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	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	7 Timeless Tips for Illustrators \| The Final Episode	23 Jun 2026	00:39:46
After four years, this is it — my final episode of Thoughts on Illustration. Instead of going out with a single deep dive, I wanted to leave you with a roundup: the seven tips I find myself circling back to most often, whether I'm recording an episode, teaching a class, or sitting across from someone in a one-on-one coaching session. And then I close with one last piece of advice that I think ties everything else together — especially relevant right now, with AI reshaping how we think about creativity and originality. Thank you for four years of listening, sharing, and supporting this show. It's meant more to me than you know. Have a Daily Drawing Practice: Why drawing regularly — especially slow, observational drawing from life — is the foundational skill every illustrator needs before taking on real client work. Know What and Who Inspires You: Why your heroes and mentors (most of whom you'll never meet, and many of whom are long gone) are essential teachers, and how to study them like a student. Share Your Work: Why sharing isn't optional self-promotion but a core part of the creative process — it builds accountability, audience, and feedback you can't get any other way. Take Technique Seriously: Moving past "just drawing with color" toward real artistic technique, and how working within a "media paradigm" (drawing, painting, collage, or printmaking) sharpens your style. Lean Into Constraints: Why creative freedom isn't the absence of limits — it's working skillfully within them — and why illustration is always applied art with a purpose. Have a Well-Defined Creative Process: Breaking down the path from brief, to research, to sketches, to finished art — and why a repeatable process beats waiting for inspiration. Illustration Isn't Art, It's Problem Solving: Why thinking of illustration as a form of design — not just self-expression — actually frees you to do better creative work. Final Advice: Why the act of making art changes the artist, and why no AI tool can replace that deeply human, embodied experience of thinking and working through your hands. Drawing Is Important — The Book and Class: If you want to go deeper on tip #1, check out the book and the companion class on Skillshare. https://www.tomfroese.com/book Style Class, Composition for Illustrators, and The Six Stages of Illustration: Referenced throughout this episode — all available on Skillshare for anyone who wants to dig further into style, constraints, and process. https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching Past Episodes Mentioned: Episode 62 (How do you make an illustration cohesive?) and Episode 13 (Why constraints make you more creative) — both dig deeper into the constraints conversation from tip #5. One-on-One Coaching: If you want personal guidance on your portfolio or a specific project, book a session. https://www.tomfroese.com/coaching Thank you to everyone who has listened, shared, and supported this podcast over the past four years — especially those of you who've supported here on Patreon. The show is ending, but I'm still here on Patreon for the Draw With Me's until further notice. If you'd want to sign up to be notified on my next adventure, stick around here, or find me/subscribe on Substack —> https://mr⁠tomfroese.substack.com⁠ Work: ⁠tomfroese.com⁠ Classes: ⁠tomfroese.com/teaching⁠ Coaching: ⁠tomfroese.com/coaching⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠ In this EpisodeLinks and ResourcesWhat's Next?Find Me Elsewhere
	How to Go Deeper in Your Work \| Free Preview	03 Jun 2026	00:11:12
What's the difference between images that move people and those that are just pretty pictures? In this episode, I dig into what it means to bring substance to your work — it's one of the hardest qualities to describe but perhaps the one that might matter most. This isn't something you can manufacture or build up through practice alone. It already exists in you. The question is where you can find it, and whether you're trying to tap more deeply into it. I also share an important announcement about the future of this podcast — if you're a paid supporter on Patreon or Spotify, please listen up. In this Episode An Important Announcement: The future of Thoughts on Illustration after this summer — and what comes next for me and my work. What Is Substance? Why substance is the sense of personal meaning that runs through your body of work as a whole — the feeling that someone is behind the work, working something out. Substance vs. Point of View: How these two qualities relate to each other, and why you can have a strong, original visual voice and still have work that doesn't go very deep. Range and Versatility: Why having both light and serious work in your portfolio makes you more versatile — with a nod to Paul Rand's ability to do this. Striking Oil: Why substance isn't something you build — it already exists in you. How to notice where your wells are and what you're actually drawing from. My Own Wells: What a collection of plastic bread clips, a 1970s merchandise catalog, and a Saskatchewan hotel bottle opener have to do with my illustration work. Today's Action Exercise: The one question that starts the journey toward more substantial work — and why writing it down honestly might change everything. Today's Action on Illustration Why Does Illustration Really Really Matter to You? Write down — in your journal or sketchbook, as though nobody's reading — why becoming an illustrator really, really matters to you. As few or as many words as you need. This is where substance begins. (Become a paid supporter on Patreon or Spotify to access today's full "Action on Illustration" prompt.) Tag me on Instagram @mrtomfroese or email me your results! Show Links Know Your Art — Cohort Course Mailing List: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSNaT1XNb6jXS5qjW0ybiryBH70MC1ycGhHj-yDEuQKXdszQ/viewform?usp=header Drawing Is Important — The Book: https://www.tomfroese.com/book Support on Patreon: patreon.com/tomfroese Find Me Elsewhere Work and Classes — tomfroese.com Instagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings — instagram.com/drawingisimportant
	Heather Pollington (Part 2) \| Episode 76	21 May 2026	00:56:09
This is Part 2 of my conversation with Heather Pollington — ex-Hollywood artist, iconographer, and illustrator for Symbolic World Press. If you haven't listened to Episode 75 yet, start there first. In this second half, Heather and I go deeper into her world as an icon painter — her illustration influences, the iconographic concept of simultaneous narrative, what it felt like to first encounter Orthodox art, and the bigger question of what a living iconographic tradition looks like for Western audiences today. We close with something I found genuinely moving: Heather's candid account of leaving Hollywood behind, and what she's learned about following work you can do with love. Illustration Influences: From the Palekh lacquer-box tradition of Russia to British illustrator Errol Le Cain and Scandinavian master Kay Nielsen — the visual DNA behind Heather's fairy tale work. The Memory Box: Why Heather's illustrations use framed vignettes instead of full-bleed spreads — and how her doll's-house fascination connects to a centuries-old iconographic principle called simultaneous narrative. The Primacy of Meaning: How iconography taught Heather to colour by emotion rather than observation — and why the best icons hold a permanent tension between the knowable and the unknowable. The Pivot Point: How researching medieval art for Maleficent 2 in 2017 became the unlikely doorway into both iconography and a return to meaning. Old World, New World: A rich exchange on the difference between encountering Christian art in historic England versus new and cosmopolitan Canada — and why North America's "blank slate" might actually be an advantage for building a new vernacular tradition. Reading the Room: Heather's approach to making iconography relevant for modern Western audiences — not by inventing, but by selecting from history what already resonates, the same way she once designed for "Michigan Joe" on a Hollywood set. Doing the Work with Love: Heather's honest account of leaving the film industry — not with a plan, but by moving toward the thing she loved. And finding that the world realigned around her when she did. Heather Pollington: Check out Heather's website and Instagram to see her illustration, iconography, and production design work. https://www.heatherpollington.com/ https://www.instagram.com/heatherpollington Symbolic World Press: The fairy tale books Heather has illustrated for Jonathan Pageau, including The Tale of Snow White and the Widow Queen and The Tale of Rapunzel and the Evil Witch. https://www.symbolicworld.org/ Errol Le Cain: British illustrator and one of Heather's key influences — look for his versions of Aladdin and The Magician's Daughter. Kay Nielsen: Scandinavian Golden Age illustrator; his book East of the Sun and West of the Moon is a must-see. Aidan Hart: Icon painter and Heather's teacher in the Orthodox iconographic tradition. https://www.aidanharticons.com/ Creative Mornings Vancouver — June 5th: Tom will be speaking at Creative Mornings Vancouver around the theme of "Curate." https://creativemornings.com/talks/tom-froese ICON13 — Baltimore, July 16th Workshop: Tom's workshop at the illustration conference is now sold out, but come say hi if you're there. https://icon13.theillustrationconference.org/schedule Know Your Art — Cohort Class Mailing List: Interested in future offerings of Tom's six-week illustration course? Add yourself to the list. https://forms.gle/NiRwyLkvCbA24Zn19 Drawing Is Important — The Book: Now available for purchase wherever books are sold! https://www.tomfroese.com/book Work: tomfroese.com Classes: tomfroese.com/teaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings: https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant In this EpisodeLinks and ResourcesTom's Links
