I’ve been working for myself as a designer, illustrator, Etsy shop owner, and author since 2012 (how has it already been 8 years?!) and it’s got me thinking about how much I’ve learned throughout this journey. I went to school for graphic design, and while that gave me a really great design foundation, a lot of what I know now was learned “on the job” when taking on new projects and building myself a self-employed career. I wouldn’t be here where I am today if it wasn’t for the generosity of other people sharing what they know and spending time creating resources that have helped me grow so much. That’s one thing I really love about this industry—there is a feeling that there’s room for all of us. Helping each other out is for the good of everyone.
So, maybe you’re just starting out, or you’ve been in this industry for a while and are looking for something you may not have come across yet. Either way, if you happen to be a creative person of any type, I thought you might be interested in some of these things I’ve learned and some of my favorite people that I’ve learned from. I’m going to try to do a post like this fairly regularly because there’s so much I’d like to share with you.
For this first one, I thought I’d talk about my favorite industry newsletters that I subscribe to. I don’t subscribe to a whole lot because it stresses me out to get a lot of emails, but out of the ones I get, these are the ones I consistently open up and read.
🌸 Becky Simpson’s Creative Nourishment newsletter
Becky is a friend of mine who I met through our mutual literary agent, Laurie Abkemeier. She’s an author, illustrator, and art director. A few months ago I started getting her Creative Nourishment newsletter and every single email has had an incredibly useful nugget of advice and information. She talks openly about the creative process and industry, including things like dealing with jealousy and *actual* pricing numbers for illustration projects. Thanks to the information she shared in one of her emails, I successfully applied for and received a PPP loan which has been a huge help. Before her email, I had previously assumed I didn’t qualify for it because I am a sole proprietor, but her email explained the process and requirements in a much more human way than all of the official websites and such. Her email about jealousy is really helpful, too, and I recall her words regularly when those icky (but normal) feelings pop up. Basically, her newsletter is full of very practical advice that I think will improve your day-to-day life as a creative person.
🌸 The Aesthetics of Joy by Ingrid Fetell Lee newsletter (scroll down to bottom of page to sign up)
This one isn’t particular to the illustration industry, but I often apply the information shared in it to my illustration work. My cousin-in-law recommended this website to me because it’s so beautiful and full of really helpful advice about finding joy. Seriously, go take a look at it. It’s so pretty! Each email is a nice, gentle reminder to prioritize joy in life without feeling guilty about it. It improves my mood because it’s just so pleasant and friendly and not the “make every day amazing/ good vibes only/ blah blah blah” toxic positivity that’s just not realistic. It’s more about finding bits of joy even when everything is not okay, taking in what’s around you, and recognizing the good in what may seem ordinary. When I’m in a good mood, it’s a little easier to create and feel productive. The idea of prioritizing joy reminds me to think about that in my artwork, too. Creating illustrations that bring me joy and amusement are likely to bring someone else joy and amusement as well.
🌸 Juliet Meeks Design newsletter (make sure to check the “art business + painting tools” selection when signing up)
Juliet Meeks is a surface designer and illustrator who is well known for her beautiful floral paintings. I really love her artwork, so I signed up for her newsletter earlier this year to follow her shop updates and get her art business tips. The main thing I like about her art business newsletter is that each one talks about her experience with that particular topic. One of those was where she talked about how doing a 100 Day Project really kickstarted her career and she detailed what that process was like. I love getting advice from artists I admire, and I like it even more when I can hear more about what that person’s actual experience was like. She’s also very transparent about the industry and has shared actual pricing numbers that have been so helpful to see. A lot of her emails about geared towards the surface design/ licensing industry, but there are a lot of helpful tidbits about working as a creative in general.