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 like
• How to pick the right one
• Drawing for the sake of it. Mmmmm.
• Going analogue, trying Procreate, and brush chat
• Substack nerves, audio letters, and being “consistent” ...aghhhh.

Timestamps

0:20 – Why we’re talking residencies this week
1:00 – Tania’s chateau residency
3:30 – Types of residencies & picking the right one
5:45 – Drawing slowly, and for fun for the first time in years
7:00 – Procreate adventures + brushes we love
11:00 – Substack fears and starting without pressure
16:00 – Curating your inbox vs. doom scrolling
19:00 – Patreon vs Substack burnout
23:00 – Substack inspiration & our favourite creators
28:50 – Katie nearly drops her mic (again)

Links + Mentions:

• Château Saint Pierre de Serjac <--- the dreamy place Tania stayed)
• https://resartis.org/
• Brushes we love: Vivian Mildenberger, Joel Stewart, Retro Supply Co
• Our 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.com

p.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.

Timestamps

00:36 – Is it risky to live illustrate by hand?
03:15 – How to build your live illustration portfolio even before you’ve had a client
05:59 – How Katie got started (and her very first paid-in-sandwiches job)
07:59 – Managing nerves and the fear of making mistakes
10:25 – 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 client
15:24 – Transitioning from "normal" Illustrator to Live Illustrator
17:47 – 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 drawing
28:00 – 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 yourself

p.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?

1. This is the lowest price it will ever be - we're doing a special price for this first ever live round of the course
2. You get lifetime access
3. You 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.com

p.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.

Timestamps

00:00 – The question: “How do I stop undercharging?”

01:30 – People can feel when you don’t believe in your prices

03:00 – What affects your value: niche, profile, usage, experience

05:00 – Editorial vs publishing vs live illustration: pricing realities

06:30 – Raising your rates to manage your workload

10:00 – Calculate what you need to earn (and start from there)

12:00 – Most illustrators can’t actually work 8 hours a day

14:00 – Self-worth ≠ pricing strategy

16:30 – Add 20% and see what happens

18:00 – TL;DR: You’re probably undercharging

Stuff we mention:

• The AOI’s Pricing Calculator
• Jessica Hische’s brilliant tool: The Dark Art of Pricing
• Our Business Course for Illustrators gives you the pricing confidence (and strategy) that no one teaches you at art school.
  → Join the waiting list
• Freelancer’s Bible by Alison Grade – super helpful if you like numbers and practical steps

Have a lovely week. And up yer rates.

x Helen, Katie & Tania
The Good Ship Illustration

Come and say hello!

✏️ @thegoodshipillustration
🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.com

p.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