Howdydoody illustration fans, my blog has moved to my new website, and you can now find it HERE. You’ll find all the same quality content, in a slightly prettier package. I’ll be leaving this blog up until the internet absorbs it, and will continue to link back here from future posts, but I’ll no longer be updating it.
I hope you’ll come along with me to my new home!
Gah, illustration is a painful job. Why did nobody tell me about this? Back when I was a silversmith, my workbench was higher and the average day at the desk involved much less hunching than it does now.
I can’t be getting a fancy standing desk at the moment, so I must continue to spend an unhealthy amount of time sitting down and leaning over my work. And in that case, I need to do what I can to look after my poor body. I’ve tried various exercises and stretches, and I thought I would share with you the ones I do the most often, and have the most benefit for me – hopefully you’ll enjoy them too!**
These are the stretches that I do most regularly on work days when I’m spending the majority of my time sitting at my desk. I try to do them a few times throughout the day, but I obviously forget quite a lot. I also like doing yoga whenever I have time/motivation and clearly must recommend the already insanely popular Yoga with Adriene videos. She has a few specifically for the back and neck, and I like this one for your hands too, important if you spend a lot of time gripping pencils/paintbrushes, and on the computer.
So that’s it, look after your health, kids! Let me know if you have any favourite exercises or go-to videos for your fellow desk dwellers!
**This is the bit where I must point out that I did not invent these exercises (duh) but actually found them from here and here. Also, I am not a doctor or medical thingymabob, I’m just an illustrator, so do make sure you only do exercises that are safe and comfortable for you, and if you’re not sure, please go and ask an actual real doctor person.
This year I’ve been trying to make an effort to do more sketching. I mean, I draw a lot obviously, but in recent times I haven’t often just sketched for the joy of sketching. In the past few weeks though, I have started experimenting, and found that I really enjoy sketching with coloured pencils.
I like how it’s more difficult to erase coloured pencils than graphite, which means I either have to be more deliberate with my strokes, or more accepting of mistakes. Using them has been encouraging me to sketch more loosely, more expressively, which I like a lot. I enjoy choosing the colours, and the ability to build up density gradually and thoughtfully.
I’ve been playing with what happens when I just start doodling, without too much of a plan and let the sketch evolve. Somehow I find this easier with pencils than paint. With the sketch below, I was half remembering the view from a garden I once visited in Devon that overlooks the sea, but only as I drew did the bear emerge, and the island he’s looking at.
Most of all I find the actual process therapeutic. Whilst I’m sketching with coloured pencils, my mind seems to relax a little. It doesn’t take all my concentration, so I can day dream at the same time, or ponder future ideas, or just watch something on TV. It feels almost meditative, and as someone who lives with anxiety, it’s a marvellous thing to have discovered.
A short while ago I was staring out of the window in my silent room, attempting to work on a new picture book idea. I realised my own thoughts were too loud, and I needed some background noise, but I had no idea what music to play. When illustrating, I often listen to podcasts and audiobooks, or watch Youtube or documentaries, but for writing I need sound without words. After spending too long browsing Spotify (hello procrastination!) I suddenly had the idea to ask other writers what they listen to whilst working, so I took to Twitter!
I received an excellent and varied set of suggestions. I didn’t necessarily find all of them suited me personally of course, but I loved learning what others find inspiring! Below I’ve shared the recommendations, and if you’re looking for some sounds to write to maybe you’ll find something perfect for you. Oh, and I’m quite sure they’ll work for illustrating too!
In no particular order, here’s the suggestions my Twitter family gave:
If you enjoy listening to any of these, or you have some ideas of your own to add, please let me know, I’d love this list to keep growing!
I’ve been asked a fair few times over the years, “hey Sara, how do I become an artist?” and I thought it was about time I answered.
It’s going to take me a while to craft a comprehensive post about the various steps you can take to forge an career in art though, so because I don’t want to keep you waiting any longer, for now I made you a Quick Start Guide.
I hope you find it helpful!
I’ve been putting my work all over the internet for years, and if you google my name and scroll down far enough, you’ll probably stumble across some embarrassing interesting pictures from websites and blogs I’ve had in the past featuring jewellery, teddy bears and fairies…. But just because I’ve been posting to promote myself for a long time, doesn’t mean I’ve always done it well (otherwise I’d be one of those Instagram superusers by now). I am pretty nerdy though and in recent times, particularly since I became an illustrator, I’ve become increasingly interested in learning how to promote myself more effectively on the internet.
