Thoughts on Illustration
Thoughts on Illustration is a bi-weekly podcast about showing up and growing up as a commercial artist. Host Tom Froese, an award-winning illustrator and top teacher, shares valuable tips, insights, and reflections from his own experience. He aims to encourage fellow creatives and help them progress by sharing in a transparent and accessible way. The podcast is for those passionate about unlocking professional and personal creative fulfillment.
Episodes
7 Timeless Tips for Illustrators | The Final Episode
After four years, this is it — my final episode of Thoughts on Illustration. Instead of going out with a single deep dive, I wanted to leave you with a roundup: the seven tips I find myself circling back to most often, whether I'm recording an episode, teaching a class, or sitting across from someone in a one-on-one coaching session. And then I close with one last piece of advice that I think
How to Go Deeper in Your Work | Free Preview
What's the difference between images that move people and those that are just pretty pictures? In this episode, I dig into what it means to bring substance to your work — it's one of the hardest qualities to describe but perhaps the one that might matter most. This isn't something you can manufacture or build up through practice alone. It already exists in you. The question is where yo
Heather Pollington (Part 2) | Episode 76
This is Part 2 of my conversation with Heather Pollington — ex-Hollywood artist, iconographer, and illustrator for Symbolic World Press. If you haven't listened to Episode 75 yet, start there first.In this second half, Heather and I go deeper into her world as an icon painter — her illustration influences, the iconographic concept of simultaneous narrative, what it felt like to first encounter
“Ex-Hollywood Artist, Now Painting Icons” with Heather Pollington (Part 1)
What happens when a designer working in movies like Disney's Maleficent, Mary Poppins Returns, and Skyfall walks away from Hollywood to paint icons and illustrate fairy tales? In this episode, I sit down with Heather Pollington — ex-Hollywood artist, iconographer, and illustrator for Symbolic World Press — for Part One of a wide-ranging conversation about limits, identity, story, and what it r
Stop Trying to Find Your Style. Do This Instead. | FREE PREVIEW
📗 Drawing Is Important — Now Available: tomfroese.com/bookEvery illustrator wants a recognizable style — but what if chasing style is actually the thing getting in your way? In this episode, I reframe the whole idea of style as something you work out, not something you find. The real source of a compelling, consistent style isn't a look you copy or discover — it's your attractions: the thi
Taking Big Risks in Your Creativity and Life
📗 Order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/book
✨ Register for the Online Launch/DWM on April 7 at Luma: luma.com/67uhuhmrA recent portfolio critique turned into a deeper conversation about creative risk — and how to know when it's time to stop dreaming and do something about it. I share the personal story behind my own decision to quit my job and go to art school, and the question that helpe
The 4 Biggest Portfolio Mistakes of Struggling Illustrators | FREE PREVIEW
📗 Pre-order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/bookAre you on the cusp of a breakthrough but feeling stuck in creating a stand-out portfolio? In this episode, I break down four mistakes I see struggling artists make when sharing their body of work. This is not about quick “hacks” but a deep dive into the four pillars of illustration excellence: purpose, point of view, substance, and craft. Wheth
Just Add Line with Brandon Campbell
📗 Pre-order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/bookBrandon Campbell (known online as @brandcamp) is a professional illustrator and former designer for Comedy Central and CNN. Brandon joins me to talk about his transition from digital motion graphics back to traditional media, his family legacy in the arts, and his unique "reverse colouring book" concept in his new book, Just Add Line.In
Why Making Your Work Look Easy is So Hard | FREE PREVIEW
Pre-order Drawing is Important — http://tomfroese.com/bookIn this episode, I take on the "myth of artistic looseness." We often envy the "spontaneous" energy of artists like Quentin Blake, but the truth is that looking effortless requires a tone of effort. I dive into why your final illustrations feel "stiff" compared to your sketches and how to bridge that gap throug
Getting Paid to Draw with Mike Lowery
Pre-order Drawing is Important: https://geni.us/DrawingisImportantMike Lowery is an internationally recognized picture book illustrator and author, as well as fellow teacher and daily drawer. Mike joins me to talk about the business of illustration, finding his style, the impact of AI on the illustration industry, keeping a sketchbook habit, and using social media for illustrators.In this Episo
Are Your Side Projects Sabotaging Your Goals?
