The Intentional Art Career

Art by Analise Black


It’s a spring break mini-episode! Jake Parker gives a simple but mighty framework for designing your business (and life) for maximum purpose and success.

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Self-Publishing Pro
SVSLearn on YouTube
Jed Henry

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Success requires intentionality in all you do.

  • What’s driving your behavior? If you’re scrolling instead of creating, why? When you find the true motivations for your actions, you can address your needs effectively rather than engaging in procrastination.

  • When you define what success means to you, it’s easy to determine if your daily choices are in alignment with your values.

QUESTION

“What’s the key to surviving in business?”

The answer lies in clarity and intentionality. When you know who you serve and what you want, your next right step becomes obvious. The following simple framework can help you design a business (and life) guided by purpose and meaning. Run your daily decisions through these filters, in order, to determine if your actions are getting you closer to your desired lifestyle.

  1. Mission: The highest level of thinking about what you want to accomplish with your business. Answers the questions, “Whom do you serve and how?” as specifically as possible.
    Ex. “I make beautiful prints for the living rooms of millennials based on the popular culture of their youth.”

  2. Vision: The lifestyle you imagine for yourself. Example: “I make a comfortable living working 30 hours per week on my business. I get eight hours of sleep and take a few vacations per year.”

  3. Goals: Specific deliverables that help accomplish your vision. Example: “I will create two new print designs every month, make fifty $100 sales per month, and grow my email list to two thousand subscribers.” 

  4. Strategy: How you will achieve your goals. Example: “I will post polls on Instagram to determine which of my designs are most popular. I will show behind-the-scenes footage of my work to get followers excited to buy. I will create and advertise incentives to join my email list.”

  5. Schedule: How and when you’ll implement the strategy. Example: “From 2:30-5:30 pm every day I will focus on marketing and social media. Every Thursday I will spend the full day creating new work.”

  6. Habits: Nail down the specific behaviors that support your schedule. Example: “On Thursdays from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm my phone is on airplane mode so I can focus on creating. I go to bed at 10:00 pm every night so I can wake up early and start working the next day.”

Frequently stop to evaluate if your current action- whether scrolling TikTok or illustrating your comic- is in alignment with the life you’ve outlined in this framework. It takes discipline to follow, but living in alignment with the values you choose for yourself is the way to success and peace of mind in business and life.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to join the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Risking It All For Art with Joe Sutphin

Art by Analise Black

Joe Sutphin joins Jake Parker and Lee White to discuss his leap of faith into full-time illustration, learning to love hard work, the dignity of risk, and much more. Learn from his mindset on this episode!

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Joe Sutphin: Instagram @joesutphin, books on Amazon, prints on Etsy

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • It’s not the work you’ve done but the work you’re willing to keep doing and re-doing that will move you forward.

  • Delight in the dignity of risk.

  • You don’t need to know what you’re doing because you’ll learn by doing it.

  • The world doesn’t need perfect art, it needs your art.

  • When you skip the hard parts of making art, you skip building character. Learn to love the hard parts.

BIO

Joe Sutphin is an Ohio-based illustrator and cartoonist of children’s books and graphic novels. Creating in both traditional and digital media, his work showcases animals and the natural world with a classic style reminiscent of Frog and Toad. 

After dropping out of art school and with a young family to provide for, Joe took a job in package engineering where he spent sixteen years teaching production and quality control. During this time, he invested nights and weekends in developing an illustration portfolio, building connections with artists he admired, and accepting whatever art projects he could. 

After working consistently to build his portfolio and online presence, Joe took a leap of faith and quit his job to become a full-time illustrator. He’s spent the last ten years illustrating children’s books and graphic novels, including adaptations of Watership Down and Little Pilgrim’s Progress. Follow his work on Instagram @joesutphin.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

How To Do Murals with Brandt Woods

Brandt Woods joins Will Terry and Jake Parker to discuss his career as a muralist, how to land jobs, his approach to social media, and more. Don’t miss it!

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Brandt Woods: Instagram @brandtwoods, YouTube
Self-Publishing Pro
What They Don’t Teach in Art School by Will Terry

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Initiative wins every time. Don’t wait for someone to hire you; pitch your ideas, stay persistent amid rejection, and create opportunities for yourself to fulfill your vision.

  • There are more art consumers than artists on social media, so talk to them! Gear your content towards the majority.

  • Want to paint a mural? Follow this process: Find an ugly wall, snap a pic, create a digital mockup of your idea, decide on a price, and pitch it to the building and business owners. Make sure to abide by all city laws and ordinances before you begin, and seek funding from big businesses and brands. Some towns will compensate you to beautify their walls!

BIO
Brandt Woods is an Arizona-based artist covering his town in colorful murals. Brandt began pitching his mural concepts to local businesses three years ago. Despite a rough start, he forged ahead with his vision and has since worked with many large corporations and local businesses. He’s created so many murals in his area that you can take a tourist-style drive through town to spot them all!  He involves the community in his painting, often inviting locals and other artists to participate in his murals. Check out his work on Instagram @brandtwoods.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to participate in the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

How Do I Tell Good Stories?

Art by Analise Black

Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry discuss separating your identity from your art, introducing new work to your following, and the keys to drawing engaging stories.


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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Self-Publishing Pro OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT
Children’s Book Pro
Lee’s Podcast
Illustration Department Podcast

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • You are not what you do and your worth is not tied to your work.

  • The key to becoming a unique illustrator is to observe what everyone else is doing and improve upon it. Ask, “What is this missing? What could I add?”

  • If you know you could improve an illustration, push yourself to do it. While full-on perfectionism isn’t useful, the ability to refine a piece until it lives up to your vision will set you apart from the competition.