	“Ex-Hollywood Artist, Now Painting Icons” with Heather Pollington (Part 1)	05 May 2026	01:03:35
What happens when a designer working in movies like Disney's Maleficent, Mary Poppins Returns, and Skyfall walks away from Hollywood to paint icons and illustrate fairy tales? In this episode, I sit down with Heather Pollington — ex-Hollywood artist, iconographer, and illustrator for Symbolic World Press — for Part One of a wide-ranging conversation about limits, identity, story, and what it really means to find your artistic home. In this Episode Coming Home to Painting: How Heather's journey from fine arts school in northeast England, through 20 years of working as a designer for Hollywood films, led her full circle back to painting — and why iconography felt like "the coming together of everything." Designer vs. Artist Type: The tension between being a versatile, problem-solving artist and having a singular, recognizable voice — and why both have real advantages and real costs. Meaning Over Accuracy: Why Heather's film work taught her that emotion and meaning always win over historical accuracy — and how that mindset now shapes her illustration. The Power of Limits: Why constraints are where beauty lives — from a limited palette of natural dyes in medieval tapestries to five pigments in iconography. "Just Do the Rubbish Version": Heather's practical antidote to creative paralysis: start with the loosest, worst version possible, and let the problems reveal themselves. Story as the Master: How focusing on the text and the story — rather than style — frees Heather from intimidation and imitation, and lets her personal voice emerge without forcing it. Physical Reference Boards: Why Heather prints her references and pins them to the wall instead of collecting them on Pinterest — and what gets lost when inspiration stays on a screen. Links and Resources Heather Pollington: Check out Heather's website to see her illustration, iconography, and design work for the film industry. https://www.heatherpollington.com/ Symbolic World Press: The fairy tale books Heather has illustrated for Jonathan Pageau, including The Tale of Snow White and the Widow Queen and The Tale of Rapunzel and the Evil Witch. https://www.symbolicworld.org/ Creative Mornings Vancouver — June 5th: Tom will be speaking at Creative Mornings Vancouver around the theme of "Curate." https://creativemornings.com/talks/tom-froese ICON13 — Baltimore, July 16th Workshop: Tom will be hosting a workshop at the illustration conference. 🥺 Note: workshop tickets are now sold out. https://icon13.theillustrationconference.org/schedule Know Your Art — Cohort Class Mailing List: Interested in future offerings of Tom's six-week illustration course? Add yourself to the list. https://forms.gle/NiRwyLkvCbA24Zn19 Drawing Is Important — Book Launch Replay: Patreon supporters can watch the replay of the April 7th online book launch. https://www.patreon.com/tomfroese Drawing Is Important — The Book: https://www.tomfroese.com/book Tom's Links Work: tomfroese.com Classes: tomfroese.com/teaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese
	Stop Trying to Find Your Style. Do This Instead. \| FREE PREVIEW	21 Apr 2026	00:09:34
📗 Drawing Is Important — Now Available: tomfroese.com/book Every illustrator wants a recognizable style — but what if chasing style is actually the thing getting in your way? In this episode, I reframe the whole idea of style as something you work out, not something you find. The real source of a compelling, consistent style isn't a look you copy or discover — it's your attractions: the things you love, the things you keep returning to, and the choices you've already been making all along. If you've been frustrated by not having a clear style yet, this episode will redirect that energy somewhere much more useful. In this Episode Chasing the Scent vs. Baking the Cookies: Why trying to have a style is like trying to replicate a smell — and what to focus on instead. Your Attractions as Raw Material: How the things you love, notice, and keep returning to are already the seeds of your style. Style is Hindsight: Why style is a pattern you see looking back at your work — not a destination you arrive at. Style is Selection: How artist Heather Hollington's insight reframes the whole creative process as a series of choices that add up over time. The Creative Self Inventory: A practical exercise for reflecting on your best work to discover what makes it distinctly yours — and how to do more of it intentionally. Links and Resources The Style Class on Skillshare: Go deeper on working out your style — and get 30 days of free Skillshare membership through this link. https://skl.sh/4cFnIej Drawing Is Important: My new book is out now! Your guide to making drawing a meaningful daily habit. https://www.tomfroese.com/book Today's Action Exercise: The Creative Self Inventory Ready to reflect on your work and discover what makes it uniquely yours? (Become a paid listener on Patreon to access today's "Action on Illustration" prompt.) https://www.patreon.com/tomfroese Tag me on Instagram @mrtomfroese or email me your results! Tom's Links Work: tomfroese.com Classes: tomfroese.com/teaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese
	Taking Big Risks in Your Creativity and Life	06 Apr 2026	00:28:59
📗 Order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/book  ✨ Register for the Online Launch/DWM on April 7 at Luma: luma.com/67uhuhmr A 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 & RESOURCES Drawing Is Important — Now Available: My book is officially out! Order it wherever books are sold, or start at the link below. • tomfroese.com/book Book 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.com One-on-One Coaching: Want to work through your own portfolio or career decisions with me? • tomfroese.com/coaching Previous 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/153866247 Today'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/mrtomfroese JOIN THE LIVE LAUNCH Drawing is Important Launch Day: April 7, 2026 In 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
	The 4 Biggest Portfolio Mistakes of Struggling Illustrators \| FREE PREVIEW	24 Mar 2026	00:12:33
📗 Pre-order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/book⁠ Are you on the cusp of a breakthrough but feeling stuck in creating a stand-out portfolio? In this episode, I break down four mistakes I see struggling artists make when sharing their body of work. This is not about quick “hacks” but a deep dive into the four pillars of illustration excellence: purpose, point of view, substance, and craft. Whether you’re struggling to make work that looks professional, or trying let your humanity shine through, these four focus areas are the tools that will make the biggest difference in your career. IN THIS EPISODE Low Purpose vs. Clear Function: Why every project you share on your homepage needs to signal its functional role at a single glance. The "Operating System" of Style: How to treat your personal values as the underlying system that informs every project, no matter what the subject. Building Substance without Complexity: Why you should push to make some of your illustrations more complex, but also why even the simplest of illustrations can show a depth of character. Achieving Media Transcendence: The secret to professional craft where the viewer sees the image before they see the "Procreate brushes" or the software used to make it. Physical Media Paradigms: Why choosing a physical constraint—like letterpress or collage—is the best way to limit the overwhelming options of digital tools. EPISODE LINKS Portfolio References: Check out the work of Klas Fahlen and Olympia Zagnoli to see mastery of craft and media paradigms in action. ⁠https://www.klasfahlen.se/⁠ ⁠https://www.olimpiazagnoli.com⁠ Pre-order Bonuses: Pre-order Drawing Is Important to help boost the Amazon rankings and secure a commemorative poster (first 50) or a signed bookplate (first 500). ⁠https://www.tomfroese.com/book⁠ One-on-One Coaching: If you want to pick my brain on these four pillars, book a session. ⁠https://www.tomfroese.com/coaching⁠ The Illustration Department: Mentioning Giuseppe Castellano’s insights on being headed in the right direction. ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-illustration-department-podcast/id1467711251?i=1000755695311⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-illustration-department-podcast/id1467711251?i=1000754396715⁠ Today's Action Exercise: The Operating System Paradox Ready to test your point of view? (Become a paid listener on Spotify or Patreon to access today’s “Action on Illustration” prompt). Tag me on Instagram @mrtomfroese or email me your results! TOM'S LINKS Work: ⁠⁠tomfroese.com⁠⁠ Classes: ⁠⁠tomfroese.com/teaching⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠⁠
	Just Add Line with Brandon Campbell	10 Mar 2026	01:27:25
📗 Pre-order Drawing Is Important: tomfroese.com/book Brandon 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 Episode The 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 Resources Brandon Campbell’s Website: https://www.brandoncampbell.tv/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandcamp/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brandcamp Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/brandcamp Work Mentioned Just Add Line (Rizzoli) - https://www.brandoncampbell.tv/ Birds Eat and Eat and Eat by Ed Emberley Evelyn 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 Link⁠ ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHIixGnxIA9gLl4WLXtxb4JsTfj5FjU6l1T9Sm0Cv2DjnDWQ/viewform?usp=header⁠ Tom’s Links Work: ⁠tomfroese.com⁠ Classes: ⁠tomfroese.com/teaching⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠
	Why Making Your Work Look Easy is So Hard \| FREE PREVIEW	02 Mar 2026	00:14:56
Pre-order Drawing is Important — http://tomfroese.com/book In 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 SUPPORT You 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/tomfroese⁠ FIND ME ELSEWHERE • Website — https://www.tomfroese.com • Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese • Daily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and cues by Mark Allan Falk — https://linktr.ee/semiathletic DRAWING IS IMPORTANT — NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER My 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
	Getting Paid to Draw with Mike Lowery	10 Feb 2026	01:06:32
Pre-order Drawing is Important: ⁠⁠https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant⁠ Mike 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 Episode The 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 Resources Mike 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-facts No Sam series - https://www.mikelowery.com/portfolio/nosam 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 Link⁠ ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHIixGnxIA9gLl4WLXtxb4JsTfj5FjU6l1T9Sm0Cv2DjnDWQ/viewform?usp=header⁠ Tom’s Links Work: ⁠tomfroese.com⁠ Classes: ⁠tomfroese.com/teaching⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠
	Are Your Side Projects Sabotaging Your Goals?	30 Jan 2026	00:45:29
Get your FREE Illustration Training Plan Worksheet (PDF) — https://www.tomfroese.com/freetrainingplan "It’s a marathon, not a sprint"—but what does that actually mean for your creative career? In this episode, Tom looks back at his biggest insights from 2025 and explains why trying to "do it all" is the fastest way to stall your progress. Using his experience as an ultramarathoner, Tom shares how to apply a training framework to your illustration practice to ensure you're building "functional strength" rather than just busy work. The Danger of Dabbling: Why multiple professional roles create competing interests. Training Blocks: How standard timelines help you build progressive fitness in your art. Functional Strength: Identifying which habits support your main goal and which ones undermine it. The Power of One: Why 2026 is the year of doing one thing exceptionally well. [Download] FREE Illustration Training Plan Worksheet [Read] 2025: The Year in Review (Substack) [Listen] The One Big Shift for Social Media in 2026 I’m building a new signature course for illustrators and I need your input. Take this 5-minute survey to help me build it, and get 20% off at launch!👉 Take the Survey Here
	Standing Out and Surviving as an Illustrator Today with Tom Froese \| Guest Episode	13 Jan 2026	00:56:24
Pre-order Drawing is Important: https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant What 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 illustrator Creative plateaus and my worst year for client work Why style is about reliability, not aesthetics How constraints shape better work Visibility, sustainability, and what actually moves the needle This 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
	The One Big Shift I'm Making with Social Media in 2026 \| FREE PREVIEW	30 Dec 2025	00:11:15
Become a paid supporter on Patreon— ⁠https://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠ What 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 EPISODE Why social media now functions more like corporate media than a social space How algorithms turned “sharing” into a gamble Why the old promise of free publicity no longer works for most creatives My own experience building large followings—and what I’ve actually gotten back The shift from thinking like a content creator to thinking like a business owner Why “look what I made” isn’t enough anymore How clarifying your product and your customer changes everything What this mindset shift means for creatives heading into 2026 LINKS 🎨 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 now ⁠http://geni.us/DrawingisImportant⁠ HOW TO SUPPORT You 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/tomfroese⁠ FIND ME ELSEWHERE Website — ⁠https://www.tomfroese.com⁠ Instagram — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese⁠ Daily Drawings — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant⁠ CREDITS Music and cues by Mark Allan Falk: https://linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠
	The State of Illustration Report with Darren Di Lieto	16 Dec 2025	01:29:54
The State of Illustration Report with Darren Di Lieto \| Episode 65 What 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 EPISODE What the State of Illustration report reveals about the current health of the industry Why confidence in pricing and negotiation remains such a challenge Who seems best positioned to last — and who is most at risk How late payments and income instability continue to affect illustrators The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on creative careers Mental health, anxiety, and confidence among working illustrators What hope and resilience Darren sees in the data Where the State of Illustration report might go next SHOW LINKS From Darren State of Illustration report ($18USD — PDF download) — https://www.stateofillustration.com Hireillo — https://www.hireillo.com Darren's website — http://darrendilieto.com From 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/DrawingisImportant SUPPORT THE PODCAST You 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 on Patreon — https://patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Website — https://www.tomfroese.com Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and cues by Mark Allan Falk — https://linktr.ee/semiathletic
	Should You Be Embarrassed About Using AI? \| FREE PREVIEW	02 Dec 2025	00:12:15
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 healthy The difference between assistance and authorship How AI can quietly shift from convenience to dependency Why the process—not just the product—is central to illustration Why “drawing the line” is literally part of our job Two reflection questions to check your relationship to AI SHOW LINKS Paul Kingsnorth's Substack — https://paulkingsnorth.substack.com In 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.net Rethinking 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=1000737893787 THANK 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 ELSEWHERE My New Book! Drawing is Important! — tomfroese.com/links — look for the green book cover Work and Classes — tomfroese.com Instagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings — instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk — semiathletic on Linktree DRAWING IS IMPORTANT — NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER My 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.
