Thoughts on Illustration

Learn how to win more creative battles. Take The Six Stages of Illustration on Skillshare today. Use this link to get 30 days free access to every class on Skillshare — https://skl.sh/4cCTxEH

In today's episode, we'll dive into the delicate balance of navigating conflicts and compromises with our illustration clients and art directors. As artists, we often have strong opinions about our work, making compromise a challenging but necessary part of our creative process. Illustration, or commercial art, is unique in that it's not just self-expression; it's about expressing others' ideas through our unique abilities, style and point of view. Somehow, we need to maintain our artistic integrity while meeting the needs of our clients. Finding the right balance tricky. We can't make it all about us, but we also can't just give up our creative authority to appease our clients. By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to find more wins in your work by valuing both your client's needs and your own creative vision. Throughout the episode, I'll share insights from listeners and fellow illustrators, offering diverse, valuable perspectives on navigating creative conflicts in illustration.

Discover Your Illustration Voice in The Style Class - https://skl.sh/3S6PCF1 — Use this link to get 30 days free on Skillshare

Is the AI Illustration Apocalypse Here, and is it going to take all our jobs away? In this episode, I'm going to share my thoughts on how AI is affecting the illustration industry today and how it might affect us in the future. I go a bit dark in this one but stick with me, in end I share 3 reasons I’m holding on to hope as an illustrator. In the very end, I offer one main thing that you can ALWAYS rely on to be your true value, both to yourself and to whoever you work with.

Andy J. Pizza is a New York Times best-selling illustrator and author, and host of the Creative Pep Talk podcast. Today he joins me for a deep-dishy dive into all things illustration and creativity, especially where he and I share a lot of common ground. Along the way, we talk about such topics as the myth of the Inspired Artist, his message of adopting a more positive self-psychology, the balance of inspiration and craft in creative work, and even why he thinks full-blown therapy should be a part of art school education. No topping (or topic) is held back — even the mushrooms and pineapples were allowed in this one.

This is Part 2/2 of my conversation with Kyle T. Webster, which we started in the previous episode (Episode 27). Today we pick up where we left off, with Kyle’s advice for those asking if they should have one style or many, how his background in traditional art skills informs his digital brushes, and he even has a word for artists who might be afraid of how AI will affect the value of their work.

I'm excited to share with you part 1 of a 2-part conversation I had with illustrator and pioneering digital brush-maker, Kyle T. Webster. Kyle is the guy behind the many, many digital illustration brushes (2,400 and counting) that come bundled with Adobe Photoshop and Fresco. In this episode we talk about his beginnings as an aspiring illustrator many years ago, and how he slowly but steadily built up a small empire around his digital brushes — which have no doubt shaped the world of digital illustration as we know it today. We have a wide ranging conversation that touches on things like:

— Building up an illustration portfolio when you haven't had any clients yet

— Why working in different styles can make good business sense

— What Kyle means when he calls himself an Accidental Expert

— What Kyle finds most meaningful in his work and career, besides drawing or making brushes

— Why making Creativity a way of life is necessary to building up a successful career

— And much, much more!

Support the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast at http://patreon.com/tomfroese

In this first official interview episode on Thoughts on Illustration, Adam Ming shares his thoughts on becoming a successful kids book illustrator in his late thirties and early 40s. Adam is quickly becoming an accomplished picture book illustrator, and along the way, he's sharing his insights and inspiration on his Substack, apty called The Ten Minute illustrator. He's also a co-founder of ILLOGUILD, a community of picture book illustrators who meet regularly to share ideas, give and get critical feedback, and help one another find the next big opportunity. At the top I share my own thoughts as I dive into this new role as public conversationalist via this podcast.

Support the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast at http://patreon.com/tomfroese

Have you hit a dead end with your work? Are you bored of your style? Or maybe, like me, you feel even worse about the art you've been making lately? This past year has brought a few blows to my professional and personal creativity, and at the end of 2023, I was feeling pretty crappy about my own work. I've come to this point many times in my career, and usually I just shrug it off and keep going. But this time was different. In this episode I talk about how I was able to climb out of a hole of artistic despair and rekindle my love affair with my work. By listening to this episode, I hope you will learn how to rediscover the joy in your own practice. If it hasn't happened to you yet — listen to this one and put it in your back pocket. 😉

Support the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast at http://patreon.com/tomfroese

Paul Rand is one of my biggest influences and a huge inspiration for this podcast. In this Special Anniversary Episode, I'm going to share with you a little bit about the pioneering American graphic designer, ad man and (in my opinion) illustrator. By listening to this episode you will learn about a legendary figure in graphic design and illustration history. You will also learn valuable insights from Paul about working as a professional creative.

REPLAY: As I struggle to get my next class published before the end of the year, this episode (originally published as Episode 14) is particularly relevant. Whether you're listening for the first time or you're hearing it again, I truly believe it's worth hearing this message.

Do you ever feel like everything takes YOU longer than everyone else? In this episode, talk about what it’s been like for me as a slow worker. What kinds of things have slowed me down, and how have I been able to thrive as a successful illustrator in spite of them. So if you’re a slowpoke trying to figure out why it just takes so long to get things done, this one is for you.

I’m going talk about why I think there are two kinds of slow — good slow and bad slow — and why we should embrace the former and try to change the latter. And of course, I’ll give you some ways to do both. How can you embrace the things about your work that you maybe wish would go faster, and how you can change some of the things that truly get in your creative way.

By the end of this episode, I hope that you’ll feel permitted to give yourself the time you need to do your best work — and to defend that time when it comes under question by yourself — or by others.

Do you ever share something on social media, and it doesn't get the appreciation you hoped for? If you're discouraged by how few people seem to pay attention to what you share, this episode is for you.