Having made a calendar featuring my illustrations for a few years now, I thought I would write out some of the things I’ve learned, and some tips and tricks for how to set yourself up for success when creating your own illustrated calendar.

A bit about how I made Diana and the Dolphin and the process of working with a licensed property.

Sketchbooks are invaluable to the image-maker, no matter how mundane it may feel while creating them. Having a record going back years allows me to see the repeated imagery that shows up, clearly knocking around in my brain, asking to be further explored.

I have often found myself unable to fully describe my grief around miscarriage with only words. Drawing, sculpting, painting, making things, has opened up a channel to express feelings that might have continued to sit in the dark.

Adding thoughtfully considered architectural detail can lend a rich layer to the storytelling of an illustration. Quite literally, it builds a world. And yet, for years I have avoided this in my own work, always leaning more towards nature-based environments.

A deep dive into artist copies! This classic art school assignment is also known as pastiche.