Get your FREE Illustration Training Plan Worksheet (PDF) — https://www.tomfroese.com/freetrainingplan"It’s a marathon, not a sprint"—but what does that actually mean for your creative career? In this episode, Tom looks back at his biggest insights from 2025 and explains why trying to "do it all" is the fastest way to stall your progress.Using his experience as an ultramarathone
Standing Out and Surviving as an Illustrator Today with Tom Froese | Guest Episode
Pre-order Drawing is Important: https://geni.us/DrawingisImportantWhat does it actually take to build a sustainable life in illustration—without burning out or chasing every new platform?In this episode, I’m sharing a conversation where I was the guest on Design Icons, produced by Noun Project. Nick Power’s questions gave me a chance to step back and reflect on my career honestly—what’s worked, wh
The One Big Shift I'm Making with Social Media in 2026 | FREE PREVIEW
Become a paid supporter on Patreon— https://patreon.com/tomfroeseWhat if social media isn’t actually social anymore—and what if that changes how creatives should use it?In this monologue episode, I reflect on a growing realization I’ve been wrestling with for years: social media has quietly shifted from a space for sharing and connection into something much closer to corporate media. And many in
The State of Illustration Report with Darren Di Lieto
The State of Illustration Report with Darren Di Lieto | Episode 65What does the illustration industry really look like right now — beyond highlight reels, social media, and shiny success stories?In this episode, I talk with Darren Di Lietto, founder of Hireillo and the author of the State of Illustration report. For more than a decade, Darren has been surveying illustrators around the world to bet
Should You Be Embarrassed About Using AI? | FREE PREVIEW
In this episode, I get honest about the tension so many of us feel around AI: the uneasiness of using it while also distrusting it. I talk about why that discomfort might actually be meaningful—and how embarrassment or shame can act as a compass for finding the line between assistance and authorship.I share a real story about how AI helps me not over-think a purchase decision with my daughter. I a
How You Can Protect Yourself From Being Ripped Off | Interview with Raymond Biesinger
Interview with Raymond BiesingerHow do you defend your creative work when clients underpay, misuse your images, or ignore copyright entirely?In this episode, I talk with Montréal-based illustrator, artist, and author Raymond Biesinger, whose new book 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off (Drawn + Quarterly, 2025) is part memoir, part self-defence guide for independent creatives.Raymond pulls back th
How Do You Make an Illustration Cohesive? | FREE PREVIEW
What is the secret to making cohesive illustrations? Also known as unity and harmony, this is the elusive quality that makes your illustration feel "whole". In this episode, I look at why that sense of unity is harder to achieve in digital work, and how thinking in terms of physical media and physical reproduction methods can bring your images together. I introduce what I call The Five S
Being a Cartoonist for the New Yorker | Interview with Tom Toro
How does one become a professional cartoonist? In this episode, I talk with New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro, whose sharp wit clever drawings have kept readers laughing (and thinking) for more than fifteen years.Toro’s debut book, And to Think We Started as a Book Club (out now from Simon & Schuster), gathers the best of his cartoons from over a decade and a half at The New Yorker. In our conver
The Illustrator’s (Smarter) Starter Pack | FREE PREVIEW
Looking to Get Into Illustration? Here’s How to Begin.NEW—I am now offering free previews of Monologue episodes. This will help you decide if subscribing on Patreon / Spotify is right for you. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an Illustrator’s Starter Pack that could get you up and running as an illustrator ASAP? The reality is that any attempts to find a fast track into illustration could actually
Focusing on the Kids Market | Interview with Suzy Ultman
What happens when you bravely create from what matters most to you—even when you’re not sure others will understand? In this episode, I talk with artist and author Suzy Ultman, whose work blends joy, vulnerability, and cultural identity in a way that’s both incredibly specific and widely relatable.Suzy is the creator of a series of Jewish-themed board books for Penguin Workshop — I Like Your Ch
Season 4 Preview: Big Changes are Coming!
