/

I started my illustration “career” by working with friends and it’s still a big part of what I do. But it’s something I know can be tricky and fraught if you don’t do it right. So here are my four top tips for working for, or rather with, your friends and loved ones*.

Make it fair

You need to be fair to yourself and fair to your friends if you’re going to work together. Don’t feel like you have to take on work if you don’t have time, or even if you don’t want to, and certainly don’t feel like you need to take on work for free. Work together to set a fair brief, a fair price and a fair timeline so that you’re both comfortable.

Be clear

Once you’ve worked out what works you need to make sure you’re both on the same page. Set out what your friends should expect, in the same way that you would if you were working with a “normal” client. Except with friends you need to make sure its crystal because it’s easy to slip into doing a little bit more, or accepting that extra redraft because they asked nicely. Going back to that first point you need to be fair to yourself. While we’re on the topic of clarity make sure your loved ones are clear with their briefs, it’s easy to assume you’re on the same page because you have the same in-jokes so take an extra minute or two to avoid making an ass out of anyone.

Do good work

If you’ve set a fair deal you need to do the best work you can. You should always do your best work, never forget that. But here it’s doubly important because if you do a good job for your friends you can bet they’re going to tell their friends about your work too. So much of my work comes through contacts made through friends sharing my work. Do good work and more work will find you.

Keep it fun

Don’t forget to have fun! You’re working with people you love, doing something you love! Making something together should be a positive experience, so don’t lose sight of that or your friendship as you’re going. If you can feel the work jeopardising that take a step back, go back to step two, and head out for a coffee/drink/laugh, then get back to it.

*Adam JK has so loads of great advice on this, and lots of the other aspects of working in the creative sector in his book Things Are What You Make of Them.

/

I’ve been going through a bit of a blogging crisis recently. Despite writing my goals at the start of the year I’ve found it really hard to find a focus to what I’m doing, which in turn has made it increasingly difficult to find the motivation to write and create content.

The fun I was having in just making things and putting them out into the world and seeing what happened when I started this last year had gone. I still love illustrating. I still have moments when the words just seem to type themselves. But I’d started to resent having to sit down and “blog” or do all of the social media stuff that comes along with that.

If I’m honest, I’d let the numbers get to me.

I have fewer views than I did this time last year. My social followers seem to have plateaued. Despite me putting in more work, and creating things I loved, it felt like it made no difference.

While the numbers aren’t everything. They are something.

I never thought I’d be a huge blogger. I’m quite late to the game, with a slightly unfocused niche that doesn’t have the kind of cache as lifestyle or beauty. But I did think I would keep growing if my content kept improving.

So when the numbers started to dwindle I took it very personally. I’ve poured hours and hours into this blog, and to feel it wasn’t growing with the effort was hard, especially because it’s been the focus of the content I’ve put out into the world for the past year.

Focusing on this blog has given me so many opportunities, but it’s also taken my focus away from my other work. 

So, I’m redefining who I am as a maker and where I am in the blogging world. I was never really a blogger. I am an illustrator who blogs.

I’m going to focus on developing those skills and creating great visual work I love.

In order to do that, I’m going to be taking a bit of a step back from this blog over the next couple of months from April onwards, and dropping down to two posts a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays). I’ll still be sending out my newsletter every Sunday morning so there’s still going to be plenty of content out there. But reducing my schedule is going to give me the breathing space to hopefully really develop my art for its own sake rather than just to support this blog.

Hopefully in turn that will help me have a more healthy relationship with blogging, and who knows it might even lead to some fresher content.

/

We’re already done with 1/4 of the year, which is pretty surreal. I swear the years go by faster and faster each time. But before we whizz into April, I’m taking a moment to stop, reflect and share with you a few of the best things I’ve read and seen in March.

stop watch illustration

SHORT READS, IF YOU’VE ONLY GOT A FEW MINUTES:

1. Daisy Buchanan on Being Your Own Boss

While I’m only my own boss some of the time I really enjoyed this from Daisy Buchanan via The Pool on why being your own boss is exciting and empowering. But it’s much harder to admit that it can be frustrating and lonely, too.

