Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/

"There are so many moments in your daily life when you can actually draw! Lunch break is half an hour, you've finished your sandwiches in 20. 10 minutes left...what do you do? Do you go and check your Facebook status, or do you draw? If you want to be a better artist, you draw." ~ Iris Compiet.

Want to know how to have a successful art career and build your audience?

In this week's interview, fantasy artist and illustrator, Iris Compiet, reveals how concentrating on her creative career and sketching and posting daily enabled her to quit her day job as a graphic designer and become a full-time illustrator.

This inspiring interview contains the blueprint for anyone wanting to build an art career on their own terms, from how to balance your day job with your creative passion, to posting daily, finding what resonates with the audience you're building, making connections and so much more.

Iris really is a shining example of what's possible when you finally make the decision to make the jump and stop making excuses for yourself. It takes time and hard work, but the steps are easy to understand and available to anyone…

Interview Chapters

[00:37-03:11]

Introduction and Overview

Your host. Mitch Bowler, introduces today's guest, Iris Compiet, a fantasy artist and illustrator from the Netherlands.

She's about to launch her book, Faeries of The Faultlines, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign which has already raised more than 88,000 Euros! So, how did she get started and end up actually living her dream of becoming a full-time artist?

[03:12-05:43]

Was Quitting Her Day Job a Difficult Decision?

Iris always dreamed of becoming an illustrator, but actually ended up working as a graphic designer for 16 years. So what made her decide to take the plunge...and did she have an action plan?

[06:17-08:21]

How Did Iris Become an Illustrator?

Iris didn't suddenly wake up one day and decide to become an illustrator. Instead, she juggled her day job as a graphic designer with improving her art skills...and, eventually, she was able to concentrate on making art full time.

But how did she manage to make time for all this?

[05:56-09:34]

Where Can You Find Out More About Faeries of The Faultlines?

When Iris had the idea for her book, Faeries of The Faultlines, she had a clear end product in mind - a beautifully illustrated and printed book which she hopes will inspire generations.

But how did she go about bringing this product to life and raising enough money on Kickstarter to make it happen?

[09:53-13:18]

How Did Iris Get Serious About Becoming an Artist?

Iris made the decision to become a full-time fantasy artist five years before she quit her day job as a graphic designer.

So what did she do to start working towards her dream? In this chapter, you'll hear how she got her priorities straight, invested in her future, and focused completely on where she wanted to be...

[13:42-19:12]

How Did Iris Build a Successful Brand as an Artist?

After having made the decision to become an artist, Iris also worked hard on developing her brand and getting her work seen.

In this chapter, you'll find out exactly how she did this, and why sketching daily and posting your work can lead on to bigger things than you might think...

[20:28-22:44]

How Can You Make Time For Art in Your Life?

Finding the time to actually make art can be a real issue for many people. So how did Iris manage to fit daily sketching into her daily routine?

In this chapter, you'll hear how to manage your time more efficiently and fit art into your schedule - no matter how busy you are.

[23:16-29:08]

How Did Iris Become a Main Stage Artist at Illuxcon?

Becoming a main stage artist at Illuxcon in Pennsylvania, USA, was one of the many highlights of Iris' creative career so far. So how did she get there...and how did this help her art career?

[30:03-42:20]

What Kind of Work Did Iris Show at Illuxcon?

Choosing the right work to show at any art or comic con can be difficult, so how did Iris decide which pieces to show? In this chapter, you'll hear how she prepared for this hugely popular and highly-regarded art event.

[32:45-35:08]

How Did Taking Part in Art Challenges Help Boost Iris' Audience?

Iris took part in many of the popular art challenges on Instagram, such as #junefae and #mermay , which she says helped boost her following significantly. So how can you build your audience on social media using the same approach?

[35:37-43:12]

How Did Iris Launch Her Kickstarter Campaign?

As we mentioned earlier, Iris always had an end product in mind when she began preparing for her Kickstarter campaign and book launch.

But how did this take shape as the months went by and how did Iris find inspiration for her project?

In this chapter, you'll hear why she believes in making art that stays true to you as a person...and why your passion for your art will always shine through in the quality of your work if you do.

[43:13-47:09]

Conclusion

If you're interested in buying Faeries of the Faultlines and boosting your art skills at the same time, you might like to know about our special offer for anyone who purchases Iris' book.

You'll get the full details of how to take advantage of this deal in this chapter, along with information about another exciting art project...

#121: What Can Freestyle Rappers Teach Toastmasters?—Jordan & Isaac of Free Daps