Thoughts on Illustration

📗 Order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/book
✨ Register for the Online Launch/DWM on April 7 at Luma: luma.com/67uhuhmrA recent portfolio critique turned into a deeper conversation about creative risk — and how to know when it's time to stop dreaming and do something about it. I share the personal story behind my own decision to quit my job and go to art school, and the question that helped me know that risk was worth it. Whether you're facing a big shift in your career (or even your life) or deciding whether to publish your portfolio or not, this one's for you.IN THIS EPISODE • Can a Portfolio be Too Niche? How a coaching conversation about purpose, niche, and commercial appeal set the stage for a much bigger question about creative direction. • Can We Sell Ourselves Without Selling Out? Why early-career illustrators with a strong subcultural niche may need to broaden their commercial appeal before they can narrow back in. • Fear of Failure vs. Fear of Regret: Why asking "how would I feel if I never tried?" can be more clarifying than asking "what if I fail?" • The $50,000 Decision: How I left a stable career to pursue illustration, and the moment of clarity that made the risk feel worth taking. • Are You Addicted to Education? How accumulating degrees, certificates, and online courses can become a way of avoiding the real risk — actually doing the thing. • The Bird Who Won't Leave the Nest: Why creative careers require putting yourself out there, and the importance of failure and rejection as teachers.LINKS & RESOURCESDrawing Is Important — Now Available: My book is officially out! Order it wherever books are sold, or start at the link below. • tomfroese.com/bookBook Launch Event: April 7 — check the link to register. • luma.com/67uhuhmr • Catch the replay later at tomfroese.com/patreon (membership required).Local Book Launch Events: I'll be hosting events in Chilliwack/Fraser Valley and Vancouver. Follow along to stay in the loop. • Instagram: instagram.com/mrtomfroese • Patreon: patreon.com/tomfroese • Substack: mrtomfroese.substack.comOne-on-One Coaching: Want to work through your own portfolio or career decisions with me? • tomfroese.com/coachingPrevious Episode — 4 Portfolio Mistakes: I reference the four blind spots of early-career illustrators: purpose, point of view, substance, and craft. • Episode 72: https://www.patreon.com/posts/153866247Today's Action on Illustration: What do you really want? Sit with that question. Pay attention to the moments — a story, a song, someone's work — that spark something deeper than "I like that." Write them down. Collect them. Those are the clues to the bigger decisions you'll face in your creative life. And if you're sitting on a risk you've been too afraid to take, ask yourself: • In 5/10/50 years, what would you regret more: risking and failing, or never even trying? • If now's not the right time, when will be?Just a word of caution: Please take into account timing! You can say yes to that big risky decision (if you really want it), but you can also say not yet. Sometimes we have to let one chapter end cleanly before moving onto the next one. Other times, we have bigger priorities than our dreams to take care of. Tag me on Instagram @mrtomfroese or email me your reflections at hello@tomfroese.com!TOM'S LINKS • Work: tomfroese.com • Classes: tomfroese.com/teaching • Instagram: instagram.com/mrtomfroeseJOIN THE LIVE LAUNCHDrawing is Important Launch Day: April 7, 2026In case you missed it, I'm hosting a live book launch event on April 7th to celebrate the release of Drawing Is Important! Register at the link below to join us — I'd love to see you there. Register — luma.com/67uhuhmr

A deep breakdown of four common portfolio pitfalls that keep illustrators stuck. Short explanations of why each project must signal its function at a glance. A look at developing a consistent point of view as an underlying operating system. Discussion of substance versus surface complexity and how craft can transcend specific tools.

