Category Archives: Speaking Engagements & Classes

{Illustration of me, made by one of my students Beau Bergeron, during my Professional Illustration class this week. Thank you, Beau!}

So Wednesday evening of this week, I taught my first ever class on the business of being an illustrator. The class, called Professional Illustration, was designed for people who already have artistic skills, but want to use those skills to make a living as an illustrator. Twenty six people crammed the relatively small front space at Makeshift Society to listen to me talk for two and a half hours about my own experience: how I went from knowing nobody and nothing about the industry six years ago to making my living as an illustrator with a large client list today. I shared my recommendations for building a strong portfolio, the importance of a good website, getting the kind of work you are interested in getting, promoting your work, networking, reaching out to clients, etc. I also shared what a typical day looks like for me and that it often includes just as much client communication & administrative stuff as it does painting and drawing.

I always have fun when I teach or speak, especially when I talk about doing things I love. Being an illustrator is one of those things. And it makes me happy when people approach me afterward and say that my talk or class was valuable. One student approached me this week after my class and said, “I feel like I got more information tonight in two and a half hours than I did in four years at art school.” Others made similar comments. So while that compliment was great, it was astonishing to me how many people in my class, unlike me, went to school to study art or illustration or design, and yet know so little about the business of making art for a living. The young woman I referred to is very talented, has incredible illustration skills, and yet was yearning to figure out how to make it the basis of her livelihood.

I thought I was at a disadvantage when I entered the market as a self-taught artist six years ago. But in some ways maybe I was at an advantage. Because it was my second career, I had years of work experience behind me and took all of that (administrative, client communication, organization and management skills) and applied it to my new found passion. I also eventually signed with an illustration agent who helped teach me even more about getting and sustaining good paying work.

Sadly, I think folks who leave art school know a lot about how to create beautiful and interesting illustrations, but very little about how to launch their career. I know there are art schools that do teach classes about the business of becoming a professional artist (whether a fine artist or illustrator). But I also think they are rare.

So what is the lesson here? Maybe art schools are afraid to talk about the business of art or promoting your own work? I am not sure. In the meantime, I want to keep talking about it. Becoming a professional illustrator and making it in this saturated market requires a certain knowledge and savvy that is just as important as knowing how to make good pictures.

My thoughts for the day. And thank you to everyone who came to my class. You guys were awesome. Please stay in touch!

(My accordion book Ja, 2011)

My latest obsession over the past year or so has been book-making, specifically accordion books. I love how easy it is to tell a seamless visual story inside their pages (they are also really easy to display).

I’m thrilled to announce that I will be teaching three-day workshop in October on accordion art-book making. The workshop will take place in beautiful Lake Tahoe, CA at the Create Explore Discover Retreat October 12-14.

My workshop is designed for total beginners (though if you’ve made accordion books before that’s also fine). I’ll share the work of some of my favorite book artists, and some of my own creations. I’ll also show how to make your own accordion book (there are several methods and I’ll teach a couple). Then we’ll spend time painting and and gluing (and even sewing) in them (participants get to decide how to turn theirs into a work of art). I’ll help folks new to art-making with tips on composition, color, etc, etc. You’ll get as much or as little help as you desire in this workshop.

I’ll provide all the materials you need but if you want to bring your own paint or mementos or ephemera to use, you are more than welcome. You can read more about the workshop here.

A weekend sitting at a table making a beautiful book or two? Please join me!