Welcome to a special preview episode of Thoughts on Illustration. At the end of last season, I wasn’t sure if this podcast would continue — but here I am. After a summer of reflection (and a little camping, surfing, and book work), I’m ready to share how Season 4 will look different.This season I’m making changes to keep the podcast sustainable for me and more valuable for you. Season 4 officially
Is This Still Working? A Look Back at Season 3
In this episode, I reflect on the journey of the podcast so far and the evolution of my illustration process. From overcoming burnout in the early seasons to finding a sustainable rhythm in Season 3, I discuss how the podcast has mirrored my own creative growth. Alongside this, I get real about the challenges of balancing podcasting with the rest of my life and career, the emotional toll of self-d
What I Got Wrong About Going Analog
In this episode, I share my thoughts on the evolving meaning of “rewilding” my illustration process. Originally, rewilding meant bringing analog elements back into my work—inking on paper, scanning textures, doing things the “hard” way. But lately, I’ve been asking myself: is it really about going analog? Or is it about something deeper? In this episode, I unpack how rewilding is less about tools
6 Challenges of Rewilding My Illustration Process (And What I'm Doing About Them)
In this episode, I share my thoughts on the difficult but exciting journey of rewilding my illustration process—bringing back more analog, handmade elements into the way I work. While the dream of working more physically is alive and well, the reality is a lot more complicated. In this monologue episode, I unpack six core problems I’ve identified as I try to rewild in real life, and I talk through
A 100% Analogue Illustration Process with Roberts Rurans
In this episode, I share my conversation with Roberts Rurans, a Latvia-based illustrator who creates all his work using traditional materials — literally painting his images with acrylics. When Roberts talks about his brushes, he means the actual ones lying on his table, not virtual tools in a menu! His process is physical, full of quirks, accidents, and unexpected moments — and yet, his work feel
How to Make Your Digital Art Look More Natural
In this episode I talk about why it’s so hard to make digital art look more natural. For many of us, we work digitally out of convenience but really want our work to have a more analogue appearance — as though it were made using physical media. I explain why this is harder than you might think, citing 3 key factors I’ve encountered in my own experience. Then, I offer 5 more practical ways you can
Re-wilding Your Digital Illustration Process
In this episode I share my recent thoughts on what it means to "Re-wild" my illustration process. Inevitably, this means my continued quest to bring more analogue elements back into my process, with the ultimate aim of increasing my joy in the creative process and in the work itself.IN THIS EPISODEHow style fatigue sparked a shift in my creative practiceReconnecting with analogue rootsRe-wilding a
Overcoming Decision Paralysis in your Life and Work
Eliminate time-wasting decisions by discovering your style! Learn more in The Style Class on Skillshare. https://skl.sh/4cFnIej — Use my link to get 30 days of free Skillshare membership.Decision Paralysis — or as some call it, Analysis Paralysis — is the experience of getting stuck on some kind of decision. It could be a big decision, or something very minor, but even the tiniest option can get u
Episode 51 Coming Soon
With apologies! Stay tuned for Episode 51 — coming no later than April 8, 2025.
Working with Editorial Art Directors with Mike Schnaidt
Working with Editorial Art Directors with Mike SchnaidtLearn how to make Clever Conceptual Illustrations in my new Skillshare class, Drawing Ideas — https://skl.sh/40dk9rKMike Schnaidt is the Creative Director at Fast Company, an Adjunct Professor at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), and author of Creative Endurance: 56 Rules for Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Your Goals.I picked Mike’s brain a
5 Ways to Survive in 2025 as an Illustrator
Take Composition for Illustrators on Skillshare. Learn how composition works on last year’s 2nd most-watched class! Use my link to get 30 days of free Skillshare membership. — https://skl.sh/3vtU3EpIn this episode, I share 5 tips to help you maximize your earnings and your joy in turbulent times as an illustrator.IN THIS EPISODEWhat it means to diversify your definition of illustrationA guaranteed
How I Found My First Agent and Editorial Clients
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK (Use my link to get 30 days free).Today I answer the question, “How did you approach getting representation and landing your first editorial clients?” Thanks to @sipcozyart on Threads for the question! IN THIS EPISODE How do you know when you’re ready to reach out to a
Jess Miller on Losing Everything in the LA Fires
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK (Use my link to get 30 days free).
