A MAP of my JOURNEY to become A PICTUREBOOK ILLUSTRATOR
A 30,000 foot view
Or, How I became a picture-book illustrator in 23 steps. (This list was originally 35 steps, but I consolidated a few)
Over the past 2 years, I’ve written 650 newsletters that talk about or elude to the different aspects of my particular journey of becoming a picturebook illustrator. But when you break it down there were only 23 steps, here they are:
Wandering Artist
I think there is a period of wandering that every artist goes through. Some artist never come out of this mode and go on wandering forever. To be a professional, the trick is to take the lessons from all the wandering and turn that into service.
I looked at what the cartoonists I admired did daily and throughout their career
The algorithm served me an AD of a course I could buy that will help me do both
9 Months to Become a Picture book Illustrator
Motivation We got pregnant! ( I have 9-months to make this thing work)
"Why Your 'Not Good Enough' Portfolio Pieces Are More Valuable Than You Think"
I work every day building out my portfolio
I take specific classes for the areas I’m stuck at
I work on a plan B simultaneously and get to work with a creative director to improve some skills.
I get a day job (part-time)
A Dream is Born
Baby is born, COVID ends
I take the class that started it all again, get very precise feedback from the teachers, and apply all of it.
I build a portfolio website
I get offered a book and paid in advance (and the book gets delayed 2 years)
I was offered agency representation by a prestigious - The offer is withdrawn because I’m ‘too ambitious’.
I started a critique group with peers from class
I reach out to industry pros for advice, I don’t know what the next steps are
I get offered agency representation by a ‘new’ agency
I get offered a picture-book, and then a 2 book series, before you know it I’m booked for a year!
My journey was a series of realizations, I got some of those realizations by taking the wrong actions, and others by getting good advice. There is a lot to be said about learning from experience but good advice works so much quicker.
Incidentally, if you’re looking for advice, I offer a limited number of 1-1 meetings each month, where we can talk about any of the things in the list above, or if you click the button, there are a few more ideas we could discuss.
Wow this is quite the journey!! What really strikes me is the intensity of your commitment, the sheer graft of it all, and also the listening to feedback and adjusting as you go. Seems like you had real focus to succeed, and you got the book deals! So great to read Adam. AND a newborn through it all, which is no small thing! (Although a new born is small... you know what I mean!) Well done for all you have created, including your family!
This is so brilliant to read Adam, thanks for sharing! It’s a long process of evolution. I’m saving up to do the MATS course, sounds like you got a lot out of it. In the meantime working on my portfolio and then it’s feedback time 👍🏻