2. The Next Big Design Trend is the Opposite of Whatever’s Happening Right Now

I think we all know that trends come and go in waves and cycles. So the next big design trend is always the opposite of whatever’s happening now. Does that mean we’re about to start to see a move away from millennial minimalism?

3. Intensity vs. Consistency

I think Tina Roth Eisenberg’s words say it all here “Love Simon Sinek‘s words here, but man, Jocie Juritz’s animations made it so much more powerful. Mad respect for both.”

4. Shitty Work

This month I went to a Design Thinking Bootcamp where there was a lot of focus on learning not to be afraid to fail as one of the key elements in making great work. This lovely little piece by Alex Mathers on shitty work gets you in the right frame of mind just to make without fear.

Dentures illustration

LONG READS, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO GET YOUR TEETH STUCK INTO:

1. G-IRL: Joey Yu

I love all of the G-IRL interviews (for reals go check them out if you haven’t already), this one with illustrator Joey Yu is particularly powerful and colourful. Read if you want to hear Joey’s thoughts on why it’s possible to create your own opportunities by believing in yourself and being persistent.

2. Zadie Smith: Dance Letters for Writers

“The connection between writing and dancing has been much on my mind recently: it’s a channel I want to keep open. It feels a little neglected — compared to, say, the relationship between music and prose — maybe because there is something counter-intuitive about it. But for me the two forms are close to each other: I feel dance has something to tell me about what I do.” Zadie Smith’s words on the links between dance and writing are not only wonderfully crafted they’re also moving whether you’re a writer or not – I think the parallels in the joy of movement and creation speak to all.

3. A New Bible for Bike Lanes

I’m fascinated by how the way we move in the world around us is ultimately always influenced by a design decision. This long read on bike lanes is a great insight into the importance of codifying and pushing those design decisions in order to create change in our cities. It also made me want to get back out on my bike, which is currently gathering dust in my “office”.

WHO TO FOLLOW, IF YOU WANT TO SPRUCE UP YOUR INSTAGRAM FEED:

@broobs.psd

Ruben Marquez is a new follow for me, thanks to the wonder that is Design*Sponge. I love the joy and colour in his photographic collages. He’s got me thinking about exciting ways I can refresh compositions and the joy of my secondary school sketchbooks. They’re perfect for welcoming in spring and powering the protesting spirit which seems to be continuing through this year.

@ana_godis

I don’t usually watch a lot of videos on Instagram but recently I’ve been obsessively watching Ana Godis’ timelapses of her work coming together. There’s just something so soothing about watching someone paint, even if it’s digitally. Ana’s are particularly watchable because of the way she uses layers of colour to create her portraits.

@helcovell

I wanted to share Hel Covell’s work with you this week because her book Jumble Wood was just published by Flying Eye and it looks magical. I love how whimsical and fun Hel’s drawings are they always leave me in a happier place after seeing them, and Jumble Wood is a book I would have wanted (and still do really want) to have on my shelf when I was little.

@accidentallywesanderson

So this is a non-illustration social favourite, but I’ve really been loving Accidentally Wes Anderson’s account recently. It’s filled with scenes so symmetrical or wonderful they could be in a Wes Anderson movie. It’s the perfect soothing escape, especially if like me you can’t wait for Isle of Dogs to land in cinemas.

 

Get the weekly digest by signing up for my newsletter, News Over Email.

/

Have your eyes every felt sore, itchy, or tired, or even like they’re burning as you’re working? Have you ever suffered from blurred or double vision after long periods of screen time? If so you might have been suffering from eye strain.

Eye strain is relatively common, and it happens when you don’t take the time to look after your peepers. It’s something that’s often overlooked but so important, especially if you’re a maker of any kind because your eyes are one of your greatest tools. Eye care doesn’t have to be complicated though, here are 6 simple steps you can take to look after your eyes right now.

Eye Checks

First things first, make sure you go for regular eye tests. The NHS recommends that everyone (even if you don’t wear glasses) goes to get a check up every two years. But if you’re having issues, or lots of headaches, you should definitely go sooner. Eye tests are normally around £25 but you can quite often get a discount, or claim back through your work place if you’re in the UK. If you want to read more about why you should get your eyes tested the lovely Natasha Nuttall has a great post all about it.

