like it?Why social media isn’t our main way of getting work (and what is).The ONE thing every illustrator should have on their Instagram right now.Aaand, we discuss why we haven’t abandoned Instagram (even though everyone keeps saying it’s dead), how publishers actually find illustrators, and, y'know, a very important discussion about videos of the King’s Guards horses biting tourists 🐴 chomp.Timestamps:00:25 Question: “How do you navigate social media?” 01:00 The old days of Instagram strategies (do they still work?) 02:20 Why everyone is fed up with Instagram… and also fed up with people being fed up with Instagram. 04:10 King’s Guards, AI Jesus & cabin crew chaos. 06:00 Should illustrators jump ship to other platforms like BlueSky, Mastodon, or Threads? 07:45 Does Instagram actually bring in clients? 09:15 What should illustrators post? 10:30 The biggest mistake we keep seeing on illustrators' IG profiles 11:50 What’s more important than social media? 12:40 How publishers find illustrators (and why Instagram still plays a small role). 13:30 A practical idea: Tidying up your Instagram highlights so people can easily find the important stuff 14:20 Final thoughts: Social media is what it is… but please don’t rely on it for all your work!See you next week! And if you need us, we’ll just be over here watching horse videos 😂x ByeeeeCome and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
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13:14
Your website might be missing this one thing – and nooo, it’s not more portfolio pieces
Ahoy! Doors to the Business Course (for illustrators!) are closing TONIGHT! We're going to be having a chat over on Instagram and you're more than welcome to bring your business of illustration questions along. Be lovely to see you there. We're @thegoodshipillustration over on Insta.p.s. Once the course doors close, they close. We're strict! You've got until 10pm UK time tonight (Friday 14th March 2025)🚢This week, we’re talking about one of the best things you can do for your illustration career (but it also just so happens to be something that most illustrators dread and avoid like the plague):📸 Updating your website bio and getting proper photos!We cover:✔️ Why a great photo makes clients trust you ✔️ The biggest mistakes we see illustrators make on their 'About' page ✔️ How to write a bio that actually sounds like you without overthinking it ✔️ And why drawing a wee smiley face instead of uploading a headshot just won’t cut it anymoreIf you’ve been putting this off, consider this as your sign to finally get some proper photos and sort yer website oot.p.s. We’ve got an About Page Bingo guide inside the Illustration Business Course, so if you’re in there, go find it! Timestamps:01:00 Why updating your bio & website photos is the best thing you can do 02:15 Katie just had a photoshoot - here’s why it was worth it 03:40 How to find a great branding photographer (and what to ask them) 05:00 Feeling awkward about getting your photo taken? Some tricks to make it easier 06:15 Props, pets & sketchbooks 07:40 The price of a good photographer and why it’s worth the investment 09:10 Writing your bio: The easiest method 10:20 Why your bio should match your audience (formal vs. friendly) 12:00 “Clients don’t actually care about your personal life…” (or do they?) 14:15 How illustrators, live scribers & picture book makers should approach bios differently 16:30 Why illustrators should think like plumbers 17:45 Final push: Just get something on your website today (half arse it now, you can always tweak it later)Done is better than perfect.Byeee for now! And merry photoshoot-booking.If you get some nice new headshots for your about page, do tag us on Instagram so we can admire them. We're nosy!x Good ShipCome and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
We’re here to offer no-nonsense advice for illustrators and image-makers navigating a creative career. At The Good Ship Illustration, we are all about finding your creative voice, standing out from the crowd, building career-longevity, and being yourself. We're Helen Stephens, Katie Chappell and Tania Willis - 3 full-time bread-winning (mmm, bread) illustrators working in 3 separate niches of the illustration industry. Between us, we've clocked up over 70 years of experience and illustration wisdom, and we're here to share it!You’d love your creative work if only you could find more time to do it, make more money, and feel confident with what you make. We believe you DO have what it takes, illustration needn’t be scary, and we’re with you all the way, along with the rest of the crew in our online community.
UK