The Creative Portfolio

Happy December sweet things. I hope your Advent arrived with a bang, and that the confetti of seasonal frivolity showers you all month long. I already have a batch of ginger biscuits in the oven and Micheal Buble’s seasonal standards serenading me from the other room, so I’m set.

I had hoped to come up with something a little lighter for this month’s post, but as this is the last one of the year, I can’t help but reflect on the work I’ve made over the past twelve months. My biggest goal this year was to work on personal projects, that would fit into my portfolio and guide me on my merry way over the coming years. At the end of 2020 I felt hesitant and vulnerable when I considered navigating my creative career as a fresh-faced graduate, as well feeling disconnected from my inner creative voice. I wanted to build a portfolio that laid the foundations for my practice, to take time with projects that showed who I was as an illustrator, and influenced the types of projects I take on in the future.

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Of course, establishing a portfolio is an ongoing process, but today I’m sharing a couple points that I feel, played a significant role in mapping out the direction of my work. Although the main goal was to create projects that represented me as an artist, I also realised over the year how much experiences and learning from other people has shaped my work, it’s all about how much we are willing to step out of our comfort zone! So grab a hot chocolate, pull on your fuzzy socks and let’s dive in!

Clarity

I was inspired by Rebecca Green’s post on navigating a creative endeavour to create this mood board to represent the direction of my portfolio. It’s vital to know your own preferences when it comes to style and themes to provide us with focus and direction, especially if you have a tendency to compare your work to other artists’. Getting clear with what you’re working towards gives you purpose and direction, and having a visual reminder is especially helpful to revert back to when you’re feeling uninspired.

Artists include: Miroslav Sasek, Campbell Grant, Julia Sarda, Mary Blair, Carson Ellis, Felicita Sala, William Morris, and my own work!

I sprinkled my board with images by artists I admire and my own work. You could consider colour palettes, artists, themes, pattern and materials to fill your board. Sometimes it’s tricky to put a style into words, but seeing this collection of images, and being able to refer back to it when I’m in a creative lull has been a lifesaver. It’s like my creativity at its core; a visual representation of my illustrative style, and a reminder of what I’m journeying towards.

Specifics

With this visual representation of the direction I’m headed in, I found it so much easier to let go of comparison. I know comparison comes from a feeling of inadequacy with ourselves and our practice, but by getting specific with what you’re aiming for, all the other things that used to seem important will fall away. I used to feel bad that I didn’t make digital illustrations, as it seemed like that’s what everyone else was doing. But looking at my mood board I can confidently say that I’m just not attracted to digital illustration. So why torture myself into feeling bad about not having those skills? If you’re in need of some practical steps to help shift your portfolio in a new direction, I found this podcast episode a great help in discovering my style specifics.

Expansion

As with every year, I made an effort to expand my comfort zone, just enough to feel myself growing in the process (which can be terrifying believe me!) But if I want to grow my art, I have to grow myself alongside it, and I try my best not to stagnate for too long, although lockdown made that difficult for the first half of the year.

With new experiences come new connections, and new opportunities to be inspired. Last month I went to practitioner training day which was TERRIFYING, but I met other artists there; artists who brought their own perspectives to the workshop, which pushed me to look at my own practice differently. I’ve reached out to other practitioners throughout the year, went to a bound book fair, and taught my first workshops. All of which become the building blocks of my creativity and my portfolio. Jumping into new opportunities will not only enrich your work but it’ll enrich your life too. Take a class. Find an online tutorial. Join a local arts group. Learning new skills keeps our brains alert and reminds us to stay humble.

Experiment

It’s scary for us illustrators to feel like novices. If we’re comfortable with a technique or material, don’t we tend to stick to it? This year I challenged myself to create projects using new materials. Nothing too drastic - I didn’t attempt to completely change my style, or use every material available. For one project I decided to work entirely on toned paper. For another I limited myself to a monochrome palette (I struggled so much with that one!) They didn’t always work, but now I can get specific on what I do and don’t like to work with. It’s a slow process, and an ongoing one, but being open to new ideas and new materials will help narrow down your practice, and you’ll become more sure of yourself as you progress.

