Play, OR ELSE 🎲 | Summer camp sketchbook week 4

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Good Ship Illustration

Episode: Play, OR ELSE 🎲 | Summer camp sketchbook week 4
Date: August 22, 2025
Hosts: Helen Stephens, Katie Chappell, Tania Willis

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Overview

This episode dives into the crucial role of play in the creative process and how illustrators can rediscover their sense of fun to overcome blocks, procrastination, and creative fatigue. The hosts share personal anecdotes, practical tips, and answer listener questions, all while gently poking fun at themselves and celebrating the joys of illustration. The core message: making art should feel playful—“play, or else!”

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Play in Creativity

• Play Mindset: The hosts agree that adopting a playful attitude unlocks creativity, citing their experiences where less pressure led to more creative output.

  • Helen explains a new approach: “I’m just all the time trying to tell myself it’s a holiday... other bits of creativity just popped up because there was no pressure.” (00:58)

• Fun Shines Through Art: Artwork made joyfully is often noticeably more vibrant and engaging.

  • “When you see something good that you like, chances are the person who made it was having fun when they made it, because that oozes out of the work like Sundays.” – Katie (00:43)

2. Creative Rest & Novelty

• Helen’s Rest Experiment: After two months off, Helen found new creative interests and believes in infusing ‘holiday energy’ into daily work.
  • “Now I’ve had a taste of it... this is my plan. I saw my agent the other day and we worked out how the rest of my life can be a holiday.” – Helen (01:59)

3. Overcoming the Fear of Starting

• Listener Question: How to get over the fear of starting a new image?
  • Tania likens it to stage fright: “When you’re sitting in front of a piece of paper, you can just keep going, ‘Oh I’ll just go and wash up...’ You kind of need to force yourself into it. So there’s either the brutal shoving into the drawing, or there’s play, which is much easier.” (02:36)
  • Helen suggests using the Good Ship’s online “art clubs” to help get started and warm up.
  • Katie notes how changing location (like drawing in bed or at a café) introduces novelty that can spark action: “That tiny bit of novelty can be all you need to kick yourself into work mode.” (03:46)

4. Deadlines vs. Play

• Motivating with Deadlines: Some hosts work best under a looming deadline—real or manufactured.

  • “I really like it when my publisher gives me a deadline. I don’t want to know whether it’s fake.” – Helen (04:13)

• The Residency Trick: Tania makes up fake residencies to trick herself into working playfully on passion projects.

  • “I’ve made a fake one up as well... I’m going to pretend it’s a named residency. It’s three weeks.” – Tania (04:38)

5. Color Workshop, Accountability, and Being Kind to Yourself

• Playful Color Exploration: Tania recommends the “Color Workshop”—a free resource they made—to experiment with palettes before starting serious work: “It makes color palettes really easy and really personal... While you’re doing that, you just can’t stop. It’s super play.” (05:23)
• Self-Kindness in Procrastination: The podcast encourages self-compassion rather than criticism when struggling to start a project.
  • “Trying to be kind to yourself in a playful way, that can help so much. Because I think when you beat yourself up, you get so much more resistance.” – Katie (06:11)

6. Small Rituals and Reverse Psychology

• Timed Sessions & Mini-Treats: Breaking work into short, low-pressure bursts (with rewards) can be effective.
  • “If you don’t want to do something, you set the timer and then you decide at the end of this time session... you’ve got a treat at the end.” – Helen (06:34)
• Reverse, Double, Triple Psychology: Allow yourself to stop after 15 minutes, but if you keep going, that’s a win.
  • “Once you kind of double trick yourself into thinking you’re not even supposed to be doing this, just quickly draw for 15 minutes and it leads you into the zone.” – Tania (07:07)
  • “It’s double, triple reverse psychology. And once you’re there... you can’t leave and everyone’s saying it’s tea time, ‘I can’t come down yet because I’m having too much fun.’ That’s where you want to get.” – Tania (07:39)

7. Finding ‘The Zone’

• Citing the Blindboy Podcast, the hosts reference the concept of being in “the zone”—when work becomes effortless and pleasurable.
  • “He spent ages and ages digging up a bush and had never felt happier... because his brain was only focused on one task.” – Helen (08:09)

