Find out what a children's book portfolio is, why you should have one, when you should use one, what to put in it, and much more on this week's Thriving Women Artists. Join Ping, Sarah, and Dorien as they discuss this topic and give you some great real world advice to help anyone starting out in the world of children's book illustration.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Your children's book portfolio should be filled with professional style work that publishers can look at and know your ability straight away.
• By making a portfolio you can narrow down and make your niche in children's illustration. IT can help you discover what you're passionate about making.
• You can make different portfolios for different publishers or styles of book. If one publisher makes books for older kids, you can leave out some of the stuff aimed at younger children. However don't make it only one type of thing because sometimes people want to see something different to what they usually do.
• If you're asking yourself if it is the right time to start your children's book portfolio, it is always a good time to get started. It's a process of growing like everything else in art.
• Remember that quality is much more important than quantity.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It's not only about skill, they also want to know how you think differently'

‘Find a publisher who fits to your work'

EPISODE RESOURCES

Beatrice Alemagna

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

ABOUT THE PODCAST

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

 ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline.

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art.

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you price your art? It seems like such a hard question for an artist to answer. We're taught not to talk about money, but that's exactly what Sarah, Ping, and Dorien are talking about this week on the thriving Women Artist podcast. Find out not only how you should be pricing your work, but also why it is important to do so.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Working towards the right price is very important. You need to be happy with the amount you're being paid and the client has to feel like it's a fair price.
• If you are allowing yourself to be underpaid, that allows people to underpay other artists. This has partly led to the art licensing world paying half the price it used to.
• An original illustration should be more expensive than a scan or print. Scans or prints can be replicated, the original cannot.
• When pricing your art you don't only need to take into account the amount of time you're spending on the artwork, but also the material costs involved. Think about this when making digital art too. You have invested in the equipment and software to be able to make the art. Also consider any costs and time costs in travel and research.
• As a self employed person, you do not get sick pay or holiday pay, or money going into your pension. You need to make sure you're charging enough to save for these things.
• Don't be afraid to ask for a client's budget.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Making art is undervalued'

‘If your price is too low it can be hard to ask for a higher price in the future'

‘I deliver 200% more to the clients than my competitors'

‘Time is money I'm sorry to say'

EPISODE RESOURCES  

Facebook groups:

- illustrators for fair pay

- illustration pricing discussion group

Book: Graphic Artist's Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines

ABOUT THE PODCAST

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline.

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art.

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is all about you, our dear listeners! Ping, Sarah, and Dorien will be answering your questions this week on The Thriving Women Artist's Podcast. Find out what the trio have to say about getting the right tools for the job, dealing with your inner critic, going from digital to a sketchbook, if talent is more important than hard work, and many more useful tips to help you create the art you love.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Remember that you're doing it for yourself, and you're allowed to treat yourself to the things you want to do. Importance can only be assigned by you, it doesn't have anything to do with time or money if you don't want it to. If you want to make art then you should first of all do it for the love of doing it.
• If you were a plumber, you would make sure you buy all the tools you need, so why not do that as an artist. Good quality supplies will often make it easier, but it doesn't have to be loads of the expensive kinds, you can also experiment with other materials.
• Being an artist isn't about how much you sell, or if you even sell anything at all. Anyone can call themselves an artist if they're creating something.
• If you're taking part in courses, work out what you want to learn from it before you start. It took Ping a while to work that out after starting course after course after course. They can be a good place to just practice, and maybe you'll find something new that you are passionate about.

BEST MOMENTS 

‘If it makes you feel good making art then you should do it'

‘Without art, I would have never survived'

‘Don't focus on the end result, focus on the process'

‘Style isn't something you choose, it's like your personality'

EPISODE RESOURCES

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Dutch Illustrators' event

Children's Book Illustration Summer School

Bologna Children's Book Fair

ABOUT THE PODCAST

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

 ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline.

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art.

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year! It's 2022 and everyone seems to be making plans. This week on The Thriving Women Artists' Podcast, Ping, Sarah, and Dorien are talking about how making plans can help you with not just your art, but finding that elusive work life balance too. Don't forget you can download your free Let's Get Started worksheet in the resources below. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Planning makes you more efficient with how you use your time. The more efficient you are with your time, the less stressed you will be, and potentially you will be able to take on more work. 
• When making a plan you should include time for yourself or your sketchbook work, not just your client work. 
• Having some down time to take care of yourself can allow you to de-stress. Also planning time to connect with your clients more allows you to improve your relationship with them and gain a greater understanding of the work. 
• As an artist it feels like you need to fill your weekdays with work but just cramming in work might not actually be productive. 
• There are often deadlines or events where you want to go and show your work. Planning in advance of these can help you hit these targets by knowing what you need to do and when. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘Making a plan will help make you successful' 

‘Being productive all the time doesn't really work for me' 

‘In order to be productive you need to know yourself' 

‘We learn from each other and I'm so thankful for that' 

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Download your free Let's Get Started worksheet here

ABOUT THE PODCAST 

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He 

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline. 