QUESTIONS

Agata asks, “I am a tattoo artist, but my dream is to create children’s books. I think my portfolio is almost ready to send to agencies, but now I’m wondering about my social media. I’ve amassed 35k followers, but my profile is tattoo-oriented. Should I share my illustration work with that following?”

Getting published (either through a publisher or self-publishing) doesn’t rely on social media as much as you might think. (If you want to learn more, we talk about social media in depth in our new class, Self-Publishing Pro.) That said, you can begin introducing your followers to your children’s books by sprinkling images from them throughout your account.  You may find there isn’t much interest from your current audience in your new work, but you’ll pick up additional fans who will love what you’re sharing.

Robert asks, “What are your key principles for telling a story in your illustrations?”

First, choose to illustrate the highest-drama moment of your story. Every story has a beginning, middle, and end; evaluate which part holds the most intrigue. Study the works of Norman Rockwell and J.C. Leyendecker; these men were masters at spotting the most interesting moment of a story.

In addition, be selective about the stories you choose to illustrate. If a narrative is boring or the author leaves you little room to add to the plot visually, it will be much more difficult to create an engaging illustration. Choose wisely!

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Is Social Media That Important?

Art by Analise Black
Should I focus on my email list, portfolio, social media, or something else? Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry teach what to prioritize as you grow your art business. 

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS
SELF-PUBLISHING PRO
Samantha Cotterill on 3PP
Rebecca Green on 3PP

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • There’s a hard way and an easy way to be consistent. Preparation makes consistency easy.

  • You’re capable of so much. Don’t use others’ successes as a reason to check out from your own dreams.

  • Ask yourself, “Where are my skills and where do they overlap with opportunity?”

  • Quality comes from quantity. Don’t put all the pressure on one piece to be a success. If you need ten good illustrations, make one hundred. Your ten will be in there somewhere.

QUESTIONS

Ryan asks, “I’ve been working on a comic and eventually want to sell it as a book. I’ve been building my Instagram following in the hope of finding 1,000 golden followers who will buy my book when it comes out. However, Jake also talks about building an email subscriber list that you have full control over. Should I still invest time and energy to post on social media, or should I direct my efforts to build my email list?”

The answer? Both. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Building your social media following can help you grow your email list. Let us explain:
Good marketing is like a healthy relationship: it requires authenticity, communication, and consistency. If you put those principles into action in your Instagram posting, you’ll eventually grow a following that will support you. (Instagram doesn’t have to be ridiculously time-consuming; simply plan all of your posts, including images and hashtags, a month in advance; then all you have to do is post and reply to comments throughout the month. Don’t be afraid to reuse old art rather than scrambling to make something new for each post.)

As your following grows, you can begin to offer them a free taste of your book (the first chapter or a mini-comic in PDF form) in exchange for their email. In this way, both your Instagram support base and your email list grow.

When you’re building a business, you have to invest time, money, and hard work. You may be able to outsource one of these, but you’ll always need to apply at least two. There’s not a shortcut, so buckle down and do the work to get to your destination.

Alana asks, “My goal is to be an author-illustrator. How important to my goal is a social media following, and how do I get there? And, should I carve out more time for portfolio pieces?”

If you have a great style and agent, you can succeed in publishing without any social media presence. (Check out our interview with Samantha Cotterill for a real-life example.) 

Whether you use social media or not, a solid portfolio should be your priority. Most author-illustrators are better in art and weaker in writing or vice versa, so lean into your strengths while you develop your less-skilled areas. For example, if you’re better at illustrating than writing, accept illustration gigs while you learn to tell good stories. 

To develop your portfolio, find two or three artists you adore and copy their pieces as closely as you can. The goal is not to become just like them but to absorb their thinking. Learning how other people solve problems successfully saves you so much time! The things you learn from these studies will inform and improve the work you make in your style.

When you’re working on your portfolio, quality comes from quantity. Don’t put all the pressure on one piece to succeed; instead, determine to make fifty or a hundred illustrations and only keep the top five or ten. This way you’ll be less attached to the time spent on any one piece, less devastated if one fails, and more likely to produce a few really beautiful works.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Bringing Joy and Vision to Your Work with Lisa Bardot

Art by Analise Black
Lisa Bardot- entrepreneur, artist, and teacher- joins Will Terry and Jake Parker to discuss vision-based living, creative business, and making art for the joy of it.

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS
Self-Publishing Pro
Art Maker’s Club
Bardot Brush YouTube
Drawing Digital
Bardot Brush
Paint, Play, and Procreate Retreat with Lisa Bardot in France
Instagram @lisabardot

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Excitement is the most effective marketing. When you’re pumped about what you offer, your audience can’t help but get on board.

  • Everything is figure-outable. Don’t let a lack of know-how prevent you from pursuing your dreams; you can develop the skills you need as you go.

  • Reserve time to create art for the joy of it. 

  • Don’t let fear of failure stop you. It’s better to try, fail, and have a learning experience along the way than to play life safe and never grow. Failure is not the worst thing that could happen to you!

BIO

Lisa Bardot is a Sacramento, California-based artist, online teacher, and entrepreneur. She is best known for teaching Procreate on YouTube, in online courses, and in her book, Drawing Digital. Lisa began using Procreate in 2013, which led to creating and selling digital brushes and teaching how to use the program on YouTube. Her videos have been wildly successful and she has since partnered with Procreate to teach and work on new projects with the company. Lisa also created an online membership, Art Maker’s Club, and publishes daily art challenges with a monthly theme. She encourages people of all skill levels to make art for the joy of it.

With a background in graphic design and photography, Lisa has always been entrepreneurial, running multiple businesses with her husband. They have three children and stay busy managing family and business life. Keep up with Lisa on Instagram @lisabardot.

QUESTION
Robert asks, “Which plays a bigger role in your art process: vision or ability? Do you match your vision to your skill level, or increase your skills to meet your vision?”

