Ever wondered what a full-time illustrator actually does all day? People imagine we drift around painting magical creatures, sipping tea from a mug shaped like a woodland animal, and generally floating through life in a creative haze. The truth is basically that… plus emails, deadlines, and at least one dog wiping their face on my trousers.
Here’s a little behind-the-scenes peek at a very British illustrator’s very normal, slightly chaotic workday. There is creativity, there is structure, and there are a lot of snacks.
6:00am
Rise and try to shine
The dogs have absolutely no concept of lie ins so I’m up early whether I like it or not. Once they’ve nagged me out of bed, I jump on the elliptical for a quick twenty minute session to convince my body it’s alive, then straight into the shower so I can feel vaguely human. After that it’s breakfast time which is always porridge and a proper cuppa. The first sip of tea is basically the moment my soul reboots.
7:30am
Dogs, tidying and general morning chaos
This part of the morning is all about resetting the house and entertaining the dogs. Sometimes it’s a quick tidy and sorting out whatever chaos mysteriously appeared overnight, and sometimes it’s me lying on the floor with the dogs while they climb all over me. If it’s cold, we all end up snuggled under a warm blanket like one big furry duvet. It’s not glamorous but it’s very cosy and it gets me ready to actually start the workday. This is followed by a bowl of porridge and my very first cup of tea for the day!
8:30am
Inbox adventures
Emails, messages, and the occasional “can you draw me for free” request. Spoiler: no. It’s not glamorous admin but it keeps the rest of the day running smoothly.
9:00am
Project 1: diving into today’s children’s book
Time to properly settle in. This morning I’m working on polished sketches for the latest “Skyler’s Space Adventures” story by the incredibly talented (and impressive) Auntie KC. This is the stage where all the rough ideas start looking like actual illustrations. I’m refining lines, fixing proportions, adjusting expressions and getting everything nice and clear so the final artwork later on feels effortless. It’s one of my favourite parts because the characters really start to come alive but without the pressure of final shading or lighting yet. Depending on how complicated the page is, these usually take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours each!
10:30am
Green tea break
Hydration equals inspiration. Also my mug collection demands attention. It’s green tea so I can try to be healthy and avoid the biscuit tin!
10:45am
Back to the cosmos
Back into the cosmos I go. I’m tightening up poses, refining the little details and making sure the storytelling in each sketch is clear and expressive. This is the slow but satisfying part where everything starts feeling intentional. I usually end up zooming in way too far to perfect tiny lines no one will ever notice except me, but it’s all part of making the final artwork flow smoothly later.
12:30pm
Lunch and a little brain break
Food, a scroll through Instagram and a quick moment where I consider running away to a treehouse studio in the woods. Then back to reality.
1:15pm
Project 2: book design and formatting
Switching gears. Laying out text, adjusting spacing and choosing fonts that say “this book is delightful and professional” but do not shout “Comic Sans.” It’s basically doing a puzzle while also doing art.
3:00pm
Tea break number three
No apologies. This one comes with biscuits.
3:15pm
Project juggling time
This part of the afternoon is a mix of quick design jobs and small edits for clients. Today that means updating a brochure for a retainer client and then switching over to some A plus content tweaks for an author’s Amazon listing. It’s lots of little tasks like adjusting fonts, tidying layouts and swapping images (including today’s challenge which was simply replacing a dog with a fluffier dog). It’s steady, satisfying work and always feels good to tick things off the list.
5:15pm
Wrap up for the day
Time for one last sweep of the inbox, sending any invoices that need to go out and writing tomorrow’s to do list. Once everything is organised, I do a quick tidy of my desk, stretch my legs and reset the space so it feels fresh for the next morning.
5:45pm
Evenings, cosy chaos and winding down
Once work is done, it’s straight into comfy clothes and something warm for dinner. After that it’s usually a mix of relaxing and gentle pottering around the house. I’ll play a bit of Disney Dreamlight Valley while the dogs cause mayhem around me, usually involving Misty dropping a ball in my lap every thirty seconds like it’s a national emergency. Later I put on a feel good film and grab my sketchbook to doodle ideas for upcoming projects. It keeps my creative brain happy without feeling like work.
Then it’s skincare, pyjamas, a bit of reading and finally bed. Sometimes it’s a sensible early night and sometimes it’s two hours lost in a book but either way it’s the perfect little wind down after a full colourful day.
So there you have it. A day in my life. A mix of colour, caffeine and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. Being a freelance illustrator means wearing many hats. Artist, admin, designer, tea enthusiast and professional dog snuggler. Honestly I wouldn’t change a thing.
Thinking of writing your own book or need help bringing your story to life
Let’s chat. I promise I’ll reply right after tea break number four. 😉