Finding Confidence

“You are perfect. To think anything less is as pointless as a river thinking that it’s got too many curves or that it moves too slowly or that its rapids are too rapid. Says who? You’re on a journey with no defined beginning, middle or end. There are no wrong twists and turns. There is just being. And your job is to be as you as you can be. This is why you’re here. To shy away from who you truly are would leave the world you-less. You are the only you there is and ever will be. I repeat, you are the only you there is and ever will be. Do not deny the world its one and only chance to bask in your brilliance.” 
(Jen Sincero, "You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life")



So a trusted friend recently told me that I might be lacking in confidence. 

Who me?

From the outside it often looks like I have got it all together: I am a teacher of young people and love nothing better than holding a mirror up to my students to show them their brilliance; I regularly post new art work up on social media with no apologies for the continual saturation of my images and I have plans and dreams for the future and talk about them to whoever will listen. And I am relatively poor in pocket but rich in spirit and try and focus on the latter when I get too down about the former.

But my friend was right.

I have some learning to go through when it comes to ACTUAL confidence in myself. Working with students I often find it easier to shine a light on them (as that's my job after all). I always walk away feeling ten foot tall after those classes where students "get it" and sink into their own selves with new found confidence. But when it comes to my own life and my own dreams (although I nut out at them every day), my self talk is not always positive. I try, but I often miss the mark. I'm too this or too that or I perhaps I really don't deserve to have this or experience that and I guess my lot in life is just this etc etc etc. I have my good days but I also have the days when it's all just a bit too hard.

Perhaps you know what I'm talking about. Perhaps you too have these self flagellating talks? The self doubt?

My friend pointed me in the direction of a book called "You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero. I have to admit I am not a fan of reading self help books. I always start with good intentions but get bored and frustrated too easily and go back to reading my fantasy novels where I can lose myself. 
Lose myself.
Hmmm. Interesting turn of phrase.
There's a time a place to lose yourself (and I will continue to read fantasy novels and enjoy every moment of it).
But there's also a time and place to find yourself.

And THIS I have decided is the time to find myself. To move up to the next level of self awareness and harness the power of being to really find true confidence and pave out the awesome life I know that I want to live.

So I am reading this book. 
Actually it's the second time I am reading it.
The first time was a couple of months ago. I got about ten pages in and thought "This is too hard, where's that book where the maiden is a kick butt sword fighter?"
And I closed it. And went back to my maiden-slaying-the-dragon tale.

But it's been sitting there at the back of my mind that I need to make some changes within myself.

So a week ago I went back to the book.

And lo and behold this time it's resonating. 
I'm reading it slowly, letting all the words and concepts infiltrate in a day to day way. I don't normally read slowly. I'm a speed reader (I did a course when I was eleven and it stuck). 

This time though... no speeding.
Purposely reading every page at a slower pace.

And I'm letting myself be a glorious work in progress as I go.

I haven't nearly finished the book yet. 
But I will continue to be open to it and continue to read it and just go on this adventure.

And in between the pages I am taking time to write down personal affirmations. And to draw words that I want to infiltrate into my life and into my work.

Here is a video I made on the weekend of me drawing the word LOVE:

It was the first time I have ever made a time lapse video of me drawing. The video shows what I drew during my lunch break. It's interesting to see the seeming confidence in my hand when time speeds up. My hand knows what to do and enjoys the process of just taking the pen for a twisty, curly kind of walk across the paper.

That night I finished the drawing.
I added in more line work and then immediately regretted it.
"That was too much! Why didn't you just follow the grey lead pencil you had underneath? There's too many curls and leaves now!! Ahhh! It's just too much. I'M just always too much!"
Then I stopped. I realised the negative/self doutb path of thinking I was going down was not helping at all.

So I allowed myself to stop thinking and closed the sketchbook and listened to music for the rest of the night.

The next morning I opened my sketch book and found that I actually really liked what I had added. I actually LIKED the extra line work my hand confidently decided to add in.

All that initial negative thinking was just a waste of brain power.
Good thing I stopped when I did and let myself be immersed in music.