Jess Miller is a designer, illustrator and educator based in LA. She joins me to share her story of losing everything in the Eton fire and how her community, near and far, are rallying to support her as she starts her life all over
Can you earn a living from illustration alone in 2025?
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK (Use my link to get 30 days free).
In this episode I share my income sources in 2024, and how much of my overall earnings I took in for each one. I look into whether I'm the only illustrator who earns most of their living from outside of illustration. I'll shar
Reflections on 2024. Predictions for 2025.
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK (Use my link to get 30 days free).
In this episode I reflect on the last trip around the sun and make some bold predictions for 2025. Be warned, I went commando in this episode — no script, no idea of how the show would go — but I think I pulled off a meaningful, if not personab
Moving from Adobe to Procreate with Kyle T. Webster
Kyle Webster is arguably the most influential person in digital illustration brushes, period. He started making Photoshop brushes a long time ago, leading to Adobe's acquisition of his brushes and his talent in 2017. In 2024, Kyle left Adobe and joined Procreate in very close succession. I wanted to catch up with Kyle and let him explain what happened, in his own words.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why did K
How Do You Know When an Illustration is Done?
"An artwork is never finished, only abandoned." This is apparently a quote from Leonardo Da Vinci. If one of the greatest artists of all time had trouble knowing when his work was finished, then it's no wonder the rest of us do as well.
In this episode, I share some ideas on what it means to complete a work, how to know when you should call it done, and if that's not possible, how to responsibly a
Embracing Hand-made in Your Work
In the age of AI, it's time to double down on being a human. That means things like bringing more hand-influenced spontaneity into, and embracing analogue processes in, your art. In this episode I share how I'm doing this in my own practice and how it's bringing me more joy and even creating new opportunities for me. By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to embrace your own humanity to r
Consistency is The Key to Success
Learn how to be more consistent in your client work — Take The Six Stages of Illustration on Skillshare today: https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/the-six-stages-of-illustration (Get 30 days free on Skillshare with my links).
Consistency is Key. You've heard this before, but what does it mean? Throughout my career, consistency has been key to my success. This has been true both in my habits and in
Episode 41 Postponed - November 5, 2024
Today's scheduled epsiode (Episode 41) will be postponed until next week. Stay kind!
The Illustrator's Guide with James Hughes
In this episode I chat with James Hughes about his new book, The Illustrator's Guide, a comprehensive, motivational handbook for artists trying to break into the freelance illustration market. James is an agent at Folio Illustration and Animation Agency, representing some 60 illustrators around the world. Taking advice from James means learning from someone who sits at the front lines of both illu
Listen to This if You're Bored With Your Style
Develop a Drawing Habit in 30 Days. Take my class, Drawing Is Important – https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/drawing-is-important. Use my links to get 30 days free on Skillshare.
In this episode of My Thoughts on Illustration, I dive deep into my recent experience with a style crisis and how I turned to a daily drawing challenge to reignite my creativity.
Making the Big Leap with Martina Flor
Skillshare class promo link
In this episode I talk with lettering artist Martina Flor. Martina started as a designer in Argentina, but she soon discovered the joy of hand lettering. From there she built a successful career as a lettering artist, which has now become a small empire of inspiring work, masterclasses, coaching groups, books, and even a podcast. Of course, she couldn’t do all of this
Let Your Ideas Gain Interest Over Time
Take Drawing is Important on Skillshare — https://skl.sh/3UWWY00 — Use my link to get 30 free days on the platform!
Just like saving money in the bank, your drawings can gain interest over time. In this episode I explain how this works, and I share how this principle has yielded both creative and financial rewards in my own life. I open up the episode with some recap from the summer! In the end y
Midsummer Update (August 2024)
Take Inky Maps (Procreate Edition): Illustrate an Analog-inspired Map on Your iPad — Use my link to get 30 days free! — https://skl.sh/3Swd9SK
I'm just dropping this bonus episode to say hi, I miss you, and I will be back at it in September. There will be some changes around here, and I talk about what those are. Also, please don't miss my new class on Skillshare, Inky Maps (Procreate Edition).
