The Good Ship Illustration

When your project goes a bit pear-shaped you might wonder if that’s just how the illustration industry is.Well, this week we’re talking all about what's good, bad, and normal... and whether there are red flags you should look out for in your illustrator-publisher relationship.Highlights:Why it's never okay to get feedback on a Friday and be asked for a full redraw by Monday 🙃What’s typical in the picture book process (roughs, colour roughs, final art, etc)When changes are fine… and when they’re totally out of orderHow to set better boundaries (and how to stick to them)Our own early-illustration-career experiences, and what we'd do differently nowTimestamps: 00:00 – Is this normal? A horror story from an illustrator 02:00 – Unrealistic deadlines & being pressured to work weekends 05:00 – When publishers ignore your roughs completely 06:30 – What a healthy picture book workflow looks like 09:00 – Final artwork and why changing it is a big deal 12:00 – Bologna book fair: what gets shown 14:30 – When you can trust your publisher/designer (and when you really can’t) 16:00 – Agents behaving badly 20:00 – Why this doesn’t mean all of publishing is bad! #NotAllPublishersLinks an' thatOur picture book course doors are opening SOON! Keep yer eyes peeled and grab the freeebies here: https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/PBGot a question? Send it our way and we might answer it in a future episode!Bye for now! x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania) Come 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 🎙

Have you ever looked at your own work and thought… egh? When you work so hard to find your style* it can feel rubbish to realise you don't even LIKE IT 😅.*We're not big fans of the word style...but we have to use it so you know what we're on about. We have a WHOLE ENTIRE COURSE about finding your creative voice & flying your freak flag.This episode is allll about not-holding-the-bar-of-soap-too-tight.It's also about:What to do when your style feels a bit too safe or mainstreamWhy being too “good at drawing” can trap youHow to bring more you into your workWhether you need to know colour theory to be a proper illustrator⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Lisa's brilliant question: “What if I don’t like my style?” 01:00 – Mainstream, safe, and not-quite-right: spotting the signs 03:00 – Flying your freak flag vs. pleasing the market 05:00 – Chris Haughton’s unusual route into publishing 07:00 – Why being “good at drawing” isn’t always helpful 09:00 – Getting stuck in the gun-for-hire trap 11:00 – Why clients want you, not your many styles 12:00 – Freya asks: do you need to know the colour wheel? 14:00 – Digital colour vs. painty messes 17:00 – How limitations can make your colour sing 20:00 – Create a family of colours (and avoid shouty guests) 21:00 – Final thoughts: soap metaphors & colour play🔗 Links mentioned:🎨 Our free genius colour workshop – grab it here!🐘 Emma Tripolone’s fab work (Emma was one of our 1:1 mentoring winners from... 🚢 The Freak Flag course!📚 Chris Haughton – Good Ship pal, designer and children’s book author-illustrator. We love 'im.Plus, coming soon we have a Chris-Haughton-treat for your ears. Stay tuned for that.Byeeee for now! x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania)Come 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 🎙

Quick note before we start: In this episode we use the words "women" and "creative women" but we know these things don’t just affect women, and not everyone relates to binary gender labels. This chat is based on our lived experience and isn’t meant to exclude anyone. You’re always welcome aboard, however you identify. WE LUV YA. xx Good ShipHow many unfinished online courses have you signed up for and then abandoned or forgotten about them? 👀 Yep, us too. Oh well.In this episode, we’re talking about why creative women often don’t finish - or even start - the online courses they sign up for. Before you run away, please know this: it’s not laziness. It’s ✨life✨. And maybe the course still helped by osmosis, even if you only managed to watch one video.The guilt of not finishing courses (and why it’s rubbish)How art courses can still be useful EVEN if you just skim themCommunity, confidence, and cheerleadersWhy we’ve never ever chased people to “complete” our Good Ship coursesOur 1:1 mentoring competition winners (congratulatioooons Rachael, Emma, Jacqui & Catiebell!)Bias in picture booksThoughts on why creative women sign up more than menTimestamps:00:00 – Soooo… do you finish your art courses?01:30 – Skimming, skipping, and still getting value03:00 – Courses as permission slips and energy boosts04:00 – Lifetime access = a soft place to land05:30 – The joy of community (and a few sneaky sales mentions)07:00 – Meet the new picture book mentees!08:00 – Why women take more courses (and don’t finish them)10:00 – Editorial vs picture book world: who gets seen?13:00 – AI, weird shall illustrations, and missing credits14:00 – Where are all the obvious places illustrators get seen now?See you soon!x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania) 🚢Come 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 🎙

