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.

Lighting can have a huge impact of the look and feel of an image, but it’s so much more than that: it can change the mood, composition, and even the storytelling of a piece.

In the world of picture-makers, line is a powerful tool that has incredible range. No two people will draw a line in the same way. How someone draws a line, what they draw it with, and when they choose to use it —and leave it out— are all integral to an artist’s unique style.

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

I love how adding traditional textures can add interest and surprise to an illustration. In this post I play with scanning in a variety of found and made textures, and explore other artists who do this in their work.