Some Thoughts on Setting Goals

 At the beginning of the year, I realized I was not drawing enough. I set a goal to complete 1 illustration a week. So far, I have been doing really well, just 3 weeks behind. Some would say I am not meeting my goal, in a sense this is true. But I like to look at it a different way. I have now completed 22 illustrations that would not have been done. That is pretty impressive.

This one is an example of a worms eye view. It is part of my series of different of camera shots that I am using in my Visual Narrative class (I am also illustrating my own images for my classes instead of using others work).

Progress

There is great value to working on something slowly over time. Years ago I was asked to create a mural. As stated earlier, for various reasons this project had been sidelined (There is new hope that it will be seen on a wall). Despite the setbacks, I continued to work on it. I added a character here and there working on it a few minutes almost every day.  

Now, after years of small updates, the image is getting closer to being finished. Still not happy with the background colors of fall and summer and I still have a number of Vermont animals to add to the Fall section. but it is coming along.

I moved the grey fox to the winter portion and I am working on a new tractor to place in the Fall. I think it will be driven by a Labrador retriever. I am also trying to decide if the cow should be jumping over the moon (not sure if I want to go that cliche).

It feels good to have this much done.

Happy Holidays!

 I hope that everyone on can find some peace and rest this holiday season.

This year's holiday illustration is from a sketch I made of the Eltz Castle from my visit to Germany in the Spring of 2026.

How to get through challenging art problems.

Often in illustration you come across a very complex visual problem. In this case I am working on developing the visual for the Wampahoofus, a Vermont cryptid that is a mix between a hog and a deer with one side of its legs taller than the other. This helps it easily walk around a mountain. The challenge I presented myself is how to depict it walking on level ground.

The solution, draw and test things out in sketches. This is only one page. I am getting closer to something I like, but I am not there yet.

This kind of exploration is invaluable to a strong visual concept and drawing.

More That Connects Us…

 

I am excited that 6 of my zoom portrait series “Zoomed Out” will be on display at the the Satellite Gallery exhibit's “More That Connects Us.” These are a collection of sketches that I work on while I am in my many Zoom meetings. I started them during COVID and just kept going with them. I have hundreds of them now that many of my meetings are still virtual. 

The exhibit opens on January 10 from 5-7 pm 

Happy Holidays!

 Wishing everyone a Happy Holidays! – Barclay

Puzzled!

 

I recently partnered with Vermont Puzzle and started the Barclay Collection of puzzles featuring my illustration work! The Vermonotaur puzzle is now available to purchase! 

The puzzle features the Vermonotaur, a solitary creature that roams Vermont helping collect sap for sugarers and other good deeds. It is a 12x18 inch 345 piece puzzle that has been individually printed (no mass production. 

If you are interested in purchasing one you can visit my site at barclay-studio.com

Hopefully, more puzzles will be coming soon.

New Book and Lessons Learned

 I recently had the wonderful opportunity to Illustrate and design "A Girl Named Gitta,” a series of stories about the childhood of Brigitta Straumer Clyde.

I will be writing more about how I got the job, and why I chose to illustrate a self-published book in a future post. Here I want to share something I learned about the process of illustrating a book and meeting deadlines.

Yesterday, while discussing procrastination and burnout in one of my classes, a student of mine shared the idea that we should do the vanilla first and then make the banana split. As I thought about this profound statement about getting the basics done and then if you have time, you add the topping, I realized that is how I approached this book. 

In order to meet deadlines at a very busy time of my life, I got out the basics first. For example, in the image below I got the idea out. 

I wasn't happy with it. I knew it could be better, but I had to get something done. At this point I didn't know how to fix it, so I submitted the preliminary black and white image. At this point this was one of my least favorite pages. The authors were happy with it, but I knew it could be better. 

Once I was finished with the line drawing for the whole book, I went in and reworked my least favorite images. This was the result.

I then went on to the next image I was not happy with and found a better solution. I used this process until each page was at a point I could be happy with. 

So, if you are overwhelmed with too much to do, do the basics first. Then if you have time, add the good stuff.

 

The Play's the Thing: Gallery Exhibit

On Wednesday, September 15 from 5 to 7 I will be exhibiting my work at the Satellite Gallery in Lyndonville, Vermont. I will be showing over 25 years of theater posters as well as other examples of me playing around.

Here is a description of the show:

My work is all about play, whether it's a poster for an actual play (I love theater), or it is me playing around with my bow tie guys, recording my travels with on-sight sketching, or illustrating children’s books and coloring pages; it is me having fun. It is me trying to bring that sense of joy and fun to others.

