12 Comments
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Mark Harding's avatar

A lovely story how you became an illustrator! Sometimes in life our journeys take us on exciting, unexpected paths! Your illustrations are ace.

I've recently got into painting/drawing again after last doing it at high school over 25 years ago. Saw your work on X. I was a primary teacher (mainly teaching 4/5 year olds) for 17 years, now a library manager in a college. Love books, love kids books, love learning! Finding my drawing style and definitely edging towards more illustration style. Who knows where my journey will take me?!? Excited to find out 😃

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Emma Clarke's avatar

That’s so exciting! Also, I would LOVE to work in a library. When I started trying to illustrate it felt like something I should have been doing all along. I love it! X

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Ali Bridge's avatar

Well done! I love that you did the voice version, I rarely can get through reading them, but just listened while I worked....great voice. Too bad the Friday Doodle Club is no longer.

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Emma Clarke's avatar

I’m the same! I love a podcast so all of my posts on here will be recorded! X

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Carol's avatar

Hi Emma! Fellow Good Shipper here, I enjoyed your first Substack, and learned we have two other things in common — writing first, and teaching. It was actually during Covid online teaching that I started drawing digitallly so I could embellish the work I was assigning the Grade One class. I also had trouble saying I was an illustrator for a long time (oh, there’s another similarity!). The Good Shipper course definitely helped.

Love your crab, it’s adorable, and congratulations on getting an agent, that is awesome😊

Carol

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Emma Clarke's avatar

Ah amazing!!! Thank you - I wrote it in the spur of the moment with very little clue as to what I was doing haha!

What is it that you teach?

Xx

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Substories's avatar

Thank you for posting this,it’s given me some insight on possible next steps I could take :)

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Emma Clarke's avatar

Let me know how you get on! X

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Rob Swinney's avatar

Hi Emma, nice little read. I’m currently how you got your agent. Glad things are going well for you.

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Emily Haines Studio's avatar

What a beautiful story, and thankyou for the audio. It's so lovely hearing the real human element to your journey.

May I ask any tips for finding both critique and an agent? Is critique important to you as an illustrator or is it more about trusting your own judgement? I'm talking personal projects, portfolio work.

Thanks for your snippet into your world 🌎 🙏

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Alison Morrell's avatar

Hi Emma, this is a lovely post! I am enjoyed reading your journey so far and your illustrations are great. I am setting up my Substack I am currently struggling with the notion that 1. What I have to say is not of interest to anybody 2. (Linked to 1), as a Instagram survivor will anybody actually care! I love your open and honest post it spurs me on to think that it will be ok and I can do this! Thank you

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Emma Clarke's avatar

Thank you. This is so nice of you to say especially as I’ve since panicked and over thought it! X

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