I’m no expert, but I did get noticed by my agent on Instagram, and my following is growing gently. I think this is because I genuinely enjoy using social media, and make a point of learning new ways to use it well. So here I thought I’d share a few things I’ve learned so far, and if you’re a new illustrator, or just new to social media, maybe you’ll find something helpful here. I hope so!
I think this is the most important point. There are a number of social media platforms out there, (I’m on facebook, twitter, instagram, and pinterest)Â but you don’t need to do them all. There’s no point forcing yourself to post on all these platforms if you don’t enjoy it as it’s not sustainable in the long run. Explore them all for sure, but save your precious energy for those you actually feel good about using and are fairly confident you can maintain.
If you’re an illustrator on Twitter or Facebook, it’s a good idea to create a pinned post with a short introduction, examples of your work, and a link to your full portfolio. You could also use the space to promote a specific project, book or shop, and to say if you’re currently open for work/collaborations. I like to update my pinned tweet every few months to keep it current and reach new followers. Having a pinned tweet means people visiting your profile can instantly see who you are and find out more without scrolling through lots of posts. It’s also very easy to share. You can see my current pinned tweet here.
If you’re not doing so already, taking part in the many illustration challenges that happen on Twitter and Instagram is a great idea. It’s a fun way to make some new work, a good chance to discover and interact with other illustrators, and a way to be seen by new followers. I know that agents, publishers and art directors keep an eye on the big ones too. My favourites at the moment are Colour Collective and Pinch Punch Post. But I am also going to join in with Animal Alphabets, and I love #FolktaleWeek, #MerMay and of course, #Inktober.
This might sound obvious, but it’s called social media for a reason. It’s meant to be social! Are you posting lots of lovely illustrations on your twitter and instagram but not getting much response? It might be because you’re not interacting enough, or possibly not in an effective way. Take the time to leave genuine, thoughtful comments on other people’s work. Ask questions. Respond to questions. Just talk to people genuinely. Don’t be one of those people who leaves the generic ‘wow, great content!’, or the old classic ‘love your art, check out my profile!’. Maybe this sort of thing works occasionally, but I doubt it. Maybe I’m just stubborn, but I never follow people who ask for it, only those whose work I enjoy and who seem like the sort of folk I want to interact with. Be interesting, and people will probably be interested!
Another obvious one, but I’m saying it anyway. What you share on social media is seen by everyone and anyone, which includes future friends and potential clients. Be aware of what persona you’re putting out into the world, and how you’d like to be seen. I don’t mean you need to be a Positive Pippa all the time. It’s ok to have a bad day, or defend yourself, or call someone out if they behave inappropriately, but just be mindful about how you do it.
Try to respond to every comment left on your posts, even if it’s just a like. Encourage further interaction if you fancy, have a conversation! I’m pretty sure the social media gods favour those who interact the most, and make them more visible. It’s also just polite, and it’s nice to talk to people, isn’t it?
This might be more of a personal thing. With the exception of this blog, I prefer not to share the same stuff over all my social media, but wherever possible, have a bit of variation. I reason that if I put all the same stuff on every platform, what incentive is there for people to follow me in more than one place? I also find it annoying when I see tweets that are just a link to an instagram post, and never click on them. I’m probably not the only one. Obviously we’re all busy, so I don’t think mass posting across platforms is a crime, it’s just not something I do myself.
If you have products to sell, of course you’re going to advertise them on social media, and so you should! But if all people ever see of you is advertising, they’re unlikely to stick around. Give people a reason to follow you because of your wonderful illustration and outlook on the world, and then direct them to where they can buy your things when they’re ready to.
My favourite people to follow on social media don’t just bang on about themselves all the time, but also share others’ work and are supportive members of the illustration community. I find illustrators pretty great for this, they don’t seem as competitive as some industries, but rather we all cheer each other on and it’s rather lovely. If you’re quite new, it’s natural to be a bit envious or insecure of others who seem more established but you’ll soon find that there’s a place for everyone at the illustration table, and by supporting others on their journey, yours will be much more fun too.
