Kids love naughty stuff, don't they! Is HELP! naughty enough for 'em? Let me and @adamming.bsky.social know! Pre-order: @amazonprime.bsky.social @waterstones.bsky.social @waterstoneskids.bsky.social @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social @hivestores.bsky.social @andersenpress.bsky.social

Sketch, for Help! Written by @annabrookewriter.bsky.social

It’s true! I’m excited to be working with @adamming.bsky.social & Astra Young Readers for my next picture book. It’ll be my 26th book, and just when I got used to celebrating my 25th…

OUT 28 AUG!!!! Do you know a kid who likes funny? Do you know a kid who likes gross? Do you know a kid who'd dare to press the monster's nose & pick it? Then HELP! is for you! Avail online & bookshops (UK & USA) Illos by @adamming.bsky.social @andersenpress.bsky.social

Need ideas, start looking in your sketchbook

I’m writing Atomic Essays for 30 Days, this one was about a painful jab when I told a friend I was starting a career as a picture-book illustrator at 40

If you write everyday. Draw every day. Make art everyday. Some of it will be good. That doesn’t mean the rest of it is wasted.

I'm Building a Nest: Find Out How 50 Animals Make Their Homes by Saskia Gwinn, Illustrated by Adam Ming Review by @sareenmclay.bsky.social @adamming.bsky.social #saskiagwinn#quartokids #nonfiction#childrensbooks#childrensbooksillustration#booksforkids#kidlit#booksforchildren#nature#nests#spring

There are 5 things I learned that really had a profound impact on how I illustrate, I’m sharing this in a free emails series Www.tenminuteartist.com

To get 1 step removed from the reference, I did studies in my sketchbook, then drew this from my sketchbook

Do we still hate social media?

Other artist are not the competition

Don't get busy, get focused. You can build a bestselling Substack in just 20 hours per month if you eliminate everything that doesn't directly serve your core purpose and audience.

Before: A stack of blank sketchbooks collecting dust. After: A daily practice that transforms procrastination into production. The bridge? 10 deliberate minutes that compound over time.

Most of us aren't actively saying 'no' to our creative calling. We're just finding increasingly sophisticated ways to avoid saying 'yes.' What looks like exploring multiple paths is often fear finding new escape routes.

The number, the badge, the award. Those are not the point. The milestone isn't the point. It's just a measuring stick for your growth. Chasing numbers in creative work is about developing new skills that each new level demands from you. The point is growth

Our dreams are built with bricks called habits. This one quiet ritual, just 10 minutes a day, helped me go from unpublished to illustrating 14 book in 3 years Here’s what I learned from keeping a daily sketchbook: [THREAD]

You designed a great character BUT every pose feels stiff, awkward, or wrong. You’re not bad at drawing. You’re just making one of these 10 posing mistakes (and 3 will surprise you): [THREAD]

Monday Morning, an interstitial blog. (With pictures)

I’ll be leading a workshop on dynamic poses with Katie Stack, RSVP here: https://open.substack.com/pub/artgym/p/rsvp-for-artgym?r=p60pf&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

What’s cookin?

STRUGGLING: "Gatekeepers don't recognize or validate my work." THRIVING: "I've identified venues and platforms where my work naturally resonates, while building my own channels."

STRUGGLING: "My work isn't reaching or resonating with people." THRIVING: "I've built genuine connections with people who appreciate and support my creative vision."

Difference trumps Skill

**Struggling:** "I sacrifice sleep, nutrition, and exercise for my art." **Thriving:** "I prioritize my physical and mental wellbeing as the foundation of sustainable creativity."

Design Characters for scale!

**Struggling:** "I reinvent my approach with every project, wasting time and energy." **Thriving:** "My streamlined workflows free mental space for creativity while ensuring reliable results."

A portfolio is not an archive - it’s a stratigic inspiration

**Struggling:** "I alternate between frantic overwork and anxious dry spells." **Thriving:** "I've developed systems for steady creation regardless of external deadlines or inspiration."

From Static to Story: How Three Panels Can Unlock Your Character's Hidden Life

**Struggling: " I push until I crash, then struggle to restart." **Thriving:** "I pace myself sustainably and protect my creative energy as my most valuable resource."

Try a different view!

A technique for attacking a blank page

**Struggling:** "I can't finish pieces because they never feel good enough." **Thriving:** "I recognize when work is ready to share and understand that completion fuels growth."

**Struggling:** "Seeing others' work makes me feel inadequate and derivative." **Thriving:** "I draw inspiration from others while confidently developing my distinctive approach."

**Struggling:** "I frequently hit walls in my process and struggle to produce consistently." **Thriving:** "I understand my creative rhythms and have techniques to maintain productive momentum."

Draw until you laugh out loud, that’s when you have something!

Came up with this yesterday and lovin' the idea of forest cars roaming the forests...🐸🚙 This one is a Froggy Wagon based on the Jeep Grand Wagoneer - with wood panelling! 🥰 Complete with high-jump beams and 4-lilypad drive. #illustration #kidlit #kidlitart #conceptart #kidsbookart #illustrator

STRUGGLING ARTIST: "I create in isolation and feel disconnected from other artists." THRIVING ARTIST: "I'm part of supportive networks that provide feedback, opportunities, and camaraderie."

**TEST**

Struggling: "I create what I think others want rather than what feels true." Thriving: "My most resonant and successful work comes from my authentic creative voice."

Morning brain vs. evening brain: the ultimate drawing showdown ☀️✏️🌙 The best illustrators don't wait for inspirationthey build reliable rituals. Those quiet morning moments before your inner critic wakes up? Creative gold. Try this: 5min morning sketch, 5min evening sketch. Same subject. Compare

Guided by Bird, readers go on a journey to discover how various other creatures could their homes in #ImBuildingaNest #saskaigwinn ills. @adamming.bsky.social @quartokids.bsky.social #HappyYak - it’s #RedReadingHub’s #information book of the day reviewed on the blog now wp.me/p11DI5-d4v

Drawing upside-down is like a cheat code for your brain 🙃✏️ Instantly see shapes instead of symbols. Try this today and watch your proportions magically improve! What techniques have surprisingly leveled up your drawing skills? #TenMinuteArtist"

“The cost of being an individual is emotional pain” - Murakami #the100daychallenge

There are 4 ways we spend out time. 3 common 1 uncommon. And the uncommon one leads to uncommon results. #the100dayproject

#the100daychallenge, on being resourceful

#the100dayproject - Drawing with feeling happens when you fill your body with a feeling then draw.

Ten Minute Artist is a framework for daily creative joy

Use this post to ‘celebrate’ an artist you appreciate!