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen 

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art. 

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected] 

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With 2022 fast approaching, Sarah, Dorien, and Ping look back on what they have learned in the last year. This week on Thriving Women Artists, find out their personal experiences as artists and how the three hosts have each individually learned from them. We hope you can take something from this and have a great New Year!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Make a list of the things you want to do and want to achieve in the next year. It's not a habit you should only do once a year, you can even make a weekly list of goals and accomplishments. 
• Sarah has learned that social media isn't everything. You can't create amazing stuff all day every day. She has also learned that she doesn't want to do picture books full time, it's a lot of hard work and Sarah wants to spend more time on her own art. It's comforting to know that she doesn't need to look for them all the time, just a few a year will do. 
• Dorien has learned that it's good to surround yourself with people who you trust and can be open with. People who you can share your struggles with make good friends and a good form of support. Dorien has also learned to ask for help when you need it. 
• Ping has learned in 2021 that it's important to practice self care, we need to take care of our bodies and mental health to be able to work in the first place. She also has learned not to be afraid to ask for help. Ping has also learned to manage her time, especially on social media. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘There is more that makes me happy than just art' 

‘Confidence comes with  practice' 

‘I'm so happy that I've made best friends with my sketchbook' 

‘Overconfidence will kill you' 

ABOUT THE PODCAST 

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com
www.instagram.com/twapodcast

 ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He 

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline. 

www.pinghe.art
[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen 

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com
[email protected]
www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art. 

www.dorienbellaar.nl
[email protected] 

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sketchbooks are an interesting and personal place, it's such an amazing way to improve and progress as an artist. This week on The Thriving Women Artists' Podcast, Sarah, Ping, and Dorien discuss the benefits of working in a sketchbook, why they always have one with them, what you can use your sketchbook for, and how to start the habit of using one regularly. Make sure you follow @twapodcast on Instagram for a weekly drawing prompt.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• If you're using a sketchbook you don't lose any of the work you've done. You can look back and see how you've improved or changed, or even find inspiration.
• A sketchbook is a playground where you can experiment. You don't have to fill it with masterpieces.
• Sketchbooks help you formulate what's in your mind and transfer it onto the page. It's like the skeleton of your work.
• When you keep a sketchbook you notice the different moods you have when you're working. You can look back and see how productive you were at one time or maybe you can see that you are suffering from a lack of inspiration.
• Get different sizes and different types of paper. You can have different books for different types of sketches. You can print off or design your own cover so you have a connection to it before you even start working with it.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It's such an encouragement to look back and see the progress'

‘Failure is allowed'

‘How can I work though this in a way that I enjoy it and keep going'

ABOUT THE PODCAST

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

 ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline.

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art.

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"If you've not done something before it doesn't mean you won't be successful when you do"

Your first commission, that's a seriously big moment. But if you've never done any commission work before, then you might not know how it works. This week on Thriving Women Artists, Ping, Sarah, and Dorien will guide you through what you need to know through each step of the process. Find out how much you should charge? How do you communicate with the client? How does a contract work? And so many more useful tips for making your commissioned artwork. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The first thing you should be doing when you have an enquiry is ask for their budget, the deadline, and where and how your art will be used. 
• Do your research on the company if there is information freely available. 
• It can always help to meet face to face if you can, but if you're in different places then you can always talk on the phone. Make sure you have all the information easy to access via e-mail. 
• It's okay to say no, that budget doesn't work for me, or the time frame is too small. 
• Keep your client updated on the work. If you send a sketch then they can give feedback, that's better than sending the final artwork and it being wrong. 
• You can share your working process with the client so they understand how you work and what they can expect. 
• Unless your client is paying for all of your time, then your time is not theirs. You still have to live your life and work for what you're worth. Working for free or less than you're worth just devalues your time and your art. 
• The contract should say the deadlines, fees, feedback rounds, how the art will be used and how long for.
• It's generally a standard thing to ask for 50% upfront. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘If you've not done something before it doesn't mean you won't be successful when you do' 

‘A no is always negotiable' 

‘It's always okay to ask for more'

‘If you're listening to our podcast then please don't work for free'

ABOUT THE PODCAST 

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com
www.instagram.com/twapodcast

 ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He 

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline. 

www.pinghe.art
[email protected]
www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen 

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com
[email protected]
www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art. 

