Work Catalog Development Log #3 - Challenging Myself to Make a Publication

Ever since I started sharing my work online, I've always made sure to make a point of my versatility and multidisciplinarity when it came to discussing the type of work I did. Still very much stand by that sentiment in terms of the mediums I incorporate into my practice. However, when it comes to the actual "bodies" of work produced, I fear there are a few major holes that, as a self-proclaimed illustrator, I should really get around to filling.

My biggest Achilles' heel as a creative has got to be publications.. I have got not a single finished book, magazine, zine, short story/comic column, illustrated article, or anything else of that sort; not one that I would be actually satisfied with anyway. It's a bit bizarre, especially when that's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of "illustration". I have definitely attempted and "finished" some pieces that could technically, in a way, be considered publications, but they're so primitive and unpolished that I would never even think to try and present them as such. This has to change.. STAT.

In one of my previous posts I talked about attempting to make mock-up client work, but I found with time that without a deadline or any sort of external pressure, it's hard for me to actually remember to commit to that task. What I figured I could do instead is working on something I actually feel a drive for, but something that could still fall in the lines of potential client work. 

I've challenged myself to create a single publication over the course of the next 6 months, starting now, September 2026, ending late February 2027. Pretty perfect timing to take on a project like this, considering it's the colder months and there won't be much pull to be outside. 6 months, I think, is relatively short for the type of publication I'm intending on making, but I'm more so focusing on having bits and bobs done, rather than the whole thing. My main goal is to pinpoint for myself what is it exactly that I don't like about my publication-making style and how I can change my approach to it to make it actually enjoyable, and also presentable in the end.

I suppose it would be smarter to start smaller scale and gradually build up to creating a full blown book, but something about this idea I had just really spoke to me and I genuinely believe I can do it! I've already mapped out everything I would like to touch upon within this book and have more or less figured out illustrations and page spreads for the first two sections. I figured working on the book section by section would make it less intimdating than tackling the publication in full with each stage.

This thumbnailed wireframe of the first 2 sections came rather naturally, I had to rework 2 of the spreads as the initial imagery was too primitive for my taste but I'm very satisfied with where it's at now. Some touch ups are to be expected, but this is more or less the style in which the book will be made in. I'm considering including small, 1-2 double page spreads worth of comic-style segments between sections to add another layer to this book, but I'll have to see whether it actually works or if it's a bit too jarring for the flow of the book.

I intend to work on the illustrations of this section very soon, will share the work as it develops! I will also make a separate post introducing/explaining the idea behind the book later on, take this as a sort of teaser offering for now, haha. Very stoked to get this rolling!