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 🎙

Thanks for sending in yer juicy questions. Here are the ones we tackle in this week's podcast episode:

1. “How do I build an illustration portfolio if I only have fine art work?”
2. “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 soup
• Dream clients and imaginary briefs
• Katie’s two-week job limit
• "Just make the kind of work you want to get hired for”

Timestamps

• 00:25 – Q1: How to turn a fine art practice into an illustration portfolio
• 01:00 – Making the kind of work you want to be hired for
• 02:00 – Picking your corner of illustration industry
• 03:30 – Fine art vs illustration: different goals, same skills
• 05:00 – Picture book makers: an exception
• 06:30 – Your personality probs already picked your niche
• 08:20 – Know what suits your work style (and what definitely doesn’t)
• 10:00 – Unexpected places you might find your dream illustration job
• 11:30 – Be a detective: trace the work you love back to the source
• 12:00 – 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 hiring
• 15:30 – Choose the title that helps the right people find you

Stuff 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 here
• Want to uncover your weirdness and figure out your unique style?
  → Fly your freak flag with us

Got a question for the podcast?
Pop it in the question jar here:
Podcast question form

Thank you!

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 🎙

Two more chunky questions for this week's episode:

1. “How do I choose the right materials and techniques when I love them all?”
2. “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.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – “How do I choose the right materials?”
• 01:00 – You don’t have to pick just one
• 02:00 – Mixing media
• 04:15 – Why learning 'the proper way' can sometimes kill your weirdness
• 06:30 – The gouache phase
• 07:30 – Storytime: The incredible grasshopper drawings
• 09:00 – Wrong materials = the right results
• 10:00 – Drawing with stuff you don’t like
• 13:15 – 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 sneaky
• 19:30 – Don't force yourself into a trend box
• 22:00 – Are you a fan or trying to be someone else?
• 24:00 – Going off-grid

Stuff we mention:

• Our Find Your Creative Voice: Fly Your Freak Flag course
  The doors are open! You can join right now.
• Want a fun excuse to make stuff without overthinking it?
  Try our free Colour Workshop

Got a question for the Good Ship Illustration podcast?
Send it here, go on!
Podcast question form

Right, we’re off to draw with things that smell like school. Mmmm.

Bye!

x Tania, Helen & Katie
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 🎙

This week we’re answering TWO of your excellent questions:

1. “How can I stop overthinking my story and just... FINISH IT???”
2. “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 what
• Ask your characters what they eat for breakfast
• Magic 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 stuff

06:30 - 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 forward

11:00 - 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 here
• Our free Colour Workshop will BLOW YER MIND. Download it here

Got a question for us to answer next? Submit it here:
Podcast question form

See ya soon.

x Tania, Helen & Katie
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 🎙

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 drawing
• Finding your creative voice and confidence
• Sharing your brownies
• How to balance a job while building your illustration career
• A 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 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 🎙

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 Byeeee

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 🎙