If you often feel unsure of what to paint or draw, then diving into what you are fascinated by is a great way to start. Whether it’s sports, fashion, philosophy, or dreams, the basis for an artwork should start with what’s interesting to you. 

One of the most important steps in discovering your creative voice is finding what inspires you. Your interests are completely unique, and so if you’re making work that’s fascinating to you, not only will you be more engaged but you will also be creating original artwork that stands out from the crowd. 

Originality will come through in your work because your drive will come from within, rather than from following external factors such as what is currently popular. This isn’t to say that your topics of interest shouldn’t be trendy. It’s ok to be part of the zeitgeist, and that may also be beneficial because it could mean you are being swept up in a moment. However it’s good to question whether you are interested in a topic because it genuinely appeals, or if it's because you want to emulate something you saw that was already successful. The risk in doing this, is that by the time you have researched, designed, and produced an artwork it might already be yesterday's news.

Creating projects based on topics of personal interest, will also dictate themes that will emerge in your portfolio later down the line. Which is important if you want to attract like-minded clients, in order to be commissioned to do the jobs that you feel passionate about and ultimately enjoy the work your making. If you love the subject matter, then most likely you will enjoy the task at hand.

Potential clients are sometimes risk averse and are often looking for evidence that you can deliver on a particular topic before they commission you. For example if you would love to be commissioned to create artworks about gender issues but your portfolio is filled with only drawings of architecture, then it’s unlikely you will be considered. On the flip side, it’s also worth bearing in mind that if your portfolio is over saturated with one topic, then it’s easy to get pigeon-holed and end up working on the same sort of commissions over and over again. The importance of creating a diverse portfolio that reflects your personality and interests is vital if you want to attract like-minded organisations, in order to make your work fulfilling and enjoyable as an illustrator.

Sketchbooks

Your sketchbook is a fundamental tool of the practice. It’s a place to record information, research, and develop ideas. It’s always nice to remember that a sketchbook is a place for dreaming and experimentation, while it’s also fundamental to grow your practice.

I say sketchbook, but really sketchbook could embody any surface you are using to advance your thoughts or concepts. Personally I love to use loose sheets, and they still carry the mindset and ethos of sketch-booking.

Take off your self-critical hat when working on sketches, because no idea is a bad idea. I use my sketchbook for everything from making observational drawings, which are good for developing your drawing skills, to sketching from imagination or mind mapping ideas.

In your sketchbook you can find a short hand language that works for you, and these visual reference keys doesn’t need to be perfect or neat. In my experience the best concept might often appear as a quickly drawn scribble or scrawl, which can then be built upon later. 

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, or drawing something that might look silly; be playful and allow for errors to occur. In due course you can put on the hat of the editor to refine, improve, and evolve the seeds of your initial ideas into wonderful finalised artworks. 

Task 3: Finding Your Niche

Being an illustrator, isn’t just about drawing. It involves being curious, and examining areas of personal interest which you can apply into your portfolio. So how do we go about achieving this? This next task is designed to uncover your interests, obsessions and passions and we’re going to use sketching as a tool to explore them. The aim is to find out what areas you are inspired by, and also what topics you would love to create work about. You can read more information about this exercise in the task sheet.