To succeed as a creative entrepreneur, you must be vision-driven first. You won’t know how to do everything right out of the gate, but the only way to learn is by trying. When your vision is big enough, you can increase your abilities a little at a time until you reach your goal.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.


Why You Should Ask for a Critique

Art by Analise Black
Will I ever be able to fix my art on my own? Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry discuss the necessity of getting feedback on your art. They also debate about unions and answer questions about their upcoming class, Self-Publishing Pro!

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JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

FREE PREVIEW: Self-Publishing Pro
How to Fix Your Art course
How to Fix Your Art livestream
PewDiePie

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • You’ll never outgrow the need for feedback; the key is to ask the right people.

  • You have so much power as an artist! Channel that power to make things people want and are willing to pay for.

  • If you practice one thing every day for 100 days, you’ll be competent by the end of that time. Don’t overcomplicate the path of growth!

QUESTIONS

Emily asks, “I’m worried about my ability to see what’s wrong with my work. I try to apply the lessons you teach, but when I watch your critiques I’m surprised by how many mistakes I don’t see on my own. How can I learn to see what you see?”

Every artist, from beginner to award-winning expert, needs outside perspective on their work. When you’re learning how to draw, your instructor teaches you how to correct glaring issues and fundamental flaws. As you advance, you’ll be able to fix those problems on your own, but you’ll still need someone to help you identify the tiny changes that improve the quality of your work. Don’t try to outgrow the need for critique; instead, look for artists with more skill and experience than you and ask them for feedback.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Think Like a Business Owner

Art by Analise Black
Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry weigh the pros and cons of working with publishers, the effect of unions, and the benefits of creating multiple opportunities for your artwork.

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS
Episode 192
Samantha Cotterill
Drifting Moon Tarot
Smartpress

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • It doesn’t matter how good the product is if it’s in front of the wrong people.

  • Are you trying to be an illustrator or run an illustration business? Illustrators hope for gigs while business owners have strategies for getting consistent work.

  • Every freelance job dries up eventually, but if you have two or three other opportunities going simultaneously, you can keep your career secure.

  • A professional shows up whether they feel like it or not.

QUESTIONS

Thaddeus asks, “When trying to sell your art,  is it better to narrowly target a specialized market or broadly shop your stuff anywhere?  I have regularly submitted cartoons to The New Yorker for about two years. Should I limit my submissions to work on other projects?"

Getting hired by The New Yorker won’t turn into a full-time job, but it could open doors for you with other companies. However, very few artists are accepted by The New Yorker, so don’t hinge your entire career on this one gig. Pursue additional opportunities for a more strategic chance of success.

The New Yorker only accepts a very specific style; how does your work compare? Take your best New Yorker submissions and attempt to redraw them closer to the style commonly accepted. Resubmit them and see what happens!

Angelo asks, “Is it worth contacting agents or publishers about my project ideas, or should I just publish myself?

It doesn’t hurt to reach out to ten or twenty publishers and see if they’re interested in your work; you can always choose to go your own way if it’s not a match. However, make sure the quality of your work is publishable before you approach them. First impressions are very important, and if your art isn’t up to snuff from the start, they’re less likely to take you seriously if you try again a few years down the road.

Another thing to consider when weighing the benefits and costs of working independently is your personality. Are you okay with creating art that matches a publisher’s market and vision, or do you need complete freedom to feel fulfilled? If molding your ideas to someone else’s vision doesn’t sit well with you, you’re probably best working on your own.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Can I Delete My Social Media?

Art by Samantha Cotterill

We’re winding back the clock to this interview with illustrator Samantha Cotterill! Join Jake Parker and Lee White to discuss the pros and cons of social media, limiting distractions, adapting to physical challenges, and much more in this insightful episode.

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast are supported by qualifying purchases. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Samantha Cotterill: website, books
Interview with Ryan Claytor and Jake Parker
Deep Work by Cal Newport
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Chris Sickels (Red Nose Studio)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Social media can help you start your career and make connections, but it isn’t a good long-term choice for everyone. Consider stepping away if you find yourself comparing, seeking validation, and missing out on the deep work that comes from unplugging.

  • Stop trying to impress other artists or collect cheap likes with your work on social media; instead, think of your audience and create work that will speak to them.

  • Limitations- physical, artistic, and otherwise- require you to think creatively. Use them in your favor!

Thanks to Samantha for providing the notes for this episode!

ADHD: 

> If working on your own, find a fellow artist to keep you accountable. I have two friends I really respect, and we have a morning Friday deadline to submit our work to each other for review. It helps to keep me on track and motivated.

> For me, it would be very difficult to create work without deadlines. For a long time, I misinterpreted that as meaning I wasn’t REALLY an artist (especially when one is surrounded by others who jump to create during their free time). If I don’t have deadlines, I seem to do everything BUT create art. I need structure and having deadlines fuels my drive and creativity. 

> Using the Pomodoro method helps get me into “the zone.” Sitting and doing one big, long focus from the start won’t work for me. I will get antsy at 20 minutes and find myself suddenly needing to distract myself and do something else (check email, get a snack, do a house project, take a bath, etc.). I do four cycles of 20 minutes of work, then a 5-minute stretching/walking break. Then I do a 40-minute session of work with a 20-minute break. I find often that by the 40-minute stretch I’m getting into the zone and can really work.

> Changing things up: My preferred medium is great for that. One day I can focus on photography, another, on building, etc. It allows me to avoid getting bored and keeps my attention up. The variability also enables moments of hyper-focus to occur if a specific avenue is grabbing my attention that day. 

> Lists: I cannot survive without lists. I write a list every day of what needs to get done, INCLUDING the boring office stuff that I will easily avoid doing. Lists hold me accountable AND show me that I’m more productive than I think. (Someday I will master the numbered lists of Lee.)