TRY THIS NOW…

Create a one-day project and limit yourself to two tools. This could be a colour, size, material or time frame. You only have a day to create something, so no cheating! Often boundaries can spark problem solving and help get us out of creative ruts.

Joy

Harnessing a small spark of inspiration can, if we let it, become a snowball of opportunities that have a big impact on future projects. The illustrations that fill my portfolio are an ever-expanding body of work that aligns with who I am at my core. They celebrate magic and charm, friendship and colour, and most importantly, little people with big hearts. And over time, these projects will lead to newer projects and newer opportunities that will lead me further down my creative path. As the year winds down, I’ll be working on a project that’s close to my heart. I don’t have a specific purpose for it yet, but the important thing is that it sparks joy, and to me, that’s the only sign I need to tell me I’m on the right path. After all, isn’t that what making art is all about?

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Treasures from November…

*I’m reading Moominland Midwinter over Advent and I CANNOT WAIT

*I recently heard Good Days by SZA and it’s beautiful. It’s quietly nostalgic and the perfect song to welcome in the New Year.

*I’m planning on making this hearty soup in December!

*Christmas cards are available to order from my Etsy store until the end of the year! There’s also 10% off all prints so now’s the time to grab something sweet before the big day!

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And that’s all for December! If this was 2041 I’d hand you a virtual egg nog and mince pie fresh from the oven, but technology has yet to catch up with my virtual Christmas dreams. I hope you have the merriest of Decembers, a month filled with quiet snow, hot drinks loaded with spice and moments sprinkled with joy.

See you on the other side.

Merry Christmas Friends.

Catherine

Autumn in the lakes

Last month I escaped for a few peaceful, grounding days to the lakes. We stayed in a village called Mickleton, surrounded by sheep-dotted hills and winding country lanes. It was a week of red skies and smoking chimneys, falling leaves and antique shops. I also collected a lot of visual inspiration with my camera, attempting to capture the magical landscape that I couldn’t bottle up and bring home. It’s been two years since I’ve truly been out in nature, and I’ve been tired of city life for a while. I hope this post brings a little peace to your day, wherever you find yourself!

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In those short few days I did everything I wanted to do for the longest time. I planned to really switch off from the outside world, watch the sunrise, and paint plein air. I befriended a deer, played chess, and enjoyed doing nothing but watch the clouds and the crows. I tried locally sourced bread and coffee, and explored a medieval castle. The whole trip did me the world of good, but I’m glad to be back, feeling recharged and well-rested for the darker seasons ahead.

The weather was mild for Autumn, but we had a mix of rain and fog, so each day was unexpected and wonderful. The first day we had gentle, steady rain. We visited Kirkby Stephen, a small market town with an old sweet shop where I bought a bag of pear drops (officially the best boiled sweet out there). The rest of the day was spent following the Tees river, which we eventually found after a long few hours spent losing it. In the evening I made a pile of mushroom pasta - needless to say we ate the lot.

The second day I woke up before the sunrise, which is a FIRST. But there’s something magical about sitting with nature before the world is awake, and truly appreciating the present moment. This was a day of crisp blue skies, and I decided to try something other than drawing. The problem with doing what you love every day is that some days it can really feel like a chore. So I decided I would paint a canvas! Something I haven’t done since my college days. I planned to not plan my painting, and instead allow myself to be inspired by the moment, letting go of any expectations. I was rusty to say the least, but I guess that adds to the charm. And it was fun to feel like a novice again. For lunch we made homemade toasties, and walked away the afternoon through country lanes, armed with a flask of tea and chocolate. On the Thursday we visited Barnard Castle which, for all you geographical novices out there, is a castle AND a town! The weather was unexpectedly gorgeous that day, and I explored the ruins, sketchbook in one hand, ice cream in the other.

