Podcast
Thoughts on Illustration
Hosted by Tom Froese · EN
Thoughts on Illustration is a bi-weekly podcast about Showing Up and Growing Up as a commercial artist. Join award-winning illustrator and top teacher, Mr. Tom Froese, as he shares valuable tips, insights, and reflections from his own experience as an illustrator. Tom wants to encourage his fellow creatives and help them get further on by sharing in a transparent, accessible way. If you are passionate about unlocking professional and personal creative fulfillment, you are invited to follow along as Tom does the same!
73episodes
Episodes
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Are Your Side Projects Sabotaging Your Goals?
Jan 3000:45:29Tap to summarizeGet your FREE Illustration Training Plan Worksheet (PDF) — https://www.tomfroese.com/freetrainingplan"It’s a marathon, not a sprint"—but what does that actually mean for your creative career? In this episode, Tom looks back at his biggest insights from 2025 and explains why trying to "do it all" is the fastest way to stall your progress.Using his experience as an ultramarathoner, Tom shares how to apply a training framework to your illustration practice to ensure you're building "functional strength" rather than just busy work.The Danger of Dabbling: Why multiple professional roles create competing interests.Training Blocks: How standard timelines help you build progressive fitness in your art.Functional Strength: Identifying which habits support your main goal and which ones undermine it.The Power of One: Why 2026 is the year of doing one thing exceptionally well.[Download] FREE Illustration Training Plan Worksheet[Read] 2025: The Year in Review (Substack)[Listen] The One Big Shift for Social Media in 2026I’m building a new signature course for illustrators and I need your input. Take this 5-minute survey to help me build it, and get 20% off at launch!👉 Take the Survey Here
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Standing Out and Surviving as an Illustrator Today with Tom Froese | Guest Episode
Jan 1300:56:24Tap to summarizePre-order Drawing is Important: https://geni.us/DrawingisImportantWhat does it actually take to build a sustainable life in illustration—without burning out or chasing every new platform?In this episode, I’m sharing a conversation where I was the guest on Design Icons, produced by Noun Project. Nick Power’s questions gave me a chance to step back and reflect on my career honestly—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what I’m still figuring out.We talk about:Lessons learned from a decade+ as an illustratorCreative plateaus and my worst year for client workWhy style is about reliability, not aestheticsHow constraints shape better workVisibility, sustainability, and what actually moves the needleThis one covers all the classic interview questions, but it gave me a chance to reflect on the basics in a real, honest way.→ Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/tomfroese→ Explore Noun Project: thenounproject.com
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The One Big Shift I'm Making with Social Media in 2026 | FREE PREVIEW
Dec 3000:11:15Tap to summarizeBecome a paid supporter on Patreon— https://patreon.com/tomfroeseWhat if social media isn’t actually social anymore—and what if that changes how creatives should use it?In this monologue episode, I reflect on a growing realization I’ve been wrestling with for years: social media has quietly shifted from a space for sharing and connection into something much closer to corporate media. And many independent creatives have been doing a lot of unpaid work for big tech without fully realizing it.I talk candidly about my own experience building audiences on Instagram, YouTube, and this podcast—and why the familiar promise of “just keep sharing and it will pay off” no longer feels like a fair trade. I unpack the gambling-like dynamics of algorithms, attention, and hope, and explain the one big mindset shift I’m making as I head into 2026.This episode isn’t about quitting social media. It’s about rethinking our relationship to it, getting clearer about what we’re actually selling, and using these platforms more intentionally—as business tools, not creative homes.🙏 A huge thank-you to all paid supporters on Patreon and on Spotify. Your support makes these thoughtful, independent episodes possible.IN THIS EPISODEWhy social media now functions more like corporate media than a social spaceHow algorithms turned “sharing” into a gambleWhy the old promise of free publicity no longer works for most creativesMy own experience building large followings—and what I’ve actually gotten backThe shift from thinking like a content creator to thinking like a business ownerWhy “look what I made” isn’t enough anymoreHow clarifying your product and your customer changes everythingWhat this mindset shift means for creatives heading into 2026LINKS🎨 Inky.af — My class on creating expressive, inky illustrations using analogue techniques in Affinity (now free forever)http://tomfroese.com/teaching/inkyaf📗 Drawing Is Important — Book preorder available nowhttp://geni.us/DrawingisImportantHOW TO SUPPORTYou can support Thoughts on Illustration by:Sharing this episode with a friendLeaving a commentLeaving a rating or review on Apple PodcastsFollowing the show / subscribing to this channelBecoming a paid supporter here or on Patreon — https://patreon.com/tomfroeseFIND ME ELSEWHEREWebsite — https://www.tomfroese.comInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and cues by Mark Allan Falk:https://linktr.ee/semiathletic