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Memorable Quotes

• “Play mindset, like tricking yourself into ways of doing things that feel more fun... it’s just like the key to everything in life.” – Helen (00:32)
• “It’s almost like I became an illustrator on purpose.” – Katie (07:01)
• “We look like your friends because if you put it [Art Club] on a big screen, our heads are the same size as yours. So it’s like they’re really there in the room.” – Tania (09:16)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:30 | Defining playfulness in illustration and life
• 01:00–02:15 | Helen’s holiday experiment and its impact on creativity
• 02:18–03:46 | Listener question: Overcoming fear of starting (practical advice)
• 04:13–04:46 | Motivation through deadlines and residency tricks
• 05:23–06:05 | Color Workshop as a playful start to projects
• 06:11–07:23 | Rituals, self-kindness, tricks for getting started
• 08:09–08:43 | Blindboy inspiration and finding the zone
• 09:03–09:49 | Action steps: Art Clubs, downloads, and next steps

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Actionable Takeaways

• Join an Art Club: Participate in live or recorded sessions (on Instagram or YouTube) to get started and embrace playfulness.
• Try the Color Workshop: Use free resources to experiment and warm up before tackling a project.
• Change Your Workspace: Seek out novelty—work from different places (bed, café, etc.).
• Embrace Short Bursts: Set a timer for 10-15 minutes, and allow yourself to stop (or keep going if inspired).
• Practice Self-Compassion: Don’t beat yourself up for procrastinating; approach yourself with kindness and playfulness.
• Use Deadlines Wisely: Leverage real or “fake” deadlines and accountability to kickstart work.
• Seek the Zone: Engage in focused, playful activities to find flow and joy in creating.

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Final Notes

The hosts wrap up by reminding listeners to play—“or else!”—and invite everyone to join their next art club or try the downloadable resources from their site. They highlight the importance of building in fun, forgiveness, and a bit of trickery to keep creativity alive.

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For resources and printable downloads mentioned in the episode, visit thegoodshipillustration.com.

Transcript

[A]

Hello. Welcome back.

[B]

This is number four and it is play or else.

[A]

That sounds fun.

[C]

Play is key to everything, isn't it?

[A]

Oh, it really is. Play mindset, like tricking yourself into ways of doing things that feel more fun is. It's just like the key to everything in life generally, isn't it? Yeah.

[B]

And when you see something good that you like, chances are the person who made it was having fun when they made it, because that oozes out of the work like Sundays.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

We always think that work has to be something to be endured and that's why it looks so tired out and gloomy.

[A]

This is. This is all part of my plan at the moment is to try and make life like a holiday. I'm just all the time trying to tell myself it's a holiday because I'd just taken two months off work and it was just a lovely, relaxing two months. What happened was other bits of creativity just popped up because there was no pressure. So I got into gardening more and then I made those good shit flags. And now, like, I've just done all these other creative things, just popped up around the edges. And so I'm now trying to pretend my whole life is a holiday and the illustration will pop up kind of more. I'm making no sense at all.

[C]

I study. But we would have to say as well that Helen just works and works and works and not just works. Multitasks constantly. So it was quite radical to see her take two months off and not do anything. It was quite a revelation.

[A]

Yeah. But it was like to do lists. I went on holiday and lay on a sunbed for 10 days. Didn't move from the sunbed.

[C]

She never does things like that.

[A]

Yeah, it was really good. Oh, it was really good. You know, I could live like this forever now.

[B]

Now I've had a taste of it.

[A]

I am. This my plan. This is my plan. I saw my agent the other day and we worked out how the rest of my life can be a holiday.

[C]

But drawing playful drawings all the time.

[A]

Making books, making sure it's all fun.

[B]

And then when you do make new work, it's gonna have sunbeams play goodness coming out of it.

[A]

Exactly. Yes.

[B]

Did we get questions?

[A]

This one we have. You've got a question. How do you get over the fear of starting a new image? I feel like I procrastinate. I can't say that word. I feel like I procrastinate a lot before I actually get going. And then it feels like a massive deal when I do. Yeah, we've all been nursing.