www.dorienbellaar.nl
[email protected] 
www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you actually make money as an artist? Where can you sell your art and who are you selling it to? How can you make money in other ways? These are just some of the questions Ping, Sarah, and Dorien will be answering this week on the Thriving Women Artists podcast. Not every revenue generator is right for everyone, so listen in to discover what might be the best fit for you and your art.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Dorien sees commissions and assignments as different things. Commissions are art you do for clients and are usually more creative. An assignment is more like a logo for a client or something similar.
• Ping sells her products direct to consumers and wholesale to shops, the two have different price points.
• Print on demand is where you upload your illustration online and you choose how you want it to be printed and what on. The platform then prints it off once an order has been received by a customer. The advantage is that you don't need to invest in stock or packaging for this but you would typically only get 10% to 15% of the money.
• You can licence your work too. For example allowing a company or brand to use your artwork for a specified amount of time.
• You can also sell your art or photography in the form of stock imagery.
• Teaching art is another way you can make cash. Sarah teaches online workshops, which is good because you can work with anyone anywhere, but you do lose that face to face contact. She also teaches workshops hosted by someone else in their space and she takes a percentage fee.
• Dorien has started teaching at an art education institute one evening a week. All of the facilities and invoicing are set by the institute but the curriculum is hers to decide.
• YouTube can be a way to make money from advertising if you have a way you can transfer your art to the style of the platform.
• Online you can make a percentage profit using affiliate links where you are promoting someone else's product or services.
• Sarah has made money from being an influencer, a company sends her products to use or promote and she charges them a fee.
• You can also enter your art into competitions and if you're good and lucky then you can earn a little money doing it.
• Obviously one of the big ways to make money would be to sell your art to a gallery, either originals or prints.

BEST MOMENTS

‘That being done by someone else can save a lot of stress'

‘If you make a plan and you fail, then you can try again and again'

‘It's important to see what ways of making money fit you'

ABOUT THE PODCAST

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

 ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline.

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art.

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feedback is the topic of conversation this week on Thriving Women Artists. We all want to know people's honest opinions and what we can potentially work on improving. Join Ping, Sarah and Dorien as they discuss why feedback is important, how to give it, when to give it, and a little bit of their own experiences.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Feedback can be educated or uneducated, it can be a reaction or it can be thought out. It can cover the whole spectrum of critical to positive. Don't just think about what they are saying, look at who is saying it and why.

• You can also get feedback on the process around your work. If you're working with clients they may give this, or in some cases give no feedback at all, it happens.

• Always remember to ask yourself what is the purpose for you wanting feedback and who are you getting feedback from. Are they the right person who can help you know what you want to find out. If you want feedback on your book illustrations, then ask someone involved in that process.

• When you're getting feedback you can ask questions, find out more about what they think and make sure you're getting the right advice for what you need.

• Don't take it personal. Your art is a part of you, but it's not you.

• If you're getting feedback from a client, remember that you're both working towards the same goal.

• When giving feedback, start with something specific, honest, and positive.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It's not about the work you're making, it's about if you love making it'

‘You don't need to be completely happy with all of your work before you ask for feedback'

‘They like to see the process from sketch to final art'

‘There's no failure, only feedback'

ABOUT THE PODCAST

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam. This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teachers Botanical Illustration courses online and offline.

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art.

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Struggles, they can be pretty universal, but how do you overcome them? That's the topic of conversation on this week's episode of Thriving Women Artists. Join Sarah, Ping, and Dorien as they discuss their personal struggles and how they work to overcome them. Hopefully you'll pick up some tips and tricks that can help you in your day-to-day life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Struggles can include, having too many ideas and not staying focused, time management and balancing work with family life, self-doubt, and not taking enough care of yourself.
• The first step in overcoming your struggles is to acknowledge them. Stand still and notice the things you find easy and the things that you find difficult. Sarah documents these things and finds it easier to manage them that way.
• Sometimes Ping forgets herself in the roles she has to play, as a woman, as a mother, as an artist. A lot of problems can start from not knowing who you are. The better you know yourself the better you can identify your struggles.
• You can try using tricks to make the things you don't enjoy feel more fun. Even if it's something as simple as buying yourself some new art supplies.
• You should always ask for help if you need it, not just asking others but also asking yourself for some down time or to remind yourself to take care of your needs.

BEST MOMENTS

‘Know your weakness but also know your strengths'

‘I create a support system, I say please help me'

‘You can create the mood, create the flow'

ABOUT THE PODCAST

A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people.

www.thrivingwomenartists.com

www.instagram.com/twapodcast

 ABOUT THE HOSTS

Ping He

Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teachers Botanical Illustration courses online and offline.

www.pinghe.art

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/pinghe.art

Sarah van Dongen

Sarah is a children's book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life.

www.sarahvandongen.com

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations

Dorien Bellaar:

Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art.

www.dorienbellaar.nl

[email protected]

www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.