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The State of Illustration Report with Darren Di Lieto
Dec 1601:29:54Tap to summarizeThe State of Illustration Report with Darren Di Lieto | Episode 65What does the illustration industry really look like right now — beyond highlight reels, social media, and shiny success stories?In this episode, I talk with Darren Di Lietto, founder of Hireillo and the author of the State of Illustration report. For more than a decade, Darren has been surveying illustrators around the world to better understand how we work, how we get paid, and how sustainable illustration actually is as a career.We have an honest conversation about confidence, pricing, late payments, mental health, and the quiet pressures shaping illustrators’ lives today. We talk about who’s best positioned to thrive, where illustrators are struggling most, and why so many are being squeezed out early on in their careers.I was surprised, and honestly a little bit depressed by the numbers in the report—but Darren helps me see some of the positive takeaways as well.🙏 A huge thank-you to all paid supporters on Patreon — your support makes conversations like this possible.IN THIS EPISODEWhat the State of Illustration report reveals about the current health of the industryWhy confidence in pricing and negotiation remains such a challengeWho seems best positioned to last — and who is most at riskHow late payments and income instability continue to affect illustratorsThe impact of the cost-of-living crisis on creative careersMental health, anxiety, and confidence among working illustratorsWhat hope and resilience Darren sees in the dataWhere the State of Illustration report might go nextSHOW LINKSFrom DarrenState of Illustration report ($18USD — PDF download) — https://www.stateofillustration.comHireillo — https://www.hireillo.comDarren's website — http://darrendilieto.comFrom Tom🎨 Inky.af — My new class on creating expressive, inky illustrations using analogue techniques in Affinity (now free forever) — http://tomfroese.com/teaching/inkyaf📗 Drawing Is Important — Book preorder available now — http://geni.us/DrawingisImportantSUPPORT THE PODCASTYou can support Thoughts on Illustration by:Sharing this episode with a friendLeaving a commentLeaving a rating or review on Apple PodcastsFollowing the show / Subscribing to this channelBecoming a paid supporter on Patreon — https://patreon.com/tomfroeseFIND ME ELSEWHEREWebsite — https://www.tomfroese.comInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and cues by Mark Allan Falk — https://linktr.ee/semiathletic
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Should You Be Embarrassed About Using AI? | FREE PREVIEW
Dec 200:12:15Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I get honest about the tension so many of us feel around AI: the uneasiness of using it while also distrusting it. I talk about why that discomfort might actually be meaningful—and how embarrassment or shame can act as a compass for finding the line between assistance and authorship.I share a real story about how AI helps me not over-think a purchase decision with my daughter. I also share about my feelings about receiving AI-written emails. You'll learn how I think about using AI to help me without letting it replace the parts of my job that actually matter. We talk about the long game: creative confidence, limits, process, and what it really means to maintain authorship as an illustrator.IN THIS EPISODE:Why discomfort around AI is healthyThe difference between assistance and authorshipHow AI can quietly shift from convenience to dependencyWhy the process—not just the product—is central to illustrationWhy “drawing the line” is literally part of our jobTwo reflection questions to check your relationship to AISHOW LINKSPaul Kingsnorth's Substack — https://paulkingsnorth.substack.comIn the podcast I mistakenly said his Substack was called Pilgrims in the Machine. It's actually called the Abbey of Misrule, which is way more badass.Paul Kingsnorth's website — https://www.paulkingsnorth.netRethinking Creativity in the Age of AI — A more pro-AI conversation on The Future with Chris Do and Jodie Cook — https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-futur-with-chris-do/id1209219220?i=1000737893787THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!Thanks as always for supporting the podcast. Patreon and Paid Spotify Supporters make it possible for me keep doing this!FIND ME ELSEWHEREMy New Book! Drawing is Important! — tomfroese.com/links — look for the green book coverWork and Classes — tomfroese.comInstagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and Cues by Mark Allan Falk — semiathletic on LinktreeDRAWING IS IMPORTANT — NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDERMy new book, Drawing Is Important, is your guide to making drawing a meaningful daily habit. Through stories, insights, and exercises, it helps you draw more often—with less pressure and more joy. Available Spring 2026 — Pre-order now! The first 500 orders get a free hand-signed book plate! Look for "get pre-order prizes" after clicking the link.
