At work, colleagues were having fun with the new AI chatbot chat GPT . They fed it little tasks related to what we do, like “write an explanation of how Freedom of Information works in the UK” or “create a strapline for our new website where people can look up councils’ climate action plans”. AsContinue reading “2022 in review: something to worry about”
Category Archives: The illustration business
Success?!
This week I’ve been setting up a new online shop and figuring out ISBN numbers, but there are also some crumbs of interesting content in the post as well. :)
Turns out my entire ability to draw rests on a single pen
I’ve mislaid my Surface pen. Argh! Isn’t it just a symbol of the current age that I am entirely in thrall to one small pen, and that without it I am unable to draw? Yes, sure I can pick up real paper and a real pen, but that isn’t a great deal of help whenContinue reading “Turns out my entire ability to draw rests on a single pen”
Comics thoughts, tweets and links
Tweet life I lived on Twitter quite a bit this week. First, while waiting at the opticians for an eye test, I happened to see playwright Molly Naylor tweeting about the new book she authored for Lizzy Stewart to illustrate. I love Lizzy’s style: she came and talked at our local comics meetup Cartoon CountyContinue reading “Comics thoughts, tweets and links”
Talking to students at Leeds Arts University
I still feel slightly odd to have been invited to give a lecture at an actual university: I mean, that’s for legitimate artists, surely? Aha! Get thee behind me, imposter syndrome! In fact, this was pretty much the subject of my talk. That is to say, at what point in a non-traditional route to aContinue reading “Talking to students at Leeds Arts University”
Laydeez Do Comics: award and festival
It’s the Laydeez Do Comics festival this weekend, at the Free Word centre in London. Why not come along? Laydeez Do Comics is a “women-led but not women-only” organisation with chapters in cities across the UK and beyond. For the past couple of years, they’ve run an award for a graphic work in progress byContinue reading “Laydeez Do Comics: award and festival”
This one is for agents, travel magazines, brands and tourist boards
I’ve received my own copies of the Gudrun Sjödén sketch diary, and they’re lovely. I hope customers have enjoyed them too. I really enjoy creating this type of work, so I’m going to actively seek more of it. In fact, over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be approaching agents, brands and touristContinue reading “This one is for agents, travel magazines, brands and tourist boards”
Graphic Brighton: Drawing in the Margins
On Friday night and all of Saturday, I was at Graphic Brighton, a conference about graphic novels and comics creation. The overarching theme of the conference was “Drawing in the Margins”, and it brought together practitioners who represent some form of minority or marginalised group. Brighton living up to its name “I’m going out toContinue reading “Graphic Brighton: Drawing in the Margins”
An evening in Lewes
[Click to see bigger] An evening featuring five children’s book illustrators and writers in conversation lured me onto a train to our neighbouring town on a dark and cold evening last week. I was already aware of Miriam Moss and Leigh Hodgkinson: the former has written some excellent children’s picturebooks, including Scritch Scratch, aContinue reading “An evening in Lewes”
What happens when your New Year’s resolution is “Draw More”?
My new year’s resolution for 2014 was a fairly complex one, but in essence it boiled down to two words: draw more. …and it has felt like I’ve drawn a lot this year. Not as much as someone who doesn’t have a day-job and a child, of course, but a steady stream of stuff nonetheless.Continue reading “What happens when your New Year’s resolution is “Draw More”?”
Everything I know about running an online shop, or, what size envelopes fit Moo cards
Like any right-thinking business person, I’m going to head up this post by telling you that I have opened an online shop, and right now you can buy my designs on lovely, high quality greetings cards and postcards. Whoop whoop, release the balloons, throw the ticker tape, dance like nobody’s watching, etc. Here it isContinue reading “Everything I know about running an online shop, or, what size envelopes fit Moo cards”
Myfanwy Tristram 