It's been almost two years since I wrote my last blog post where I shared a few stats about my income, so it's definitely time for an update. I believe in being transparent and realistic about what I share, as a teacher, illustrator and artist. Many people, especially those just starting out on this career path, are keen to learn about the financial aspects of an art career. This information is often hard to find as I don't think enough illustrators talk about their income. My intention is not to brag or show off, but rather to shed light on an often overlooked aspect of our industry.
I'm an established full-time artist based in the UK, with two decades of experience in this industry. Here’s little background to provide context: aged 32 I took 8 years off to look after my kids. When I started this ‘phase’ in 2014, I didn't have a portfolio, website or social media presence. I’m the sole financial provider for two kids with the eldest in university.
The chart reflects my net revenue or turnover breakdown of income sources for the UK tax year 2022-2023. Over the years, I've consistently earned a six-figure income, with my earnings having increased annually since I began. However, I am aware that my income has decreased in the most recent tax year as my priorities have change. I’m now frequently hiring professionals for their expertise, which saves me time and reduces stress.
The four main areas for me were:
Teaching Online 63.4%
Teaching in Person 13.7%
Illustration 9.6%
Writing (Book) 6%
Online Teaching
I have taught over 160,000 students on the Skillshare platform. As of writing this post I have 31 classes ranging from watercolour and sketchbook techniques, social media and food illustration. I released one class in 2022: Master masking Fluid in Watercolour Painting 10 Day Art Challenge - a relaxed exploration of using masking fluid within watercolour painting, with warm up exercises and video demos to help students understand this medium better .
I’d describe the income generated from teaching on Skillshare as 'semi-passive.' While there is significant effort involved in maintaining the relevance of my classes and ensuring they reach potential new students, the rewards are still substantial.
In previous years, this income has made up about 50% of my earnings. However, due to the considerable time I spent writing my book that year, I relied more heavily on this source of income and had less time for brand illustration work (more on both of these topics later)
Teaching in person
During this period I taught at a 7 day retreat in Morocco with Uptrek and 2 separate day workshops with Samantha Dion Baker in Brooklyn.
I adore teaching in person because real face-to-face interaction creates a stronger personal connection between myself and my students. This deeper connection helps us feel more understood and engaged. The atmosphere this creates is far more enjoyable and motivating, making the learning experience much more enriching for everyone.
Being able to demonstrate and explain techniques in real-time, so students can see brush strokes up close has such a different energy to seeing it online. And I can better gauge individual students' needs to give direct feedback. It’s amazing what a difference a supportive smile, or an encouraging word can make for the confidence and growth of participants.
For me the personal connections formed in in-person art classes offer a refreshing and much-needed counterbalance in today's digital age, where much of our interaction occurs through screens.
Illustration
The majority of my illustration income came from illustrating brand packaging for Publix supermarkets - a series of premium dry and fresh pasta ranges.
Food brand illustration involves creating visual artwork ties in with and represents a food brand's identity. The goal is to make the food look appealing, and in this case communicate the premium nature of the products.
At this level, my work involves collaborating closely with a design team comprising a project manager or account handler, senior designers, and artworkers. The process is extensive, typically spanning several stages.
Initially, I start with brush pen sketches then rounds of colour roughs and detailed amendments based on feedback given at each stage. Typically, for packaging illustrations, they need to be effective on a small scale to catch the eye and distinguish themselves on a shelf.
The pasta ranges have now launched and it's always nice seeing how my illustrations were incorporated within the packaging.
My other illustration project of note was for The Boston Globe. I created a series of spot illustrations for their article 25 Things to Eat on a Road Trip Through New England - including ice cream and lobster (they’ve since updated the article)
Writing
I spent much of 2022 writing various drafts of my book ‘Go With the Flow Painting:Step-by-Step Techniques for Spontaneous Effects in Watercolor’ Writing this book was a huge labour of love with approx 18,000 words explaining various aspects of loose watercolour combined with ink lines to add essential details.
It was a huge undertaking that took up a solid six months of my time. During this period, my focus was entirely on brainstorming projects and making detailed notes for each process. Every day was dedicated to planning and organising my ideas, ensuring every detail was covered. This was followed by what seemed like endless photoshoots with the book's photographer, Nat Aubry. Each session was meticulously planned and executed to capture the perfect shots for the book. The entire process was intense and demanding, but ultimately very rewarding
Smaller income coming from:
Image Library 3.1%
Totally passive income from doodles from Shutterstock & Depositphotos ( to date have earned over $120,000 from doodle downloads)
Art licensing 3%
Licensing my designs for greetings cards, giftware and party tableware and fabric.
Brand collab 0.8%
With a well known art brand
Affiliates 0.8%
Taking part & promoting in Pigeon Letters online workshop retreat
Running an art business comes with significant expenses, including:
Professional Consultations: For contracts and business strategy
Brand Photography: To create high-quality visuals
Website Development & Design: To maintain a strong online presence
Creative Development/ Investment in Myself : Taking courses and workshops, along with travel costs to attend them
These investments are essential to grow and sustain my business
Final thoughts
If you go all the way back to the beginning of this blog in early 2013, you'll see I started from scratch. I hadn't done any editorial illustration or been an in-house greeting card designer for over 8 years. So, when you read 'I made SIX FIGURES,' remember it took me over 11 years to reach this stage, where I am living comfortably and supporting my kids from my art and illustration income. Social media often only shows the highlights, and you might have only been following me for the past 5 years when I was already established. Before that, it was years of relentless hard work to fulfil my vision.
My art business will continue to change and evolve based on my values and shifting goals. One of my dreams is to travel the world, meet up with other artists at their local cafes to sketch. To achieve this, I know I need to rebuild my passive income to a certain level. I greatly value my time and will keep pursuing income streams that bring me the most joy.