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How You Can Protect Yourself From Being Ripped Off | Interview with Raymond Biesinger
Nov 1801:21:11Tap to summarizeInterview with Raymond BiesingerHow do you defend your creative work when clients underpay, misuse your images, or ignore copyright entirely?In this episode, I talk with Montréal-based illustrator, artist, and author Raymond Biesinger, whose new book 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off (Drawn + Quarterly, 2025) is part memoir, part self-defence guide for independent creatives.Raymond pulls back the curtain on wage theft, unauthorized usage, blurred legal lines, and the everyday realities illustrators face when protecting their work — and their livelihood.This is a wide-ranging, candid conversation about money, boundaries, professionalism, and what it really takes to survive as an illustrator today.🙏 A huge thank-you to all paid supporters on Patreon — without you, this show wouldn’t exist.IN THIS EPISODE• What “being ripped off” really means (hint: it’s not just stylistic copying)• Why wage theft is rampant in the creative industries• The blurry, case-by-case nature of copyright enforcement• How creatives can strategically bluff to protect their work• Why talking openly about money is essential for healthier creative careers• The role of mood, timing, and resources in deciding whether to pursue a dispute• How Raymond developed his signature collage-driven style• The surprising story of a fan who copied his style — and how it turned into something positive• What Raymond hopes independent creatives will take away from the bookSHOW LINKSRaymond BiesingerWebsite — https://fifteen.caInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/raymondbiesinger📕 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off (Drawn + Quarterly, 2025) — https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/9-times-my-work-has-been-ripped-off/📘 305 Lost Buildings of Canada — Goose Lane Editions — https://gooselane.com/products/305-lost-buildings-of-canada?_pos=1&_psq=305+lost&_ss=e&_v=1.0From Tom🎨 SLO-FI Illustrations (new Skillshare class) — 30 days free: https://skl.sh/4nbo3KT📗 Drawing is Important — now available for preorder: https://geni.us/DrawingisImportantSUPPORT THE PODCASTYou can help Thoughts on Illustration grow by:• Sharing the episode with a friend• Leaving a rating or review• Following the show• Becoming a paid supporter on Spotify or on Patreon — https://patreon.com/tomfroeseFIND ME ELSEWHEREWebsite — https://www.tomfroese.comInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and cues by Mark Allan Falk — https://linktr.ee/semiathletic
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How Do You Make an Illustration Cohesive? | FREE PREVIEW
Nov 400:18:11Tap to summarizeWhat is the secret to making cohesive illustrations? Also known as unity and harmony, this is the elusive quality that makes your illustration feel "whole". In this episode, I look at why that sense of unity is harder to achieve in digital work, and how thinking in terms of physical media and physical reproduction methods can bring your images together. I introduce what I call The Five Stars of Cohesiveness—Purpose, Drawing Style, Medium, Reproduction Method, and Application—and show how, when these align, your work gains that solid, self-contained presence we all chase. Using Ben Shahn’s The Shape of Content as a case study (read on for visual examples), I unpack how medium and black-only printing worked hand-in-hand to create unusually cohesive results—and how we can borrow that logic in our digital workflows. If you’ve struggled to make your digital illustrations feel unified—and want a concrete framework to diagnose why—this episode is for you.IN THIS EPISODE“Truth to materials” — keyword materialsThe Five Stars of CohesivenessHow physical constraints shape shape your style—and why limitless tools can derail itCase study: Ben Shahn’s expressive linework printed black-only in The Shape of ContentWhy your chosen medium is the central star, influencing both idea and outcomeIllustrating for print (even when your art never gets printed)Try This: would your piece hold up in black-only? as a 2–3 colour Riso print?Classes and resource recommendationsSHOW LINKSBen Shahn — The Shape of Content (book) — https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674302426“Illustration” (definition/context) — general