[C]

It's a bit like, you know, imagining someone having to go on stage. And they say the nerves that you feel as you stand on the wing, stand in the wings or throw up in the car park or whatever it is before you have to do this thing. But then there's no choice. You're shoved in. But when you're sitting in front of a piece of paper, you can just keep going. Oh, I'll just go and wash up and take that washing off as well and hang it out. You kind of need to force yourself into it. So there's either the brutal shoving into the drawing or there's play, isn't there? Which is a much easier way in.

[A]

I always think it's a. When, whenever we get messages like this, I just think, go and press play on one of our art clubs on. On Good Ship Instagram and do that. And after art club, that's it. All your worries will be gone. You'll want to get on with your work.

[B]

You're in the zone. Your hands are warmed up.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's like sneaking up on yourself, isn't it? Because if you're having fun messing around and then you just slide into the work that you're supposed to be doing, it's magic.

[A]

Maybe change the place you do the work. Like sometimes in the winter, if it's cold, I put the electric blanket on and I work in bed and it feels like it's not work because I'm in bed. And then it's really good. It's really nice. You are warm.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Sometimes you just change the. The place where you're working sometimes. That's it.

[B]

That tiny bit of novelty can be all you need to kick yourself into work mode. Like even going to a cafe or something.

[A]

I was like, ski flipping.

[B]

I'm doing something serious, but I'm drawing pictures.

[A]

It's my job.

[B]

That's always really a nice thing too, if it's. Was it novelty or urgency? So if it is.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

And that's annoying because with fake deadlines that you set yourself, you have set them yourself so you know they're not real. But if you can somehow get other people, like accountability.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's not very playful, is it?

[A]

I really like it when my publisher give me a deadline. I really like it. And. And I don't want to know whether it's fake. I don't want them to give me. I want them to give me a fake deadline, but not tell me it's a big deadline.

[C]

I can only work to deadlines. So There's a project that I really want to do at the moment and. And I can't get myself to sit down and do it in the same place where I do paid work. Two deadlines. So I've been applying for arts residencies and it's like I'm going to give myself a huge treat if I can get a residency. I've made a fake one up as well, which is going to house sit for someone in Barcelona. I'm going to pretend it's a named residency. It's three weeks.

[A]

What are you going to name it? We need to think of a good. Yeah, you need some residence.

[C]

You can come up with some daft name form. And then I have to get the work done in those three weeks. But I really get this question because I feel my confession would be that I don't do anywhere near enough playful drawing. And when I do, I really love it. So the only way I can get myself to be playful is when I attend Art Club. So if I'm at the other end and I'm drawing and not on the comments section, I'm like, oh, this is brilliant. I totally get why you say I couldn't stop after an hour. So I stayed after Art Club and drew for another half an hour. Also. The other thing is, Color Workshop is a great way if you. That's what I do at the beginning of a job, is just play with color because then I don't worry about what's supposed to be in the images. I just might get myself all revved up by putting lovely color palettes together, which is what we made into the Color Workshop, which you can download from the Good Ship Illustration. If you Google Good Ship Illustration, Color Workshop. It's free and it's us playing with colors for an hour. And you. It's really good because you basically solve your color problems. It makes color palettes really easy and really personal. They're not. Although it's a kind of theory, it's simple to grasp and it's not off the peg. You can make your own personal color palettes from it. And while you're doing that, you just can't stop. It's super play.

[A]

Yeah, it's playful and it's calm. It's really lovely. It's just a calm activity to do before you start work.

[B]

And it's that playfulness thing as well. If you are finding yourself procrastinating loads, it's so hard not to do it because I've done it with you. Like, I just can't stop. I Can't start working. I'm such an idiot. Like, why am I procrastinating? But trying to be kind to yourself in a playful way, that can help so much. Because I think when you beat yourself up, you get so much more resistance, and then it becomes a whole thing, and it's like, oh, my goodness, I can never start. There's something wrong with me.