I thought: what if I applied this to the rest of my life? 
So yesterday I decided to make some music. I wouldn't call myself a musician as such - more of a lover of music and an avid in-the-car-in-the-shower singer. Last year I bought myself a ukulele to have as a sing-a-long instrument. It's relatively easy to play the basic chords and after a few months of playing my novelty uke I decided to upgrade and buy myself a non-novelty instrument.  I had a fantastic summer playing and learning new songs. But I haven't picked it up in earnest in almost six months. So I took it out of it's case and let my voice just sing what it wanted to sing. I ended up singing "Smile" (music by Charlie Chaplin) and started thinking about my network of friends and those who really could use extra love and energy in their lives right now. So without thinking, I hit record on my laptop and made a video. And hit upload to my Facebook page.

Gulp! 

I then let it go for a few hours while I played my little heart out and just enjoyed having a Sunday music sesh.

When I checked on my Facebook a while later I had over 25 beautiful comments from friends. And at last check about 75 likes! No one said I was "too much". No one said I sung out of key. 
People actually thanked me.
Thanked me! For singing my heart out!

So here is the video (again, posting it without letting my thoughts go down any negative track).

There is a powerful lesson here for me.
I am letting it sink deep into my being today as I prepare to go and teach a public speaking class to young people.

Wherever you are when you read this give yourself permission to speak of yourself with love. You are the gardener of your thoughts. You can choose what you propagate and what you weed out.
With love,
Lou 

The Drawing Board

 “The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck.” 

(Ralph Waldo Emerson).

PREFACE:

I wrote this blog post as a final assessment piece while studying my design diploma (which I graduated from earlier this year). Originally this article was to be published on a blog set up by the design school but unfortunately the blog never eventuated. So I am posting it here instead. So many thanks to the illustrators who assisted with this article. I have had an amazing 8 months post study finding my feet as an emerging illustrator - the illustrators in this article have inspired me and my journey immensely! 

- Lou (September 17th 2014)

The following article was inspired by three interviews with Melbourne illustrators Elise Hurst, Laura Wood and Andrea Innocent in November 2013. Three other Melbourne illustrators reviewed the article in January 2014: Jody Pratt, Richard Morden and Claudia Rowe. The latter three have also been quoted to add their thoughts into the mix.

THE DRAWING BOARD

By Lou Endicott

So here I sit on the edge of being thrust out of my tertiary graphic design course and into the work force as a professional in the field of illustration and design. This is the time to consider the opportunities that lay ahead and to invest in the opportunities already at hand.

My choice to specialise in illustration is an obvious one. I draw everyday. It’s the first thing I look for in a design. I get unexplainable peace, joy and satisfaction working on illustrations with both traditional and digital media. I have long dreamt of being a children’s illustrator and working on books, editorials, posters and branding for children’s products.

After researching the working life of illustrators and talking to a variety of artists themselves (at markets, exhibitions and via email) it is apparent that making a living as an illustrator is filled with challenges. The field itself is flooded with talented practitioners. There is also the idea of the world of printed media diminishing in demand with the advent of this technological age and the popularity of e-readers.  Illustrators must also consider the prospect of working long hours alone without the team environment that a graphic design studio (or any full time office) might provide. They are freelancers, self-promoters, and small business managers and are continually trying to prove the worth of the work that they do. Melbourne illustrator and author Elise Hurst paints the picture beautifully: “You will blown this way and that, following your own zephyr, and, despite all the difficulties, experience a satisfaction that few others will”.

My illustration of Elise Hurst 

“You will blown this way and that, following your own zephyr, and, despite all the difficulties, experience a satisfaction that few others will”.

(Elise Hurst)

Without passion, there would be no point in pursuing this industry.  For me personally (having already had another career) shifting to this dream of illustrating was a matter of following my heart and my inner drive.  I found this to be familiar story with Melbourne illustrator Laura Wood: “I started doing this work later in life, after already having started a career in a completely different job. But I wasn't happy and one day I decided to change my path because I realised I couldn't do a job where my heart wasn't there. So I allowed myself to dream again and for the first time I let my heart choose instead of my brain.”

Choosing the heart instead of the brain is not everyone’s idea of a dream job. Illustrators need to be resourceful and unashamed of bravely shouting to the rooftops about what you do to strangers. With the digital age well and truly being at the core of business we are faced with an opportunity to promote our work and be seen on both a national and international platform.