Lisa Bardot, Procreate Artist and Brush Designer
Take Lisa's class, Imaginative Map-Making in Procreate on Skillshare — Use this link to get 30 days free! — https://skl.sh/3z8zI9a
Join in on my conversaion with Lisa Bardot, who teaches people how to make art on their iPad. But that job description is deceivingly simple. She may be best known for her vast catalogue of analogue inspired procreate brushes, aka Bardot Brush. (She’s kind of the Ky
Illustration is Not Dead with Chris Piascik
Learn how to make better art! Take Composition for Illustrators on Skillshare — Use my link to get 30 days free! — https://skl.sh/3TLdkeh Today I chat with my friend Chris Piascik. Chris is an illustrator for clients like Nike, Nickelodeon and Google. He's also a YouTuber and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. We have a free-ranging, loosey goosey conversation about things like: Whether you need to go t
Should You Work for Friends and Family?
In this episode, we tackle a question many creatives grapple with: should you work for your friends (and family)? Combining personal and professional relationships can be a double-edged sword, offering both unique advantages and significant challenges. We explore both sides the debate — FOR and AGAINST working for friends — and then, I'll give you 7 tips to help set you up for success (and safety)
Bad Clients: How to Turn Them Before They Burn You
Learn How to Make Good Work AND Please Your Clients — Take The Six Stages of Illustration: https://skl.sh/4cCTxEH — Use this link to get 30 days of free membership on Skillshare.
What makes otherwise good people such bad clients? How do you deal with them — and how can you avoid them in the first place? In this episode, I explain why there almost never truly bad clients. In my 10+ year career, I'
10 Tips for Launching Your Illustration Career
Learn how to illustrate ideas in Sweet Spots: Expressing Big Ideas in Small Illustrations — https://skl.sh/3e8Wl33 — Use my links to get 30 days free on Skillshare.
So you know how to illustrate — now, how do you start your career as an illustrator? In this episode, I'll share 10 key strategies that helped kickstart my illustration career. These personal yet practical tips offer valuable insights
Should You Suck it Up or Stick to Your Guns? Navigating Client Feedback
Learn how to win more creative battles. Take The Six Stages of Illustration on Skillshare today. Use this link to get 30 days free access to every class on Skillshare — https://skl.sh/4cCTxEH
In today's episode, we'll dive into the delicate balance of navigating conflicts and compromises with our illustration clients and art directors. As artists, we often have strong opinions about our work, ma
Surviving the AI Illustration Apocalypse
Discover Your Illustration Voice in The Style Class - https://skl.sh/3S6PCF1 — Use this link to get 30 days free on Skillshare
Is the AI Illustration Apocalypse Here, and is it going to take all our jobs away? In this episode, I'm going to share my thoughts on how AI is affecting the illustration industry today and how it might affect us in the future. I go a bit dark in this one but stick with
Andy J. Pizza
Andy J. Pizza is a New York Times best-selling illustrator and author, and host of the Creative Pep Talk podcast. Today he joins me for a deep-dishy dive into all things illustration and creativity, especially where he and I share a lot of common ground. Along the way, we talk about such topics as the myth of the Inspired Artist, his message of adopting a more positive self-psychology, the balance
Becoming an Accidental Expert with Kyle T. Webster (Part 2 of 2)
This is Part 2/2 of my conversation with Kyle T. Webster, which we started in the previous episode (Episode 27). Today we pick up where we left off, with Kyle’s advice for those asking if they should have one style or many, how his background in traditional art skills informs his digital brushes, and he even has a word for artists who might be afraid of how AI will affect the value of their work.