As I said at the top of this post, I’m no social media expert, and my following is teeny tiny. Sometimes (often) I wish it was bigger, but the main thing is it’s growing, albeit slowly. And in the mean time I’m making some genuine connections and having a fun time. Everyone wants tons of followers of course, but I’d rather have a few hundred who actually enjoy my work and want to interact with me, than thousands of people who couldn’t care less what I do.
There’s some other bits and bobs I could say, but that’s a fair summary of the main things I’ve learned so far about being an illustrator on social media. I hope there’s something helpful there for you, and I’d be really interested to know what tips and tricks you’ve found yourself. Let me know!
Have I mentioned that my debut picture book is published next month?? Oh, I have? Jolly good. But just in case you haven’t heard, my debut picture book publishes in February thanks to the lovely folk at Beach Lane Books and Simon & Schuster. It’s an anthology of sweet poems for young children by Cari Meister, and it’s called ‘Pony Poems for Little Pony Lovers’.
Just before Christmas, I was sent an advance copy – it was so special to finally hold the book I worked on for almost two years!
With only a couple of weeks to go until publication, I thought it would be fun to share with you the evolution of one page, to demonstrate how long it took to get from the first rough sketch to the final image.
The illustration I’m going to talk about is for the poem ‘A Riding We Will Go’. It was one of the pages that took the longest to get right but it ended up being one of my favourites! Here is the first sketch I did, along with the text:
There was no fixed visual style for the book at this stage, though I’d had an initial conversation with my brilliant editor, Andrea, about including lots of plants and flowers, and having a fantastical feel. So this first sketch was really just what jumped out of my brain as I went through the first round of ideas, just letting my imagination take hold. I envisioned the foliage fading away into the background, possibly rainbow coloured. I just knew I wanted a sense of adventure.
After reviewing the sketch, we decided the sense of adventure should come from the anticipation of a journey, and I should tone down the fantasy feel and ground the book more in the real world. So I moved the setting to be outside a stable, with the little girl getting her pony ready to go for a ride:
We thought this was better, and heading in the right direction, but this particular poem is quite long, and the page looked too cluttered. It was also noted that the girl ought to be wearing a riding helmet and the pony needed proper tack, so I did another version:
We then decided to remove the background completely, and keep the detail in the lower half of the page, to make more room for the text. I worked on some fun plants, and refined the pony and girl further.
And then it was time to start painting! Now the thing is, when I started painting, I decided that the image wasn’t as balanced as I’d like visually, and I wanted to show more of the pony and girl rather than cutting them off in the foreground. I also wanted to give them more of a world. So I actually took quite a leap from the sketch, and produced this:
We were all pretty happy with the painting, it was definitely on the right t(r)ack! But now it was painted, we decided the background was a bit too sparse. And in an unexpected twist (I discovered the book publishing process is full of these) it was decided to cut the poem short to make room for the illustration to take centre stage and I was given free reign to fill the page with wonderful things!
So I set about painting some background elements. I wasn’t sure which way I was heading immediately, so rather than paint onto the original, I thought I’d do them separately to keep my options open. Here are the original scans of the new scenery I painted:
And when I put it all together…
And here is a glimpse of the finished book, but you’ll have to get yourself a copy if you want to see the final thing!
I hope this has been an interesting insight into the evolution of just one page in the book. Now imagine doing this for the other fifteen poems! Before I found myself part of the world of picture book making, it was all such a mystery to me. I’d never have thought that one page could take so long to get right, or how I could jump from that first sketch to the final page. It’s been a wonderful, exciting, frustrating journey and I’m so glad to be able to share it with you!
When I first started painting with watercolours, I had no idea there were different kinds of paper available, I’d only ever used basic stuff for children when I was a kid, and was surprised when a quick look at an art materials website showed me there were loads to choose from! I didn’t know what I should be using as a beginner, and the names were confusing.
Following my previous post, where I tested a wide range of papers from different manufacturers, I thought I’d write a quick explanation of the main types of watercolour paper for those who are new to the game, and possibly confused about where to start. Another time I’ll talk about materials and weights, but as this is a Little Tips post, I’ll keep things simple.
Here’s an explanation of the three types: rough, hot pressed and NOT.
ROUGH – as the name suggests, rough watercolour paper is the most heavily textured. It gives a grainy effect to washes as the paint gathers and dries at different speeds in the indents, or a patchy effect if paint is used quite dry. It’s not ideal for detailed painting, but good if your style is loose and expressive.