> Inability to start: I often find myself paralyzed with an inability to start a project that may be overwhelming due to fear that I can't accomplish it. As a result, everything but that project will take precedence, and my avoidance will only heighten my anxieties with every day I put it off. Just now I finished a spread that at first seemed impossible. Set in a forest scene, I feared I couldn't pull it off and was starting down that road of avoidance. With twenty years since my diagnosis, I’ve learned how to recognize those moments and deal with them.  The forest as a whole may seem overwhelming (I haven’t drawn a lot of nature scenes up to this point), but rather than avoid the whole thing out of fear, take smaller steps to reach that result. Tell yourself, “Today I will draw one tree. That seems doable.” Then draw one tree. That’s one tree more than nothing if you had chosen to avoid it altogether. You may then say, “OK, that wasn’t so bad. Let’s see if I can draw five trees without thinking about the quality in ten minutes.” Soon you will start closing that gap from where you started to where you want to be, and before you know it you’ve knocked out that forest. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media can be an incredible tool for many people, and everyone is unique in what they need. I recognize some careers require social media to remain an integral part of their business; I just had to reflect on what was best for me, both personally and career-wise. While social media was incredible for launching my career and helping me find connection, it got to a point where the benefits of using it were becoming roadblocks in my pursuit of growing as an artist. 

A few of the reasons (there are many more) I chose to step back from social media:

> Quality of my work: I was no longer being fully present with my work to determine whether or not a piece was the best it could be.  Affirmations on Instagram gave me a false sense of accomplishment, and often I would move on to the next piece without ever doing the deep work that particular image might have needed.

> Ability to Fail: Working in the privacy of my studio without sharing every step allows me more room to fail and make mistakes. I have found myself more daring and excited to try and fail with intention, as it leads to discoveries that help my work evolve and grow. 

>Focus: I have much more focus and the ability to be fully present in my work since stepping back. The pull of wondering how an image was received through comments and likes was taking me away from putting in the quality work that was needed. If my goal is to put my best work out there for my readers, then setting up a work environment that fosters this is key. Endless scrolling through my phone was not helping get that deep work going.  

>Imposter Syndrome: Constantly scrolling through other artists' work can set off an Imposter Syndrome that prevents the continued inward work needed to bring out your best work. You can be inspired by other works, but once it gets to the level of making you question your worth as a creator, then you may need to step away and reset, even if it's just for a short time. 

> Creative influx: I found the algorithms of social media to be problematic in regards to inspiration. Over time, work can all look similar, and I noticed my work was evolving to a similar place as well. The world has such a gorgeous variety of art, and I was only seeing a small selection. Ordering magazines from completely different mediums is a great way to get inspired and keep things fresh (I have subscriptions to architecture, photography, painting, and nature magazines).  I am looking forward to visiting old bookstores, libraries, and museums to see bodies of work completely different from mine. It's amazing how something completely new and different can inspire your work.

> Marketing: I recognize that I am now in a position where being able to step back was an option. I have an agent and mainly work with publishers. Social media was a great place for me when starting out to get my work out there and be seen. It’s how I ended up with my incredible agent. It was a wonderful tool to get me to where I am. But it’s done its job in that regard, and now it's time for me to forge ahead on my own. Maintaining connection with my readers is still important, and having a dedicated website and newsletter is key in that regard. My marketing time is now spent creating books, trailers, and videos for the publishers to distribute, keeping readers up to date on any happenings with new and upcoming books, and doing behind-the-scenes promotional ads as pub dates near. 

MY TYPICAL DAY

My life is a wave of work; some days are crazy productive and others not so much. I have always put great importance on giving myself time to think. Thinking for me is about 75% of my work. Oftentimes at the start of a project, days/weeks will be spent on walks or just sitting outside thinking. Those days are just as important for me as the actual sit-down-and-physically-work days. 

When I'm done with the thinking stage, this is my typical week (when I'm not undergoing a week where nothing is working and I want to quit...we all have those days/weeks):

M-F: 

         7 am: Wake up and get youngest to school (I have a 19-year-old and 16-year-old, so I'm at a very different stage than I was when they were younger!).

         8:30: Make a list of what I want to accomplish that day (I put the smallest things down so that I can visually see things check off).

         9:00: Start working on my images. Work in 20-25 min increments with little 5-minute stretch breaks until rhythm gets going.

         12:00: One hour to have lunch, go for walk.   

         2:30: Stop drawing before heading out to pick up high schooler at 3:15. I always try to stop at a place where I want to do more; it gets me excited in the morning to wake up and continue. 

         4-5 pm: Try to get to those pesky emails. 

       

         Rest of the evening: dinner, house chores, relax. Again, I'm at a stage where the kids want to do their own thing, so it's very different than when they were younger. There are more moments where I am excited to work on something, so I'll pop into my studio and work a bit at night. 

Weekends are more open. I like to go into them flexible. Resting and being with family is important to me, so I tend to go with the flow, being present and in the moment. Again, my kids are at that stage where free time for them is more interesting with other friends, so often there will be moments where I pop into the studio to do some drawing. I LOVE working on photography or teaching myself basics in animation, and weekends are great for exploring that. 

WORKING WITH LIMITATIONS

Having severe Rheumatoid Arthritis has made me adjust and work with my limitations. While my treatment plan does wonders to keep my disease at bay, some adjustments needed to be made to keep making art an option. 

Adjusting one’s tools: After wallowing over the inability to draw any longer with my traditional nib pen and ink, I realized I needed to figure out a plan B. So a brush pen was introduced, and soon I had found a pain-free alternative to drawing with varied line. Certain processes are simply not doable anymore, and thus working with limitations has become the center point of everything I make. In a way, these limitations have made my work more creative. I am forced to think outside of the box and find more uses of fewer methods/materials, which I am finding results in an explosion of ideas.  If you want to make art, you can find a way to make art. 

