The Good Ship Illustration

Emily asked us why backgrounds can be so overwhelming. So in this episode, we share lots of low-pressure ideas to make them doable (maybeee even fun). Please enjoy Tania nearly falling asleep under a weighted blanket 🤣 Podcast Episode Highlights: How to stop overthinking it Colour tips and some good stuff Chris Haughton taught us  NO ZOOMING IN ALLOWED 😠  John Burningham Old Lady Baby (rough) Ti...

“Can you just do it for free?” NO. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about working for free, how to say no without guilt, and why having nice strong boundaries won't ruin your career (we promise).  Tania shares a BRILLIANT script for saying no to unpaid work. Thank you Taniasan, we luv ya. Other good bits of note: How to stop feeling bad about saying no to cheeky requests How charity auct...

When your project goes a bit pear-shaped you might wonder if that’s just how the illustration industry is. Well, this week we’re talking all about what's good, bad, and normal... and whether there are red flags you should look out for in your illustrator-publisher relationship. Highlights: Why it's never okay to get feedback on a Friday and be asked for a full redraw by Monday 🙃 What’s...

Have you ever looked at your own work and thought… egh ? When you work so hard to find your style* it can feel rubbish to realise you don't even LIKE IT 😅. *We're not big fans of the word style...but we have to use it so you know what we're on about. We have a WHOLE ENTIRE COURSE about finding your creative voice & flying your freak flag. This episode is allll about not-holding...

Quick note before we start: In this episode we use the words "women" and "creative women" but we know these things don’t just affect women, and not everyone relates to binary gender labels. This chat is based on our lived experience and isn’t meant to exclude anyone. You’re always welcome aboard, however you identify. WE LUV YA.  xx Good Ship How many unfinished online courses...

BE MORE WONKY  In this episode: Why quick sketches usually have more life in 'em than polished pieces How perfectionism kills creativity Beware of the pause button (when you're doing graphic recording / live illustration) What to do when you're scared your work isn’t “worth the money” Tips for keeping final artwork fresh and loose Human vs AI: what if the secret is just… being wonky...

Where does she go? What happens in there?  Come and have a wee peek inside Helen’s hermit cave with us. BUT FIRST - is it true? Do you prefer a podcast when there's a video too? Katie's just been to Australia and chatted to some creatives and they all said that they *ONLY* listen to a podcast if there's a video to go with it.  Whaaat!? Let us know on Instagram if these rumours are t...

Errrr, how do you find illustration work in 2025? Pitching? Instagram? Postcards? SEO?  In this nice an' juicy episode we’re answering the 'Heeelp, how do I find clients as an illustrator?' question. What works Why we don’t “hunt” clients 😅 SEO tips to help the right people trip over you How to be pals with art directors Pitching can feel YUCK (but it doesn't have to) Old-skoo...

Hiya. This week’s episode of The Good Ship Illustration podcast is all about artist residencies... illustrators are allowed to go on them too! Our Tania’s just returned from her first ever residency (in a chateau, of course. Ooh la laaa) and we wanted to hear about the muscly trees, the chickens, and whether she got the entire chateau to herself. What a residency actually looks like How to pick th...

Today’s a biiiig day... the doors to our Live Illustration Course   are closing tonight!  AGH!  In this special live illustration-y episode, we grill Katie with loads of the brilliant live illustration questions you submitted.  Katie also shares some behind-the-scenes stories about v early gigs, navigating some more unusual client requirements (hiya, Apple lawyers!), and why your own values matter...

This week’s podcast question is from Annabelle: “I’m not sure how to price my work. I think I panic and undercharge because I’m worried they’ll change their mind if it’s too much.” Ooft.  This is a juicy episode. Money, mindset, value, VAT nightmares, and charging what you’re worth.  Bon apetit from your Good Ship pals.  Tuck in. Timestamps 00:00 – The question: “How do I stop undercharging?” 01:3...

Thanks for sending in yer juicy questions. Here are the ones we tackle in this week's podcast episode: “How do I build an illustration portfolio if I only have fine art work?” “What’s the difference between an illustrator and an artist?” Ahh yes that ol' chestnut. How to pivot from fine art to illustration without losing your mind. We dig into the figuring out what kind of work suits you...