📗 Pre-order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/bookBrandon Campbell (known online as @brandcamp) is a professional illustrator and former designer for Comedy Central and CNN. Brandon joins me to talk about his transition from digital motion graphics back to traditional media, his family legacy in the arts, and his unique "reverse colouring book" concept in his new book, Just Add Line.In this EpisodeThe Thrill of the Hunt: We start off discussing our love of thrifting and what we consider the "holy grails" of vintage finds.A Family Tradition: What it was like growing up with an illustrator dad who drew for Time magazine and Star Wars.Reversing the Creative Process: The ideas behind Brandon’s new book, Just Add Line, which flips the traditional coloring book on its head.The Impact of AI: Brandon’s candid non-sugar-coated take on how AI and the current economy are shifting the landscape for professional illustrators.Mindset Hacks for Better Work: How to trick your brain into having more fun by treating client assignments like personal projects.Links and ResourcesBrandon Campbell’s Website: https://www.brandoncampbell.tv/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandcamp/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brandcampPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/brandcampWork MentionedJust Add Line (Rizzoli) - https://www.brandoncampbell.tv/Birds Eat and Eat and Eat by Ed EmberleyEvelyn Ness (Illustrator) B. Dylan Hollis (Illustrations by Brandon) - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/742467/baking-across-america-by-b-dylan-hollis/9780744097603 Help Shape my Future Signature Course!My big goal this year is to create my first self-hosted course for illustrators. But I can't do it without your help! Please take my 5-minute survey at the following link. As a thank-you, you'll get 20% off the full price of the course when it launches.Signature Course Survey — ⁠Google Form Link⁠⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHIixGnxIA9gLl4WLXtxb4JsTfj5FjU6l1T9Sm0Cv2DjnDWQ/viewform?usp=header⁠Tom’s LinksWork: ⁠tomfroese.com⁠Classes: ⁠tomfroese.com/teaching⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠

Pre-order Drawing is Important — http://tomfroese.com/bookIn this episode, I take on the "myth of artistic looseness." We often envy the "spontaneous" energy of artists like Quentin Blake, but the truth is that looking effortless requires a tone of effort. I dive into why your final illustrations feel "stiff" compared to your sketches and how to bridge that gap through what I call supervised spontaneity and confidence from competence. IN THIS EPISODE • Three observations about artistic looseness • How to build "chaos" into a repeatable process.  • The Take-Two-ness of Glenn Gould: Why the best work happens in the studio, not live.  • Why even pros like Sir Quentin Blake struggle with achieving looseness. • The Exercise: A three-stage drawing challenge to help you unlock creative freedom in your drawings.EPISODE LINKS • Quentin Blake shares about his artistic neurosis in "How I draw" — https://quentinblake.com/about-drawing/how-i-draw • Glenn Gould Poster (Tom Froese, for Polaris Prize) — https://www.tomfroese.com/work/polaris-music-prize-glenn-gould • Glenn Gould's "Take-Two-Ness" — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BachTheGoldberg_Variations_(Glenn_Gould_album)HOW TO SUPPORTYou can support Thoughts on Illustration by: • Sharing this episode with a friend • Leaving a comment • Leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts • Following the show / subscribing to this channel • Becoming a paid supporter here or on Patreon — ⁠https://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠FIND ME ELSEWHERE • Website — https://www.tomfroese.com • Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese • Daily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and cues by Mark Allan Falk — https://linktr.ee/semiathleticDRAWING IS IMPORTANT — NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDERMy new book, Drawing Is Important, is your guide to making drawing a meaningful daily habit. Through stories, insights, and exercises, it helps you draw more often—with less pressure and more joy. Available 7 April 2026 — Pre-order now! The first 500 orders get a free hand-signed book plate! Look for "get pre-order prizes" after clicking the link.Pre-order Drawing is Important — http://tomfroese.com/book