 

    Recognize that some days may just not work, and that’s ok. There are still moments where I have a major flare-up episode, which can result in days of extreme fatigue and pain. Work can wait. I need to focus on myself first, and the more I do that, the sooner I can get back to creating. Remembering that the step back is a “right now” moment helps you know that the temporary struggle isn’t forever. (This applies to so much in life.  Our “right now” struggle moments can encompass a day to several years, but they are still "right now" moments and not forever. Things will get better. You will find a way to make it work.) 

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

How Do I Grow My Email List?

Art by Analise Black
In this episode, Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry share strategies for reaching your goals, from growing an email list to improving your shading to finally landing an agent. 

ASK A QUESTION
JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

CLASS: Light and Shadow for Illustrators
ConvertKit
Mailchimp
Substack
@allysaadamsillustration

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Beginners draw simply; intermediates render complexity; masters see the complexity and simplify deliberately.

  • The more detailed your subject is, the less you should complicate it with highlights and shadows.

  • Add value to your followers. Give them something they want and they’ll line up to support you.

  • Not getting work doesn’t necessarily mean your style is bad; sometimes you only need to tweak a thing or two to help your art shine.

QUESTIONS

Joe asks, “Recently I’ve become enamored of French and Belgian comics makers. These folks are in a league of their own; how did they get there and how can I emulate them?”

European culture values beauty, so children there may receive more exposure to quality art at a young age, informing their taste. Perhaps they also have more access to good artistic training. If we take any lesson from this, let’s give our kids the resources to foster their creativity!

Giorgos asks, “How do I grow my email list?”

The best way to attract subscribers is to offer them something of value. Remember, your subscribers are your potential buyers and Kickstarter supporters, offer something that appeals to that market. Give them a taste of what it’s like to support you on a larger scale.

For example, if you’re a comic artist, create a mini-comic and offer it for free as a PDF. If someone wants to download it, direct them to your website where you can collect their email for them to receive the file. (You can use email services like Mailchimp, Substack, Google, or ConvertKit; most are free for until you reach 1,000 subscribers.) 

Periodically create something small and new to offer as an incentive to sign up for emails. Once you’ve got a decent list built, you can invite your subscribers to back Kickstarters, buy from your shop, or support whatever you’re working on (and make them feel extra special as the first to know). Simple as that!

Tamz asks, “How do you create shadows that help an object look less disconnected or floating and more grounded and attached to the surface beneath it?”

We have an entire class on this subject: check out Light and Shadow for Illustrators on SVSLearn.com. The short answer is that the darkest part of the shadow should be directly beneath your object, fading lighter as it stretches further away from the point of contact. 

Lysa asks, “I've been reaching out to agents and art directors over the past few months, and while I've received some kind words, a lot of the feedback has been that there's not enough demand for my style. Does this mean I’m not good enough or that I need to overhaul my style to get work?

Lysa’s technical and storytelling abilities are all there. The only suggestion we have is to lighten up your darkest darks to reduce the contrast in her work. Lysa’s most successful pieces are those with a lighter palette, so leaning into that could be helpful. Additionally, her style might be better suited to the YA market than children’s books. These simple tweaks could make a world of difference!

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to join the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Is My Idea Worth Pursuing?

Art by Analise Black
Anthony Wheeler joins Jake Parker and Will Terry to discuss risk in your art career, finding concepts worth illustrating, and whether or not wordless graphic novels are a good idea.
ASK A QUESTION
JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Anthony Wheeler
Chaotic Draw-Along Kickstarter
Jed Henry
Botany Kickstarter

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • If you want to make good art, you have to feed your imagination good art. Train your taste with Pinterest boards and art history.

  • It won’t be a good final piece if it's not a good sketch.

QUESTIONS

Kayleen asks, “How do you know if you have an idea worth illustrating?”

This is subjective, but it’s important to have a solid story before you attempt to illustrate. Everyone’s taste is different, but the more you create, the more easily you can identify a good concept at a gut level. Study the work of J.C. Leyendecker and Norman Rockwell. These 20th-century illustrators were masters at condensing a story into a single image. (Check out this example from Rockwell and note that you understand the entire plot without any additional information.) Practice their punchiness and experiment with implying more than you depict.

At the end of the day, draw what you love. Dive into your concepts at a micro-level, experimenting with thumbnails and brainstorming before moving on to the final piece. The more you do this, the easier it will be to identify ideas worth pursuing.

Sarah asks, “What are your thoughts on wordless graphic novels?”

If you love the idea, create it!


Yes, this may reach a smaller market than its wordy counterparts, but there are also plenty of text-heavy graphic novels that remain niche. You can’t guarantee sales simply by doing what everyone else is doing, so you might as well do what you love. Work that comes from the heart tends to be of higher quality than work made only for financial gain, anyway. 

If you want to test out the concept, start small: create a five-page wordless comic and post it online. If the reception is good, make a ten- and then a fifteen-pager. When you have a few of these under your belt, compile them into a PDF and sell it online for a few dollars. If people buy it, you have hard proof that there’s a market for what you’re offering (and that’s very attractive to potential publishers!). At that point, you can move forward with your full-length graphic novel confidently, knowing your audience will be thrilled to get more of what they’ve been seeing from you.


LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Prioritize Your Art in 2024

Art by Analise Black


In this episode, Jake Paker, Lee White, and Will Terry share their goals for 2024. They also debate the importance of niching down and the trajectory of AI art.
ASK A QUESTION
JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS
Pickleball Paul by Will Terry
Drifting Moon Tarot by Lee White
Lee White Patreon
Jake Parker Patreon

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Career artists can get swamped with non-art tasks like email. Choose to prioritize creative time, even if that means waking up an hour earlier to paint or draw before hitting the admin work.