Although it wasn’t a whirlwind trip, it was exactly what I needed after everything that was 2020, and I’m glad I didn’t put pressure on myself to capture everything I saw onto paper. Being in nature truly grounds me when I’m feeling low, and I hope that even if you are unable find some sort of calm right now, that this post adds a little calm to your day. For now though it’s back to the drawing table, but I’m sure I’ll stay inspired by those few days in the lakes for a good while yet.

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Bits and bobs…

*I FINALLY watched Howl’s Moving Castle (I know, I really don’t know why it’s taken me this long). I’m still a Ghibli novice but I definitely enjoyed this one. The colours and aesthetics are always perfection. One to watch again I’m sure.

*This laptop stand doubles up as an easel! It’s lightweight and a great size for carrying in your bag if you have limited space!

*My Shop Around the Corner print has been super popular this year! There are still some left if you fancy getting your hands on one before the Autumn season bids it’s farewell. I suggest pairing it with a cup of hot cocoa and bouquet of sharpened pencils.

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So long for now friends. Happy sweet Autumn.

Catherine

Advice from an Illustration Graduate: What I wish I'd known before graduating from Art School

This month my blog turns a year old! I started it back in July 2020 with the intention of sharing my processes and experiences as an illustrator, but also because I love to write! Not much has changed since my first post, and yet I feel as though I’ve grown massively as a person and as an artist since then. A year on I find myself having learnt A LOT of lessons, and I hope by sharing them with you today, whether you’re still a student, recent grad or freelance artist, they offer you some kind of guidance or support, wherever you are on your creative journey. So, shall we dive in?

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Just a note…

You may be wondering what I’ve done to acquire all this new found knowledge and the truth is, not a lot. I’m not claiming to have learnt the ins and outs of the illustration industry within a year because let’s face it, that takes a lot of experience. But last year I would have welcomed any sort of advice from other creatives who had gone through similar experiences to me, so today I’m offering the advice I never had. Sometimes all it takes is for someone else to say, hey I’ve been there and I struggled too.

I also want to diffuse the idea that you have to be constantly productive to be successful - you don’t. Last year I decided to work on my picture book portfolio, for you it may be looking for a job or joining a collective that is priority. It’s taken a long time for me to settle into a routine where I can balance work and rest effectively, and its definitely still a working progress. I can be very driven and I love what I do, but I am also often very critical of myself. It’s taken a year for me to start unpacking these negative patterns and notice why I think this way, so please, take my advice with a pinch of salt. Everyone’s experience will be different.

Summer

Graduating during a pandemic meant that there was no ceremony and no degree show. It was a disappointment, but I got over it. I kept myself busy with a project called the Sketchbook Collective, and made a list of goals I wanted to achieve now I actually had time to focus on them. I collaborated with Post Snail Press, spoke to an editor from Hachette at their virtual open day, and opened my Etsy shop (a goal that I had on hold for YEARS!). Of course I took a well deserved rest too. I baked bread, watered my tomato plants, and cut my own hair. My friends and I got creative on zoom too, organising life drawing sessions, film nights and virtual gallery tours to pass the time. I also set myself a mini project of reworking three scenes from an old uni project that I never finished. This was my chance to play and create work that I wanted to make, and enjoy the freedom of pressure and grades.

Although I couldn’t see it at the time, I really took advantage of these first few months and a year on, I can see how I was laying foundations for new opportunities that are only just beginning to appear.

THREE THINGS I LEARNT

• Don’t forget to celebrate If you’re a recent graduate, sleep is probably the only thing on your mind right now! But remember that this moment in your life is unlikely to happen again, so really take time to pause and reflect on everything you have achieved. Regardless of your result, chances are you’ll never have to work that hard again. So be proud of yourself - you did it.