Pre-order Drawing is Important: ⁠⁠https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant⁠Mike Lowery is an internationally recognized picture book illustrator and author, as well as fellow teacher and daily drawer. Mike joins me to talk about the business of illustration, finding his style, the impact of AI on the illustration industry, keeping a sketchbook habit, and using social media for illustrators.In this EpisodeThe business of illustration: The difference between making art for its own sake and making art that actually does something.Finding Mike’s style: How an art director’s preference for Mike’s sketches over his “final art” style redefined his whole approach.AI and the industry: Mike’s hesitantly-offered but well-considered assessment on AI’s impact on illustration today.Daily Drawing Practice: Mike’s advice for keeping a sketchbook, whether on the daily or on the road.This conversation covers some of the big shifts of 2025-2026 in the illustration industry, but also goes into super-practical, hands-on tips that will make a difference in your illustration practice today.Links and ResourcesMike Lowry’s Website: https://www.mikelowery.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikelowrystudio Free E-book: Instagram for Illustrators (Scroll all the way down) — https://www.mikelowery.com/classes Work Mentioned: Random Illustrated Facts- https://www.mikelowery.com/random-illustrated-factsNo Sam series - https://www.mikelowery.com/portfolio/nosamHelp Shape my Future Signature Course!My big goal this year is to create my first self-hosted course for illustrators. But I can't do it without your help! Please take my 5-minute survey at the following link. As a thank-you, you'll get 20% off the full price of the course when it launches.Signature Course Survey — ⁠Google Form Link⁠ ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHIixGnxIA9gLl4WLXtxb4JsTfj5FjU6l1T9Sm0Cv2DjnDWQ/viewform?usp=header⁠Tom’s LinksWork: ⁠tomfroese.com⁠Classes: ⁠tomfroese.com/teaching⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠

Tom explains why doing many side projects can fragment progress and stall growth. He compares creative goals to marathon training and outlines a training-style framework for steady improvement. The episode covers choosing one clear goal, building project-based plans, and keeping consistent, measurable practice to reveal real progress.

Pre-order Drawing is Important: https://geni.us/DrawingisImportantWhat does it actually take to build a sustainable life in illustration—without burning out or chasing every new platform?In this episode, I’m sharing a conversation where I was the guest on Design Icons, produced by Noun Project. Nick Power’s questions gave me a chance to step back and reflect on my career honestly—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what I’m still figuring out.We talk about:Lessons learned from a decade+ as an illustratorCreative plateaus and my worst year for client workWhy style is about reliability, not aestheticsHow constraints shape better workVisibility, sustainability, and what actually moves the needleThis one covers all the classic interview questions, but it gave me a chance to reflect on the basics in a real, honest way.→ Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/tomfroese→ Explore Noun Project: thenounproject.com

Become a paid supporter on Patreon— ⁠https://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠What if social media isn’t actually social anymore—and what if that changes how creatives should use it?In this monologue episode, I reflect on a growing realization I’ve been wrestling with for years: social media has quietly shifted from a space for sharing and connection into something much closer to corporate media. And many independent creatives have been doing a lot of unpaid work for big tech without fully realizing it.I talk candidly about my own experience building audiences on Instagram, YouTube, and this podcast—and why the familiar promise of “just keep sharing and it will pay off” no longer feels like a fair trade. I unpack the gambling-like dynamics of algorithms, attention, and hope, and explain the one big mindset shift I’m making as I head into 2026.This episode isn’t about quitting social media. It’s about rethinking our relationship to it, getting clearer about what we’re actually selling, and using these platforms more intentionally—as business tools, not creative homes.🙏 A huge thank-you to all paid supporters on Patreon and on Spotify. Your support makes these thoughtful, independent episodes possible.IN THIS EPISODEWhy social media now functions more like corporate media than a social spaceHow algorithms turned “sharing” into a gambleWhy the old promise of free publicity no longer works for most creativesMy own experience building large followings—and what I’ve actually gotten backThe shift from thinking like a content creator to thinking like a business ownerWhy “look what I made” isn’t enough anymoreHow clarifying your product and your customer changes everythingWhat this mindset shift means for creatives heading into 2026LINKS🎨 Inky.af — My class on creating expressive, inky illustrations using analogue techniques in Affinity (now free forever)⁠http://tomfroese.com/teaching/inkyaf⁠📗 Drawing Is Important — Book preorder available now⁠http://geni.us/DrawingisImportant⁠HOW TO SUPPORTYou can support Thoughts on Illustration by:Sharing this episode with a friendLeaving a commentLeaving a rating or review on Apple PodcastsFollowing the show / subscribing to this channelBecoming a paid supporter here or on Patreon — ⁠https://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠FIND ME ELSEWHEREWebsite — ⁠https://www.tomfroese.com⁠Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠Daily Drawings — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant⁠CREDITSMusic and cues by Mark Allan Falk:https://linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠

The State of Illustration Report with Darren Di Lieto | Episode 65What does the illustration industry really look like right now — beyond highlight reels, social media, and shiny success stories?In this episode, I talk with Darren Di Lietto, founder of Hireillo and the author of the State of Illustration report. For more than a decade, Darren has been surveying illustrators around the world to better understand how we work, how we get paid, and how sustainable illustration actually is as a career.We have an honest conversation about confidence, pricing, late payments, mental health, and the quiet pressures shaping illustrators’ lives today. We talk about who’s best positioned to thrive, where illustrators are struggling most, and why so many are being squeezed out early on in their careers.I was surprised, and honestly a little bit depressed by the numbers in the report—but Darren helps me see some of the positive takeaways as well.🙏 A huge thank-you to all paid supporters on Patreon — your support makes conversations like this possible.IN THIS EPISODEWhat the State of Illustration report reveals about the current health of the industryWhy confidence in pricing and negotiation remains such a challengeWho seems best positioned to last — and who is most at riskHow late payments and income instability continue to affect illustratorsThe impact of the cost-of-living crisis on creative careersMental health, anxiety, and confidence among working illustratorsWhat hope and resilience Darren sees in the dataWhere the State of Illustration report might go nextSHOW LINKSFrom DarrenState of Illustration report ($18USD — PDF download) — https://www.stateofillustration.comHireillo — https://www.hireillo.comDarren's website — http://darrendilieto.comFrom Tom🎨 Inky.af — My new class on creating expressive, inky illustrations using analogue techniques in Affinity (now free forever) — http://tomfroese.com/teaching/inkyaf📗 Drawing Is Important — Book preorder available now — http://geni.us/DrawingisImportantSUPPORT THE PODCASTYou can support Thoughts on Illustration by:Sharing this episode with a friendLeaving a commentLeaving a rating or review on Apple PodcastsFollowing the show / Subscribing to this channelBecoming a paid supporter on Patreon — https://patreon.com/tomfroeseFIND ME ELSEWHEREWebsite — https://www.tomfroese.comInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and cues by Mark Allan Falk — https://linktr.ee/semiathletic

In this episode, I get honest about the tension so many of us feel around AI: the uneasiness of using it while also distrusting it. I talk about why that discomfort might actually be meaningful—and how embarrassment or shame can act as a compass for finding the line between assistance and authorship.I share a real story about how AI helps me not over-think a purchase decision with my daughter. I also share about my feelings about receiving AI-written emails. You'll learn how I think about using AI to help me without letting it replace the parts of my job that actually matter. We talk about the long game: creative confidence, limits, process, and what it really means to maintain authorship as an illustrator.IN THIS EPISODE:Why discomfort around AI is healthyThe difference between assistance and authorshipHow AI can quietly shift from convenience to dependencyWhy the process—not just the product—is central to illustrationWhy “drawing the line” is literally part of our jobTwo reflection questions to check your relationship to AISHOW LINKSPaul Kingsnorth's Substack — https://paulkingsnorth.substack.comIn the podcast I mistakenly said his Substack was called Pilgrims in the Machine. It's actually called the Abbey of Misrule, which is way more badass.Paul Kingsnorth's website — https://www.paulkingsnorth.netRethinking Creativity in the Age of AI — A more pro-AI conversation on The Future with Chris Do and Jodie Cook — https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-futur-with-chris-do/id1209219220?i=1000737893787THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!Thanks as always for supporting the podcast. Patreon and Paid Spotify Supporters make it possible for me keep doing this!FIND ME ELSEWHEREMy New Book! Drawing is Important! — tomfroese.com/links — look for the green book coverWork and Classes — tomfroese.comInstagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and Cues by Mark Allan Falk — semiathletic on LinktreeDRAWING IS IMPORTANT — NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDERMy new book, Drawing Is Important, is your guide to making drawing a meaningful daily habit. Through stories, insights, and exercises, it helps you draw more often—with less pressure and more joy. Available Spring 2026 — Pre-order now! The first 500 orders get a free hand-signed book plate! Look for "get pre-order prizes" after clicking the link.