Self-promotion is paramount in this field – particularly when starting out. Earlier this year after following Laura Wood’s blog I noticed that Laura had started an online presence as an illustrator while still studying. Her journey from student to professional was beautifully documented as she emerged into the industry. Her online presence is hard to be missed. 

My illustration of Laura Wood

"I allowed myself to dream again and for the first time I let my heart choose instead of my brain.”

(Laura Wood)

Living in the digital age means that illustrators have the opportunity to promote themselves to a wider audience. “Through the Internet we have now the possibility to put our work under the eyes of creative directors all over the world in matter of seconds and without spending a cent,” says Laura Wood “I think it's fantastic.” Elise Hurst agrees: “Online folios are The Best.”

I followed this example of self-promotion and began to create an online presence with my own Facebook page, an Instagram account and a blog to document my own journey.  Recently I joined Twitter to connect to other illustrators globally and take inspiration from their own process of self-promotion and work generation.  It was through this Twitter account that I noticed how many illustrators are selling their own work online. I have followed suit and started selling my own work through an Etsy shop. This work has lead to my first commissioned piece and got me thinking about diversifying beyond just prints.

Elise Hurst would agree that diversity and selling your own works is part of creating opportunities for yourself. Apart from simply illustrating, she is also a highly acclaimed author and has also hosted several exhibitions of her work.  It was at her last exhibition “Tiger. Hare. Girl. Bear.” that Elise shared her thoughts on her work and process. “I create what I want to see. I always keep journals.” “But how do you get your work out there?” I asked. To which she replied “It’s good to be brave and go out to talk to people.” Richard Morden agrees with this statement and adding “Some of my most interesting and rewarding commissions have resulted from personally contacting people I thought could use my illustrations and showing them samples.”

My Illustration of Richard Morden

"Some of my most interesting and rewarding commissions have resulted from personally contacting people"

Like any industry, talking to other people about the job and its challenges and rewards can be a huge help – and not just for those starting out like myself. Networking is as important in this industry as in any other. Being an illustrator can often mean long hours spent alone working on pieces and interpreting briefs.

After Laura Wood pointed me in the direction of Illustrators Australia (a not for profit group) I began to understand the importance of a professional community that provides a network for illustrators. Wood says: “For a freelance illustrator like me, Illustrators Australia is a good reference point able to provide support and exposure. Also, being involved in such a community is a great opportunity to meet other people that share the same passion for illustration.”

After recently joining Illustrators Australia myself I had the opportunity to ask Vice President Andrea Innocent some questions. “It's like being represented by an agent in a way however you have the ability to have a real say in how IA is run,” she said. “ IA also is a terrific resource for information, pricing and contract examples can be downloaded from the site and there are lots of other illustrators available to chat to about all sorts of things to do with illustration as a career”. 

My illustration of Jody Pratt

“Don't be afraid to get involved with IA, we don't bite!”
(Jody Pratt, Illustrators Australia President)
















The opportunity to ask other professionals for advice is clearly worth every cent of the membership fee to an organisation such as IA.  Jody Pratt, president of Illustrators Australia adds in here: “Don't be afraid to get involved with IA, we don't bite!”

The Loop, Linked In and Behance are some examples. As is The Style File – which is a website that promotes the works of book illustrators in Australia. Elise Hurst is a member and shared with me the benefits: “I think it is great for new illustrators and publishers hoping to find a fresh new approach. Because there are a lot of illustrators on the site - it's always worth a publishing house having a look through.” It’s clear that to gain work emerging as well as practicing illustrators must find exposure.

From this ongoing research it is apparent that making a move from student to professional is one that needs to have started well before graduation. But finding actual work as a freelancer requires a large amount of self-motivation and drive. This is where an agent may help. I asked Andrea for her thoughts on illustration agents and what services they can provide.  Her advice? “Surviving on your own and working freelance is definitely possible but it requires lots of work and marketing by yourself, whereas an agent can promote you as well as put you forward for jobs that suit your style and voice.”

My illustration of Andrea Innocent

"Surviving on your own and working freelance is definitely possible but it requires lots of work and marketing by yourself"

(Andrea Innocent)

It can be daunting looking at all of the illustration agencies in Australia and internationally. However, having an agent can be a gateway for work. Laura Wood’s would agree: “Having an agent for me has meant getting work and recognition from bigger and more prestigious clients.” Elise Hurst explains how an agent makes her life a little easier: “I love my agent, Jacinta di Mase, because I hate to do the negotiation and chasing work of a job.”

