Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “You have to be true to yourself, you have to have 100% commitment. If you’re gonna do it, you’ve just gotta do it. You can’t half hit the mark.” ~ Matt B Lewis. Becoming a children’s book illustrator is a dream for many artists, but how can you turn this dream into reality and actually make a decent living from it? In this week’s podcast, Australian children’s book illustrator, Matt B Lewis, reveals how he eventually decided to take the plunge and go freelance after 18 years as a civil servant - a totally unrelated career. Although he never went to art school, Matt has always drawn every single day. And, one day in 2017, he decided to see if he really could turn his hobby into a viable career. Having enrolled in the Illustration Lighthouse program in September 2016, he’d already realized how important it is to find the one thing you love doing most and concentrate on that. So that’s exactly what he did. And, by October, he’d already written, illustrated and published his first book, Monsters in the Garden - a gift to his young daughter. Another picture book for his son followed in February 2017, by which time Matt felt ready to start taking his new creative career to the next stage. But how exactly did he go about doing this? You’ll find out in this week’s inspiring podcast interview. Highlights From This Podcast: Why being self-taught needn’t be a barrier to your art career Why concentrating on the one thing you love doing most is so important How to find out about networking events in your local area Why determination and putting yourself out there are key factors in your success Why having a portfolio to show to prospective clients is crucial How to study and develop your skills as an artist How to quit the day job and finally start doing what you’ve always wanted to do.