Illustrator Roundtables 2026

An offshoot of our Illustration Portfolio Reviews! Geared towards early and emerging illustrators, our roundtables will be held adjacent to our reviews at East Room.

Roundtables offer a unique opportunity to connect with fellow creatives in an intimate, small-group environment. Guided by experienced illustration professionals, six themed roundtables will take place during the afternoon of our Illustration Portfolio Review.

Join the discussion, share your questions, and explore new techniques that will expand your creative toolkit. You’ll leave feeling inspired, informed, and ready to take your work to the next level.

You'll be able to join in on 1 to 3 one-hour discussions throughout the afternoon. Roundtables will run two at a time - be sure not to register for two roundtables happening at the same time!

Plus, join in on our Illustration Portfolio Review After-Party! We'll have wine for purchase by our friends at Grape Witches, and snacks by Pasta Forever. Entry is free for those attending a roundtable.

Roundtable Topics:

2PM - Ryan Snook on Developing Your Personal Style

2PM - Ally Reeves on In-House Illustration

3PM - Holly Stapleton on Making a Life as an Illustrator

3PM - Salini Perera on the Illustrator’s Contribution to a Picture Book

4PM - Meredith Holigroski on Editorial Pricing

4PM - Jackie @ Secret Planet on Understanding Retail: Getting Your Work Into Stores and Onto Shelves

See full descriptions in the Agenda below.

Info: How do you develop a style that feels right, and what happens when you discover that you don’t have to have just one?

Drawing on over two decades of a professional illustration career, I will share my experience developing distinct illustration styles and working across different markets and audiences. This roundtable will explore the influences, experimentation, failures, discoveries, and practical realities that shape an illustrator’s visual voice and how developing a style can be your greatest strength.

An open conversation about finding your voice, knowing when to follow your instincts, and allowing your style to evolve as your career and interests change.

Info: It’s easy to think that an illustration career can only look one way. We generally imagine a freelance career, where you collaborate with designers or art directors but often work solo. We don’t often consider the larger skillset we have as creatives, beyond just our finished illustrations. In my experience as an in-house illustrator I've learned that an illustrator's strength as a creative problem solver can make us an enormous asset to creative teams. In this round table discussion I will share my experience of working in-house and developing illustration styles to strengthen brands. We’ll touch on the pros and cons of working in-house and how illustrators might make careers for themselves outside the freelance norm.

Info: Drawing on eight years as a professional illustrator, I’ll share how my interest in art snowballed into a meaningful career. I’d like to discuss what I’ve learned about letting go of expectations and creating the conditions for ideas to flow. I hope to place an emphasis on the importance of daydreaming and drawing from your own life as well as the value of personal projects.

I’ll also candidly share what my working life looks like eight years in, and open up the conversation to the practical realities of illustration—from clients and agencies to pricing, finances, and everything in between.

Info: What happens between receiving a manuscript and holding the finished book in your hands?

Drawing on my experience as a picture-book illustrator, I’ll take you through the process of creating a book from an illustrator’s perspective; from interpreting the manuscript and developing initial ideas to visual research, character and world building, sketches, revisions, and final artwork.

Using examples from one of my recent books, I’ll share a behind-the-scenes look at the creative decisions, challenges, discoveries, and creative solutions that shape an illustrator’s contribution throughout the process.

The roundtable will then open into a conversation and Q&A about illustration, storytelling, and the many ways an illustrator helps shape the final product.

Info: When an art director reaches out with an assignment, how do you know if the budget is fair? Whether you're making a cover illustration for a magazine or a spot for a newspaper, the numbers will vary but that doesn't mean they're unpredictable. This roundtable will explore the different ways that publications set their budgets, how a contract can protect you, and what you can do to make each job worth your time and talent.

Info: Have you ever wondered how illustrators and designers get their greeting cards on the shelves in gift shops? Or how you can get your wheel thrown ceramics stocked at boutiques across the country? With over 15 years of experience selling my products in stores all over North America and 7 years of experience curating my gift shop, Secret Planet, in this roundtable we can chat about all of it: Pricing, packaging, making catalogues, what factors make shops willing to take a chance on your new brand, and how to make it easy for a retailer to engage with you (which is honestly more than half the battle!) Retail isn't for the faint of heart, but I can hopefully provide some helpful nuggets of wisdom to get you started!

Event venue & nearby stays

EAST ROOM, 50 Carroll Street, Toronto, Canada

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

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