	How You Can Protect Yourself From Being Ripped Off \| Interview with Raymond Biesinger	18 Nov 2025	01:21:11
Interview with Raymond Biesinger How do you defend your creative work when clients underpay, misuse your images, or ignore copyright entirely? In this episode, I talk with Montréal-based illustrator, artist, and author Raymond Biesinger, whose new book 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off (Drawn + Quarterly, 2025) is part memoir, part self-defence guide for independent creatives. Raymond pulls back the curtain on wage theft, unauthorized usage, blurred legal lines, and the everyday realities illustrators face when protecting their work — and their livelihood. This is a wide-ranging, candid conversation about money, boundaries, professionalism, and what it really takes to survive as an illustrator today. 🙏 A huge thank-you to all paid supporters on Patreon — without you, this show wouldn’t exist. IN THIS EPISODE • What “being ripped off” really means (hint: it’s not just stylistic copying) • Why wage theft is rampant in the creative industries • The blurry, case-by-case nature of copyright enforcement • How creatives can strategically bluff to protect their work • Why talking openly about money is essential for healthier creative careers • The role of mood, timing, and resources in deciding whether to pursue a dispute • How Raymond developed his signature collage-driven style • The surprising story of a fan who copied his style — and how it turned into something positive • What Raymond hopes independent creatives will take away from the book SHOW LINKS Raymond Biesinger Website — https://fifteen.ca Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/raymondbiesinger 📕 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off (Drawn + Quarterly, 2025) — https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/9-times-my-work-has-been-ripped-off/ 📘 305 Lost Buildings of Canada — Goose Lane Editions — https://gooselane.com/products/305-lost-buildings-of-canada?_pos=1&_psq=305+lost&_ss=e&_v=1.0 From Tom 🎨 SLO-FI Illustrations (new Skillshare class) — 30 days free: https://skl.sh/4nbo3KT 📗 Drawing is Important — now available for preorder: https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant SUPPORT THE PODCAST You can help Thoughts on Illustration grow by: • Sharing the episode with a friend • Leaving a rating or review • Following the show • Becoming a paid supporter on Spotify or on Patreon — https://patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Website — https://www.tomfroese.com Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and cues by Mark Allan Falk — https://linktr.ee/semiathletic
	How Do You Make an Illustration Cohesive? \| FREE PREVIEW	04 Nov 2025	00:18:11
What is the secret to making cohesive illustrations? Also known as unity and harmony, this is the elusive quality that makes your illustration feel "whole". In this episode, I look at why that sense of unity is harder to achieve in digital work, and how thinking in terms of physical media and physical reproduction methods can bring your images together. I introduce what I call The Five Stars of Cohesiveness—Purpose, Drawing Style, Medium, Reproduction Method, and Application—and show how, when these align, your work gains that solid, self-contained presence we all chase. Using Ben Shahn’s The Shape of Content as a case study (read on for visual examples), I unpack how medium and black-only printing worked hand-in-hand to create unusually cohesive results—and how we can borrow that logic in our digital workflows. If you’ve struggled to make your digital illustrations feel unified—and want a concrete framework to diagnose why—this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISODE “Truth to materials” — keyword materials The Five Stars of Cohesiveness How physical constraints shape shape your style—and why limitless tools can derail it Case study: Ben Shahn’s expressive linework printed black-only in The Shape of Content Why your chosen medium is the central star, influencing both idea and outcome Illustrating for print (even when your art never gets printed) Try This: would your piece hold up in black-only? as a 2–3 colour Riso print? Classes and resource recommendations SHOW LINKS Ben Shahn — The Shape of Content (book) — https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674302426 “Illustration” (definition/context) — general reference — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illustration My Skillshare: Illustrating for Letterpress (technical limits → clearer decisions) — https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/impress-me Slo-Fi Illustrations (analogue paradigms in a digital flow) — https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/slofiillustrations Di Ujdi — Introduction to Risograph Printing (layered colour thinking) — https://skl.sh/47BXNm5 HOW TO SUPPORT / LISTEN If you’d like to support this podcast and hear the full version of monologue episodes like this one: Join on Patreon for as low as $3/month Become a paid subscriber on Spotify ($2.99/month) I also post monologues as full articles on Medium. FIND ME ELSEWHERE My New Book! Drawing is Important! — tomfroese.com/links — look for the green book cover Work and Classes — tomfroese.com Instagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings — instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk — semiathletic on Linktree —————— DRAWING IS IMPORTANT — NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER My 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 lin
	Being a Cartoonist for the New Yorker \| Interview with Tom Toro	21 Oct 2025	01:02:04
How does one become a professional cartoonist? In this episode, I talk with New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro, whose sharp wit clever drawings have kept readers laughing (and thinking) for more than fifteen years. Toro’s debut book, And to Think We Started as a Book Club (out now from Simon & Schuster), gathers the best of his cartoons from over a decade and a half at The New Yorker. In our conversation, we dig into the realities of professional cartooning — from the weekly grind of submissions and rejection, to the balance between writing and drawing, and the creative fire that keeps artists like Tom doing it anyway. 🙏 Thank you to all paid supporters on Patreon — without your support, this would be an expensive hobby. Thank you! 🟢 Listen on Spotify \| 🟣 Listen on Apple Podcasts \| 🔴 Listen/Watch on YouTube Cover of And to Think We Started as a Book Club … IN THIS EPISODE What it’s really like to be a New Yorker cartoonist — and why rejection is part of the job How the relationship between writing and drawing defines the cartoon form The secret to making a success New Yorker-worthy cartoon Why embracing imperfection keeps art alive How Tom feels about his body of work from the past 15 years SHOW LINKS Tom Toro’s Website — https://www.tomtoro.com Tom Toro on Instagram — www.instagram.com/tbtoro 📕 And to Think We Started as a Book Club (Simon & Schuster, Oct 7 2025) — https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/book/and-to-think-we-started-as-a-book-club/ SLO-FI Illustrations (my new Skillshare class) — GET 30 DAYS FREE WHEN USING THIS LINK — https://skl.sh/4nbo3KT 📗 Drawing is Important — https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! You can show your appreciation for the Thoughts on Illustration podcast by: Sharing with your friends on social media Liking / Following / Subscribing Leaving a review on Apple Podcasts Becoming a paid supporter on Patreon — patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes — http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram — http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings — http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and cues by Mark Allan Falk — http://linktr.ee/semiathletic Thanks for reading Thoughts on Illustration with Mr. Tom Froese! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
	The Illustrator’s (Smarter) Starter Pack \| FREE PREVIEW	07 Oct 2025	00:12:21