I have started to investigate the many illustration agencies in Australia and overseas. Some agencies require a minimum years of experience. However, there are some that have their books open for consideration. These agencies are ones I am considering approaching before I graduate. Andrea Innocent encourages emerging illustrators to just go for it: “In terms of approaching illustration agencies don't make the mistake of waiting because you don't think you're ready or your work is not good enough yet, let them be the judge of that, just call them! Most agencies are very excited about seeing new work and are ready to give you some super useful advice as to where they think you might fit in to the mix”.

If you have clients wanting you to work with them research indicates that you are an asset to an agents books and representation might be the next step. Elise Hurst would agree with this research: “If you get some work offered to you and you are not confident negotiating for yourself, that is an excellent time to talk to an agent. You are much more likely to secure an agent if you have an offer on the table, then if you are starting out and you have no work behind you.”

With the digital age truly ingrained in our popular culture images are easily sourced – often for free. The price of original work has also been lowered in this competitive market. To stand out in this online market place it seems that illustrators need to look for gaps in the market place. Says Andrea “Having a particular style or technique that makes you unique can give you an edge and hopefully you will be able to command higher prices for your work. It helps to also be a really nice person to work for.”

So once a style has been defined and a body of work is created, what opportunities can be created? Elise suggests: “You can print your own work and get noticed, make web pages and eBooks, blog, tweet… In the end you just have to get creative and proactive and work out how you are going to earn money for the time you spend. Although there is a lot to be said for social media, I think the biggest asset of an illustrator is doing great work and a lot of it. The challenge is to find that work.”

What if you choose to work for yourself? The idea of self-publishing children’s books has been playing on my mind for a while. There is lot of online services that allow you to publish your own material. However, it seems that actually promoting your own work and marketing it to customers requires a whole different skill set. Elise Hurst confirms this research: “Creating the book is only a small part of selling a book. That is why I definitely choose to go with publishers. It takes enough of my time writing and illustrating, without trying to pick up another 6 part-full time jobs too. Basically, if you aren't willing to learn to do everything (editing, layout, researching printers, organising the print run, freight, storage, distribution and marketing) then you end up paying a whole lot of people to do aspects of it for you. That's a big outlay for a product that has no guarantees of selling. You don't have to sell through mainstream bookshops though. If you have a way of selling directly to people it is a different story. You will still be doing a lot of work though!”

Claudia Rowe illustrator and self published author of “Where the wild bums are” and “The Hungry Bum” explains the learning curve of making your own books: “Self-publishing feels like a slow build in a lot of ways; starting as a complete novice and learning slowly about all the aspects along the way or not learning! Not even realising what you have to learn until confronted with it.” But she would add there is a freedom and “You can be as innovative and/or anarchic as you like!”

My illustration of Claudia Rowe

“You can be as innovative and/or anarchic as you like!”

(Claudia Rowe)

The advice from these illustrators strengthens my resolve to create my own opportunities right now – to network, to promote and to go forth bravely with the spirit of adventure, self belief and creativity.

The creative life is not for the faint of heart. It is filled with obstacles and challenges. But who better to overcome these challenges than those with creative resourcefulness and know how. I guess when it comes to creating new opportunities in this industry it will always be back to the drawing board for me.

Lou Endicott (January 2014)

Self Portrait

You can see the beautiful work of the illustrators referenced in this article via their websites:

Laura Wood: http://www.laurawoodillustration.com

Andrea Innocent: http://www.andreainnocent.com/work/

Elise Hurst: http://www.elisehurst.com

Jody Pratt: www.jodystudioarts.com

Claudia Rowe: http://www.atlasjones.com

Richard Morden: http://www.mordenart.com

To check out the work of many amazing Australian illustrators or to enquire about becoming a member of Illustrators Australia follow this link:

Illustrators Australia: http://www.illustratorsaustralia.com

To follow my own journey as an illustrator:

Lou Endicott's official website

www.facebook.com/LouEndicottIllustrator

www.etsy.com/shop/OneTwoCaribou

twitter: @louendicott

instagram: louendicott_illustrator

Interview with Laura Wood

"I started doing this work later in life.. But I wasn't happy and one day I decided to change my path because I realised I couldn't do a job where my heart wasn't there. So I allowed myself to dream again and for the first time I let my heart choose instead of my brain…" (Laura Wood)

I recently had the utmost privilege of asking three exceptionally talented Australian illustrators some questions about the industry and their own work. 

