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Category:Tips & Advice
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Join us on Tiktok and YouTube

How do you do, fellow kids? Since we here at Make Art That Sells are achingly cool and hip [can someone check that young people still say cool and hip? Also achingly] we have now have accounts on both YouTube and Tiktok and we’d love it if you could give us a cheeky follow/subscribe! Watch Lilla’s interview with the brilliant Vanessa Brantley-Newton on our YouTube channel – and make sure to subscribe for more great content. Our YouTube channel is packed with tons of content to inspire you and support your creative career, including Lilla’s interviews with her artists, her fabulous FREE five part series on how you can write and illustrate your very own arty non-fiction book, creative director Riley’s Toy Talk series, tips from Lilla on how to find trends in home décor, Lilla’s interview with the amazing Vanessa Brantley-Newton and loads more! Find it here. Follow us


learn from an art agent 2 Make Art That Sells Lilla’s hints and tips #3: What’s the secret to a successful art career? Plus FREE Bingo Board!

Lilla’s hints and tips #3: What’s the secret to a successful art career? Plus FREE Bingo Board!

Lilla here. Over the past month or so I’ve been sharing some of my thoughts, based on my decades in the art industry, and answering some of the questions that I’m often asked as an art agent and a former professional illustrator. I hope that you’ve found them useful. How do you have a successful art career? Today’s question is a biggie. What’s the secret to a successful art career? What’s the key for making a living as an artist? Here’s the deal: you want to make a living as an artist because it’s the greatest job in the world. Of course it is: you get to make money from making art, and you can do it in your pajamas while listening to fabulous music and eating toast! My whole thing is about diversification. In other words, the secret to a successful art career is just like a financial stock


top tips from an art agent 1 Make Art That Sells Lilla’s hints and tips #2: What’s the difference between a good artist and a great artist?

Lilla’s hints and tips #2: What’s the difference between a good artist and a great artist?

What’s the difference between a good artist and a great artist? AND How do you get there? Lilla here. I’ve been sharing some hints, tips and thoughts with you over the past few weeks that I’ve learned from my decades working in the illustration industry both as a professional illustrator and as an art agent, and I hope you’ve found them useful. (If you missed out on the first installment, you can read Lilla’s hints and tips  #1: How to up your game and get work as an artist here.) One thing I was asked recently is what’s the difference between a good artist and a great artist? For me, I think it’s when you can look at a piece of art and really sense the individual behind it, and their unique self truly comes through in a way that’s magical and original and fresh, that’s the difference between a


booksfromlillasartists Make Art That Sells Lilla’s hints and tips #1: Get work as an artist and up your game

Lilla’s hints and tips #1: Get work as an artist and up your game

Want to get work as an artist? Lilla here. Over the next few weeks, I want to share some hints, tips and thoughts with you, things I’ve gleaned from my decades working in the creative industry both as a professional illustrator and as a leading art agent. These are the things that would have helped me when I was starting out as an illustrator, and I hope that they help you too. Some of the books illustrated by artists that I represent. How can you get illustration jobs like this? Today I want to talk a little about how you can up your game and how you can get work as an artist. How to get work as an artist One thing that I’m often asked as an art agent is which of my artists get the most work. How do you get work as an artist? Of all the


MATS productsfromartists Make Art That Sells Learn with art agent Lilla: how to thrive with a creative mind (spoiler alert: time management tips inside!)

Learn with art agent Lilla: how to thrive with a creative mind (spoiler alert: time management tips inside!)

Lilla here. Today I want to talk to you about what the creative mind is like, how you can understand and embrace it, and how to thrive with a creative mind. I’ve been working in creative careers for decades – first as a full-time illustrator and as an art agent for 27 years – and I’ve taught creative people for decades too, all the way from middle school kids to professional artists. I’m obsessed with getting the very best out of creative people – both the artists I represent and my wonderful students. In other words, I have a creative mind myself, and I know exactly how to teach other people with creative minds and to help them thrive. So, what’s the creative mind like? Typically, a creative person is very intense. They can hyperfocus, by which I mean focus on one tiny thing deeply and for a long time.