Looking to Get Into Illustration? Here’s How to Begin. NEW—I am now offering free previews of Monologue episodes. This will help you decide if subscribing on Patreon / Spotify is right for you. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an Illustrator’s Starter Pack that could get you up and running as an illustrator ASAP? The reality is that any attempts to find a fast track into illustration could actually slow you down. In this episode, I share my SMART System: five paradigms (Styles, Markets, Applications, Reasons, Techniques) that help you get specific about what you want to make and where it belongs. Instead of hunting for the perfect gear or foolproof course list, SMART gives you a clear way to map your starting point. If you’ve been overwhelmed by tools, apps, or conflicting advice—and you just want a concrete way to begin—this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISODE Why gear and classes alone won’t make you an illustrator The SMART System overview Styles vs. Techniques: how they relate and why they’re not the same thing Markets vs. Applications: who buys the work vs. where the work lives Reasons (purpose): the “why” that sharpens every brief The closest thing to a starter pack? — (iPad + Apple Pencil + Procreate) How to use SMART to choose your next practice project and reduce decision paralysis Two starter-pack parables: first-aid kits and flimsy badminton sets As always (from now on), a reflection prompt to help you turn my thoughts into your actions! SHOW LINKS Malika Favre (style reference) — malikafavre.com Hervé Tullet (style reference) — herve-tullet.com John Roman, 45 Markets of Illustration (markets overview) What is Risograph Printing? (technique primer) — risottostudio.com Procreate (iPad app) — procreate.art My New Skillshare Class — SLO-FI Illustrations HOW TO LISTEN/READ If you’d like to hear the full version of monologue episodes like this one: Join on Patreon for as low as $3/month Become a paid subscriber on Spotif ($2.99/month) This is also available as a story on Medium for paid members on that platform. FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes — tomfroese.comInstagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk — Semiathletic on Linktree
	Focusing on the Kids Market \| Interview with Suzy Ultman	23 Sep 2025	01:00:45
What happens when you bravely create from what matters most to you—even when you’re not sure others will understand? In this episode, I talk with artist and author ⁠Suzy Ultman⁠, whose work blends joy, vulnerability, and cultural identity in a way that’s both incredibly specific and widely relatable. Suzy is the creator of a series of Jewish-themed board books for Penguin Workshop — ⁠I Like Your Chutzpah⁠, ⁠Shabbat Shalom⁠, and It’s a Mitzvah! — and in our conversation, we explore the story behind these books: the experiences that shaped them, the fears Suzy had about putting herself out there, and what it means to lead with joy even when it’s rooted in something much deeper. IN THIS EPISODE How Suzy went from client-based work to building a licensing brand around her own voice Why she was initially afraid to make books that reflected something deeply meaningful to her Why she sees herself as a bridge (middle child, anyone!?) What it looks like to make joyful work rooted in meaning, emotionally layered, and honest Suzy’s advice for artists who want to create from a deeper place but aren’t sure where to start REFLECTION PROMPT What’s something you’ve been afraid to share in your creative work — and what might change if you let it in? SHOW LINKS Suzy Ultman’s Website — https://www.suzyultman.com/ It’s a Mitzvah! (Penguin Workshop, Sept 2, 2025) https://www.suzyultman.com/shop/p/mitzvahbook Suzy on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/suzyultman Paper Doll Parade – Chronicle Books — https://www.suzyultman.com/paper-doll-parade Friendship Carousel – Chronicle Books — https://www.suzyultman.com/friendship-carousel-bts THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! You can show your appreciation for the Thoughts on Illustration podcast by: Sharing with your friends on social media Liking/Following/Subscribing Leaving a review on Apple Podcasts Becoming a paid supporter on Patreon — patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes — http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram — http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings — http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and cues by Mark Allan Falk — http://linktr.ee/semiathletic
	Season 4 Preview: Big Changes are Coming!	04 Sep 2025	00:21:10
Welcome to a special preview episode of Thoughts on Illustration. At the end of last season, I wasn’t sure if this podcast would continue — but here I am. After a summer of reflection (and a little camping, surfing, and book work), I’m ready to share how Season 4 will look different. This season I’m making changes to keep the podcast sustainable for me and more valuable for you. Season 4 officially begins on September 9 with the first monologue episode. IN THIS PREVIEW Updates from my summer: working on my book Drawing is Important (out early 2026), teaching, and new class prep Why I nearly quit the podcast — and what convinced me to keep going The 3 key shifts for Season 4 New Patreon perks: quarterly Q&A sessions, monthly Draw With Me, and access to every episode SUPPORT THIS PODCAST Join on Patreon — To hear all episodes — monologues and interviews — join me on Patreon starting at $3/month. Drawing Buddies at $8/month also get access to monthly Draw With Me sessions and replays. patreon.com/tomfroese Follow on Substack — Free listeners will still get access to all interview episodes on your podcast app or via Substack at mrtomfroese.substack.com. GET IN TOUCH Email - hello@tomfroese.com Website - tomfroese.com
	Is This Still Working? A Look Back at Season 3	28 Jun 2025	01:12:29
In this episode, I reflect on the journey of the podcast so far and the evolution of my illustration process. From overcoming burnout in the early seasons to finding a sustainable rhythm in Season 3, I discuss how the podcast has mirrored my own creative growth. Alongside this, I get real about the challenges of balancing podcasting with the rest of my life and career, the emotional toll of self-doubt, and the joy of connecting with listeners. Plus, I dive into the challenges of building a community around the podcast and the ups and downs of monetization. I open up with a story about the little man who tried to tear me down on Threads. If you’ve ever felt like giving up on something you love or questioned whether your efforts are worth it, this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISODE Reflections on three seasons of podcasting and illustration The challenges of balancing podcasting with other creative projects How self-doubt and external criticism can shake your confidence Finding joy and fulfillment in podcasting, despite the obstacles The question of whether podcasting is still worth the effort—how to know when to keep going The evolving mindset behind my illustration process and the shift from burnout to rewilding PLUS – Why I decided to stop doing custom episode art and the joy of simplifying the process. SHOW LINKS Drawing Ideas (Skillshare Class) — Tom Froese Drawing Ideas Creative Boom: Top Podcasts for Creatives 2025 — Creative Boom List HOW TO SUPPORT Share with your friends on social media! Like, Sub, Follow, Comment, Review Support on Patreon - patreon.com/tomfroese BECOME A DRAWING BUDDY Live, monthly Draw With Me meetups All past DWMs available as replays Exclusive access to the DWM Discord Server FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes \| Instagram \| Daily Drawings CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk – semiathletic on Linktree
	What I Got Wrong About Going Analog	10 Jun 2025	00:43:59
In this episode, I share my thoughts on the evolving meaning of “rewilding” my illustration process. Originally, rewilding meant bringing analog elements back into my work—inking on paper, scanning textures, doing things the “hard” way. But lately, I’ve been asking myself: is it really about going analog? Or is it about something deeper? In this episode, I unpack how rewilding is less about tools and more about mindset. I look at how digital tools can either suffocate or support our creativity, depending on how we use them. And I share how I’m finding spontaneity, joy, and pride in my work—even when it’s 100% digital. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your creative process, or worried about how AI and digital tools are affecting your style, this episode is for you. I also share some reflections on the Amish, digital minimalism, and why your mechanical pencil will never ask you to rate it on the App Store. IN THIS EPISODE Why rewilding might be a mindset, not a medium How digital tools can both hinder and help creative joy What I’ve rediscovered about spontaneity, surprise, and storytelling in illustration Why pride in your process matters—and how to get it back How AI is forcing illustrators to reevaluate their process The three key questions I now ask to evaluate any creative tool PLUS – Why my Apple Pencil will never beat a Mason jar full of ink water. SHOW LINKS Drawing Ideas (Skillshare Class) — https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/drawingideas Post by @brettpstenson — https://www.instagram.com/p/DKiYMKHSapr/?img_index=1 See How Book Artwork Was Done In The Old Days Before Computers — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5YoyBvX1f8 Graphic Design Tools Before Photoshop — https://youtu.be/O-XrRQf7BPM?si=GqEeaFOWfW3A87Ll My early style (Tom Froese Postcard example) — https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5aa6d6c0a9e028fce5f7f4b2/1523840966237-XPQXSOX8HCUS9WI1SEDW/Tom+Froese+Stationery-3.jpg My style a few years ago (totally digital) — https://www.tomfroese.com/work/canadianidentity My more recent style (more rewilded, in spite of being all digital) — https://www.instagram.com/p/DJr4MSTyTTv/ (image for my upcoming book, Drawing is Important). HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends! Like / Subscribe / Follow / Comment / Review on Apple Podcasts Become a $3 Supporter or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon – patreon.com/tomfroese BECOME A DRAWING BUDDY Live, monthly Draw With Me meetups All past DWMs available as replays Exclusive access to the DWM Discord Server Join here FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes Instagram Daily Drawings CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk – semiathletic on Linktree
