So you like drawing?

Image from a recent Dermaceutic event.

Experimenting with style, mediums.

This one is for the artists still figuring it out. I’ve been illustrating for over 7 years, and live illustrating for luxury brands and private events for about 4 - here’s what I wish I read when I first started. Drop any questions down below, let me help you on your journey.

1. Start drawing anything.
   Before I started, I spent a few weeks seeing illustration on bus stops, magazine covers thinking ‘I could do that!’ which was pointless until I actually did that.

   Your style will reveal itself and evolve over time (the latter never stops). The first thing you draw will probably suck (sorry). Draw anything and everything you’re interested in. Try still life, fashion illustration, acrylics, watercolours; you’ll figure out your favourites and go from there. And SHOW IT OFF: Pick a social media channel and use it (you might hate it, but you need it) Instagram, Pinterest, Behance, Tik Tok (not all of them, or you’ll spend your life managing them) - just a favourite or two. I have Instagram & Pinterest.

   Show me what you create (tag me on Insta, really).
   
   

2. Your first instinct is the right one.
   I’ve had a lot of things land in my inbox, sometimes I’ve said yes to things to things that didn’t feel right (Alert! Work for exposure!) and other times I’ve been excited, scared and said no when I should’ve said yes.
   The first time I was excited, scared then said yes was the launch of my live illustration career. Which y’know, has been pretty good.
   
   

3. Look at other artists for inspiration, but then unfollow them all and do your own thing.
   As an artist, be hired for your style, not asked things like ‘Can you draw like X?’. It’s happened to me, and while people have built careers mimicking the style of others, don’t do it. One day, be known for your style. Don’t be called out as a copycat either 🙊
   
   

4. Create your own briefs.
   ‘Personal projects’ are pretty cool - pretend you’re your ideal client (Louis Vuitton, Bonds, Gourmet Traveller, etc) and create what you want them to hire you for. ie. ‘Louis Vuitton has asked you to create their new campaign imagery’, ‘Bonds would like you to design their new surface pattern for onesies’.
   Attract the bejeezus out of the universe! If someone comes knocking, you need to show them what you can do.

5. Is it a hobby or a business?
Mine was a hobby that evolved into a business. I’d recommend hanging on to a day job as long as you can (boring life advice) because it’s hard at first to maintain any sort of stable income. Passion is excellent, but won’t pay your water bill. Save what you can, work when you can (I worked from 6am, went to my job, then after dinner til I dropped). Keep in mind too, most major brands have a 30 day payment policy (which means you get paid a month, sometimes more, after you send them your invoice).

Once it’s a business, there’s bookkeeping, social media planning, strategy, marketing etc - I’m not trying to overwhelm you, just inform! I use Notion & my phone calendar to keep track of my events and a good ol’ notebook for my daily To Do list.

6. Bonus tip: Be a nice person. Nobody wants to work with a jerk.

As always, comment if you want to know more, or have any questions.

x Bel

Things I wish I read when I was starting out.