Becoming an Accidental Expert with Kyle T. Webster (Part 1 of 2)
I'm excited to share with you part 1 of a 2-part conversation I had with illustrator and pioneering digital brush-maker, Kyle T. Webster. Kyle is the guy behind the many, many digital illustration brushes (2,400 and counting) that come bundled with Adobe Photoshop and Fresco. In this episode we talk about his beginnings as an aspiring illustrator many years ago, and how he slowly but steadily buil
Becoming a Successful Illustrator at 40 with Adam Ming
Support the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast at http://patreon.com/tomfroese
In this first official interview episode on Thoughts on Illustration, Adam Ming shares his thoughts on becoming a successful kids book illustrator in his late thirties and early 40s. Adam is quickly becoming an accomplished picture book illustrator, and along the way, he's sharing his insights and inspiration on his Subs
How to Love Your Work Again
Support the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast at http://patreon.com/tomfroese
Have you hit a dead end with your work? Are you bored of your style? Or maybe, like me, you feel even worse about the art you've been making lately? This past year has brought a few blows to my professional and personal creativity, and at the end of 2023, I was feeling pretty crappy about my own work. I've come to this p
6 Things I Learned from Paul Rand About Illustration
Support the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast at http://patreon.com/tomfroese
Paul Rand is one of my biggest influences and a huge inspiration for this podcast. In this Special Anniversary Episode, I'm going to share with you a little bit about the pioneering American graphic designer, ad man and (in my opinion) illustrator. By listening to this episode you will learn about a legendary figure in g
REPLAY: Good News for Slow Workers
REPLAY: As I struggle to get my next class published before the end of the year, this episode (originally published as Episode 14) is particularly relevant. Whether you're listening for the first time or you're hearing it again, I truly believe it's worth hearing this message.
Do you ever feel like everything takes YOU longer than everyone else? In this episode, talk about what it’s been like fo
Why Bother (Sharing When Nobody Seems to Care)?
Do you ever share something on social media, and it doesn't get the appreciation you hoped for? If you're discouraged by how few people seem to pay attention to what you share, this episode is for you.
How do illustrators find their ideas?
Where do ideas come from? How do illustrators, artists and designers get their best ideas? Is it in a stroke of inspiration like a bolt of lightning? Do they mediate for as long as it takes until the perfect idea to appear in their heads? In this episode, we explore how ideas find their into our heads and onto the page and beyond. In Chapter 1 we look into what it means to "get" an idea. Then in C
Copyright, Licensing, and Self-Promotion (Part 2)
In this episode we continue our deep dive into the world of Copyright for Illustrators! In this series, we talk about what copyright is, how it relates to licensing and pricing our work, and ultimately, the right to use our work for self-promotion. I also share the results of that project I mentioned in the last episode: did it get selected or not? Will you ever get to see this work, that I'm so p
Copyright, Licensing, and Self-Promotion (Part 1)
In this episode we dive into the exciting world of Copyright for Illustrators! I swear, it's not as boring as it sounds — and in fact, I will explain why it's way more important for independent illustrators and artists than you might imagine. This is Part 1 of 2. We'll pick up with the rest in Episode 20.
Stressed out? 8 Ways to Alleviate Stress as a Professional Illustrator
In this episode, we'll go through 8 ways to alleviate stress as a working illustrator. Making art for a living, often under tight deadlines and high expectations, can be very stressful. But if we're stressed out all the time, we'll end up burning out. So how do we avoid stress in our work, even as we perform on a deadline? How can we manage multiple projects and give each one of them our best? And
10 Productivity Tips for Illustrators
In this episode, I'm going to give you 10 tips for being more productive as an illustrator. These are tips that I personally use and NEED to stay on top of my game. Along the way, I'll share my own challenges in being productive, which will help you understand why I've chosen these particular tips for you. In the intro, I share some updates from my family situation.
You're Not Crazy — It's Social Media (Summer Shorts Rerun)
With Social Media, we simply can't do it all. There are too many platforms and too many different content types, and if we tried to consistently do all of them, or even a handful of them, we'd have no time to do our actual job! But the fear of missed opportunities (by not participating on all the popular apps) is real! So how do we balance the need to share on social media (yes, we do need to use
Thoughts on Illustration Returns This September
After a summer of pulling back, we'll be back at it starting September 12, 2023. Thoughts on Illustration doesn't have seasons, but if it did, this would be the trailer for Season 2. This is just me checking in with you all about where I'm at and how I think things will go moving forward.
Is it the Right Time to Go Full Time as an Illustrator? | Summer Shorts 01
How Do You Know When to Go Full Time as an Illustrator? This is a free preview and the first mini-episode of the Summer Shorts series of the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast. For the rest of the summer, these will be available only to my Patreon supporters. Join in at patreon.com/tomfroese! Otherwise, I’ll see you in September!
