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We’re here to offer no-nonsense advice for illustrators and image-makers navigating a creative career.
At The Good Ship Illustration, we are all about finding your creative voice, standing out from the crowd, building career-longevity, and being yourself.
We're Helen Stephens, Katie Chappell and Tania Willis - 3 full-time bread-winning (mmm, bread) illustrators working in 3 separate niches of the illustration industry. Between us, we've clocked up over 70 years of experience and illustration wisdom, and we're here to share it!
You’d love your creative work if only you could find more time to do it, make more money, and feel confident with what you make. We believe you DO have what it takes, illustration needn’t be scary, and we’re with you all the way, along with the rest of the crew in our online community.
54 Episodes
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This week, we’re answering a question from listener Eilidh: "How do you navigate social media? Do you have a strategy or just post willy-nilly?" Gah. It’s complicated. In this episode of the podcast we chat about: Do illustrators really need Instagram anymore? Should you have a strategy, or is it fine to post when you feel like it?Why social media isn’t our main way of getting work (and what is).The ONE thing every illustrator should have on their Instagram right now.Aaand, we discuss wh...
Ahoy! Doors to the Business Course (for illustrators!) are closing TONIGHT! We're going to be having a chat over on Instagram and you're more than welcome to bring your business of illustration questions along. Be lovely to see you there. We're @thegoodshipillustration over on Insta. p.s. Once the course doors close, they close. We're strict! You've got until 10pm UK time tonight (Friday 14th March 2025) 🚢 This week, we’re talking about one of the best things you can do for your illustration ...
Doors to the Business Course (for illustrators!) are open TONIGHT! We're going to be having a chat over on Instagram and you're more than welcome to bring your business of illustration questions along. Be lovely to see you there. We're @thegoodshipillustration over on Insta. 🚢 This week, we’re diving into the live illustration industry. How much work is actually out there, how to get it, and whether it’s the right fit for you. We grilled our Katie and found asked her... Is there really loads ...
"I'm not drawing as much anymore - Aghhhhh! Is this ok!?" If you feel like you’re not drawing as much as you “should”, then you’re definitely, absolutely not alone. In this episode, we share our drawing ebbs and flows, why guilt often sneaks in, and how to let yourself off the hook when life gets lifey. We chat about: The natural phases of a creative career (and why it’s A-OK not to be drawing all the time).Why forcing yourself to draw can backfire.How other creative stuff like sewing or gard...
🚢 The Picture Book Course closes TONIGHT! In this episode, we’re tackling three of the biggest picture book questions we hear all the time: 1. What size should my picture book be? 2. Do I need kids to write picture books? 3. How do I get my book in front of a publisher? (So that they actually SEE it.) If you’ve been agonising over book dimensions, stressing about margins, or wondering whether your book must be a certain size before a publisher will even look at it, this episode's for ...
First things first, we've got to let you know that the doors to the Picture Book Course are FINALLY OPEN AGAIN today! We'll officially fling 'em open tonight at Art Club (7 pm UK time over on Instagram. Our IG username is @thegoodshipillustration.) See you there! 🚢 Right, back to the podcast show notes. In this episode, we’re answering a brilliant question from Lou, who asks: "I've got a picture book for adults. Is that a terrible idea?" The short answer = not necessarily, but it could...
Juggling too many plates, saying yes to everything, and wondering if it’s time to let something go... It's not a fun place to be. (And all three of us have been there, got the frazzled t-shirt). In this episode, we share the projects, jobs, and ideas we’ve binned along the way to make room for the shiny new stuff. We chat about: Why it’s okay to drop what isn’t working (even when you love parts of it).Illustrator school visits, online shops, and in-person events.The power of saying n...
Nahhh. It's not really. That was a naughty title. Anyway, we got this brilliant and juicy question in our students-only Facebook group for the Find Your Creative Voice, Fly Your Freak Flag Course. 🎺 31ST JANUARY = YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET SOME GOOD SHIP ILLUSTRATION SNAIL-MAIL STICKERS WHEN YOU JOIN! Don't say we didn't warn you! Sign up here. Megan said: "I just opened up the Microsoft Surface Pro I bought for digital drawing, and I’m freaking out a little. Not just about the expense, b...
Chelsea asked us: "Would love some advice goal-wise for those of us still holding part-time jobs and two small kids under five, trying to transition to an illustration career. Is it even possible? I'm feeling impatient and a bit trapped." We chat about: Why “slow and steady” beats high-pressure goals.Low-pressure ways to carve out creative time (even with little ones around).How parenting can inspire your creative work.The importance of being kind to yourself and how to keep drawing.Why edito...