My Journey: Illustrating for Free (The Reasons I Do Pro Bono Work)

I recently finished this illustration and design for the Cabot Community Theaters production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. All my time and work was donated to the theater to help them. This included the above design and a black and white version for t-shirts.

I believe that as an artist, I should get paid for the work I do. Generally, when someone asks if I can do free work, my response is no. I also believe in giving to others. There are many organizations out there that just don’t have the finances to hire a good designer or illustrator, but they can benefit from the work we do. 

The pro bono work that I do is mostly for not-for-profit organizations that are doing something that I can support. To date this has been largely for children’s theaters. They are trying to do so much good for so many with so little. These organizations need all the help they can get. 

One friend of mine said that doing pro bono work for not for profits was what lead him to start his own design business. The not-for-profit organizations all had board members that worked for other for profit companies. When they needed work, they were already familiar with what he did. He was then hired and paid and continued to get repeat customers.

Although this would be a nice benefit to my donating my work, it is not the reason why I do pro bono work.

There are a few times I have needed to make sure I am not taken advantage. In these situations, I have found that reminding people how much the work would be if I was not donating my time and skills to them would be has been effective. 

I value the opportunity to do pro bono work for the following reasons. 

• I know they are in need.

• I get to work on really fun projects with little art direction.

• When I am not busy with other paid work, it gives me a deadline to do something more for my portfolio. 

• I have a higher level of creative freedom.

• It gives me an opportunity to explore process, medium and style.

• I like to help others out.

• I love the organizations I help (I really love theater).

• Did I mention it is fun.

My Journey: Dealing with Discouragement

My Probllama

I hit another low point this week. Monday was great. I was focused and got things moving along. When Wednesday hit it was quite a different story. I had the day planned out like I usually do, but then it all fell apart. Instead of working on illustration and marketing like I planned, I spent the day driving around for various appointments. I got more and more frustrated as the day progressed.

The most common thoughts that ran through my head was “why do I even try? What is the point of all of this?” Other things seem to constantly demand my time making it impossible for me to do what I want to do and what I need to do in order to get my illustration business going stronger. With these thoughts running through my head, I spiraled down to “I have been working on this for so long with no one wanting to hire me for illustration work.“ I began to question if I was any good at what I was doing. Again, the thought keep coming, “What is the point? I should just give up and do something else.” I was demoralized, discouraged and angry. I felt like everyone, my job, my family, everyone was intent on holding me back from my dream. 

This is a common feeling for me. It is something that crops up on a semi regular basis. Sometimes it last for days, other times it is just a few moments of self-doubt. As I questioned my attempts to get more illustration work this week, one message was also consistent. It was a still small voice that kept recurring to me. “Keep on the track you are going on. Just keep going.” As I held on to this other thoughts started to come.

First, “adjust your expectations.” Part of the frustration I am having is that I keep thinking that I should be where I want to be now. This is a deadline I have imposed on myself based on what others are doing and what I think should be happening. I have to remind myself that there is no set or specific tie as to when everything will work out. 

Second, (I have said this before and I say it often to my students.) Be patient. The difference between those that are successful in the visual arts and those that are not comes down to sticking with it and not giving up. One needs grit, diligence, and determination.  

Third, I needed to recognize that what I was doing on Wednesday was far more important that what I had planned. I needed to put things in the proper priority. I was helping my children, my family, and I was helping other people. This coupled with adjusting my expectations helps me to realize that sending out a number of portfolios to potential clients can wait a day or two. 

Fourth, help someone else. At the end of the day, I had the opportunity to be of service to others. Although I was still frustrated with my lack of time when I started helping, by the end I was in a better mindset. I was able to get out of my focus on myself and focus on others. This further helped me put things into perspective. I was able to think more clearly and move forward in a more positive manner. 

I also pray a lot for help.

I am doing better.

Now I am just continuing to move in the direction I have been going, even though it is so much slower than I expected.

My Journey: Directory of Illustration

You can now see my work in the Directory of Illustration!

 One of the challenges of being an independent artist is finding people to buy your work or to hire you to do work for them. Any artist should have a website. I have received a number of jobs from clients finding me on social media as well. But this is not enough. Similar to my comments about diversifying what you offer to build a solid table you need to diversify how you get seen by potential clients. 

Last year I took a big leap and purchased ad space in the Directory of Illustration. To date nothing has come from it. Despite the lack of work, I do not see this as a negative thing. This is a learning process; I cannot expect that clients will be knocking down my door immediately. I have been impressed with the sales reps at DI. They have been very good at giving me pointers and helping me refine my web portfolio through them. 

