Episodes
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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 again.
IN THIS EPISODE
Using social media as a life-line "Dead inside" — Why going back to work is so hard Why GoFundMe is necessary after disaster strikes Having to choose what to keep when you leave all else behind Why GoFundMe is necessary after disaster strikes The kindness of strangersSHOW LINKS
LA Fires Funds + Resource Log (shared by Agent Pekka) — https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XoTlgtYuPQ1tD1FSJnJzzWa7XSi3YO9orlY9cIWX3uQ/edit?gid=910889114#gid=910889114 Jess Miller's GoFundMe — https://gofund.me/1508aee5 Venmo: @jessmillerdraws PayPal: [email protected] My 2024 Annual Review on Substack — https://open.substack.com/pub/mrtomfroese/p/2024-the-year-in-reviewSUPPORT THE PODCAST
Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more.CREDITS
Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic
FIND ME ELSEWHERE
Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant -
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 share some helpful tips for anyone hoping to find new income sources in 2025.
IN THIS EPISODE
Is it possible to make a living just from illustration in 2025? How much of other illustrators' income sources comes from outside illustration? My other passive income sources, such as Teaching, Patreon, and more. Tips for choosing and building new income streams as a creative professional
SHOW LINKS
LA Fires — Are you an illustrator affected by the LA Fires? Tell us your story. More info at http://tomfroese.com/firestories
Anoosha Sayed: Breakdown of an Illustrator's Salary
Jill Labieniec: Income Sources in 2024 -
Ohn Mar Win: How I Made Money in the Last Year (2022)
HOW TO SUPPORT
Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit
http://patreon.com/tomfroese
to learn more.
CREDITS
Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic
FIND ME ELSEWHERE
Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese
Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
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Missing episodes?
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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 personable, episode. (I'm speaking figuratively — I was wearing underpants, and pants, the whole time). Enjoy!
IN THIS EPISODE
Was 2024 better than my worst year ever (2023)? Why I'm feeling optimistic about 2025 Thoughts on aging, time acceleration, and how I perceive "the present moment". Highlights and Struggles of the year Predictions for the state of illustration by year-endSHOW LINKS
Take my new class! Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK Substack (where I will publish my written annual review) - http://mrtomfroese.substack.comHOW TO SUPPORT
Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more.CREDITS
Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic
FIND ME ELSEWHERE
Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese
Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
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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 Kyle leave Adobe? What does Kyle think of Procreate compared to Adobe's Fresco and Photoshop? Making brushes in Procreate vs. Photoshop (Key differences) Kyle may or may not know what's coming with Procreate v6 Happy birthday to Thoughts on Illustration!SHOW LINKS
Kyle's Newsletter, The Accidental Expert - https://accidental-expert.com/ Kyle's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kyle.t.webster/?hl=en Max Packs Procreate brushes - https://maxpacks.com/ Jing Sketch Procreate brushes - https://jingsketch.com/HOW TO SUPPORT
Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more.CREDITS
Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic
FIND ME ELSEWHERE
Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese
Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
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"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 abandon it.
At the end I share some important news about the future of the podcast.
IN THIS EPISODE
A new definition of "perfection" Missing the mark: Is your work "sinful"? How to know when a work is done Overcoming perfectionism in client work and personal projects News about the future of this podcastSHOW LINKS
Take Drawing Towards Illustration on Skillshare. Learn how to connect how you draw with how you illustrate.
https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/drawing-towards-illustration
HOW TO SUPPORT
Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more.CREDITS
Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic
FIND ME ELSEWHERE
Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese
Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
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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 re-spark your joy and feel more connected in your everyday practice as an illustrator.
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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 what my work looks like. Most importantly, it's been important in having any sense of focus at all. But for many of us, there are all kinds of things distracting us, or pulling us in different directions, that make it hard to be consistent. In this episode, I offer you some helpful tips for staying the course, and some pretty motivating reasons for doing so. -
Today's scheduled epsiode (Episode 41) will be postponed until next week. Stay kind!
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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 illustrators and the clients who hire them every day.
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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. -
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 on her own. She’s built an entire team around her so she can focus more on doing what she loves most, while being able to grow her business well beyond what she could do alone. As she puts it best, ““There’s no progress in isolation.” -
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 you’ll learn how to set your daily drawing practice up for success with my 5-step plan. Happy to be back for Season 3! -
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). -
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 Kyle T. Webster of procreate brushes). But she also teaches making digital online in places like Skillshare, YouTube and her own membership platform called Art Maker’s Club. She also runs in-person art trips — her most recent one being in France. If that weren’t enough, she’s also the author of a brand new book called Drawing Digital, The Complete Guide for Learning to Draw and Paint on Your iPad, AND she even provides monthly prompt lists for inspiration-seeking artists, which she calls Make Art Every Day. Lisa has created an entire universe of creativity and community around her passion for drawing and illustrating in Procreate. I really think she’s a perfect guest for the podcast, as she embodies the whole ethos of this podcast of showing up everyday and growing through it, no matter what (and thriving because of it).
>>> Video edition available on YouTube. <<< -
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 to art school to become an illustrator; Why Chris and I feel like we don’t quite fit into the “traditional illustrator” mould; We discuss whether the ability to draw realistically is necessary for illustrators today; We commiserate about angry dudes leaving nasty comments on our videos and — We start off with an unexpectedly long conversation about vector files (but as far as these kinds of conversations go, I think it was pretty interesting).
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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) for those times when you decide to go ahead and do it.
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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've had very few bad clients. Most of them were in the beginning, when I didn't have enough experience to spot them before it's too late. By listening to this episode, you'll learn what I wish I knew when I was starting out — and this will help you make sure every client is a good client! That means they'll trust you to do what you do best (the art!) and they'll give you everything you need to do your job. -
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 for aspiring illustrators looking to advance in the industry. Whether you're seeking a reminder of fundamental practices or hoping for fresh perspectives, this episode provides a blend of familiar and surprising advice to motivate and inspire. This episode originally launched in July 2023 as a Patron's Only "Summer Shorts" episode. -
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, making compromise a challenging but necessary part of our creative process. Illustration, or commercial art, is unique in that it's not just self-expression; it's about expressing others' ideas through our unique abilities, style and point of view. Somehow, we need to maintain our artistic integrity while meeting the needs of our clients. Finding the right balance tricky. We can't make it all about us, but we also can't just give up our creative authority to appease our clients. By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to find more wins in your work by valuing both your client's needs and your own creative vision. Throughout the episode, I'll share insights from listeners and fellow illustrators, offering diverse, valuable perspectives on navigating creative conflicts in illustration. -
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 me, in end I share 3 reasons I’m holding on to hope as an illustrator. In the very end, I offer one main thing that you can ALWAYS rely on to be your true value, both to yourself and to whoever you work with. - Show more
