19 Comments
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Katie Chappell's avatar

A list with only 2 things on it is MY KINDA LIST 🤣❤️

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Helen Stephens's avatar

Mine too, no nonsense, nice n clear

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Susanne Vosgerau's avatar

Dear Helen, this is so helpful! I love the different sets of illustrations and now find it much easier to think of what to put together. Thanks a lot!

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Helen Stephens's avatar

Yay!

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Judyta Paredis's avatar

So great-greatpost! Thank you for sharing Helen! I couldn’t make it this time to get to GSI’s illustrations course and I base only on the knowledge I got from you guys during the business course last year. Your post will help me a lot for my portfolio preparation for Bologna 😀

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Helen Stephens's avatar

Brilliant! Give us a shout if you see us there!

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Judyta Paredis's avatar

For sure! Are you planning any short catch up like last year? I’d like to join 😀

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Adam Ming's avatar

First off, you did lure me in! And that is the brilliant way list, it’s also all I have on my portfolio 🤓

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Jen de Oliveira's avatar

Thank you for sharing this -- so helpful!

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Laura’s Creative Chaos's avatar

Putting together a portfolio is on my list of things I want to do this year from the planning party, always good to have some ideas of what to go in there and I do appreciate a concise list! I am quite tempted to complete the good ship set and do the business course even though I feel like I'm a very long way from trying to make any money (fortunately I've got a day job for that, good for money, bad for time to do illustration stuff).

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Jeremy Ray Ross's avatar

Great advice! I've had an art director tell me which pieces in my portfolio appeared to bring me the most joy to create, which she was right!

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Helen Stephens's avatar

Ah yes, the joy shines through!

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Malou Paul's avatar

Thank you for sharing this. Very helpful. I also started following your podcast and started listening to it.

I am struggling with my style and have no idea how to deal with that. The style that I like to do the most is very labour intensive, and it might not be lucrative or interesting for people to commission.

And I would love to share other art (jewellery/embossing/crochet/painting) do too on Instagram, but it might be too distracting for agents/publishers.

Ah well. All the self-doubt is really paralizing me.

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Helen Stephens's avatar

My thought is that people like to know the whole person, so I would share it all. But if you want to work as an illustrator primarily then make that your focus: mostly illustration with a sprinkling of jewellery etc

Oh self doubt is hard, we all get it sometimes. I hope it helps to know that. Good luck!

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Malou Paul's avatar

Thank you for the kind reply! I will keep it in mind!

I should work on some self-love inspired art 🤣🥰❤️

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Sam Warburton 🫖's avatar

I found this really helpful, Helen, and LOVE seeing your work. I'm enjoying the picture book course at the moment too (thank you) ✨

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Helen Stephens's avatar

Hi Sam, oh i am so happy you are enjoying the course, happy sailing! Hx

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Meo Richter's avatar

This is so helpful to see. I love it. When will you open your picture book course again?

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Michelle Debra Caines's avatar

Thank you for this Helen! Is it okay to include previous work, eg. Line drawings, and a small selection of different styles? And have your cartoons separately, for example, part 1 and part 2? I want to show I'm adaptable to different ways of working, so feel a few curveballs in the portfolio might help? Or not! Thanks. Michelle.

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