Two more chunky questions for this week's episode: “How do I choose the right materials and techniques when I love them all?” “How do I keep up with new tech and trends without hopping on every train and going bananas?” It's a longer one this week! A podcast title that went in the bin was: Mouldy bingo dabbers: A love story. A moment of silence for that title. It woulda been great, but n...

This week we’re answering TWO of your excellent questions: “How can I stop overthinking my story and just... FINISH IT???” “Which is better, RGB or CMYK?” Here’s what we chat about: That annoying feeling when you know your story’s missing something but you can’t figure out what Ask your characters what they eat for breakfast Magic picture book editors - you don't need to do it all alone! And....

This is something we hear quite a lot, and it's a BIG broad question: How do you actually become an illustrator who makes money. Dear Good Ship Illustration please break it down for me, step by step. No pressure (aaagh 😅) Alas, there is no tidy step-by-step guide… but in this episode we're doin' our very best to give you a solid direction to head in. Step 1 = loadsa drawing Finding...

This week, we’re answering a question from listener Eilidh: "How do you navigate social media? Do you have a strategy or just post willy-nilly?" Gah. It’s complicated. In this episode of the podcast we chat about: Do illustrators really need Instagram anymore?   Should you have a strategy, or is it fine to post when you feel like it? Why social media isn’t our main way of getting work (a...

Ahoy! Doors to the Business Course (for illustrators!) are closing TONIGHT! We're going to be having a chat over on Instagram and you're more than welcome to bring your business of illustration questions along. Be lovely to see you there. We're @thegoodshipillustration over on Insta. p.s. Once the course doors close, they close. We're strict! You've got until 10pm UK time...

Doors to the Business Course (for illustrators!) are open TONIGHT! We're going to be having a chat over on Instagram and you're more than welcome to bring your business of illustration questions along. Be lovely to see you there. We're @thegoodshipillustration over on Insta. 🚢 This week, we’re diving into the live illustration industry. How much work is actually out there, how to g...

"I'm not drawing as much anymore - Aghhhhh! Is this ok!?" If you feel like you’re not drawing as much as you “should”, then you’re definitely, absolutely not alone. In this episode, we share our drawing ebbs and flows, why guilt often sneaks in, and how to let yourself off the hook when life gets lifey. We chat about: The natural phases of a creative career (and why it’s A-OK not to...

🚢 The Picture Book Course   closes TONIGHT! In this episode, we’re tackling three of the biggest picture book questions we hear all the time: 1. What size should my picture book be? 2. Do I need kids to write picture books? 3. How do I get my book in front of a publisher? (So that they actually SEE it.) If you’ve been agonising over book dimensions, stressing about margins, or wondering whether y...

First things first, we've got to let you know that the doors to the Picture Book Course are FINALLY OPEN AGAIN today!  We'll officially fling 'em open tonight at Art Club (7 pm UK time over on Instagram. Our IG username is @thegoodshipillustration .) See you there! 🚢 Right, back to the podcast show notes. In this episode, we’re answering a brilliant question from Lou, who asks: &qu...

Juggling too many plates, saying yes to everything, and wondering if it’s time to let something go... It's not a fun place to be. (And all three of us have been there, got the frazzled t-shirt).  In this episode, we share the projects, jobs, and ideas we’ve binned along the way to make room for the shiny new stuff. We chat about: Why it’s okay to drop what isn’t working (even when you love pa...

Nahhh. It's not really. That was a naughty title. Anyway, we got this brilliant and juicy question in our students-only Facebook group for the Find Your Creative Voice, Fly Your Freak Flag Course. 🎺 31ST JANUARY = YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET SOME GOOD SHIP ILLUSTRATION SNAIL-MAIL STICKERS WHEN YOU JOIN! Don't say we didn't warn you! Sign up here. Megan said: "I just opened up the...

Chelsea asked us: "Would love some advice goal-wise for those of us still holding part-time jobs and two small kids under five, trying to transition to an illustration career. Is it even possible? I'm feeling impatient and a bit trapped." We chat about: Why “slow and steady” beats high-pressure goals. Low-pressure ways to carve out creative time (even with little ones around). How p...

 At The Good Ship Illustration, we love keeping it simple. You don’t need the fanciest gear or the latest tech to be an illustrator. Our Helen’s 25-year-old scanner has survived being dropped multiple times and it’s still goin' strong. This week on the podcast, we’re sharing the tech setups we actually use to get our illustration work done. Katie tells us about her iPad obsession, the magic o...