	6 Challenges of Rewilding My Illustration Process (And What I'm Doing About Them)	27 May 2025	00:57:14
In this episode, I share my thoughts on the difficult but exciting journey of rewilding my illustration process—bringing back more analog, handmade elements into the way I work. While the dream of working more physically is alive and well, the reality is a lot more complicated. In this monologue episode, I unpack six core problems I’ve identified as I try to rewild in real life, and I talk through some solutions, mindset shifts, and small actions I’m taking to move forward. If you’ve ever felt stuck between your current style and the one you wish you had, or if you're navigating your own transition as a creative, this episode might hit home. I also share some personal updates, what’s coming up with my classes and book, and an embarrassing story from my recent trip to Paris that involves vintage books, broken French, and a stranger’s purse. IN THIS EPISODE Why rewilding your process is easier said than done Six problems I’ve identified on my rewilding journey How I’m coaching myself through a style evolution Why confidence in your style is often external PLUS – Embarrassing Story of the Episode: A Canadian in Paris SHOW LINKS Drawing is Important (Skillshare Class) – https://skl.sh/3TuA0NS The Style Class on Skillshare – https://skl.sh/4cFnIej Drawing Is Important (Sketchbook IG) – http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant My Website – http://www.tomfroese.com HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends! Like / Subscribe / Follow / Comment / Review Become a $3 Supporter or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon – http://patreon.com/tomfroese BECOME A DRAWING BUDDY Live, monthly Draw With Me meetups All past DWMs available as replays Exclusive access to the DWM Discord Server http://patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes – http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings – http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk – http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic
	A 100% Analogue Illustration Process with Roberts Rurans	13 May 2025	01:45:32
In this episode, I share my conversation with Roberts Rurans, a Latvia-based illustrator who creates all his work using traditional materials — literally painting his images with acrylics. When Roberts talks about his brushes, he means the actual ones lying on his table, not virtual tools in a menu! His process is physical, full of quirks, accidents, and unexpected moments — and yet, his work feels fresh and totally at home in today’s digital illustration landscape. Roberts has worked with clients like Hermès, Nike, Apple, and Coca-Cola, but his artistic integrity shines through no matter the project. In our conversation, we talk about evolving your style, the tension between old and new work, the difference between art and design, and what it’s really like to work 100% analog in a mostly digital world. Toward the end, Roberts answers questions submitted by my Patreon supporters — including whether he secretly uses any digital tools (you’ll have to listen to find out). I wrap things up with some community notes and another “Embarrassing Story of the Episode,” featuring me, a trail run, some hikers caught unawares, and a well-placed band-aid. IN THIS EPISODE How Roberts Rurans keeps his fully analog style feeling fresh Thoughts on evolving your style without disowning the past The line between art and design in illustration Analog tools vs. digital tools — which gives you the edge? PLUS - Embarrassing Moment of the Episode: Shirtless in the Forest SHOW LINKS Roberts Rurans on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/robertsrurans Roberts’s website – https://www.robertsrurans.com HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends! Like/Subscribe/Follow/Comment/Review Become a $3 Supporter or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more. BECOME A DRAWING BUDDY Live, monthly Draw With Me meetups All past DWMs available as replays Exclusive access to the DWM Discord Server http://patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic
	How to Make Your Digital Art Look More Natural	28 Apr 2025	01:07:10
In this episode I talk about why it’s so hard to make digital art look more natural. For many of us, we work digitally out of convenience but really want our work to have a more analogue appearance — as though it were made using physical media. I explain why this is harder than you might think, citing 3 key factors I’ve encountered in my own experience. Then, I offer 5 more practical ways you can overcome these challenges and make your work look more natural. Stick around to the end where I try a new segment called “The Embarrassing Story of the Episode”! NOTE: I accidentally published this episode a day early and now I can't take it back. Enjoy the head start! IN THIS EPISODE 3 reasons why it’s hard to make digital art look analogue The most common mistake of new digital artists 5 ways to avoid an overly digital look PLUS - Embarrassing Moment of the Episode: Lady Jacket SHOW LINKS Jonathan Woodward’s (@jonathan_woodward_studio) collages - https://www.instagram.com/p/DIuHhUkKcPL/?img_index=3 I said I’d share a specific issue from Roman Muradov’s DADA ISSUES Substack, but I couldn’t find it. Either way, go subscribe to it anyway. It is truly one of the best newsletters out there for illustrators. https://dadaissues.substack.com/ HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends! Like/Subscribe/Follow/Comment/Review Become a $3 Supporter or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. VIsit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more. BECOME A DRAWING BUDDY Live, monthly Draw With Me meetups All past DWMs available as replays - Exclusive access to the DWM Discord Server http://patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠
	Re-wilding Your Digital Illustration Process	15 Apr 2025	00:24:30
In this episode I share my recent thoughts on what it means to "Re-wild" my illustration process. Inevitably, this means my continued quest to bring more analogue elements back into my process, with the ultimate aim of increasing my joy in the creative process and in the work itself. IN THIS EPISODE How style fatigue sparked a shift in my creative practice Reconnecting with analogue roots Re-wilding as a way of bringing more joy to the creative process Finding analogue techniques that mimic digital tools (rather than the other way around) What does re-wilding mean for a commercial practice? SHOW LINKS https://mrtomfroese.substack.com/p/re-wilding-my-digital-art-process HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends! Like/Subscribe/Follow/Comment/Review Become a $3 Supporter or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. VIsit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more. BECOME A DRAWING BUDDY - Live, monthly Draw With Me meetups - All past DWMs available as replays - Exclusive access to the DWM Discord Server http://patreon.com/tomfroese FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠
	Overcoming Decision Paralysis in your Life and Work	06 Apr 2025	01:01:38
Eliminate time-wasting decisions by discovering your style! Learn more in The Style Class on Skillshare. https://skl.sh/4cFnIej — Use my link to get 30 days of free Skillshare membership. Decision Paralysis — or as some call it, Analysis Paralysis — is the experience of getting stuck on some kind of decision. It could be a big decision, or something very minor, but even the tiniest option can get us spinning our tires for hours or even days! If you struggle to make any kind of decisions, even sometimes, this episode is for you. I’ll open up by sharing some of my own experiences with indecision, and then I’ll share a few different illustration-specific situations where most of us might get stuck the most. I’ll share ways that I navigate these and keep moving, and of course, offer some ways you can use these in your own life. IN THIS EPISODE What is decision paralysis, and how can it get us stuck? Why having keeping options to a minimum is necessary for the decision-impaired How to give yourself “outside” feedback What to do when you can’t stop making new iterations of an illustration Why finding your reason for doing anything is the key to doing it at all and more! SHOW LINKS Illustration Coaching - http://tomfroese.com/coaching All My Classes - http://tomfroese.com/teaching HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠⁠⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠
	Episode 51 Coming Soon	01 Apr 2025	00:01:06
With apologies! Stay tuned for Episode 51 — coming no later than April 8, 2025.