  • Document your process; in the age of AI, it’s the best way to show you’re legit.

  • Support artists on Patreon! It’s cheaper than a coffee and adds value to you all month while helping someone bring art into the world.

  • Don’t create solely for your audience, but listen to their feedback.

  • Your skill is in your mind, not your hand. You can train yourself to draw ambidextrously if your dominant hand is strained. 

GOALS FOR 2024

Will: Wants to rely more on investments for financial support so he can have the freedom to paint and draw whatever he desires. Planning on several new projects, including a game. Pursuing greater work/life balance, including physical, spiritual, and relationship-oriented goals.

Lee: Wants to focus on making pretty images with traditional media. Prioritizing daily creative work before admin. Divided the year into quarters with goals for each one. A children’s book, finishing his tarot deck, and diving into stationary, patterns, and licensing are high on the list, with the creation of a watercolor class if he has time at the end of the year.

Jake: Also prioritizing image creation over admin. Would like to complete a project (like a graphic novel or Kickstarter) by the end of the year. If the graphic novel doesn’t work out, would like to focus on adding to his online shop.

QUESTION

Stephanie asks, “When it comes to being a fantasy artist, especially an indie artist, is it essential to niche down to one subject?”

This question is referencing the subgenres within fantasy art (e.g., dragons, mermaids, LOTR, etc.). You don’t have to pick a single subgenre- that could get boring pretty fast! However, it’s wise to create themed projects that organize your work. For instance, you might create a dragon print series, followed by a fairy calendar, and so on. Themed collections allow you to explore new subjects while giving your fans an obvious way to consume your new work.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Inappropriate Children's Books

Art by Analise Black

Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry discuss how far is too far in children’s books, as well as the upsides of working for a studio or university, and more.

ASK A QUESTION
JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS
Children’s Book Pro
Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown
Mister Dog by Margaret Wise Brown
Rick Rubin
The Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan
Print Ninja

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Sometimes, to better your skills, you have to get worse. Refining your art can feel like backtracking, but truly it’s fast-tracking you to a higher level of ability. Be humble and teachable and don’t attach your worth to your work.

  • The gatekeepers may resist, but a little bit of edge in children’s books is what keeps them lively and interesting. Kids are hardier than we give them credit for, and not every book needs to be a reflection of real-world dangers and cautionary tales.

  • Adults can love picture books too! 

QUESTIONS

Robert asks, “There’s no place like a home studio! Are there any tools, programs, or equipment you had working in animation studios or universities that you wish you had at home?”

Aside from the financial benefits of insurance and a steady paycheck, there are several things Jake, Lee, and Will would love to have again. Jake misses print rooms with endless access to laser and risograph printers, large-format printing, and copies to his heart’s content. Lee misses being sent to conferences like SCBWI and receiving educational resources. He also misses the schedule accountability and the ability to learn from students and peers every day. 

Kyle asks, “I just released my first children’s book. It has some bits you don’t see much in children’s books: characters die, talk of killing each other, and a few other things. The risque factor was important for me; I loved that kind of thing when I was a kid. What sort of things to you wish you could still get away with in children’s books?”

Jake is a fan of Maurice Sendek- and David Shannon-style butts in children’s books; he appreciates the laughs it gets from his kids.

Lee wishes editors and agents would not impose so much caution onto stories and illustrations. For example, if a child is shown biking, gatekeepers will insist she wears a helmet in the illustration. It’s also discouraged to depict a child exploring without a parent nearby. Lee would like more freedom to create fun stories that don’t always match the level of precaution needed in reality. 

Similarly, Will believes kids love getting just a little bit frightened and would enjoy the freedom to add a scare here and there.

Nathan asks, “Is there an industry standard for image and file sizes or will the client inform you of what they need?”

Image sizes vary depending on the needs of your client; ask your art director what they have in mind. However, you should always use at least 300 dpi (original size) to ensure a high-resolution image for printing.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to participate in the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

The Year In Review

Art by Analise Black

Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry share their highs, lows, and lessons learned as we wrap up 2023.

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Ep. 140- 2022 Year in Review
Pickleball Paul by Will Terry
Drifting Moon Tarot by Lee White
Ryder’s Intergalactic Guide to Robots by Jake Parker
Botany Kickstarter
The 2023 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books
How to Fix Your Art Monthly Livestream
How to Fix Your Art Stand-alone Class

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • You can always make more money, but never more time. Plan your life and schedule your days to make the best use of this precious resource.

  • Stop reacting to the world around you and start deliberately moving forward with your plans and goals.

  • Diversification is essential for a stable art career. A day job or some form of reliable income to cover the bills gives you the freedom to branch out in your side projects without risking your lifestyle.

  • Some creators do well selling online; some work sells better in person. Experiment with both and find what’s best for you.

  • A little bit of channeled focus over a long period accomplishes great things!

Year in Review

2023 was a busy year for our favorite illustrators. Between SVSLearn, this podcast, and their illustration careers and personal lives, there was a lot to juggle! On the podcast, we frequently discussed AI and its implications for illustrators; representation; Kickstarter; and finding balance in your art career.

Will spent much of his year sharing Pickleball Paul in schools. He experimented with online marketing but discovered that in-person sales were higher, and he’s planning more school visits in 2024.

Lee launched his Drifting Moon tarot deck Kickstarter early this year and spent the rest of the year working on many projects, including getting represented by a gallery at the end of 2023. He’s preparing a more deliberate schedule going into the New Year.

Jake did work with an animation studio earlier in the year, causing him to reconsider his balance between freelance and other work. He also worked on cards for Disney and followed through with his Kickstarter book, Ryder’s Intergalactic Guide to Robots. He presented work at Comic-Con Tuscon and Lightbox. He leaves 2023 feeling confident about his choice to freelance and determined to stick with his long-term plan. 