• A degree isn’t everything Okay I KNOW I just said be proud of your achievements, but the sooner you face reality the better. Think about how many graduates have left university just like you. What makes you different to them? Talent and confidence can only get you so far and the sad truth is, most clients don’t want to see your university work. Of course there are exceptions, but for most of us the stand-out portfolios showcase work that is personal and confident in style and message. Do you have something to share that’s unique to you or are you hoping that recycling the same old 2nd year project will get you by? This may be the best time to get a head start and make work that really shows what you have to offer.

• Opportunities are waiting More about this later. Of course you can’t predict which projects will open the right doors for you, but if you’re collaborating with other creatives now, you may be surprised as to what they lead to later on. The artistic community you formed at university is unlikely to be available to you again, so to keep in touch with as many other creatives as you can. Or reach out to those who you admire - you never know what new connections lead to. And I promise you’ll be grateful you did it now.

Autumn

With the celebrations officially over, the daunting realisation of adult life soon kicked in. Autumn was really a blur to me. I went on country walks and continued with zoom drawing sessions, but creatively I was feeling uninspired. I continued another project from the past, which brought me a slight sense of satisfaction, but I still couldn’t shake off the vague sense of ‘what is this all for’. I decided to follow a drawing challenge to spark some sort of ‘play’, but that quickly became just another task to tick off my to-do list and it wasn’t really enjoyable. I’d also slipped off the momentum of university, and with that I became less and less motivated. Weeks turned into months and I began to realise I hadn’t made any attempts to consider what my next step would be.

I was also still frustrated about the the anti-climatic ending of university, and was mentally battling the constant raincloud that was Covid. I couldn’t shake this strange feeling I had. Was it loss? Anxiety? I don’t really remember, but I sure as heck pushed it down and tried my best to work through it. It took several months for me to realise this frustration was manifesting itself into physical pain too. I had a month long arm injury, and in November and December suffered from toothache that turned out to be tension in my jaw. I couldn’t wait for Christmas to arrive so I could forget all about it.

THREE THINGS I LEARNT

• Effort makes you I WISH I had been stricter with myself in the beginning, because after the momentum of uni faded, I neglected work. Giving up is easy. It’s not easy to give 100% every day and not see any signs of progression. What matters is that you do it anyway. If you’re unsure about where to start, think about what you could do to get ahead. Whether you’ve submitted a portfolio or applied for a job, don’t just sit and wait for a reply that may never come. Get your hands on something you can control. Research other artists in the same industry as you and see how they did it. Join a collective, work on your craft. Effort makes you, so please start while you’re ahead.

• The harsh reality Don’t pretend you’re okay if you’re not. But if you’re lay on your bed scrolling through IG then you really have no right to complain. Stop letting your excuses prevent you from taking action. Chances are there’ll be a few months of adjustment before steady work opportunities start to come in, so don’t feel disheartened if you feel a little lost in the beginning.

• Don’t compare your path to someone else’s This was a HUGE lesson for me, and something I continue to work on. I used to fuel my anxiety by constantly comparing my path to another illustrator’s, one who had already had years of practise and momentum behind them. Once I had time to settle into a new routine I found that those same artists now inspired me to work hard, rather than making feel worse about myself. If you catch yourself comparing, change your perspective. Look at how they got to where they are. If they can do it, so can you. Begin with what you know and be PATIENT. Things most likely won’t change overnight.

Winter

As a Christmas enthusiast the adjustment to New Year is usually a challenge but LET ME TELL YOU, this Winter was tough. It was a period of several really low months that I just couldn’t get myself out of. Part of me didn’t even want to, because it required effort and I wasn’t in the mood for that. I was indifferent to the work I was making and everything felt like a chore. In hindsight, if I was kinder to myself and accepted that I felt uninspired, I probably wouldn’t have felt half as bad. I didn’t feel overworked, just less inclined to create - which was a feeling that until then I have never really experienced. The most important thing is that I never gave up. After every bad day I picked myself up and tried again. I continued to accept portrait commissions and submitted projects to competitions.

In these wintery months, I would have been SO grateful for any sort of advice, especially from graduates who were going through similar struggles as I was. Other than chatting to friends, I found that it just isn’t something that is widely spoken about in the illustration community, which is a shame.