At The Good Ship Illustration, we love keeping it simple. You don’t need the fanciest gear or the latest tech to be an illustrator. Our Helen’s 25-year-old scanner has survived being dropped multiple times and it’s still goin' strong. This week on the podcast, we’re sharing the tech setups we actually use to get our illustration work done. Katie tells us about her iPad obsession, the magic of cloud storage, and why a second screen is a game-changer when she remembers to switch it on.Hel...
Ahoy! 🚢 In this episode, we’re answering a brilliant question from listener Cat, who wrote: “Help! I’m shy. Do I really have to go to book fairs to start my illustration career?” The short answer = nope. The longer answer = this 15-minute podcast episode. Grab a cuppa and we'll see you in there! p.s. Freak Flag course doors are now open! If you join before the end of January 2025 we'll send you a Good Ship sticker badge in the post an' everything. Come on in and find your creative voice :)...
Is it time to set goals, or are you feeling more “no plans, just let me lie down” this year? We chat about: Why some years are for sprinting, and others are for walking.The power of visual goal-setting.How to make goals human-sized, doable, and fun, without freaking yourself out.Here's a Good Ship permission slip to do your 2025 goal-setting in a way that works for your brain/energy-levels/life. Timestamps: 00:00 – Happy New Year! Goal-setting: exciting, overwhelming, or somewhere in be...
As 2024 winds down, we’ve been hearing all sorts of things - budget cuts, AI fears, and whispers of a downturn. There’s no denying it’s been a tricky year for many illustrators. But is it all doom and gloom? Not necessarily! Timestamps for you to skip around: 00:20 Special news - The doors are open for Find Your Creative Voice, Fly Your Freak Flag! 01:15 What we’ve been hearing from illustrators about the industry. 03:00 Why illustrators are feeling the pinch of budget cuts. 06:30 The w...
What do tiny bowls of crisps, the world’s fanciest pencils, and a mysterious couple called Ron and Betty Frampton have in common? They’re all in this week's Christmassy podcast! Get ready for festive chaos, creative inspiration, and permission to buy yourself something lovely, courtesy of Ron and Betty. Timestamps: 00:00 – Who on earth are Ron and Betty Frampton? 01:20 – What’s on our Christmas wishlists? Pencils, paint, and tech setups 04:30 – Christmas bingo, tiny bowls of crisps, and the u...
Here's your early present from Good Ship. Our previously-just-for-paying-students private VIP podcast episode all about building your creative confidence. We're celebrating that Find Your Creative Voice, Fly Your Freak Flag is now open for enrollment all year round! Instant access. You asked, we listened. EVERYONE who joins during December 2024 & January 2025 will get one of our much-coveted Good Ship sticker badges. Mmmmm. We're also opening up a rare chance to win 1:1 mento...
When you’re starting your illustration career, there is so much advice out there, so in this episode, we're untangling the nice juicy question of “Where do I even start!?” We share a bit about how we've each learned to hop in and out of our business & creativity cars over the years. Plus, we'll dish out some wisdom nuggets on balancing creative bursts with the less exciting bits of building your freelance illustration career. Come and say hello, we're friendly! Have you got a question you...
Show Notes When we meet up, this is always one of the first things we ask each other. We'd ask you too if you were here! "What are you working on, then?" is the question that made us want to start The Good Ship Illustration all those yeeeeears ago - we realised how mega different our illustration careers are, even though we're all illustrators. Grab a cuppa - in this episode, Tania shares her big goal to create a personal map (including residencies, studios, and maybe a little bit of p...
Show Notes Feeling frazzled & running on illustration fumes? You're definitely not alone! In this episode, we wade on in to discuss the murky waters of burnout. Don't worry, we've got your life raft right here! We chat about what burnout actually IS, why it seems to be so common amongst illustrators & creatives, and most importantly, what you can do to nip it in the bud, or escape it if you're already knee-deep. So grab a cuppa, put your feet up, and recharge your batteries with us fo...
Are you as nosy as we are? Weyyyy, you're in the right place. In this episode, we talk about our daily routines as illustrators. What do we DO all day? We discuss morning routines, our creative processes (or lack thereof), and the importance of deciding when to eat dinner. When we said we'd love to hear about your day-in-the-life, we mean it! Come over to Instagram and say hello / tag us in your daily routine posts :) We're @thegoodshipillustration on there. Timestamps: 00:18 Tell us about y...
Firstly, if you like this episode, you’ll LOVE The Business Course! Doors are open for enrollment until the 18th of October 2024. Be quick! You can read all about The Business Course here: https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/business If you do miss the boat 😩 and the doors have already closed by the time you're listening to this, you can jump into our free ‘Get into Your Business Car' challenge here in the meantime: https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/businesscar ...
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