[A]

I like what you do sometimes is you. If you don't want to do something, you set the timer and then you decide at the end of this time session, which might be 10 minutes or something, you've got a treat at the end, like a hot chocolate or, I don't know, whatever your favorite thing is. 20 minutes at your desk. Treat. Yeah. And some.

[B]

Plenty.

[A]

Start some.

[B]

Sometimes it can only be three minutes. And it's just the thing of getting everything together that I need to start was the hardest bit. But once I learned, I actually quite like drawing.

[A]

Obviously how I.

[B]

It's almost like I became an illustrator on purpose.

[A]

Yeah, that's.

[C]

You could do like 15 minutes, couldn't you? Say at the end of it, you can either walk out of the room or you can stay. And if you're really lucky, you could carry on drawing for another 15 minutes. Once you kind of double trick yourself into thinking you're not even supposed to be doing this, just quickly draw for 15 minutes and it leads you into the zone. Any way you can get into the zone.

[B]

And you have to really mean it as well. So when you say, like, we can finish after 15 minutes, you can. Because if you're not feeling it, you'll be like, you know what? No, mid. And I think that's like. Then, you know, it's not just me tricking myself. Like, I can just stop if I want. It's like there's so much reverse psychology on top of river.

[A]

Exactly.

[C]

It's double, triple reverse psychology. And once you're there and you can't leave and everyone's saying it's tea time, I just need to finish this drawing. I can't come down yet because I'm having too much fun. That's where you want. Want to get.

[A]

I like that bit when we're doing art club and we go quiet. So at the beginning, we're all excited. What is it about 30 minutes? 30 minutes. They both go quiet. Just go silent. Because we're both so in the zone.

[C]

Yeah, that. The zone thing. Do you want to big up your power, blind boy? The zone. Do you remember the one where he talks about the zone?

[A]

Yeah, I. I Just absolutely love the Blind Boy Book Club podcast. Go and find them. Listen any of them. He talks about creativity a lot and mental health and he's just genius. Yeah, he does talk about Zone, but Tanya, I can't remember exactly what I was talking about. We just said go to Blind boy Google Zone entirely. About digging up a bush. About getting in the zone. Yeah, amazing. He spent ages and ages digging up a bush and had never felt happier in months and months because his brain was only focused on one task. Taking up a bottom. That's like your flags, isn't it?

[C]

Now you found a new zone just making flags. You'll be able to see the flags on our website when we put our new pictures up with Helen's Flags. It's a new career.

[A]

It is. It's all I'm doing for the good now, Needlework, Helen's flag maker.

[B]

But yeah, your action step for play or else is to play, of course. And a way to do that is to do one of our art clubs.

[A]

So we.

[B]

We're really nice and we're putting them all on Instagram so you can watch them afterwards. But they're also on YouTube as well because I know some people, you might not use Instagram or whatever or it's easier to watch it on a big. Watch it big. You know what I mean?

[C]

We look like your friends because if you put it on a big screen, our heads are the same size as yours. So it's like they're really there in the room.

[B]

They were in the room. Yeah. So we'll see on an art club.

[A]

And also we're collecting all of these action steps together. All of these steps from this week. We're putting them all into a printable which will be on our website.

[B]

Yes. And there's a description in the description. There's a place to download it. And also this is the final. P.S. i promise it's the last 24 hours of the doors being open. We're very strict about find your creative voice, fly your freak flag. The doors are only open for a week and then are closed.

[A]

And we're strict and.

[B]

Yeah, we're really strict.

[A]

We're strict and we're lazy because the admin of opening the doors to get one person in is an absolute nightmare. So when the doors are closed, they're closed. Yeah, it's too tangy.

[B]

We can't do it.

[C]

And we're going to have one to one feedback for the first time on this course. We're going to look for maybe two or three people and actually film, one to one portfolio feedback and we'll put that in the course. So if you're part of this round, it could be you.

[B]

Yes. You're going to be in it to win it.

[C]

Yeah. And it's Lifetime Access as well. Yeah.

[B]

So we'll see you in there, hopefully. But there's still one more bit left in our miniseries, so we'll see you whenever you watch the next bit, listen to the next clips.

[A]

Okay. Okay, Bye. Happy play.

[B]

Sam.