I think all artists should find time to create without any client in mind doing so leads to breakthroughs in style, skill, and so on. For every ten commissioned projects, I will usually find some time to work on something personal, just to experiment and play. My equation for success in this area is roughly 10:1. How do you balance creating art for fun and for work? helps a great deal and frees me up to focus as much as possible on the creative side of my business.

Having systems in place for invoicing, accounting, etc. This juggling act is not easy, and I am constantly looking for ways to streamline processes or delegate certain responsibilities to other parties. Hey there, Kyle! So between your illustration work, creating brushes, and creating children’s books, you’re a Jack of many art trades! How do you balance juggling so many projects all at once?

Check out the interview below! And check out Kyle’s brushes and his Instagram where you can find out about great deals and freebie brushes included in some of his brush packs! We talked to Kyle about how he broke into the freelance world, what advice he has for artists trying to do the same, how he balances art for fun with art for work, and much, much more. In addition to being a rockstar illustrator, he also creates Photoshop brushes that have become an industry standard, used by animators and artists at Disney and Pixar. This Jack (and master) of many art trades is an award-winning illustrator, educator, and now children’s book author whose clients include The New Yorker, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and Entertainment Weekly (just to name a few). When it comes to artists who have found a way to break into and thrive in the freelance world, there is almost no better example than Kyle T.

Kyle's real watercolor brushes