Advice

Words of wisdom from a host of creatives covering a variety of topics, from preparing portfolios to studying and side projects.

Agents and Representation

Clients

Portfolios

Side Projects

Social Media & Self-Promotion

Starting Out

Studying

Working Abroad

Social Media & Self-Promotion

“My career can’t survive without social media, so I accept it as being a big part of my day.”

Mr Bingo, illustrator and artist

Agents and Representation

“I pay little attention to whether talent is signed or unsigned.”

Alice Moloney, freelance art director at Google

Agents and Representation

“Make sure you do your research before signing anything.”

Gordon Reid, designer and illustrator

Agents and Representation

“Having an agent allows you to concentrate on the fun part.”

Ciara Phelan, co-founder and agent at Grand Matter

Agents and Representation

“A good agent should be a manager, a therapist, a problem solver and a friend.”

Noma Bar, designer, illustrator and artist

Agents and Representation

“Illustrators get into trouble when tied into a contract they didn’t read or understand.”

Lou Bones, membership manager at the Association of Illustrators

Studying

“Producing work in a medium you’re not comfortable with can work wonders for your confidence”

Raj Dhunna, Illustrator

Working Abroad

“California has an incredible DIY culture and attitude”

Alex Tieghi-Walker, creative director, California

Working Abroad

“There’s a hell of a lot of exciting stuff brewing in our industry outside of London”

Dan Keeffe, Designer, Vietnam

Working Abroad

“The pace in Hong Kong is fast; you learn to do things well and quickly”

Charlene Man, Artist and Illustrator, Hong Kong

Working Abroad

“Australia really embraces new talent, no matter where you’re from”

Emma Morton, Creative, Sydney

Working Abroad

“A new country gives you options for the life you create for yourself”

James Gilmore, Design Director, Sydney

Working Abroad

“I realised it wasn’t the jobs I needed to change – it was my location”

Adam Tickle, Content Manger, Stockholm

Working Abroad

“The role of the artist is to be an outsider; everyone should be a foreigner somewhere”

Jon Burgerman, Artist and Illustrator, New York

Working Abroad

“Moving to Barcelona was the best decision I ever made. Sorry Mum”

Josh Nathanson, Graphic Designer, Barcelona

Working Abroad

“Talk to anyone in New York, and they’ll know exactly the right person for you to meet”

Rik Lomas, Coder and SuperHi Founder, New York

Working Abroad

“Do it! But don’t rush. It’s a decision you have to be sure of”

Chloe Yeoman, Art Director, Sydney

Working Abroad

“Dubai was the last place I’d wanted to live, but I love it here”

Nick Budding, Gaffer, Dubai

Social Media & Self-Promotion

“Don’t create an image of yourself that doesn’t exist”

Graphic artist, print-maker and designer Anthony Burrill

Portfolios

“There’s nothing wrong with breadth, but you want to stick in people’s minds for certain work”

Olivia Chalk, Chief Production Officer at Grey London

Starting Out

“Don’t stop, keep going! As long as you’re moving forward you’ll get to where you want to be”

Jamie Jones, Illustrator

Social Media & Self-Promotion

“It goes without saying that Instagram is by far the most effective self-promotion tool”

Helen Parker, Head of Illustration at Blink Art

Social Media & Self-Promotion

“Post the best. Remember you don’t have to share everything”

Ahmad Swaid, Head of Social Media at Nowness

Portfolios

“Always throw in something extra; something unexpected”

Miranda Bolter, Design Director

Portfolios

“Never apologise for dodgy ideas: take them out or redo them”

Michael Johnson, Creative Director

Portfolios

“Only show work you’re proud of – it will lead to being commissioned to do more of the same”

Holly Hay, Photography Editor

Portfolios

“Make sure your work is the main event: don’t over-design your portfolio”

Hannah Caughlin, Graphic Design Consultant

Portfolios

“Don’t spend lots of money creating something with clever wizardry – the simpler the better”

Helen Parker, Head of Illustration at Blink Art

Starting Out

“I’ve never met anybody who really, really wanted to do this and couldn’t”

Paula Scher, Graphic Designer

Studying

“Take the time to reflect on what you’ve achieved. Let yourself feel damn good about it”

Roshni Goyate, Freelance Copywriter

Studying

“It will always boil down to: Is there a good idea or not?”

Kai Hsiung, Managing Director at RSA Films

Studying

“The only person standing in your way is yourself”

Lucy Hardcastle, Interdisciplinary Designer and Digital Artist

Studying

“A course doesn’t have to feel like a perfect fit”

Alice Stewart, Illustrator

Studying

“Returning to university is a big and potentially risky decision, but it is an investment in your future”

Theo Inglis, Graphic Designer and Writer

Studying

“Don’t be afraid of producing work you like, instead of what you think other people will like”

Xanthe Simmans, Graphic Designer and Illustrator

Side Projects

“Find someone to throw an idea at (no matter how crap)”

Sam T Smith, Graphic Designer

1 2 3

Search by job role:

Or browse by:

Advice

“My career can’t survive without social media, so I accept it as being a big part of my day.”

“I pay little attention to whether talent is signed or unsigned.”

“Make sure you do your research before signing anything.”

“Having an agent allows you to concentrate on the fun part.”

“A good agent should be a manager, a therapist, a problem solver and a friend.”

“Illustrators get into trouble when tied into a contract they didn’t read or understand.”

“Producing work in a medium you’re not comfortable with can work wonders for your confidence”

“California has an incredible DIY culture and attitude”

“There’s a hell of a lot of exciting stuff brewing in our industry outside of London”

“The pace in Hong Kong is fast; you learn to do things well and quickly”

“Australia really embraces new talent, no matter where you’re from”

“A new country gives you options for the life you create for yourself”

“I realised it wasn’t the jobs I needed to change – it was my location”

“The role of the artist is to be an outsider; everyone should be a foreigner somewhere”

“Moving to Barcelona was the best decision I ever made. Sorry Mum”

“Talk to anyone in New York, and they’ll know exactly the right person for you to meet”

“Do it! But don’t rush. It’s a decision you have to be sure of”

“Dubai was the last place I’d wanted to live, but I love it here”

“Don’t create an image of yourself that doesn’t exist”

“There’s nothing wrong with breadth, but you want to stick in people’s minds for certain work”

“Don’t stop, keep going! As long as you’re moving forward you’ll get to where you want to be”

“It goes without saying that Instagram is by far the most effective self-promotion tool”

“Post the best. Remember you don’t have to share everything”

“Always throw in something extra; something unexpected”

“Never apologise for dodgy ideas: take them out or redo them”

“Only show work you’re proud of – it will lead to being commissioned to do more of the same”

“Make sure your work is the main event: don’t over-design your portfolio”

“Don’t spend lots of money creating something with clever wizardry – the simpler the better”

“I’ve never met anybody who really, really wanted to do this and couldn’t”

“Take the time to reflect on what you’ve achieved. Let yourself feel damn good about it”

“It will always boil down to: Is there a good idea or not?”

“The only person standing in your way is yourself”

“A course doesn’t have to feel like a perfect fit”

“Returning to university is a big and potentially risky decision, but it is an investment in your future”

“Don’t be afraid of producing work you like, instead of what you think other people will like”

“Find someone to throw an idea at (no matter how crap)”

Lecture in Progress is now Creative Lives in Progress...