My work is primarily in younger children’s books. Not board book age, but picture books and mid-grade. I love working in those areas, but I do have other loves. Loves that I don’t get to play with, on a professional level, very often.
Some of you will know what they are, because if you follow me on Instagram, every so often I break rank and will publish something completely off brand like an abstract art piece I’ve been working on, or a decorative ink folktale illustration.
The latest of these, is my Wednesday’s Child Oracle Cards - a project I’ve been working on for close to a year. I’ve been doing one card at a time, in between client work. They’ve been my lunchtime pet project, my daily wind-down and warm-up tasks.
They aren’t really reflective of my portfolio of work to date, but they’re a stand alone thing. Something personal, just for me and anyone who shares my interest.
The last time I did this was when I created a magic realism graphic novel called The Ghost In The Window.
For me, going off to one side and working on off-brand projects ignites a fire in my belly. It makes me feel creative and fresh and rebellious. It gives me back a sense of what it feels like to be new. It makes me take a risk. And risks are important - you put yourself out there. You continue to test yourself and push the boundaries of what you can do. It’s how you grow.
I’m not saying you should abandon what you do best, but every now and then, throw a curveball - you never know what doors it might open professionally, or personally.