How to get back to work after a break
Illoguild question #7
🎊🎉Happy New Year!!!!!🎊🎉
This is my first post for 2023! I’ve enjoyed a wonderful break up in Queensland with my family and to be honest, I’m still in holiday mode and not quite back into the swing of things.
This topic is a question posed by the illoguild and although I’m writing about it, I’m writing this to future me. In a few weeks when the summer holidays are over and my kids are back at school, I’ll be getting back to work full-time.
At the end of last year I finished all the illustrations for ‘Mia’s Glamma’ my new book, written by Josie Montano and published by IP Kids. It meant many long days and late nights of drawing, so that I could meet my deadline.
And then I took a break! Over the break, I took time away from my iPad, but couldn’t resist instagram, reading other illustrators’ newsletters, simple markers and paper, the illoguild group conversations and illustration podcasts.
To get back into it I’m going to set up a plan for the new year.
I’ve already set my goals for 2023, so I will keep these in mind and make sure my plan is aligned to these.
This means blocking out time in the calendar for all the things I want to do. These include:
Plan for attending the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna in March
Finding great new projects
Writing my own picture books
Learning new skills- I have some Skillshare and MATS courses lined up, and
Choosing which instagram challenges to do.
Play! I have so many things I want to illustrate and things I want to try… I’ve saved a list.
And get started on immediate tasks:
clearing up my procreate gallery so that my ipad has plenty of storage, and
Setting up my workstation. I love that using procreate allows me to work almost anywhere, but I do have a dedicated workspace at home. I like to put up inspiring illustrations on the walls around me. Right now the walls have images from ‘Mia’s Glamma’ and it’s time for some fresh illustrations.
Tidying my desk drawer. When I tidy my desk I tend to chuck everything in the drawer below. It’s become sort of a junk drawer of wires and notes. It’s time to sort through it, keep what can be used and throw out the rest.
If I’m having a creative block, I’m going to refer to my earlier post where I discuss this topic.
And if I’m off to a slow start… I’m also going to try to remember to be kind to myself … Just getting one of these things done is a step in the right direction.
News
The illustrations for my latest book ‘Mia’s Glamma are complete. The book will come out early 2023. It’s written by Josie Montana and published by IPKIDS. It’s our second book together.
I’ve been asked to do a few school visits in 2023 to share ‘Little Shark Lulu is Sleeping’ - I’ll share more soon.
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Wishing everyone a wonderful 2023.
Till next time!