There’s no doubt that literature shapes the world we live in, but unless we reckon with The Overton Window, it’ll be a much slower journey to equity.
Category: Making
If only, what if
We can’t always control what happens to us in life, but we can control the story we tell ourselves about the good and the bad that it brought us.
Yesterday’s work
I painted 3 paintings yesterday, and when I look at them today, I can’t help but see they’re all terrible. But, they are less terrible than the ones I did the day before yesterday. And when I compare the ones I did the day before that to the ones I did 3 months before, or… Continue reading Yesterday’s work
Uninspiring Inspiration
Can ‘reading the best to be the best’ be great advice, all the time? Or, can inspiration sometimes be… uninspiring?
Everyone is doing their best
There are two ways to approach a person with whom we disagree, dislike, or with whom we’re storming. The first way is to assume they’re stupid, or dumb, or toxic, or all of the above. In this mode, the easiest and most productive course of action is to walk away because, with this view, it’s… Continue reading Everyone is doing their best
What problem are you solving?
To run a successful business, it needs to solve a problem. But, beyond style, what problems are illustrators solving for their clients?
Chances are, nobody cares
Whether you’re sharing your work, or hiding it, what lies at the heart of it is your ego and how important you think you are.
Under the influence
If watercolour has taught me anything, it’s how to embrace a lack of control, believe in uncertainty and be comfortable with influencing outcomes, not ‘achieving’ them.
Patience is not passive
I used to think the word patience was a substitute for waiting. When we’re children and we want our Christmas presents, we’re told to be patient. When we’re demanding dessert earlier than usual, that word again – patience. We can’t wait to grow up, can’t wait for our next birthday party, can’t wait for our friends… Continue reading Patience is not passive
The tools of the trade
For an illustrator, the tools of the trade go beyond brushes, paper, and paint. The mind and the body also need the same, if not better, care and attention to deliver better quality work for longer.