

Thoughts on Illustration
Tom Froese
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!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 7, 2023 • 43min
Copyright, Licensing, and Self-Promotion (Part 2)
In this episode we continue our deep dive into the world of Copyright for Illustrators! In this series, we talk about what copyright is, how it relates to licensing and pricing our work, and ultimately, the right to use our work for self-promotion. I also share the results of that project I mentioned in the last episode: did it get selected or not? Will you ever get to see this work, that I'm so proud of? This is Part 2 of 2. Be sure to start with Episode 19 if you haven't already!

Oct 24, 2023 • 48min
Copyright, Licensing, and Self-Promotion (Part 1)
In this episode we dive into the exciting world of Copyright for Illustrators! I swear, it's not as boring as it sounds — and in fact, I will explain why it's way more important for independent illustrators and artists than you might imagine. This is Part 1 of 2. We'll pick up with the rest in Episode 20.

Oct 10, 2023 • 58min
Stressed out? 8 Ways to Alleviate Stress as a Professional Illustrator
In this episode, we'll go through 8 ways to alleviate stress as a working illustrator. Making art for a living, often under tight deadlines and high expectations, can be very stressful. But if we're stressed out all the time, we'll end up burning out. So how do we avoid stress in our work, even as we perform on a deadline? How can we manage multiple projects and give each one of them our best? And how can we do all this without burning out? Join me as I share the surprisingly simple ways that I've been able to take the edge off stress in my own work. Along the way, I hope to encourage you to keep going and not to let the little (and sometimes big) setbacks hold you back.

Sep 26, 2023 • 1h 4min
10 Productivity Tips for Illustrators
This podcast provides 10 productivity tips for illustrators, challenging the advice of Productivity Gurus. The speaker shares their personal challenges and discusses the importance of productivity. They explore topics such as false productivity, decision paralysis, disorganization, and distractedness. The podcast also highlights the benefits of tracking time and emphasizes the importance of a consistent creative process for staying productive.

Sep 12, 2023 • 38min
You're Not Crazy — It's Social Media (Summer Shorts Rerun)
With Social Media, we simply can't do it all. There are too many platforms and too many different content types, and if we tried to consistently do all of them, or even a handful of them, we'd have no time to do our actual job! But the fear of missed opportunities (by not participating on all the popular apps) is real! So how do we balance the need to share on social media (yes, we do need to use it!) with staying productive and even staying sane? Please join me as I explore the topic of Social Media.
THIS IS A RE-RUN EPISODE FROM MY PATRONS ONLY SUMMER SHORTS SERIES

Aug 30, 2023 • 15min
Thoughts on Illustration Returns This September
After a summer of pulling back, we'll be back at it starting September 12, 2023. Thoughts on Illustration doesn't have seasons, but if it did, this would be the trailer for Season 2. This is just me checking in with you all about where I'm at and how I think things will go moving forward.

Jul 10, 2023 • 19min
Is it the Right Time to Go Full Time as an Illustrator? | Summer Shorts 01
How Do You Know When to Go Full Time as an Illustrator? This is a free preview and the first mini-episode of the Summer Shorts series of the Thoughts on Illustration Podcast. For the rest of the summer, these will be available only to my Patreon supporters. Join in at patreon.com/tomfroese! Otherwise, I’ll see you in September!

Jun 26, 2023 • 48min
To Quit or Commit: Should You Let Go of Your Big Dream?
When we have big dreams, we have to lean into them hard and really go for it. But sometimes what we thought we wanted doesn't turn out. Maybe it's too hard or maybe we just don't enjoy it anymore. The question is, do we double down and commit, knowing that payoff is just around the corner, or do we allow ourselves to quit, knowing that it's the only way to make room for something better?

Jun 12, 2023 • 58min
Good News for Slow Workers
Do you ever feel like everything takes YOU longer than everyone else? In this episode, talk about what it’s been like for me as a slow worker. What kinds of things have slowed me down, and how have I been able to thrive as a successful illustrator in spite of them. So if you’re a slowpoke trying to figure out why it just takes so long to get things done, this one is for you.
I’m going talk about why I think there are two kinds of slow — good slow and bad slow — and why we should embrace the former and try to change the latter. And of course, I’ll give you some ways to do both. How can you embrace the things about your work that you maybe wish would go faster, and how you can change some of the things that truly get in your creative way.
By the end of this episode, I hope that you’ll feel permitted to give yourself the time you need to do your best work — and to defend that time when it comes under question by yourself — or by others.

Jun 5, 2023 • 34min
SPECIAL: Illustration Student Interviews Me for Class Project
In this SPECIAL episode, I share an interview that Andres Palacios (BFA Illustration student at SCAD) did with me for a class project. I really enjoyed talking to him, and I think you'll enjoy our conversation. We'll be back next week with Episode 14!
Thanks to Andres Palacios for letting me share this interview! Check out his work at https://www.andrespalacios.me/