BE MORE WONKY In this episode:Why quick sketches usually have more life in 'em than polished piecesHow perfectionism kills creativityBeware of the pause button (when you're doing graphic recording / live illustration)What to do when you're scared your work isn’t “worth the money”Tips for keeping final artwork fresh and looseHuman vs AI: what if the secret is just… being wonky?Timestamps, if you're into that kind of thing00:00 – Can sketches be “the” illustration?01:00 – The gap between sketch and final art02:00 – Helen’s owls05:00 – What kills good work06:00 – The hourly rate mindset07:00 – Simple marks 4eva08:00 – Sketchy = human (and that’s a good thing)09:00 – Tips for keeping your work feeling fresh10:00 – Live illustration = brave, imperfect, magic11:00 – Be more human, more wonkyByeeee for now! x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania) 🚢Come 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 🎙

Where does she go? What happens in there? Come and have a wee peek inside Helen’s hermit cave with us.BUT FIRST - is it true? Do you prefer a podcast when there's a video too? Katie's just been to Australia and chatted to some creatives and they all said that they *ONLY* listen to a podcast if there's a video to go with it. Whaaat!?Let us know on Instagram if these rumours are true. You're allowed to slide into our DMs 😆 ❤️ We're @thegoodshipillustration.Right, podcast stuff.This episode is all about:– Shutting the studio door and ignoring WhatsApp – Recreating rainy caravan holidays to get in the zone– The magic drawer– How long it takes to make a picture book (blimmin' ages)– BoundariesTimestamps, for people who like that sort of thing: 00:00 – Welcome to Helen’s hermit cave 01:00 – Dressing gowns, headphones and comfort telly 02:00 – Childhood holidays 03:00 – How long does it take to make a book? 04:00 – The magic drawer of ideas 05:00 – Making books in your 20s vs. making books now 06:00 – Burnout, insomnia and terrible lighting 07:00 – Early birds vs. night owls 08:00 – Deadlines 09:00 – Salty & Pals picture book sneak peek! 10:00 – Bedtime!Stuff wot we mentioned: – The Picture Book Course – Pencil Pals (Our Helen's Substack where there are some lovely sneaky peeks of the Salty Seadog artwork in case you're as excited as we aaaare.)See ya next Friday, x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania)Come 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 🎙

Errrr, how do you find illustration work in 2025? Pitching? Instagram? Postcards? SEO? In this nice an' juicy episode we’re answering the 'Heeelp, how do I find clients as an illustrator?' question.What worksWhy we don’t “hunt” clients 😅SEO tips to help the right people trip over youHow to be pals with art directorsPitching can feel YUCK (but it doesn't have to)Old-skool stuff that still worksSHOW YOUR WORK, PLEASETimestamps, for people who like that sort of thing: 00:00 – Listener question: “How do I find clients?” 01:00 – Why “hunting” clients feels weird (and what to do instead) 02:30 – Laying out your stall: making your online presence irresistible 04:30 – SEO tips to help clients find you 05:15 – The rise and fall of illustration directories and annuals 06:45 – Do postcards still work? (Short answer: yes!) 08:10 – Instagram, visibility and staying top of mind 10:00 – DMs and the etiquette of messaging clients 12:00 – What not to do when reaching out 13:30 – Building genuine relationships over time 15:00 – Do you need an agent or gallery? 16:00 – How to sell your own work (without a gallery) 17:00 – Strategic competitions and why they matter 18:00 – Cards, shops and flinging mud (yes, really)Links we mentioned:World Illustration AwardsJo OverendPicture Hooks MentoringGood Ship Illustration CoursesByeeee for now!x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania)Come 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 🎙

Hiya. This week’s episode of The Good Ship Illustration podcast is all about artist residencies... illustrators are allowed to go on them too!Our Tania’s just returned from her first ever residency (in a chateau, of course. Ooh la laaa) and we wanted to hear about the muscly trees, the chickens, and whether she got the entire chateau to herself.What a residency actually looks likeHow to pick the right oneDrawing for the sake of it. Mmmmm.Going analogue, trying Procreate, and brush chatSubstack nerves, audio letters, and being “consistent” ...aghhhh.Timestamps0:20 – Why we’re talking residencies this week1:00 – Tania’s chateau residency 3:30 – Types of residencies & picking the right one5:45 – Drawing slowly, and for fun for the first time in years7:00 – Procreate adventures + brushes we love11:00 – Substack fears and starting without pressure16:00 – Curating your inbox vs. doom scrolling19:00 – Patreon vs Substack burnout23:00 – Substack inspiration & our favourite creators28:50 – Katie nearly drops her mic (again)Links + Mentions:https://saintpierredemejans.com/en/ <--- the dreamy place Tania stayed)https://resartis.org/Brushes we love: Vivian Mildenberger, Joel Stewart, Retro Supply CoOur fave Substacks: Tara Ford, Garbage Day, Carson Ellis, Bob Shenanigans, and LIANA FINCK! (That's the one Katie couldn't remember)Tania’s Substack is coming soon… 👀 Maybe. If we bully her enough.Come 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 🎙

