Podcast Summary: The Good Ship Illustration

Episode: You're invited! Plan your creative year with The Good Ship Illustration
Date: January 9, 2026
Hosts: Helen Stephens, Katie Chappell, Tania Willis

Episode Overview

This episode of The Good Ship Illustration invites listeners—particularly illustrators and creatives—to set gentle, personalized goals for the new year and join the hosts’ annual “planning party.” The conversation focuses on creative-friendly goal setting, balancing productivity with well-being, practical advice for navigating illustration careers, and answering listener questions on everything from portfolio submissions to managing creative overwhelm. The episode maintains the supportive, humorous, and honest tone that defines the podcast.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rethinking Goal Setting for Creatives

[00:26–04:00]

• The hosts reflect on traditional goal setting's limitations for creative minds.
• Katie: Emphasizes habit tracking and integrating hobbies for creative well-being, mentioning her knitting projects.
• Helen: Advocates for caution with goals to avoid burnout:

  “If I get too excited, I say yes to too many things... So I try to be a lot more cautious.” (00:42, Helen)

• The group acknowledges the “dread” of returning to the studio after a cozy holiday and the importance of easing back into work (“Sneak up on yourself,” Helen, 03:00).
• The annual Planning Party (announced for Jan 12) encourages visual and flexible goal setting rather than rigid lists.

2. Visual Goal Setting & Intentions

[03:23–07:47]

• “Visual goals” and artful reminders are championed for creative minds:

  “My favorite bit about the planning party, is we're not just typing a list... I scribble, scribble, scribble, draw little pictures, use lots of coloured pens and then stick that up on the wall after.” (03:35, Helen)

• The hosts revisit the value and pitfalls of goal-chasing:
  • Helen shares her transition from strict goal lists to “no plans except for jigsaws.”
  • Tanya and Katie highlight the ebb and flow of motivation, especially through life changes.
  • There’s consensus that intentions and “human-sized” goals are more helpful than high-pressure resolutions.

3. Choosing & Reviewing Goals

[07:26–09:48]

• Looking back at last year's goals is “magic” because many come true or shift meaning.
• Hosts suggest that satisfaction comes from achieving even a few intentions, and that privilege and flexibility are part of their ability to plan.
• Katie shares a prompt:

  “I know I'm being successful when…” (08:15, Katie)
  Used to help listeners define success meaningfully, beyond metrics.

4. Beyond Work—Personal Goals Matter

[08:41–09:48]

• Helen and Tanya discuss non-work goals, such as reconnecting with friends.
• Tanya: Shares her “60th birthday plan” of spending quality time with friends, instead of a crowded party—a metaphor for meaningful experiences over checklist achievements.

5. Dreaming of Community & Connection

[10:00–10:55]

• The hosts fantasize about taking The Good Ship Illustration “on tour” in VW campervans, visiting illustrators and festivals—highlighting their love for the creative community and playful dreaming.

Quickfire Listener Q&A

A. Combining Backgrounds & Picture Book Characters

[11:15–15:15]

• Helen: Recommends keeping backgrounds simple and only as complex as needed for the story.

  “There are so many picture books with barely any backgrounds… you really don't need to [draw everything].” (11:28, Helen)

• Use visual tricks: leave “breathing space” around main characters, use lighter lines for backgrounds, and focus detail where it matters most.

B. Approaching Agents

[15:22–17:46]

• Personalized communication is key:

  “Don't put other people in the email... Don't cc. You'd like to receive one where they’ve researched who you are as an agent and why they want to work with you, specifically.” (16:02, Katie)

• Avoid generic submissions, tailor your application, and follow agency guidelines—but Helen confesses to her rebellious approach.

C. Posting Work Online & AI Concerns

[17:58–19:26]

• The hosts address fears about AI scraping illustrations online; options include opting out via Meta settings and websites like haveibeentrained.com.
• Ultimately, they advise that hiding your work means missing out on opportunities:

  “If you don't show your work, you'll never be an illustrator. So there's catch 22.” (18:38, Tanya)

D. Client Management & Avoiding Overrun

[19:45–20:34]

• Anticipate time needed, overestimate, and block out project periods to prevent back-to-back overwhelm.
• Refer back to previous podcast episodes and resources for deeper dives on this topic.

E. Tackling Overwhelm from Too Many Ideas

[20:37–23:10]

• Make a visible list or, as Katie suggests, a “car park” where ideas are “parked” until you’re ready.

  “Once they're written on a piece of paper, they don't keep popping into your brain... Stick it on your wall while you concentrate on one thing.” (21:21, Helen)

• Prioritize by excitement and try prompts like Inktober for structure.
• Sketching from life can overcome indecision and spark creativity.

Memorable Quotes

• Helen: “My biggest plan is no.” (05:48)
  On resisting over-planning and embracing slow creativity.
• Katie: “You've got to trick yourself just a little bit and then before you know what, you're having a good time doing this.” (02:54)
• Tanya: “Having the goal of not doing anything is a fabulous goal.” (06:30)

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [03:00] – “Sneak up on yourself” to ease back into work after a break.
• [03:23] – Official Planning Party invitation details.
• [08:15] – Katie’s success prompt: “I know I'm being successful when…”
• [10:03] – Dreaming of a Good Ship campervan tour.
• [11:15–15:15] – In-depth advice on balancing picture book backgrounds.
• [16:02] – Agents: “Don’t CC” and the importance of personalized submissions.
• [18:38] – AI scraping: risk, reality, and “catch 22” for illustrators.
• [21:22] – “Katie’s car park” idea: parking creative ideas to reduce overwhelm.
• [23:10] – Sketchbook travel as mindfulness and visual diary.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Planner parties and visual goal setting provide creative, flexible ways for artists to map their year without stifling pressure.
• Creative careers require fluidity—sometimes the best goal is to avoid overcommitment and opt for well-being.
• Personalized, authentic communication (with agents, clients) is crucial.
• Share your work despite the risks; invisibility is the greater threat.
• Lists, idea “car parks,” and prompts help manage creative overwhelm.
• Everyday sketching—however simple—can reignite your artistic spark and capture meaningful memories.

For more resources or to join future planning parties, visit The Good Ship Illustration website. Submit your questions for future episodes via their online portal!