Regularly, I tell my students that they cannot expect to get work immediately upon graduation. The difference between those that are successful in the visual arts and those that are not, comes down to sticking with it and not giving up. One needs grit, diligence, determination, and patience. There will be more on patience in future posts I am sure.  

I have had many moments of discouragement, but I keep reminding myself, like I remind my students that it takes time to build a business. It takes time to find clients. 

You can see my Directory of Illustration page here. You can also see many more talented illustrators at the site.

The Benefits of Daily Practice Part II: Discovering Your Personal Style

For years I struggled with my art. I saw so many people that I thought were better artists than me. I wanted to draw like so and so, or paint like someone else. Try as I might, I could never rise to their ability. A few years after graduating from college, I started my MA in Illustration at Syracuse University. Here I was able to study under some great illustrators like Murray Tinkelman (1933-2016), C.F. Payne, and Bunny Carter. I learned so much there, but the work I produced was not good. 

Around 7 years later, I applied for the MFA program at The University of Hartford, Hartford Art School. I was again able to study under the direction of Murray. One day while working, He came by my desk, looked at my work, and said “Barclay, what happened? The work you were doing at Syracuse was horrible. This stuff is good!” 

I responded that I had been reflecting on the work I do in my sketchbook and realized that this was what and how I enjoyed drawing. 

He responded “Well keep it up!”

I had been keeping a sketch book and drawing in it regularly since I graduated from high school. I drew what I wanted to draw in it and how I felt like drawing. But for whatever reason, until that point at Hartford, I didn’t look at what was in my sketchbook as anything of value. I thought everyone expected me to be like other artists – to draw their way. Kimon Nicolades in his book, The Natural Way to Draw said “There is only one right way to draw and that is a perfectly natural way.” I had found my natural way to draw.

Drawing daily, drawing without pressure from the outside world, and drawing free of criticism and judgement can help you discover your own artistic voice and help you realize your own right way to draw and create art. 

I am still influenced by other’s work. I still strive to be better, but now I learn from other artists and apply it to the right way to draw – my way to draw. I have years of sketchbooks and a few incredible instructors that have allowed me the freedom to recognize this.

If you are interested in The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolades it is a wonderful book that was recommended to me by a wonderful painter and friend Frank Magleby (1928-2013) you can get it here.

For more information on the University of Hartford, Hartford Art school's limited residency Illustration MFA you can visit here.

You can also see Murray Tinkelman, and C.F. Payne illustrations.

Personal Project: My Shakespeare Series, Henry VI part II

A few years ago, I set a goal to read all of William Shakespeare's plays and do an illustration for each. 

In Henry VI part II act 2 scene 3, after Gloucester is found dead, Suffolk is accused without evidence. The Earl of Warwick gives the following reason:

Who finds the partridge in the puttocks nest

But may imagine how the bird was dead,

although the kite soar with unbloodied beak?

Even so suspicious is this tragedy.

This image of the kite hovering over a nest struck me. It seemed to say so much more than just the murder of Gloucester.   I replaced the puttock's nest (a bird of prey like a kite) with the crown to emphasize the idea of the impending coup. I chose the black-winged kite because of the blood red eyes gave the illustration a more menacing foreboding appearance. 

To date I have read King John through Henry VI part II in order of the sequence of their action. It wasn't until reading this one that I came up with my first image. I think I will have to go back and review the others again for more ideas.

Setting up a Table

 

My online store is now open for business!

I created a business plan years ago when I was taking my illustration business class at the University of Hartford, Hartford Art School in the Illustration MFA program. In it, I focused only on getting into the children’s picture book market. Jim Carson (1952 - 2014), the instructor for the illustration business class, told me not to put all of my eggs into one basket.

A few years ago, I was watching an interview with an Illustrator and Animator, Jake Parker, on a show called The New Creatives. In it he explained that he sees his career and supporting himself like a table. “you put legs under the table to hold it up. The more legs you have under that table, the more stable it is, and if something is swept out from under it, you’ve got all these other legs holding it up.”

I learned this the hard way when over 19 years ago I was laid off from my graphic design job, found another job, and then was laid off again within two months. I realize I need more legs to support my table. I have been relying mostly on my teaching, but I know from past experience that things can change in an instant and that one support can be gone. 

As part of this journey, I am creating more legs to better support my table. The first leg is my teaching. The second is my efforts to get into the picture book market. The third leg is selling my work online. I am also in the process of developing more legs.