In the answering seat for my second interview is Melbourne illustrator Laura Wood. Earlier in the year while waiting for a friend at a cafe I was flicking through a magazine. I came across a striking illustration that fascinated me in the way the illustration managed to tell a story in one single frame. I took a quick picture on my iPhone making sure I could read the illustrators name. Later I went searching online to find out more about the artist behind the picture. I ended up finding Laura Woods blog and Facebook page. After following both of these for a few months one day I decided I was brave enough to write an email to her asking for advice about the industry. The advice I got was invaluable. Recently I contacted Laura again and was delighted when she agreed to be interviewed. 

ABOVE: The picture I took of the editorial illustration that led me down the path to discovering the wonderful work of Laura Wood.

First of all congratulations on your new book ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” published by Ladybird. How did you manage to become the illustrator for this new book? How long did it take to illustrate?

I was lucky enough to work with Ladybird Books thanks to my agency, Good Illustration. When they offered me the gig, I was happy to accept the job, which was also my very first book project. 

From start to finish, it took me a couple of months, but not as a full time job.. in the meantime I was doing doing other work and finishing my diploma. 

You are a member of Illustrators Australia – a not for profit community of illustrators that includes access to events and online portfolio sharing. How does an organization such as Illustrators Australia assist you in your career?

For a freelance illustrator like me, Illustrators Australia is a good reference point able to provide support and exposure. 

Also, being involved in such community is a great opportunity to meet other people that share the same passion for illustration. 

Does having an illustration agent greatly assist you in helping you find work? And if so, do you have any advice on how to approach illustration agencies for representation?

So far, having an agent for me has meant getting work and recognition from bigger and more prestigious clients. 

However, I think it's still essential for me to keep promoting and actively looking for work by myself.

To approach an agent, I would recommend to send a quick and polite email with a link to your online portfolio explaining the reasons while you're contacting them. If they think you two could work together, they will contact you back!

Where do you think the main opportunities for emerging illustrators lie? Is it a matter of creating your own work or do you think collaboration is key?

For me it's all about creating my own work. But everyone is different and what works for me it might not work for someone else. 

So I believe the main opportunities lie in the things we find more comfortable doing. 

Within the world of design agencies are illustrators sourced regularly or is this usually an in-house job?

Mmm... not really sure. I haven't had lot of experience with design agencies so I can't really say. 

ABOVE: Illustration by Laura Wood while she was still studying. 

How did you start your own illustration career? What drew you to this as something you wanted to do for work?

I started doing this work later in life, after already having started a career in a completely different job. 

But I wasn't happy and one day I decided to change my path because I realised I couldn't do a job where my heart wasn't there. 

So I allowed myself to dream again and for the first time I let my heart choose instead of my brain...

What challenges do you think Illustrators face in a contemporary market place?

One of the challenges is for sure the fact that it's often not easy to get the economical recognition our work deserve. This is often because clients don't know how the our industry work and how much our work is worth.

Also freelancers have to face the challenge of running a business. This means they need to deal with tasks other than drawing and illustrating, such as managing money and marketing. 

Do you think the digital age has made it easier for illustrators to get their work out there?

Yes, absolutely. I truly believe thru the internet we have now the possibility to put our work under the eyes of creative directors all over the world in matter of seconds and without spending a cent. 

I think it's fantastic. 

What do you think the future of illustrative print publications might be? Is it a shrinking medium due to the computer age or do you think that printed works are in fact becoming more treasured pieces?

I'm not an expert on the matter, so I can't really predict what is going to happen in 10 or 50 years about print publications. 

However I think books and print products will always keep a place in our lives, no matter how digitalised we get. 

My hope is that the digital market and the print publications would coexist and be two different and complementary possibilities for illustrators. 

The above illustrations are from a brand new interactive app illustrated by Laura Wood "The Three Bears and Goldilocks" available via iTunes. 

To follow Laura's journey and to get updates on all her amazing work and projects check out her blog: Laura Wood's Blog or her web page: Laura Wood Illustration