To Quit or Commit: Should You Let Go of Your Big Dream?
When we have big dreams, we have to lean into them hard and really go for it. But sometimes what we thought we wanted doesn't turn out. Maybe it's too hard or maybe we just don't enjoy it anymore. The question is, do we double down and commit, knowing that payoff is just around the corner, or do we allow ourselves to quit, knowing that it's the only way to make room for something better?
Good News for Slow Workers
Do you ever feel like everything takes YOU longer than everyone else? In this episode, talk about what it’s been like for me as a slow worker. What kinds of things have slowed me down, and how have I been able to thrive as a successful illustrator in spite of them. So if you’re a slowpoke trying to figure out why it just takes so long to get things done, this one is for you.
I’m going talk abou
SPECIAL: Illustration Student Interviews Me for Class Project
In this SPECIAL episode, I share an interview that Andres Palacios (BFA Illustration student at SCAD) did with me for a class project. I really enjoyed talking to him, and I think you'll enjoy our conversation. We'll be back next week with Episode 14!
Thanks to Andres Palacios for letting me share this interview! Check out his work at https://www.andrespalacios.me/
Why Constraints Make You More Creative
CAN THERE BE TOO MUCH CREATIVE FREEDOM? In this episode we're going to talk about why your creativity NEEDS constraints! Even though they seem like setbacks, if we can embrace them, they can actually push us forward in our work. In Chapter 1, I'll tell you the story of how a concert went totally wrong — and how that resulted one of the best-selling Jazz albums of all time. In Chapter 2, I'll give
The ONE THING You Need to Make Better Work
What's your point? So often struggle to know exactly what we want to say and do in our art. But once we find it, everything seems to come together smoothly. So how do we find our point? In this episode, I talk about how the power of focus helps us get there, and how we find this focus in the first place.
Composition is Everything
In this episode I explore the questions many of us have as illustrators, where it comes to composition: how do I know what to include in the art, and how do I know where to put it? In Chapter 1 we look into what composition might be, and then in Chapter 2, I offer 5 steps you can take to make more confident decisions in your compositions.
The Blank Page (Facing Creative Block)
In this episode, I share the experience of showing up at the blank page and coming up with an idea. While this episode is much shorter than usual, it's packed with insights about how I face creative block head on, and how I find my way through it to find the right idea on the other side!
How to Loosen Up in Your Art
Today we’re going to talk about how to loosen up in our art. I know a lot of us struggle to have a sense of freshness and energy in our work, especially as we develop a piece from looser sketch to the more finished piece. What often happens is that a sketch starts off feeling loose and promises something better than what we end up with. It’s very common to find that we like our sketches more than
Getting (Critical) Feedback On Your Illustrations
I Now Offer 1-on-1 Illustration Coaching! Book your Coaching Session today at http://www.tomfroese.com/coaching
Here we continue our conversation about getting feedback on our work. The last episode was focused on getting positive feedback and how that can be important too, but the best way to grow is by getting CRITICAL feedback, or CRITIQUE. This opens us up to bruised egos and discouragement,
Getting Feedback on Your Illustrations
In this episode, we start looking into the topic of feedback, as in getting feedback on our illustrations or artwork. What kind of feedback should we be seeking, and where should we look? It all depends on what you are hoping to get from it. It turns out that we don't always need critique — sometimes we just need to know we're on the right track. Sometimes we don't want solutions, we want comfort.
How Do You Know if Your Work is Good?
In today’s episode we'll look at why making "good" work isn't the best goal to have. We'll look at more helpful ways to judge whether our work is WORKING or not. This will help you become better at critiquing your own work, and being more objective about it. Also: what self-taught illustrators miss out on by not going to art school; why open briefs are a nightmare for me, and what happened when a
Are You Ready to Call Yourself an Illustrator Yet?
Have you ever felt like a liar when calling yourself the thing you really want to be? Are you already doing the thing — illustration — but still find it hard to own the label — illustrator? In this episode, I share my experience of deep imposter syndrome, and I explain what I believe is the reason. If you struggle with feelings of self-doubt and unworthiness in your art or career, this episode is
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