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to participate in the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

The Most Common Art Mistakes

Art by Analise Black

Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry unpack their checklist for self-critiquing and discuss the new How to Fix Your Art course.

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JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

How to Fix Your Art Course
Choosing Color for Storytelling Course
How to Fix Your Art Livestream

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • As an illustrator, you’re not a camera; you’re a set designer. Rather than trying to include every possible detail, ask yourself which four details provide the most essential information to the viewer. Cut out as much as you can. 

  • Even if your art isn’t perfect, being able to tell a good story visually can save you. 

  • The more artists you study, the broader your visual vocabulary becomes. Enjoy a comprehensive sampling of artists so you’ll be equipped to solve a wide variety of visual and storytelling issues.

How to Fix Your Art began as a free, live-streamed critique session in which Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry taught viewers to think like pros as they “fixed” student-submitted art. (This series still runs live on the third Thursday of every month; enter your work and learn more here.) Now, Jake, Will, and Lee have combined years of teaching with their own professional experiences in the stand-alone course, How to Fix Your Art. This course is not part of the SVSLearn subscription and includes a 200+ page PDF book, video lessons, and a checklist for evaluating your work. It’s aimed at intermediate artists who are looking to take their work to the next level. 

The checklist enables you to measure the success of your images. It covers eight categories and teaches common mistakes and solutions. Let’s take a look at each category and a few common pitfalls and things to keep in mind.

Storytelling

  • If a verbal description of your image sounds boring, the image probably is. Avoid clichés and focus on telling a great story with your work. Storytelling skills might even be more important than artistic ability.

Character Design

  • Characters need to be designed, not merely drawn. Make sure your character’s shapes, gesture, and pose are cohesive with the rest of your image. 

  • Err on the side of being too dramatic in your gestures; exaggeration is better than understating. 

Perspective

  • Lower the point of view and learn to show distance with color saturation and size; you don’t always need a vanishing point to convey depth.

Composition

  • Follow the rule of thirds. Sure, you’re an artist and can do whatever you want, but the human eye is naturally more pleased by thirds than by an illustration split in halves.

Drawing

  • Avoid insecurely chicken-scratching or outlining too boldly; be aware of your mark-making and aim for longer, looser lines.

  • Save the details for the end, after all of your composition is blocked in.

Value, Light, Shadow

  • Avoid adding too many highlights.

  • Remember that local color affects the value of your subject. Start with local color and add light and shadow effects on top.

Color

  • Choose your colors strategically. Harmonize all of the colors in your image, and don’t use too many different shades in one image!

Rendering

  • Avoid over-rendering and over-thinking. Rendering can turn complicated subjects (such as hair or running water) into simple ones.

Want more help fixing your art? Check out the How to Fix Your Art class at SVSLearn.com!

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.


How To Be Productive with Ryan Claytor

Art by Ryan Claytor

Ryan Claytor joins Jake Parker and Will Terry to explore his career in comics, self-publishing, and teaching. They discuss Ryan’s new book, the opportunities of self-publishing, how to be a good art student, and much more.

Click HERE for Ryan’s new book and Kickstarter!

ASK A QUESTION
JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS
Ryan Claytor: elephanteater.com, One Bite at a Time, coinopcarnival.com, podcast
Interview with Jake Parker
The World of William Joyce
Draplin Design Co.: Pretty Much Everything
The Art of Michael Whelan

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Students: come to class with a willingness to learn. Get out of your head, remove the earbuds, and open yourself up to new ideas.

  • Feed your creativity by making time to be bored.

  • You don’t have to “break into” the industry; you can wade in gradually by making things and seeing how far you can go. Nothing is preventing you from creating or self-publishing today. Gatekeeping doesn’t exist for the courageous.

  • You don’t need external validation to create and publish your work. 

  • Create like an artist, work like an accountant. 

BIO
Ryan Claytor is an illustrator, self-published comic artist, graphic novelist, and professor. The scope of his creative work ranges from Pinball machines and neon signs to watches to podcasts. As a professor at Michigan State University, he teaches comics studio courses and spearheaded the development of the interdisciplinary Comic Art and Graphic Novel minor between the Art and English departments.

Ryan earned his MFA from San Diego State University with an emphasis in multimedia in 2007. He has received countless awards for his work. Until 2020, he also hosted and produced the MSU Comic Art and Graphic Novel Podcast, which is still available online for free.

With his wide-ranging career, Ryan has learned the value of empowering himself to achieve his dreams. His latest book, One Bite at a Time, highlights his last two decades of comics as well as other media and the process behind his work. Learn more and back Ryan’s Kickstarter campaign at onebiteatatimebook.com.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.


What Should I Sell?

Illustration by Analise Black

Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry discuss finding the best products to sell, altering your illustration style, and the pros and cons of author school visits. 

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Matthew Forsythe
Nathan Hale

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • The more school visits you do, the more routine (and less stressful) they become.

  • It’s no sin to adapt your art style to match your industry’s preferences.

  • Starting a business can be overwhelming, but getting clear on why you’re doing it and what results you want to see can help you make decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

QUESTIONS

Robert asks, “Do you dislike the way some things are drawn in the illustration and animation worlds, yet draw them that way anyway because it’s commonly accepted (e.g., four fingers on a hand instead of five)?”

There are lots of examples similar to the four-fingered hand, such as dots for eyes or duck bills for baseball caps. These solutions are like visual shorthand, which is why they become so popular.

In certain fields, like animation, you will have to make some style concessions if you want to move up in the industry. That is unless you take the entrepreneurial route and create outside of a studio. You must decide if it’s worth it to you to make those adjustments to advance your career, or if it’s more important to retain one hundred percent authenticity. 