	Working with Editorial Art Directors with Mike Schnaidt	18 Mar 2025	01:17:03
Working with Editorial Art Directors with Mike Schnaidt Learn how to make Clever Conceptual Illustrations in my new Skillshare class, Drawing Ideas — https://skl.sh/40dk9rK Mike Schnaidt is the Creative Director at Fast Company, an Adjunct Professor at the School of Visual Arts (SVA), and author of Creative Endurance: 56 Rules for Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Your Goals. I picked Mike’s brain about all things Editorial Illustration, and invited him to share some deep insights on how to stave off burnout and keep going as a creative from his book, Creative Endurance. IN THIS EPISODE What is the difference between an art director and a creative director? What is the best way to reach out to an editorial client? Is Email or a Mailer the better way to get noticed? How do art directors discover new illustrators? What is the ONE THING you need to SHINE with your editorial clients? What is the state of illustration today? Is pursuing a career as an editorial illustrator a bad move in 2025? Mike’s last-minute choice to interview a total stranger he met in a coffee shop for his book — and how that changed the whole book for him. SHOW LINKS Creative Endurance (the book) — https://www.mikeschnaidt.com/creativeendurance Help Mike shape his next book — https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/e/1FAIpQLScdjF1Kx4GDwqEdONKEvu349PCvxJUgydRLUMIdXxVLvVgWUg/viewform?usp=send_form Mike’s Website: https://www.mikeschnaidt.com Follow Mike on Instagram: http://instagram.com/schnaidt HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠⁠⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠
	5 Ways to Survive in 2025 as an Illustrator	03 Mar 2025	00:56:40
Take Composition for Illustrators on Skillshare. Learn how composition works on last year’s 2nd most-watched class! Use my link to get 30 days of free Skillshare membership. — https://skl.sh/3vtU3Ep In this episode, I share 5 tips to help you maximize your earnings and your joy in turbulent times as an illustrator. IN THIS EPISODE What it means to diversify your definition of illustration A guaranteed way to stand out to art directors Tips for maximizing the impact of your portfolio Overcoming creative loneliness Why a personal daily drawing practice is key to your professional survival A listener shares her thoughts on the podcast SHOW LINKS Illustration Coaching - http://tomfroese.com/coaching All My Classes - http://tomfroese.com/teaching The Studio (Creative Boom) - https://community.creativeboom.com HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠⁠⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠
	How I Found My First Agent and Editorial Clients	18 Feb 2025	00:44:17
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK (Use my link to get 30 days free). Today I answer the question, “How did you approach getting representation and landing your first editorial clients?” Thanks to @sipcozyart on Threads for the question! IN THIS EPISODE How do you know when you’re ready to reach out to a rep? What do you say to an agent when you’re reaching out? What is an illustration rep/agent, and what do they do? How I found my rep, what I sent, and why I think it worked How I found my first editorial projects/clients And more! SHOW LINKS Illustration Coaching - http://tomfroese.com/coaching My Classes - http://tomfroese.com/teaching Secret Random Episode (on Patreon) - https://www.patreon.com/posts/secret-random-48-122527763 HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠⁠⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠ FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
	Jess Miller on Losing Everything in the LA Fires	04 Feb 2025	00:56:52
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - ⁠https://skl.sh/40dk9rK⁠ (Use my link to get 30 days free). Jess Miller is a designer, illustrator and educator based in LA. She joins me to share her story of losing everything in the Eton fire and how her community, near and far, are rallying to support her as she starts her life all over again. IN THIS EPISODE Using social media as a life-line "Dead inside" — Why going back to work is so hard Why GoFundMe is necessary after disaster strikes Having to choose what to keep when you leave all else behind Why GoFundMe is necessary after disaster strikes The kindness of strangers SHOW LINKS LA Fires Funds + Resource Log (shared by Agent Pekka) — https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XoTlgtYuPQ1tD1FSJnJzzWa7XSi3YO9orlY9cIWX3uQ/edit?gid=910889114#gid=910889114 Jess Miller's GoFundMe — https://gofund.me/1508aee5 Venmo: @jessmillerdraws PayPal: jess@jessmillerdraws.com My 2024 Annual Review on Substack — https://open.substack.com/pub/mrtomfroese/p/2024-the-year-in-review SUPPORT THE PODCAST Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠⁠⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠ FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
	Can you earn a living from illustration alone in 2025?	21 Jan 2025	00:54:25
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK (Use my link to get 30 days free). In this episode I share my income sources in 2024, and how much of my overall earnings I took in for each one. I look into whether I'm the only illustrator who earns most of their living from outside of illustration. I'll share some helpful tips for anyone hoping to find new income sources in 2025. IN THIS EPISODE Is it possible to make a living just from illustration in 2025? How much of other illustrators' income sources comes from outside illustration? My other passive income sources, such as Teaching, Patreon, and more. Tips for choosing and building new income streams as a creative professional SHOW LINKS LA Fires — Are you an illustrator affected by the LA Fires? Tell us your story. More info at http://tomfroese.com/firestories Anoosha Sayed: Breakdown of an Illustrator's Salary Jill Labieniec: Income Sources in 2024 - Ohn Mar Win: How I Made Money in the Last Year (2022) HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠⁠⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠⁠⁠ to learn more. CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠⁠ FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
	Reflections on 2024. Predictions for 2025.	07 Jan 2025	00:49:31
Take "Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond " on Skillshare! - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK (Use my link to get 30 days free). In this episode I reflect on the last trip around the sun and make some bold predictions for 2025. Be warned, I went commando in this episode — no script, no idea of how the show would go — but I think I pulled off a meaningful, if not personable, episode. (I'm speaking figuratively — I was wearing underpants, and pants, the whole time). Enjoy! IN THIS EPISODE Was 2024 better than my worst year ever (2023)? Why I'm feeling optimistic about 2025 Thoughts on aging, time acceleration, and how I perceive "the present moment". Highlights and Struggles of the year Predictions for the state of illustration by year-end SHOW LINKS Take my new class! Drawing Ideas: Create Conceptual Illustrations for Editorial and Beyond - https://skl.sh/40dk9rK Substack (where I will publish my written annual review) - http://mrtomfroese.substack.com HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠⁠ to learn more. CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - ⁠http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic⁠ FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
	Moving from Adobe to Procreate with Kyle T. Webster	24 Dec 2024	01:26:22
Kyle Webster is arguably the most influential person in digital illustration brushes, period. He started making Photoshop brushes a long time ago, leading to Adobe's acquisition of his brushes and his talent in 2017. In 2024, Kyle left Adobe and joined Procreate in very close succession. I wanted to catch up with Kyle and let him explain what happened, in his own words. IN THIS EPISODE Why did Kyle leave Adobe? What does Kyle think of Procreate compared to Adobe's Fresco and Photoshop? Making brushes in Procreate vs. Photoshop (Key differences) Kyle may or may not know what's coming with Procreate v6 Happy birthday to Thoughts on Illustration! SHOW LINKS Kyle's Newsletter, The Accidental Expert - https://accidental-expert.com/ Kyle's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kyle.t.webster/?hl=en Max Packs Procreate brushes - https://maxpacks.com/ Jing Sketch Procreate brushes - https://jingsketch.com/ HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a $3 Fan or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit ⁠http://patreon.com/tomfroese⁠ to learn more. CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
	How Do You Know When an Illustration is Done?	10 Dec 2024	00:32:17
"An artwork is never finished, only abandoned." This is apparently a quote from Leonardo Da Vinci. If one of the greatest artists of all time had trouble knowing when his work was finished, then it's no wonder the rest of us do as well. In this episode, I share some ideas on what it means to complete a work, how to know when you should call it done, and if that's not possible, how to responsibly abandon it. At the end I share some important news about the future of the podcast. IN THIS EPISODE A new definition of "perfection" Missing the mark: Is your work "sinful"? How to know when a work is done Overcoming perfectionism in client work and personal projects News about the future of this podcast SHOW LINKS Take Drawing Towards Illustration on Skillshare. Learn how to connect how you draw with how you illustrate. https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/drawing-towards-illustration HOW TO SUPPORT Share this episode with your friends on Social Media! Like, Comment, Follow, Subscribe! Become a Drawing Buddy on Patreon. Visit http://patreon.com/tomfroese to learn more. CREDITS Music and Cues by Mark Allan Falk - http://www.linktr.ee/semiathletic FIND ME ELSEWHERE Work and Classes - http://www.tomfroese.com Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese Daily Drawings - http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant
	Embracing Hand-made in Your Work	26 Nov 2024	00:26:52
In the age of AI, it's time to double down on being a human. That means things like bringing more hand-influenced spontaneity into, and embracing analogue processes in, your art. In this episode I share how I'm doing this in my own practice and how it's bringing me more joy and even creating new opportunities for me. By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to embrace your own humanity to re-spark your joy and feel more connected in your everyday practice as an illustrator.