THREE THINGS I LEARNT

• Go outside Obvious but important. Working from home can be tedious, sometimes tiring, often lonely. Give yourself time to be outside, away from technology and if it helps, away from people. Nature can do wonders for your metal health and I guarantee you’ll feel more refreshed when you come back to your desk.

• Action = Momentum The first step is always the hardest. I got frustrated that I wasn’t making any progress, yet I wasn’t taking action in order to solve the problem. It may not work the first, second or tenth time, but you have to try if you want to see any momentum.

• Your emotions are trying to tell you something Our negative feelings often serve a positive purpose; they are a sign that change is needed. Don’t try to avoid or deny them. Notice them and appreciate the message they’re trying to tell you. Only then will you be able to change your state. Reassure yourself that you’ve gotten through this feeling before and notice the lesson it’s trying to teach you.

Spring

I don’t remember how I finally let go of these negative patterns, but I did. I continued working on my portfolio and my mental health, and one sunny April afternoon it all just slipped into place. I suddenly realised how I’d been blocking myself from taking action, and releasing this pressure made me feel as though a weight had been lifted. I guess all I needed was a little perspective. It’s still a working progress, but taking back that control brought a fresh burst of optimism. I got excited about stretching my creative comfort zone, experimented with new materials, and purposefully chose not to share new work with the outside world.

I slowly found my creative spark again and with inspiration came action, then momentum and soon, new opportunities began to appear. I honestly can’t explain how fast the changes came! I was commissioned to do a set of pet portraits (which are now available on my Etsy shop), sold my prints internationally for the first time, and received a message from a Sketchbook Collective member asking whether I was interested in running an online workshop! Of course none of this was planned, but because I was open to the work, it just seemed to find me.

THREE THINGS I LEARNT

• Don’t hold so much value on social media We all know this, but do we believe it? It may take time to release the grip social media has on you as a creative, especially if it’s the only place you can interact with your audience. At the start of this year I’d feel deflated after making any new work because I was already subconsciously projecting other peoples opinions onto it. Opinions I hadn’t even received. Once I’d shifted my attention to finding fulfilment in the process, I could see the image objectively. Some people may love what you do and some will be indifferent to it. Don’t let external validation sway your own opinion of the work you make. I’ve even got into the habit of deleting IG at the weekend, to take some time to reconnect with myself and my creativity.

• Set clear goals LISTS ARE YOUR FRIENDSSS! Write up your to dos, monthly goals, timetables, anything! Nothing is achievable until you put it down on paper, and as creatives we unfortunately need to hold ourselves accountable for the time we are on and off work. Once your goals are on paper you can break them down into simplified steps, set time limits, and suddenly things will seem a lot less strenuous. I now have monthly goals, weekly goals AND a timetable to keep me on track. It keeps me accountable, I just can’t believe it took me ten months to do it.

• This is just the beginning Throughout Autumn and Winter I kept reminding myself how fast time was passing and I still hadn’t made progress. Now one year later, I can look back and see how much I’ve already achieved. And it’s only been a year. Things change faster than you think. I still have hard days, but I’m back to being my busy self, and the path in front of me is slowly, slowly starting to reveal itself. Wherever you are in your journey, know that opportunities are always available to you, you just have to be patient and keep going.

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And that brings me full circle! Sharing these experiences from the past twelve months has felt like a cathartic process to me, and I hope it offers you some sort of guidance, support, or just a friendly voice to say that everything will work out just fine. If you find yourself at a low point, know that the harder times are just lessons in disguise. Take a moment to look around and ask yourself, what am I avoiding? What would move me forward? What would make me happy? Sometimes we need the challenges to shake us up and push us in the right direction. You need rain to appreciate the sunshine, right?

So what’s next? Right now I find myself seeking new opportunities to grow and learn about my craft. My work has improved massively since university, but I can already see how I could move on from here, and I can’t begin to imagine where I’ll be in a year from now! And this time I’ll remember to enjoy the journey.

