I started teaching the hard way. Along with endurance sports, I think primary school teaching is one of the hardest things you could put yourself through. I found it massively overwhelming, and juggling all the moving parts of 35 small children in a classroom felt like an impossible and sole-destroying task. I listen to people like Greg Davies talking about the feeling of utter dread every Monday morning and becoming clinically depressed because of his work, and I 100% get it. It almost stopped me from ever wanting to teach again.

Studying illustration (almost 20 year ago now!) took me right back to what it takes to learn something new as an adult. Every year since I went back to drawing I’ve learnt new skills. Developments in creative digital tools have forced me to keep up with the industry. But the learning really stepped up when I eventually got back into teaching, but teaching what I love. I now teach young people and adults in TAFE (adult education in Australia) and it is joyful. It feels like every new group and every unit I teach teaches me new skills and ideas. I’ve been running a beginners class to drawing course for the past three weeks. It amazes me how much people progress in a short space of time. I love seeing their confidence grow.

Recently I ran a private class in Procreate, the drawing program I use all the time to create illustrations. We focussed on surface pattern design because I felt it was a good way to get across all the different functions of the programme. Three hours in a local artist studio space. The time went so fast because the students were engaging and hilarious. I can’t wait to run another one. We didn’t get round to learning about uploading patterns and illustrations to sites for printing, or creating your own mock-ups.

This class was the third class I’ve run at That Creative Space in Mornington. Each time I have felt supported and encouraged by them.

If you’d like to know more about my private classes I’d love to hear from you! I have an ‘Expression of Interest’ form on my website so you can let me know what you would like to learn. If I get enough people, I can run the class!

Let's go!

Learning from others has been key. With a program as versitile as Procreate you have to see how other artists organise their space and workflow and use what works for you. I’ve learnt a huge amount from Lisa Glanz and her use of texture, pattern and brushes. But in my most recnt book I’m pairing back on that and using my knowledge of watercolour. It continues to surprise me how user-friendly and versitile Procreate can be.

A few years ago I embarked on creating a library of pattern designs. Another huge learning curve. It turns out that there’s a lot more to creating patterns than you first think. Creating patterns for wrapping paper is completely different to wallpaper, for example. Fabric for curtains is often bold and and has a linear feature, but fabric for children’s clothes needs varied and small motifs that can be viewed from any angle.

This is where Procreate can really rock. The way you can move the screen around and zoom in and out of your canvas mean you can see your pattern from different directions and test how well it works. It’s addictive and wildly creative. I’ve created a few patterns for different clients and it’s always a joy.

So, if you’ve read this far and you’re curious to learn more about what your ipad can do for you. I’m running a workshop! It’s small group, but there are a few spots left.

Learn more

Of course, I strongly believe that artists should be paid a living wage for their work. But frankly, illustrating for publishers in Australia pays less now that it did 12 years ago. Thanks a lot Bezoz. Does that mean I’m going to work on picture books for less? Probably. But this has also led to exploring another side to be an illustrator that is rich and rewarding and puts me back in touch with why I do it, and who I do it for.

I’ve explored other ways to be an illustrator over the years. I’ve worked on animations, sketch videos and dabbled with the idea of live illustration or sketch-noting. I’ve created a whole library of surface pattern designs and worked with clients on their brand identity and other graphic design projects. But I have always returned to picture books. Creating characters and taking them on their 16 spread little journey is just a joy. I love the way you can expand and change the approach with every new book. Each one is so involved and collaborative that you learn from every project. I’m in the designing and sketching stage of creating two books at the moment and it’s all I want to do.

At the other end of the machine is the promotion. I haven’t always loved this. In fact I’ve stubbornly sulked and said ‘Why should I entertain people as well?’. A good publisher and book designer, however, will transform your work into a beautiful object. And when you really love the product created, it’s much easier to promote. In fact, it’s whole lot of fun. This year I’ve been embracing it; teaming up with authors and touring libraries and schools. Two weeks ago I attended WillyLit Festival. A literary festival in Williamstown on the other side of Melbourne. Sophie Gillies, the author of ‘Wombat Poos are Square’, and myself had an hour to entertain a small crowd of children of adults. I taught a short drawing session and we provided activities. My chatterboxes went down very well.

Last weekend was a trip to Readings in Chadstone to meet the author of a 6 part series of early readers I illustrated about a little girl called Ariana who lives in a thrift store.

Book week is coming up in August and I can’t wait! I’m almost booked up for the week and I’ll be out there with my pens and puppet wombat ready to talk poo!

I take bookings through Lamont. If you’re a parent, grandparent or teacher why not mention to the person responsible that I’m available?

Bookings

It’s been so long since I first decided I wanted to be an illustrator. I feel like I can look back on my early work in the same way as I would look at drawings I did as a child. Some of my terrible illustrations are even in published books. But I’m fond of them, even though I would do them differently now.

Bit of a metaphor

We’re in the middle of renovating our bathroom at the moment because the first time we renovated it we made all sorts of mistakes. In 2006 I went for an old freestanding bath and an old wooden table with a sink plonked on top, open shelves made of recycled wood. No hidden storage at all, and we had three girls. It got messy. But that was 15 years ago and the old bathroom served us well. It’s the same for a lot of this big old 70’s building. We took it on knowing that it would take years to sort it out. The kids have grown up here and moved out, but we’re still renovating, putting veggie patches in, planting more stuff in the garden. Why would you stop playing around with something if you love it?

Drawing and having freedom with it is pretty much the same thing. It isn’t a god-given talent,it isn’t magic that some people can do and others can’t. It grows if you feed it. One sketch at a time.

Honestly, when I first decided to do this, I didn’t think I could fill the class. But I spoke to people I knew in the KidLit community and others I met through my market stall, and before I knew it the class was full.

I was lucky to find a spot at That Creative Space in Mornington. A new little creative hub with working artists’ studios in it. I can hardly remember the class now. The three hours seemed to whip past. The feedback was really encouraging and everyone went home with a painting they were proud of, which was my goal for the class.

I have another one coming up next week. There are still spots available, so if you’re anywhere near the peninsula and need some relaxing ‘you’ time, swing by my website and grab a spot!

Workshop Bookings