	Consistency is The Key to Success	12 Nov 2024	00:42:02
Learn how to be more consistent in your client work — Take The Six Stages of Illustration on Skillshare today: https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/the-six-stages-of-illustration (Get 30 days free on Skillshare with my links). Consistency is Key. You've heard this before, but what does it mean? Throughout my career, consistency has been key to my success. This has been true both in my habits and in what my work looks like. Most importantly, it's been important in having any sense of focus at all. But for many of us, there are all kinds of things distracting us, or pulling us in different directions, that make it hard to be consistent. In this episode, I offer you some helpful tips for staying the course, and some pretty motivating reasons for doing so.
	Episode 41 Postponed - November 5, 2024	05 Nov 2024	00:01:06
Today's scheduled epsiode (Episode 41) will be postponed until next week. Stay kind!
	The Illustrator's Guide with James Hughes	22 Oct 2024	01:14:57
In this episode I chat with James Hughes about his new book, The Illustrator's Guide, a comprehensive, motivational handbook for artists trying to break into the freelance illustration market. James is an agent at Folio Illustration and Animation Agency, representing some 60 illustrators around the world. Taking advice from James means learning from someone who sits at the front lines of both illustrators and the clients who hire them every day.
	Listen to This if You're Bored With Your Style	08 Oct 2024	00:39:35
Develop a Drawing Habit in 30 Days. Take my class, Drawing Is Important – https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/drawing-is-important. Use my links to get 30 days free on Skillshare. In this episode of My Thoughts on Illustration, I dive deep into my recent experience with a style crisis and how I turned to a daily drawing challenge to reignite my creativity.
	Making the Big Leap with Martina Flor	24 Sep 2024	01:52:33
Skillshare class promo link In this episode I talk with lettering artist Martina Flor. Martina started as a designer in Argentina, but she soon discovered the joy of hand lettering. From there she built a successful career as a lettering artist, which has now become a small empire of inspiring work, masterclasses, coaching groups, books, and even a podcast. Of course, she couldn’t do all of this on her own. She’s built an entire team around her so she can focus more on doing what she loves most, while being able to grow her business well beyond what she could do alone. As she puts it best, ““There’s no progress in isolation.”
	Let Your Ideas Gain Interest Over Time	10 Sep 2024	00:33:54
Take Drawing is Important on Skillshare — https://skl.sh/3UWWY00 — Use my link to get 30 free days on the platform! Just like saving money in the bank, your drawings can gain interest over time. In this episode I explain how this works, and I share how this principle has yielded both creative and financial rewards in my own life. I open up the episode with some recap from the summer! In the end you’ll learn how to set your daily drawing practice up for success with my 5-step plan. Happy to be back for Season 3!
	Midsummer Update (August 2024)	07 Aug 2024	00:18:00
Take Inky Maps (Procreate Edition): Illustrate an Analog-inspired Map on Your iPad — Use my link to get 30 days free! — https://skl.sh/3Swd9SK I'm just dropping this bonus episode to say hi, I miss you, and I will be back at it in September. There will be some changes around here, and I talk about what those are. Also, please don't miss my new class on Skillshare, Inky Maps (Procreate Edition).
	Lisa Bardot, Procreate Artist and Brush Designer	18 Jun 2024	01:21:30
Take Lisa's class, Imaginative Map-Making in Procreate on Skillshare — Use this link to get 30 days free! — https://skl.sh/3z8zI9a Join in on my conversaion with Lisa Bardot, who teaches people how to make art on their iPad. But that job description is deceivingly simple. She may be best known for her vast catalogue of analogue inspired procreate brushes, aka Bardot Brush. (She’s kind of the Kyle T. Webster of procreate brushes). But she also teaches making digital online in places like Skillshare, YouTube and her own membership platform called Art Maker’s Club. She also runs in-person art trips — her most recent one being in France. If that weren’t enough, she’s also the author of a brand new book called Drawing Digital, The Complete Guide for Learning to Draw and Paint on Your iPad, AND she even provides monthly prompt lists for inspiration-seeking artists, which she calls Make Art Every Day. Lisa has created an entire universe of creativity and community around her passion for drawing and illustrating in Procreate. I really think she’s a perfect guest for the podcast, as she embodies the whole ethos of this podcast of showing up everyday and growing through it, no matter what (and thriving because of it). >>> Video edition available on YouTube. <<<
	Illustration is Not Dead with Chris Piascik	04 Jun 2024	01:32:09
Learn how to make better art! Take Composition for Illustrators on Skillshare — Use my link to get 30 days free! — https://skl.sh/3TLdkeh Today I chat with my friend Chris Piascik. Chris is an illustrator for clients like Nike, Nickelodeon and Google. He's also a YouTuber and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. We have a free-ranging, loosey goosey conversation about things like: Whether you need to go to art school to become an illustrator; Why Chris and I feel like we don’t quite fit into the “traditional illustrator” mould; We discuss whether the ability to draw realistically is necessary for illustrators today; We commiserate about angry dudes leaving nasty comments on our videos and — We start off with an unexpectedly long conversation about vector files (but as far as these kinds of conversations go, I think it was pretty interesting).
	Should You Work for Friends and Family?	21 May 2024	00:53:35
In this episode, we tackle a question many creatives grapple with: should you work for your friends (and family)? Combining personal and professional relationships can be a double-edged sword, offering both unique advantages and significant challenges. We explore both sides the debate — FOR and AGAINST working for friends — and then, I'll give you 7 tips to help set you up for success (and safety) for those times when you decide to go ahead and do it.
	Bad Clients: How to Turn Them Before They Burn You	07 May 2024	01:01:03
Learn How to Make Good Work AND Please Your Clients — Take The Six Stages of Illustration: https://skl.sh/4cCTxEH — Use this link to get 30 days of free membership on Skillshare. What makes otherwise good people such bad clients? How do you deal with them — and how can you avoid them in the first place? In this episode, I explain why there almost never truly bad clients. In my 10+ year career, I've had very few bad clients. Most of them were in the beginning, when I didn't have enough experience to spot them before it's too late. By listening to this episode, you'll learn what I wish I knew when I was starting out — and this will help you make sure every client is a good client! That means they'll trust you to do what you do best (the art!) and they'll give you everything you need to do your job.
	10 Tips for Launching Your Illustration Career	23 Apr 2024	00:31:09
Learn how to illustrate ideas in Sweet Spots: Expressing Big Ideas in Small Illustrations — https://skl.sh/3e8Wl33 — Use my links to get 30 days free on Skillshare. So you know how to illustrate — now, how do you start your career as an illustrator? In this episode, I'll share 10 key strategies that helped kickstart my illustration career. These personal yet practical tips offer valuable insights for aspiring illustrators looking to advance in the industry. Whether you're seeking a reminder of fundamental practices or hoping for fresh perspectives, this episode provides a blend of familiar and surprising advice to motivate and inspire. This episode originally launched in July 2023 as a Patron's Only "Summer Shorts" episode.

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