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Little treasures I’ve enjoyed this month…

* Annielies Draws vintage posters!!

*I’m finally reading The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell after it’s been sat on my shelves for several years. Mitchell somehow manages to twist everyday stories just enough for them to become distorted and fascinating, and I’m only several chapters in but I’m already loving it.

*I also picked up this book again after months of neglect. I find history fascinating, and I’m learning new things everyday.

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If you’re still here I applaud you! That was one hefty post. I hope my experiences bring support to those of you who find yourself in a challenging season of your life. Don’t give up!!

Thank you for being here, as always

Catherine

Meet the Maker

For the month of March I decided to join Meet the Maker over on Instagram. The challenge, organised by Joanne Hawker, happens every year throughout March, and allows creatives from all over the world to connect and share their practice, promote their business, and give insights into their creative journey.

I’ll admit I didn’t complete all 31 days. I decided to pick out the ones that seemed to fit my own practice the best and stuck to those. Today I thought I’d share some of them with you!

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First things first, IG is a funny thing when it comes to sharing insights into a creative practice. As I’d already planned what I was going to post throughout the month, I could easily make it seem as though I was staying busy and churning out a load of work, but in truth, my personal work didn’t really get off the ground this month. There were a lot of delays and obstacles I had to work through, most of them probably self-inflicted, and I started to feel disconnected from my creative flow. There were days where I wasn’t drawing anything, because I was focusing all my energy on more urgent, but less fulfilling tasks.

Here is a snippet from Day 15 which sums up how I was feeling:

Day 15 // Priorities

It’s hard to say what my priorities are atm because honestly, my main goal is just to be happy. I know IG can make it seem like we’re always working and always positive but are any of us really like that? I enjoy working on my illustrations but I also procrastinate a lot and spend days unravelling the MANY negative beliefs I tell myself.

This illustration was a favourite of mine but goodness me it was a struggle to get it out. And it’s not even complicated. I was just so uninspired by the limited colour palette, and I think I’d let the whole project drag on a little too long that I started to loose sight of why I started it in the first place. I just wanted to get it done and move on.

I also had several portrait commissions this month which was amazing, but it meant that my personal projects had to take the back seat for a while. The turn around was so quick for these that I unintentionally burnt myself out and had no energy left to put into my own practice.

By the end of March I started to see where I was going wrong. On one hand I managed to stay consistent with Meet the Maker, but behind the scenes I was feeling uninspired and unfulfilled with my work because I hadn’t left any space for myself. I made an effort to pick up my daily sketchbook (something that I’ve sadly neglected since January) and planned to fill it with really bad drawings - the wonkier the better. I started knitting again, and took myself on walks to try and reconnect to that inner creative voice. It’s still a working progress, but slowly I’m beginning to feel inspired by what I’m making again. I’ll be continuing to share my illustrations on IG this month, but I’ll also be holding some of my energy back for work that I purposefully don’t share. And with that comes a new feeling of relief.

If you’ve followed me on Instagram, I hope you enjoyed my little Meet the Maker series, and I hope this post shines a light on the fact that not everything you see on IG tells the whole story.

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Shop Update!

New pet portraits have arrived on my Etsy store this month and I’m super excited to share them with you! They’re postcard sized and completely personalised; this one was for a lovely puss named Crumpet and her owner Emily!

I love making these little prints for you, and I’m excited to add more fury friends to the collection! For more info please check the item description on Etsy!

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This and that…

*I’m rewatching this adaptation of Howards End at the moment. It’s such a cosy watch and the book is a firm favourite of mine, especially now it’s Spring!

*I listened to Deep Work by Cal Newport this month and he brings up so many interesting points about technology and distractions that made me revaluate how I balance deep and shallow work.

*Any day with yoga in it is an immediately better day. Recently I enjoyed this one.

*Just for fun, this game has been great for passing the time with friends on zoom.

Okay okay that’s all for now! See you next month.

Catherine