Amberlin asks, “I'm a stay-at-home mom and attempting to resurrect my art career. I can only dedicate two hours a night to art so I want to be effective with my time. I don't want to sell my art itself; I want to sell a product. But looking through ideas, it's hard to not become discouraged as the market for artistic goods is so heavily saturated online. I don't have a direction yet so I'm lost in a sea of options. Any suggestions?”

The products you should sell depend on your goals for your business. Do you want a lucrative side gig, a hobby, or a full-time career? When reviewing your product options, take into consideration your goals and the kinds of results those products will generate. Write a business plan and ensure any project or product you adopt helps you achieve your vision.

After you identify the purpose of your business, there are a few other questions you can use to evaluate your options. First, are you creating for your own fulfillment or for others? There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you’re creating for others, you need to find out who your niche market is and what needs you can fill for them.

The sweet spot typically lies at the intersection of what you like to make, what others want to buy, and what you’re good at. We can’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t sell, but we believe that answering these questions will empower you to make wise decisions and help you find the best-suited products for your business.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Cons and Conferences: What To Know Before You Go

Illustration by Analise Black

Jake Parker shares his recent experience at LightBox Expo, and Lee White and Will Terry join in to discuss how to set yourself up for success at art shows and conventions.

ASK A QUESTION
JOIN US ON PATREON

Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

LightBox
SCBWI
Rebecca Shieh
Smartish phone wallet

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Define success and set realistic expectations for every show you enter. Are you hoping to make bank, connect with other artists, or test out a new market? Ensure your investment into the event is worth the outcome you anticipate.

  • One of the most valuable parts of conferences, shows, and conventions is the relationships you build while you’re there. Keep business cards, take emails, and proactively reach out to the people you meet after the event. They could become collaborators, door-openers, customers, or life-long creative friends and cheerleaders, so don’t let those connections pass you by!

QUESTIONS

How do I know if I’m ready to table at a convention?

To ensure you’re prepared for your first show, you must have a defined style and brand. With so much visual noise around you, the only way you’ll catch attention is through stand-out branding. If you’re still honing in on your creative voice, give yourself some time to build up a body of cohesive work before entering any big shows.

Next, you need to do some research. Before applying to a show, visit as an attendee and take notes. What sells? Is there a lot of work similar to yours, or would you stand out? Is the customer base interested in the kind of work you make? Are prints, originals, fan art, or art books most successful there? With those notes, you can make informed choices about which shows would highlight your work best, as well as which of your products are likely to perform well.

How can I have a successful show?

That starts by defining what success means for you. Often, especially if you’re new to that market, you can’t expect to make bank from a single show. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to turn a significant profit, but it does mean you may find the most value in the connections you make while you’re there. Cons and conferences are great places to network and meet new art friends and business connections. The association can refill your creative bank account if you spend a lot of time working alone. 

All that to say, set realistic expectations. Yes, great art, clear branding, and an approachable smile will help you sell more work, but you can also measure your success by the relationships you form and the inspiration you take home with you.

Practical tips:

  • When calculating the cost of participation, don’t forget displays, travel, food, and accommodations, as well as items you might purchase from other vendors. If you’re traveling, consider splitting a hotel or Airbnb with another artist friend attending. 

  • Ensure you’re financially stable enough that if you don’t turn a profit, it won’t be detrimental to your bank account.

  • Pins sell everywhere! Whether your main offering is art books, originals, or prints, pins make a great addition to your table, an easy gift or impulse buy for attendees, and a fun, current way to get more of your art into other people’s hands.

Capitalizing on the Opportunity

To get the most out of your time, focus on connecting with people. Whenever someone buys something from your booth, you’ve formed a potential long-term relationship with them, and they could become collectors and fans for years to come. Don’t be discouraged if they only purchase your smaller offerings; you never know where it could lead. Make sure to collect emails so you can stay connected with everyone who visits your table. When the conference is over, make it a priority to add those people to your mailing list and reach out to them quickly so they remember you!

Take advantage of the networking you experience with other artists as well. Write down the names of people you meet (including a short note about why you wanted to connect with them), hold onto business cards, and remember to reach out to those people post-event to deepen your connection.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.

Starving the Content Machine

Art by Analise Black

Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry discuss the dangers of art as content, how to tailor art challenges to your needs, and when to let small projects stay small.

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Note: We’ve done our best to provide relevant links to products mentioned in this podcast. Qualifying purchases support SVSLearn and the 3 Point Perspective podcast. Thank you for your patronage!

SHOW LINKS

Inktober
Children’s Book Pro
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay
Eric by Shaun Tan
NYT: Emma Thompson Is Right: The Word “Content” Is Rude (Look into getting a free New York Times subscription through your local library!)
Matt Rhodes Art
Daniel Warren Johnson
MIT Technology Review: This New Data Poisoning Tool Lets Artists Fight Back Against Generative AI
LightBox Expo

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Art challenges (like Inktober) are opportunities for personal growth, not competitions with everyone else on the internet. Focus less on following the “rules” of each challenge and more on applying yourself in ways that improve your art.

  • You don’t need to participate in every art challenge at the expense of your work or your family life. You can choose to tailor challenges to your situation. Don’t let them overwhelm you.

  • Some things are meant to stay small; you don’t need to turn every zine or sketch into a full graphic novel or finished painting.

  • Sequential art needs a balance of impactful punches and quiet moments- visual crescendos and decrescendos.

  • Don’t be a slave to the content machine; it’s better to work slowly, produce meaningful art, and have little to post between projects than to sacrifice quality for virtual likes and shares.

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, and let us know your thoughts or if you learned something new!

If you want to be a part of the discussion and have your voice heard, join us at forum.svslearn.com.