HOT PRESSED (HP) – this has a fine grained surface, which is very smooth with little visible texture. Paint dries very quickly on this paper and it can be tricky to use for beginners as paint tends to ‘slide around’ on the surface. But once you’ve got some control, it’s great for even washes, and for fine detail. Botanical art is done on Hot Pressed paper.
COLD PRESSED (CP or NOT) – is the middle ground. It has a slightly textured surface, and is the most popular choice for it’s versatility. This is the one to go for is you’re still figuring out your style, or you want one kind of paper suitable for a range of techniques to keep things affordable while you’re experimenting. It’s often called NOT paper, but just means that it’s not hot pressed, which I think is wonderfully obtuse.
So there are the three basic types of watercolour paper. Each brand will be different, so it can take a while to figure out your favourite, but hopefully this will give you a starting point if you’re new to watercolours and feeling confused about which paper to try.
I mostly use Hot Pressed, but if you’re just starting out and only want to buy one kind, I’d say to go for NOT, and leave the others for later. I hope this has been helpful! Do let me know if you have any beginner’s questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them in a future post.
Let’s talk about watercolour paper. I have mostly been using Bockingford Hot Pressed paper in recent times, because it’s good quality and affordable, but whilst I’m relatively pleased with the results it gives me, lately I’ve been feeling a papery wanderlust. What else is out there? And is it worth paying more money for a fancier paper? So when I came across this Watercolour Paper Starter Pack from Ken Bromley I thought it sounded like a great value way of trying out a bunch of different papers. And then I realised it might be an interesting thing to share with others, so here we are!
Oh, Ken Bromley haven’t sponsored me or anything by the way, this really is just something I was doing for myself and thought would be useful to share!
I should mention, I decided to get myself the mini pack (the sheets inside are 1/8 full imperial, 28 x 19cm) which was fine for my purposes, but there’s a pack of larger sheets available too if that’s more your thing. The pack comes with a handy leaflet that names all the papers (some one at Ken Bromley kindly numbers them all by hand) and gives you some extra info about the different paper types. It’s a really useful….starter pack!
The aim of this exercise wasn’t to give a detailed review of each paper, but to make myself a visual record to refer back to when I’m thinking about what paper to use for a project. So to test out the different papers, I decided the simplest thing to do was paint a similar picture on each sheet so I could easily see the differences between them. I chose to paint a set of faces using largely the same colour palette for simplicity (hence why they’re all Caucasian, I’d have a variety of skin tones otherwise) and I numbered them all for referencing later.
Here’s the 26 paintings photographed:
And here’s the 26 paintings scanned:
And for your (and my) reference purposes, here’s the papers I tested:
I’m not sure I have a favourite exactly, though I do remember really enjoying the Botanical Ultra-Smooth paper (16) particularly. This was a really useful exercise to do so I now I have something to refer back to when I’m thinking about what paper to use for my next project. I think I will also go back and do further tests with coloured pencils, since I use those a lot, and some other watercolour techniques, like washes, to see how the papers perform.
I hope this has been helpful to you, and maybe inspires you to do some tests yourself. I think looking at the results is useful, but a lot of my enjoyment of watercolour painting also comes from the experience of using the paper, so if you’re interested in trying different papers, I’d suggest you do some of your own experiments too.
And if you’re really nerdy, you might even make a gif from the results….
Thanks for reading!
When I first started in illustration, four years ago, I really didn’t have a clue how to use watercolours. I bought myself a bargain set of paints, and read some books, and off I went. I’ve progressed lots since then thanks to hours of practice and making loads of mistakes! So in this series of mini blog posts, I’m going to share a few tips and tricks that I’ve learnt along the way.
These aren’t going to big or grand, or take ages to read, they’re designed to be little bits of advice based on problems I had that seem obvious now, but in my early days, were really crucial things to learn.
If you have any questions about using watercolours, however basic or silly they might seem to you, let me know and I’ll be happy to include some answers in this series. No question too small or obvious, I promise, please don’t be shy! You can leave a comment here, or message me through Instagram or my website, whichever you prefer.
I’ll be back with my first Little Tip for Learning Watercolours next week, and I hope you’ll find it helpful! See you then!
Also, what do you think of the pink text – too much?
sara rhys illustration 