019 — Interview with Tom Froese

The Design Break

Our first new episode of 2020 features an interview I had with the award-winning illustrator Tom Froese—a freelance illustrator based out of British Columbia. Tom is not only an illustrator but a speaker and teacher on Skillshare—he's featured as a "Top Teacher."

In today's episode, Tom shares his story on how he went from being a freelancer, then art director, and ended up choosing to work for himself full-time. He shares how originally he went to school for computer engineering but found his love in design and later illustration.

If you would like to read an excerpt from the transcript of our interview, you can find one on the Blue Cyclops Design Co. blog.

Nuggets of Wisdom:

1. Give Yourself Permission to Pursue What You Love

If you love illustration, that's your permission to pursue it. Don't feel like you somehow have to meet some kind of qualifications or criteria to start learning illustration or even calling yourself an illustrator.

2. Be Obsessed with Learning Your Craft

You must be obsessed enough to study it and put in the effort. A lot of people like what they do but they don't geek out on it enough. Find out who's doing what you want to do or the work that you love and absorb as much information—videos, tutorials, articles and more as possible.

3. Make Your Own Opportunities, Now

There's no time like the present and you shouldn't just sit around and wait for an opportunity to fall into your lap.

Show Notes

Follow the Design Break podcast: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Follow Host Rocky Roark: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Follow Tom Froese: Instagram | Twitter | Dribbble | YouTube | Skillshare

Podcast Music by: Royalty Free Rock via Pond5

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