What Should You Learn First as an Illustrator? (Part 2) | Thoughts on Illustration Episode 4

Take my classes! Use my links and get 30 FREE days of Skillshare membership - http://tomfroese.com/teaching This is the second part of our exploration of what skills you need to learn in order to become an illustrator. If you missed EP3, be sure to check that out first to get the full list. What are the things you need to learn, and in what order? This is one of the biggest and most confounding questions for beginners. While there is no one-size-fits-all path, there are definitely some basics everyone needs as their foundation. I will tell you what I I think the most important things to learn are at first, and give you a sense of what learning these might look like. By the end of this episode, you will have a clearer picture of where to focus your efforts in the first year or so of your illustration education. HOW TO SUPPORT My team and I work hard to produce each episode for this podcast. You can support what we're doing by joining me on Patreon at Patreon.com/tomfroese You can also support me by taking my Skillshare classes. Visit tomfroese.com/teaching to find links to all my classes. Use these links and get 30 days of free membership on Skillshare! WHAT’S WITH THE AWKWARD SHIRT? If you’re watching on YouTube, you may have noticed my t-shirt. Join my army of Awkwardians and support the show. You can buy the shirt at Cotton Bureau. Available in many shapes and sizes. https://cottonbureau.com/p/TAK84A/shirt/hello-im-awkward#/15314078/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s SHOW LINKS AND REFERENCES Some of these links are affiliate links. Please use them to support the show. Links from My Story Nova Scotia College of Art and Design https://nscad.ca Ray Fenwick (Illustration) https://rfstudio.ca Kate O’Connor https://www.kateoconnor.ca Co. & Co. https://www.coandco.ca Fuzzco https://fuzzco.com Mattson Creative https://mattsoncreative.com 8 Hour Day https://eighthourday.com Springfree Trampline https://www.springfreetrampoline.ca Making Pictureshttps://making-pictures.com/illustration/ 06 Colour Theory =============== The One Palette Illustrator (Skillshare Class by Tom Froese)https://skl.sh/3LI7x2P 07 GRAPHIC DESIGN 15 Extremely Helpful Free Graphic Design Courses (format.com)https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/design/free-online-graphic-design-courses Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design (Skillshare Class by Ellen Lupton) https://skl.sh/3IKPmdC 08 Digital Media =============== ADOBE PHOTOSHOP — Inky Illustrations: Combining Analogue and Digital Media (Skillshare Class by Tom Froese) https://skl.sh/3T84T9K PROCREATE — Digital Illustration: Learn How to Use Procreate (Skillshare Class by Jarom Vogel) https://skl.sh/3khvS5S ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR — Analog to Digital: An Introduction to Creating Digital Art (Skillshare Class by Brand Woodard) https://skl.sh/3WZo3QZ ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR — Learn Adobe Illustrator: Fundamentals for Beginners (Skillshare Class by Anne Larkina) https://skl.sh/3GC55Jd ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR — Illustrator Basics: The Pen & Pencil Tools (Skillshare Class by Dylan Mierzwinski) https://skl.sh/3X8MT0G FRESCO — Creative Digital Illustration: Learn to Use Adobe Fresco (Skillshare Class by Lisk Feng) https://skl.sh/3Zwhp6t 09 Illustration History =============== Pete Beard’s YouTube Channel (Check Out His Unsung Heroes of Illustration Series) https://www.youtube.com/@petebeard History of Illustration (Susan Doyal et. al.) https://amzn.to/3X8LUO2 Meggs' History of Graphic Design https://amzn.to/3ZziPwO 10 Writing =============== The Artist's Way (Julia Cameron) https://amzn.to/3CMoh62 Writing for Self-Discovery: 6 Journaling Prompts for Gratitude and Growth (Skillshare Class by Yasmine Cheyenne) https://skl.sh/3H0g9kB Creative Writing for All: A 10-Day Journaling Challenge (Skillshare Class by Emily Gould) https://skl.sh/3W1R65f Bullet Journaling: Life Management for Creatives (Skillshare Class by Dylan Mierzwinski) https://skl.sh/3ZuP1S9 FIND ME ELSEWHERE http://linktr.ee/mrtomfroese