You can see what work is available to purchase at my website 

https://www.barclay-studio.com/online-store 

and find other places to buy my work at this subpage 

https://www.barclay-studio.com/other-places-to-buy-my-work

If you see something of mine that you want that I currently do not offer or want to commission me to do any work, let me know. 

I will also be updating the store regularly so visit often!

Opening night at the Quimby Gallery

It was a wonderful opening night at the faculty art exhibit in the Quimby Gallery this evening. This was an opportunity to exhibit my whale illustration and a number of my recent sketches. What was even better was the amount of students and faculty that showed up. 

My Journey, The Beginning

My Journey, The Beginning

I believe in practicing what you preach. 

One of the things I have been telling my students a lot lately is that they need to tell their story, and get out there work out in the world. It is how people will better connect with their art. So, this is my story–my journey as an artist and an illustrator. My hope is that this will help others that have chosen the same path. I hope to inspire, and I hope to help others not make the same mistakes I have made on my journey. There have been plenty. 

I received inspiration for this from a few places. The first was realizing that my education did a great deal in teaching me how to draw and illustrate, but did little in the way of showing me how to get work. The second was during my studies at Low Residency MFA Illustration Program at the Hartford Art School, Hartford University with Murray Tinkelman. The other is the book Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon, which is a great read with simple, but not easy, advice for any visual artist. I will speak on each in future posts.

In addition to regularly posting my current work I will be posting a weekly conversation on a subject around becoming a visual artist. Some of this will be from my class discussions and others will be from people that have inspired and helped me along the way.

I am not where I want to be as an illustrator. I have been doing small jobs here and there, but I have not gotten the amount of work I want. So, this will also be a journey of discovery for me as I try new things and keep plugging along.

I hope you enjoy the trip.

If you are interested in an incredible MFA illustration program, I highly recommend the One at the Hartford Art School. You can find it here: https://hartfordillustration.com

If you want to read Show Your Work! you can purchase it here: https://www.amazon.com/Show-Your-Work-Austin-Kleon/dp/076117897X

Or, you can find out more about Austin Kleon here:  https://austinkleon.com

Reworking a past personal project and other thoughts on productivity

I have set some goals again to do more art work. Overall, I have been good about making time to draw on a daily basis. The next step is to complete more illustrations. This is proving to be more difficult as my day gets away from me often because of other responsibilities. I find that scheduling an hour or so a day to work is really helpful.

Today I started to rework one of the “A is for Alliteration” illustrations as it was just not working. This one is for the letter B. The first time I worked on it, it was too rushed. Now I am spending time making sure I am happy with how I am depicting different characters. Trying to get the positioning of the elephant with the bagpipes was proving to be rather difficult. The best way to solve it is through multiple sketches. Trying different things.

Ernest Shepard

Last Friday I spent a few hours in the Winnie the Pooh exhibit at the MFA in Boston with my students from the Visual Arts Program at Northern Vermont University. I was awestruck by the beauty of Ernest Shepard's drawings. I had always loved them, but they took new meaning as I looked at the originals.

First, I loved his trees. They are so full of life, twisted and beautiful. I spent time drawing them to get a better sense of how he did it and then I spent time the next day drawing trees from observation. I hope to do more.

 I spent a great deal of time learning from a master. I was astounded by how he created so much personality with a tilt of the head and a few simple lines. It says so much about Winnie the Pooh, who he is and what he is thinking. These are things I will be pondering and applying for years to come.

Wallace Tripp (1940-2018)

In 2011 I had the idea to contact one of my favorite illustrators, Wallace Tripp, and invite him to exhibit in the Quimby Gallery at what is now Northern Vermont University. This is a man who's illustrations probably had the most influence on me and my work, and it was only one book that I had and devoured (I have since found more). I love his humor, his wit, and intelligence.

Yesterday, I received word that he passed away at the age of 78. words cannot express how grateful I am to have met him and to have seen his great illustrations. I have been reflecting a great deal on the importance of allowing yourself to be influenced and to have heroes. The importance of taking a leap and asking your heroes to be a part of your life, even if it is for a brief moment, and even if you are deathly afraid of the outcome. I have been thinking of the importance of giving back to others and sharing what you have found.

Wally was a great illustrator, He did all of these things for me and for others. I am glad I was able to tell him what he did for me.

Here is some of his wisdom:

“The experienced illustrator subscribes to the principle of the application of the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair. Should inspiration whisk don your chimney, be at your table.”

“Illustrators are word people who happen to draw. We work with one foot in a book, the other stuck in a paint pot. Our Shoes are a disgrace.”