reference — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IllustrationMy Skillshare: Illustrating for Letterpress (technical limits → clearer decisions) — https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/impress-meSlo-Fi Illustrations (analogue paradigms in a digital flow) — https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/slofiillustrationsDi Ujdi — Introduction to Risograph Printing (layered colour thinking) — https://skl.sh/47BXNm5HOW TO SUPPORT / LISTEN If you’d like to support this podcast and hear the full version of monologue episodes like this one:Join on Patreon for as low as $3/monthBecome a paid subscriber on Spotify ($2.99/month)I also post monologues as full articles on Medium.FIND ME ELSEWHEREMy New Book! Drawing is Important! — tomfroese.com/links — look for the green book coverWork and Classes — tomfroese.comInstagram — instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and Cues by Mark Allan Falk — semiathletic on Linktree——————DRAWING IS IMPORTANT — NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDERMy new book, Drawing Is Important, is your guide to making drawing a meaningful daily habit. Through stories, insights, and exercises, it helps you draw more often—with less pressure and more joy. Available Spring 2026 — Pre-order now! The first 500 orders get a free hand-signed book plate! Look for "get pre-order prizes" after clicking the lin
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Being a Cartoonist for the New Yorker | Interview with Tom Toro
Oct 2101:02:04Tap to summarizeHow does one become a professional cartoonist? In this episode, I talk with New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro, whose sharp wit clever drawings have kept readers laughing (and thinking) for more than fifteen years.Toro’s debut book, And to Think We Started as a Book Club (out now from Simon & Schuster), gathers the best of his cartoons from over a decade and a half at The New Yorker. In our conversation, we dig into the realities of professional cartooning — from the weekly grind of submissions and rejection, to the balance between writing and drawing, and the creative fire that keeps artists like Tom doing it anyway.🙏 Thank you to all paid supporters on Patreon — without your support, this would be an expensive hobby. Thank you!🟢 Listen on Spotify | 🟣 Listen on Apple Podcasts | 🔴 Listen/Watch on YouTubeCover of And to Think We Started as a Book Club …IN THIS EPISODEWhat it’s really like to be a New Yorker cartoonist — and why rejection is part of the jobHow the relationship between writing and drawing defines the cartoon formThe secret to making a success New Yorker-worthy cartoonWhy embracing imperfection keeps art aliveHow Tom feels about his body of work from the past 15 yearsSHOW LINKSTom Toro’s Website — https://www.tomtoro.comTom Toro on Instagram — www.instagram.com/tbtoro📕 And to Think We Started as a Book Club (Simon & Schuster, Oct 7 2025) — https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/book/and-to-think-we-started-as-a-book-club/SLO-FI Illustrations (my new Skillshare class) — GET 30 DAYS FREE WHEN USING THIS LINK — https://skl.sh/4nbo3KT📗 Drawing is Important — https://geni.us/DrawingisImportantTHANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!You can show your appreciation for the Thoughts on Illustration podcast by:Sharing with your friends on social mediaLiking / Following / SubscribingLeaving a review on Apple PodcastsBecoming a paid supporter on Patreon — patreon.com/tomfroeseFIND ME ELSEWHEREWork and Classes — http://www.tomfroese.comInstagram — http://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroeseDaily Drawings — http://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportantCREDITSMusic and cues by Mark Allan Falk — http://linktr.ee/semiathleticThanks for reading Thoughts on Illustration with Mr. Tom Froese! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
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Is This Still Working? A Look Back at Season 3
