Lilla here. Today I want to share a playful mini assignment with you plus some great portfolio tips. Why? Because it’s fun to get prompts that spark your creativity, and because the more art you make the better your art will get. Some of my favorite cups. First, I want you to take a moment to reflect: what’s your favorite drink? Do you drink it in your favorite cup? A glass? Do you use a straw? Do you garnish it with a lemon? Whipped cream? Sprinkles? Where do you drink it? When do you drink it? Here in the northern hemisphere, as we (finally!) move into spring, maybe you want something bright and full of fruit. For those of you in the southern hemisphere, maybe you’re thinking about something cosy, comforting and autumnal. Just to show you how timeless this subject can be – here’s a painting by Mary Cassatt

FREE video series: How to pitch your very own arty book Non-fiction illustrated books, or arty books, are an amazing source of income for artists, crafters, illustrators, writers, designers, photographers and more – basically anyone who is passionate about a hobby or an interest. Let Lilla show you how you can build a career in writing and illustrating gorgeous arty books, like these by Lisa Congdon, who was formerly represented by Lilla. You don’t need to be an expert to write your own arty book: you just need to care about something you want to share. And you don’t need to be a writer either – think about craft how tos, illustrated journals or books of illustrated quotations. Want an example? Here’s art agent Lilla Rogers talking about A Year of Weeks, which was written and illustrated by Erica Root. Erica is a Make Art That Sells student who is

Top 10 tips for Instagram for artists Art directors (and agents!) are increasingly finding fresh work and discovering new artists via Instagram, as well as using it to look for artists to commission for jobs. Showing your art can be a fantastic way to get noticed, build a following, and land paying illustration jobs. The Make Art That Sells Instagram feed shows off tons of gorgeous student artwork, plus it’s a fab place to hear about our sales, freebies and giveaways – give us a follow! It’s an easy interface to work with, and anyone can do it. Here are 10 top tips and pointers from the Make Art That Sells team: 1. Make sure people can find you! Consider using your or your studio’s name as your Instagram account name. If your Instagram is very different from your name, think about including both when signing your work to make