Today’s a biiiig day... the doors to our Live Illustration Course are closing tonight! AGH! In this special live illustration-y episode, we grill Katie with loads of the brilliant live illustration questions you submitted. Katie also shares some behind-the-scenes stories about v early gigs, navigating some more unusual client requirements (hiya, Apple lawyers!), and why your own values matter just as much as your skills.Timestamps00:36 – Is it risky to live illustrate by hand? 03:15 – How to build your live illustration portfolio even before you’ve had a client05:59 – How Katie got started (and her very first paid-in-sandwiches job)07:59 – Managing nerves and the fear of making mistakes10:25 – Is it okay to check references while you’re live illustrating?12:11 – How much do you need to know beforehand, and what to ask your client15:24 – Transitioning from "normal" Illustrator to Live Illustrator17:47 – What happens if you go blank during a live session?18:51 – How much preparation should you really do before an event?21:06 – Can you still be a live illustrator if you’re dyslexic?22:02 – Is live illustration realistic as a side gig?24:37 – What to ask clients about output expectations 25:41 – Is semi-live illustration allowed?27:06 – How to set up cameras for live drawing28:00 – Should you specialise in a niche for live illustration work?30:04 – What kinds of businesses actually use live illustrators?32:39 – Final encouragement: fly your freak flag and be yourselfp.s. The doors to the Live Illustration Course close tonight (2nd May)! If you're thinking about joining, now's the best time! Why though?This is the lowest price it will ever be - we're doing a special price for this first ever live round of the courseYou get lifetime accessYou can hop back in for future live rounds, get ALL future course updates and take it at your own pace. The price *will* go up next time. Find out more and sign up here: https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/lic Come 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 🎙

This week’s podcast question is from Annabelle:“I’m not sure how to price my work. I think I panic and undercharge because I’m worried they’ll change their mind if it’s too much.”Ooft. This is a juicy episode. Money, mindset, value, VAT nightmares, and charging what you’re worth. Bon apetit from your Good Ship pals. Tuck in.Timestamps00:00 – The question: “How do I stop undercharging?”01:30 – People can feel when you don’t believe in your prices03:00 – What affects your value: niche, profile, usage, experience05:00 – Editorial vs publishing vs live illustration: pricing realities06:30 – Raising your rates to manage your workload10:00 – Calculate what you need to earn (and start from there)12:00 – Most illustrators can’t actually work 8 hours a day14:00 – Self-worth ≠ pricing strategy16:30 – Add 20% and see what happens18:00 – TL;DR: You’re probably underchargingStuff we mention:The AOI’s Pricing CalculatorJessica Hische’s brilliant tool: The Dark Art of PricingOur Business Course for Illustrators gives you the pricing confidence (and strategy) that no one teaches you at art school. → Join the waiting listFreelancer’s Bible by Alison Grade – super helpful if you like numbers and practical stepsHave a lovely week. And up yer rates.x Helen, Katie & Tania 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 🎙

Thanks for sending in yer juicy questions. Here are the ones we tackle in this week's podcast episode:“How do I build an illustration portfolio if I only have fine art work?”“What’s the difference between an illustrator and an artist?”Ahh yes that ol' chestnut. How to pivot from fine art to illustration without losing your mind. We dig into the figuring out what kind of work suits your actual personality. No more trying on other people's uncomfy too-small style jumpers. The illustrator vs artist line is a bit blurry - we get into why that’s actually a good thing. Promise.Honourable mentions:Fenugreek soupDream clients and imaginary briefsKatie’s two-week job limit"Just make the kind of work you want to get hired for” Timestamps00:25 – Q1: How to turn a fine art practice into an illustration portfolio01:00 – Making the kind of work you want to be hired for02:00 – Picking your corner of illustration industry03:30 – Fine art vs illustration: different goals, same skills05:00 – Picture book makers: an exception06:30 – Your personality probs already picked your niche08:20 – Know what suits your work style (and what definitely doesn’t)10:00 – Unexpected places you might find your dream illustration job11:30 – Be a detective: trace the work you love back to the source12:00 – Q2: What’s the difference between an artist and an illustrator?13:30 – Do labels even matter anymore? 14:30 – “Artist” vs “Illustrator” – what clients think they’re hiring15:30 – Choose the title that helps the right people find youStuff we mention:Our Business Course for Illustrators walks you through exactly how to figure out where you fit and how to build a portfolio that attracts the right clients. → Read aaaall aboot it hereWant to uncover your weirdness and figure out your unique style?→ Fly your freak flag with usGot a question for the podcast? Pop it in the question jar here: Podcast question formThank you!x Helen, Katie & TaniaThe 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 🎙