 

Breaks

Take screen breaks. Seriously, take a break (not to look at your phone!). I know we all know that we should be doing it, but it’s easy to forget. When I got my eyes tested at the end of last year, the optician recommended going for the 20-20-20 method, which is to look 20 metres (or as far as you can in your room) away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds. Sparing 20 seconds doesn’t seem too onerous right? Then you can take bigger breaks when you need to.

 

Active blinks

Another regular bit of eye TLC you should be doing is “active blinks”. When you’re working for a long time, especially on a screen you don’t blink properly which means that your eyes dry out and the glands that keep your eyes fresh can get blocked. So every once in a while you need to do a really overacted blink, squeezing your eyes together as if you were 5 again and making a wish. You could even make this part of your 20-20-20 routine.

Find your best light

As well as those little tasks you should also make sure that your workspace is set up in the best way to look after your eyes. Ensure there’s no glare on your screen and that your desk is well lit to avoid eye strain.

 

Optimise your screen

Once you’ve optimised your desk set up, move onto your screen itself. Go granny style and increase the size of the text on your screen by a few points so you don’t have to strain to look at it. You can also increase your screen’s refresh rate to reduce any flickering that might wear out your eyes. Where you can reduce the amount of blue light you’re exposed to, as continual exposure to blue light can damage your retina. While, if you’re working on colour sensitive pieces it might be hard to change the colouring of your screen to something more in the soft yellow range, can always use tools like night shift mode on your screen which shifts the colour dynamics on your phone at a certain time to reduce the amount of blue light you’re taking in. Plus it will help you sleep better too!

 

Don’t get too close

When you are working on a screen don’t get super duper close. I know the temptation is real when you’re working on a really detailed piece, but try and zoom in, instead of placing your face 2cm from your laptop, and your eyes will thank you for it.

/

I’ve been thinking a lot about community and my values recently, and I’ve realized I really want to put some more work into supporting fellow creatives. Nothing feels better than when someone I admire comments on my work or buys a card, and I want to do that for others as much as I can. Plus creating that network of support, of lifting each other up, of positivity, is, I think, a really lovely way to start to build and strengthen my community.

Also, I really want that denim jacket now I’ve drawn it.

Engage

The simplest thing you can do to support fellow creatives is to engage with their work. I know we all hate Instagram, but the way to make it better is to make it about engaging with the content you love. Sometimes hours of work can go into a post and having someone engage with it (like it, leave a comment etc.) can make all the difference, and means it gets seen by a wider audience. I really loved Grace Victory’s post about her relationship with Instagram, and how engaging with other likeminded people not just supporting them but ended up improving her own visibility too. So, if you see something you like, like (or retweet, or comment, or share) it!

Reach out

If you really love what someone is doing let them know. Leaving a comment, or sending a message might seem like a small thing for you to do but it can really make someone’s day. Having someone reach out with some words of encouragement, genuinely does make the tough days a little easier, and they always seem to come just when you need them (perhaps because we always need them to some extent) or at least in my experience they do.

Promote

Let’s share each other’s work! It’s that simple, if you see something you love and you think your internet pals would like it, then share it. Every week I like to share an artist I’m loving in my newsletter, and I do the same monthly in my round up posts. But I want to do it more, so expect to see my Instagram stories and my Twitter feed filling up with posts about wonderful creative people. If you’re looking for more people (in particular ladies) to follow, the #visiblewomen hashtag on Twitter has helped me find some real gems as has the womenwhodraw network.

Buy from the source

I didn’t want this post to be all about spending money, but it is a key way you can support artists you like. Even a small purchase can make a big difference. The Just a Card campaign is always a great reminder and champion of that idea. Artists end up making and sharing a lot of content for free, so if there’s someone whose work you like and you can support them by buying a card/print/book/zine please do! You’ll end up with something lovely and you’ll be supporting them to create even more in the future. Where possible try to buy directly from the artist. So, this year I’m only going to buy greeting cards directly from makers, and I really want to boost my prints collection.