Today’s episode is all about you, our dear listeners! Ping, Sarah, and Dorien will be answering your questions this week on The Thriving Women Artist’s Podcast. Find out what the trio have to say about getting the right tools for the job, dealing with your inner critic, going from digital to a sketchbook, if talent is more important than hard work, and many more useful tips to help you create the art you love.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   Remember that you’re doing it for yourself, and you’re allowed to treat yourself to the things you want to do. Importance can only be assigned by you, it doesn’t have anything to do with time or money if you don’t want it to. If you want to make art then you should first of all do it for the love of doing it. If you were a plumber, you would make sure you buy all the tools you need, so why not do that as an artist. Good quality supplies will often make it easier, but it doesn’t have to be loads of the expensive kinds, you can also experiment with other materials. Being an artist isn’t about how much you sell, or if you even sell anything at all. Anyone can call themselves an artist if they’re creating something. If you’re taking part in courses, work out what you want to learn from it before you start. It took Ping a while to work that out after starting course after course after course. They can be a good place to just practice, and maybe you’ll find something new that you are passionate about.     BEST MOMENTS  ‘If it makes you feel good making art then you should do it’ ‘Without art, I would have never survived’ ‘Don’t focus on the end result, focus on the process’ ‘Style isn’t something you choose, it’s like your personality’   EPISODE RESOURCES Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Dutch Illustrators’ event Children’s Book Illustration Summer School Bologna Children’s Book Fair   ABOUT THE PODCAST   A serious and fun podcast for female creatives hosted by Ping, Dorien and Sarah, three happy artists from Amsterdam.  This podcast will inspire you to make a living out of your art. We welcome you to be part of this community of like-minded people. www.thrivingwomenartists.com www.instagram.com/twapodcast    ABOUT THE HOSTS   Ping He Ping is a watercolor artist. Her work is inspired by nature and her motherhood experience. She develops her greeting cards brand and teaches Botanical Illustration courses online and offline. www.pinghe.art [email protected] www.instagram.com/pinghe.art   Sarah van Dongen Sarah is a children’s book illustrator and visual artist. She takes her sketchbooks and art supplies everywhere, which results in illustrations based on observation and daily life. www.sarahvandongen.com [email protected] www.instagram.com/sarahvandongenillustrations   Dorien Bellaar: Dorien is an illustration artist. Her work is mainly focused on illustration for children, editorial/food illustration, hand lettering, and she likes to combine those into both traditional and digital art. www.dorienbellaar.nl [email protected] www.instagram.com/dorienbellaar See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.