Thank you for joining our live workshop today!

So grateful you spent your afternoon with us – your energy was brilliant.

The goal of today’s session was to help you reconnect with your creative identity, build confidence in your style, and create with greater clarity and purpose.

Remember – you’re not lost, you’re simply out of alignment. When your values, style, and goals don’t line up, your work can start to feel “off,” but the solution isn’t to start over, it’s to realign.

Many of us get caught in the noise of social media, constant comparison, the pressure to niche down too soon, and the struggle to stay consistent or feel seen.

The key is to look to your north star – your most joyful, personal work. That’s what points the way forward, because a strong creative voice always grows from your values, not from trends.

Watch the replay now:

Skip to the bits you most want to watch

• 00:01 – 00:32 – 8 Tips for Finding Your Voice – Workshop & Exercise
• 00:32 – 00:44 – Case Study: AQUILA x Viki Mladendovski (Live Brief, Bootcamp 2025)
• 00:45 – 00:54 – Community testimonials from Bootcamp alumni Karon Ng & Anja Schwegler
• 00:55 – 01:18 – Course Overview & How it Runs
• 01:18 – 01:30 – Closing Address

The three pillars of a clear creative voice

• Self (Values & Story): What you care about, lived experiences, influences, why you create.
• Style (Visual Language): Recurring choices in shape, colour, texture, materials, composition, mood.
• Strategy (Audience & Context): Who it’s for, where it lives (industries/formats), and how success looks (impact, recognition, freedom – not just income).

8 practical tips to unlock your creative voice

1. Revisit your creative roots — remember why you started.
2. Spot recurring themes — double down on what keeps showing up.
3. Make a “gut board,” not a mood board — collect feelings/ideas beyond other illustrators.
4. Follow what feels easy — ease = signal; first ideas can be the best.
5. Experiment with limits — one colour, one tool, one theme to reduce friction.
6. Use your story — your perspective is your power; it’s not replicable.
7. Share work-in-progress — build confidence and momentum without perfection.
8. Curate to your values — show only work that reflects where you’re headed; less but clearer.

Grab the workshop slides:

Make Your Mark – 8 Tips to Finding Your Voice_Slides

Quick exercise: Creative Alignment Map (5–10 mins)

1. Draw three overlapping circles labelled Values, Style, Audience.

2. In each circle, write 3–5 words:

   • Values: causes/themes you care about; motivations (joy, connection, change…).

   • Style: materials, recurring visual choices, mood/feel.

   • Audience: who it’s for; industries/formats (editorial, packaging, publishing, ads…).

3. Look at the overlaps—highlight repeated words/ideas.

4. Write a one-sentence creative stance from the overlap (e.g., “I create bold, textured narratives about urban nature for editorial and outdoor brands.”)

5. Note one next action you’ll take this week (make 1 piece, share a WIP thread, email 5 target ADs, etc.).

Key Takeaways

• Alignment unlocks confidence & flow and  attracts the right clients and opportunities.

• Create from connection, not comparison.

• Revisit the map weekly to refine direction and keep momentum.

Bootcamp Testimonials

Our Bootcamp alumni joined us to share their experiences and painted a lovely, grounded picture of what Bootcamp feels like in practice. Vicki Mladenovski spoke about how the structure, deadlines, and Art Director-led briefs were “challenging in a good way,” and that her illustration created for our AQUILA brief (above) which was initially shortlisted, led to being commissioned for the contents spread, plus she repurposed a rejected concept into a licensed puzzle with a German brand. Super exciting!

Karon Ng described moving from hobbyist to paid work alongside a full-time design role: building multiple briefs, rebuilding her portfolio, selling prints, and fielding Instagram client inquiries, noting that evening sessions and the “habit tracker” helped her keep a sustainable routine and tick off her New Year goals! Karon was selected by one of our 2025 mentors, Con McHugh for a mini-mentorship off the back of her Bootcamp work.

Returning to Bootcamp for a second year, Anya focused her energy where it mattered most, reflecting on her work for the brief set by Plum Agency that led to a “mini-mentorship” and targeted feedback; a passion project that sparked a colour/style breakthrough; and the Jam Hot branding brief, which produced a more elevated, coherent self-brand – a reminder that “branding isn’t one-and-done; it evolves.”

Ready to turn your illustration practice into a purposeful, paid career?

Make Your Mark Bootcamp is a 9-month journey designed to help illustrators and creatives grow with purpose – building confidence, refining their craft, and turning their creative practice into a sustainable career.

From refining your portfolio and creative voice to building your business and landing client work, Make Your Mark Bootcamp blends artistic growth with the strategy and mindset you need to thrive in the world of commercial illustration.

Reconnect with your creative voice.  Grow your confidence. Get industry-ready! 

Masterclass Speakers & Mentors for Bootcamp 2026: Linn Fritz & Chubby Nida

Open to creatives worldwide, the programme combines live online sessions, guest workshops, and real-world briefs to help you refine your skills, grow your network, and define your creative direction. Whilst primarily designed for artists and illustrators, we also welcome animators, graphic designers, educators, and art directors looking to pivot into illustration.

You’ll work in focused sprints with Integration Weeks to reflect, recharge, and apply what you’ve learned – ideal for balancing creativity with work, life, or family.

Applications are open now – deadline 30th November.

Enrol by 31st October to lock in bonuses (value £249)

We look forward to welcoming you on board. Let’s make 2026 your best year yet!