penny rainbow paint chips Make Art That Sells FREE illustration assignment #2 from art agent Lilla: How to make a new color palette

FREE illustration assignment #2 from art agent Lilla: How to make a new color palette

Lilla here. Today I want to show you how to make a new color palette. For the next week or so, I’m sharing some playful mini assignments with you, to help you loosen up and find the joy in your art-making. Last week we had a look at your collections – the things you love and obsess over – to help you start thinking about your style. If you missed it, catch up here. Today we’re going to play with color. Anyone who has taken any of my classes knows that I adore color. Color is queen! Without fantastic color, all the gorgeous drawing and design in the world won’t have the same magic appeal. That’s why knowing how to make a new color palette is so important. I always have vases of cut flowers from my garden in my studio to add even more color. Have you found that


top tips from an art agent Make Art That Sells 14 tips on how to be a super successful creative entrepreneur

14 tips on how to be a super successful creative entrepreneur

Do you want to make a living from making art? Do you want to build a financially rewarding creative career? It’s 100% possible to make a good living from selling your artwork – check out some of our alumni success stories for inspiration. And you’re in the right place: we’ve got tons of tips and advice from art agent Lilla and our other brilliant teachers, lots of info in our freebies library, and raved-about online courses that will increase your knowledge, grow your art, and fill your portfolio. Today we’re sharing some of art agent Lilla’s top tips on how to be a super successful creative entrepreneur – and she should know. Lilla has run her innovative art agency, Lilla Rogers Studio, for 26 years. Before she was an art agent, she got a degree in fine art and a second degree in illustration, then worked as a full-time illustrator


ICB square2 1 Make Art That Sells FREE tips on creating winning characters from a children’s book art director

FREE tips on creating winning characters from a children’s book art director

Do you dream of finding work in the magical world of children’s book illustration? Would you love to create memorable characters and see your work in print? Our outstanding online course, Illustrating Children’s Books, started Monday and there’s still time to sign up. Just think: in just five weeks you could be holding your very own stunning book pitch in your hands, ready to send off to potential clients! But HURRY: registration closes TODAY! Character sheet for Illustrating Children’s Books 2020 by Make Art That Sells student Tisha Lee. Tisha is now represented by art agent Lilla after Lilla spotted her in class. Creating memorable, relatable characters is absolutely key to snagging your dream kids’ book job, which is why you’ll spend the first two weeks learning all about characters: how to develop appealing characters in your own style, what art directors look for in a character, how to make


livewithlillateachers Make Art That Sells FREE live all-star Zoom replay – watch now!

FREE live all-star Zoom replay – watch now!

Watch now: FREE live all-star Zoom replay below! Do you have questions about any of our courses? Do you have a burning career question you want to put to a top art agent or brilliant creative director? Do you just want to spend an hour or so in the company of an amazing creative community that will leave you feeling invigorated and inspired? During our Recent Spring sale, top art agent Lilla Rogers hosted a FREE live Zoom event with all of the Make Art That Sells teachers, and they had tons of wisdom and insight to share. Lilla asked the team questions, answered your questions about art careers and our courses, chatted about her brand new course for 2021, gave creative career advice and lots more. Watch the FREE live all-star Zoom replay below with Lila and all of your amazing Make Art That Sells teachers: Beth, Zoë, Margo


thefutureisallaboutcreativecareers Make Art That Sells REVEALED: Illustration trends 2021 by art agent Lilla Rogers

REVEALED: Illustration trends 2021 by art agent Lilla Rogers

Discover illustration trends 2021 from a top art agent! What does 2021 have in store? Lilla shares her predictions for illustration trends 2021, based on her real-world experience as an art agent, her decades in the industry, and a little bit of intuitive vibe. Happy new year from everyone here at Make Art That Sells! Now more than ever it’s a time for renewed hope and for looking forward. (And if you want to give yourself a whole heap of things to look froward to in 2021, don’t forget that there’s still time to sign up for one of our incredible My Year of Art School bundles and give yourself a full year of Lilla and Make Art That Sells courses to give your illustration career a huge boost!) So what does 2021 have in store? What will the illustration trends 2021 be? Way way back in the mists of