Jun 28, 202501:12:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I reflect on the journey of the podcast so far and the evolution of my illustration process. From overcoming burnout in the early seasons to finding a sustainable rhythm in Season 3, I discuss how the podcast has mirrored my own creative growth. Alongside this, I get real about the challenges of balancing podcasting with the rest of my life and career, the emotional toll of self-doubt, and the joy of connecting with listeners. Plus, I dive into the challenges of building a community around the podcast and the ups and downs of monetization. I open up with a story about the little man who tried to tear me down on Threads. If you’ve ever felt like giving up on something you love or questioned whether your efforts are worth it, this episode is for you.IN THIS EPISODEReflections on three seasons of podcasting and illustrationThe challenges of balancing podcasting with other creative projectsHow self-doubt and external criticism can shake your confidenceFinding joy and fulfillment in podcasting, despite the obstaclesThe question of whether podcasting is still worth the effort—how to know when to keep goingThe evolving mindset behind my illustration process and the shift from burnout to rewildingPLUS – Why I decided to stop doing custom episode art and the joy of simplifying the process.SHOW LINKSDrawing Ideas (Skillshare Class) — Tom Froese Drawing IdeasCreative Boom: Top Podcasts for Creatives 2025 — Creative Boom ListHOW TO SUPPORTShare with your friends on social media!Like, Sub, Follow, Comment, ReviewSupport on Patreon - patreon.com/tomfroeseBECOME A DRAWING BUDDYLive, monthly Draw With Me meetupsAll past DWMs available as replaysExclusive access to the DWM Discord ServerFIND ME ELSEWHEREWork and Classes | Instagram | Daily DrawingsCREDITSMusic and Cues by Mark Allan Falk – semiathletic on Linktree
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What I Got Wrong About Going Analog
Jun 10, 202500:43:59Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I share my thoughts on the evolving meaning of “rewilding” my illustration process. Originally, rewilding meant bringing analog elements back into my work—inking on paper, scanning textures, doing things the “hard” way. But lately, I’ve been asking myself: is it really about going analog? Or is it about something deeper? In this episode, I unpack how rewilding is less about tools and more about mindset. I look at how digital tools can either suffocate or support our creativity, depending on how we use them. And I share how I’m finding spontaneity, joy, and pride in my work—even when it’s 100% digital.If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your creative process, or worried about how AI and digital tools are affecting your style, this episode is for you.I also share some reflections on the Amish, digital minimalism, and why your mechanical pencil will never ask you to rate it on the App Store.IN THIS EPISODEWhy rewilding might be a mindset, not a mediumHow digital tools can both hinder and help creative joyWhat I’ve rediscovered about spontaneity, surprise, and storytelling in illustrationWhy pride in your process matters—and how to get it backHow AI is forcing illustrators to reevaluate their processThe three key questions I now ask to evaluate any creative toolPLUS – Why my Apple Pencil will never beat a Mason jar full of ink water.SHOW LINKSDrawing Ideas (Skillshare Class) — https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/drawingideasPost by @brettpstenson — https://www.instagram.com/p/DKiYMKHSapr/?img_index=1See How Book Artwork Was Done In The Old Days Before Computers — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5YoyBvX1f8Graphic Design Tools Before Photoshop — https://youtu.be/O-XrRQf7BPM?si=GqEeaFOWfW3A87LlMy early style (Tom Froese Postcard example) — https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5aa6d6c0a9e028fce5f7f4b2/1523840966237-XPQXSOX8HCUS9WI1SEDW/Tom+Froese+Stationery-3.jpgMy style a few years ago (totally digital) — https://www.tomfroese.com/work/canadianidentityMy more recent style (more rewilded, in spite of being all digital) — https://www.instagram.com/p/DJr4MSTyTTv/ (image for my upcoming book, Drawing is Important).HOW TO SUPPORTShare this episode with your friends!Like / Subscribe / Follow / Comment / Review on Apple PodcastsBecome a $3 Supporter or $8 Drawing Buddy on Patreon – patreon.com/tomfroeseBECOME A DRAWING BUDDYLive, monthly Draw With Me meetupsAll past DWMs available as replaysExclusive access to the DWM Discord ServerJoin hereFIND ME ELSEWHEREWork and ClassesInstagramDaily DrawingsCREDITSMusic and Cues by Mark Allan Falk – semiathletic on Linktree
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