Lessons from 2025

Dear Reader,

I’m writing to you from my childhood bedroom in Melbourne Australia, whilst the walls no longer resemble the taste of a 12 year old millennial, the trinkets left behind are a gracious reminder that life is filled with memories and lessons— the best of which are usually unplanned. The year hosted some incredible memories for me, both professionally and personally, but it also had some lessons scheduled that I hadn’t studied for.

2025 was most definitely a… year, between the global happenings and AI looming in every new tech update I can’t say I’m not happy to bid it farewell. However I’m not here to discuss global gripes but rather to reflect on all the last 12 months has brought me professionally, the good, the bad and the moments in-between.

2025 contained

• 10 US conventions

• 4 new clients

• 4 panels

• 3 store events

• 2 returning clients

• 2 international conventions

• 2 gallery showings

• My first SDCC panel

• My first NYCC exclusive

Looking back I feel like 2025 had a lot of peaks! Gaining Roku as a client, designing a BATMAN logo, traveling to India for Comic Con India and Brazil for CCXP, as well as landing my first NYCC exclusive all had me feeling on top of the world. I also got to host my first SDCC panel with a group of people who greatly inspire me!

A big year of firsts! A big year of panels and international shows! I also had the most heart warming experience at ECCC, a woman approached my table with a large box and introduced herself, explaining that about 6 years ago she hired me to draw a commission of her and her boyfriend for their anniversary. She had the piece printed years ago and had brought it to the show in hopes that I would be able to sign it. You always hope the commissions you create, especially the personal ones are meaningful to the recipients and to see that first hand was a memorable moment.

2025 also had one big pit, I went the longest I’ve ever gone as a freelancer without work. I was solely relying on conventions as income for the first part of the year, which really got to me both emotionally and financially. I felt desperate for work in a way that I never have before, I struggled to listen to others discuss their success and at times even work that had nothing to do with me. This in turn made it hard to create, I felt a euphoric high when I could get into the work I was doing but battled to start new pieces. It might be safe to say that in 2025 I produced the least amount of personal work since starting this journey but what I did create had a huge growth.

I know a lot of artists are curious how the books look at the end of the year, what made money and what didn’t. For me 2025 ended up being a similar financial breakdown to 2024, my earnings were split fairly evenly between conventions and freelance, with a splash of cash from gallery shows.

With a rough break down of:

• 50% Conventions

• 40% Freelance

• 7% Online

• 3% Gallery Sales
  

I kept my online store closed for a majority of the year so there was very little income from this. Trying to run an online store and freelance full time is challenging, I don’t have the time to manage orders in the way I would like when I’m focused on freelance. Now I only open the store for 2 week blocks when I know I can manage the work load.

Cons had a crazy growth at the start of the year, the emotional spending was a real high for everyone! It made for a fabulous start to the con circuit, being able to walk away from a show up on last year and feeling that your work landed with the audience is a big confidence boost! And something that kept me going through the darker moments in the first half of the year.

It mellowed out towards November but overall profits were up around 25% on 2024. I culled a lot of shows from my 2025 circuit, being tight on money at the start of the year I had to balance the risk reward from pervious years and choose my investments wisely. Success at a show doesn’t happen by accident, knowing the market, knowing your audience and presenting well all contribute to continued success. Every year I make sure that if I’m returning to a city I have new pieces to show my regulars, and that I’m culling stock that no longer serves me.

There are so many metrics to measure how successful a show is— new connections, new customers, general awareness of your brand, returning customers, email sign ups and generally connecting with like minded folks. The following are my best and worst shows of 2025, I’ve only included shows that I paid my way on for this breakdown.

SDCC

I hadn’t tabled at SDCC since 2021, it felt so good to be back! The artist alley went off— a biggggggg thank you to everyone who braved the crowded isles to come and support us! With 4 ft of display space per artist and isles that attendees shuffle though its most definitely an experience.

As desperate as ever for work I was determined to make every second of SDCC count. I can safely say I was burning the candle at both ends, on the show floor from 9am-7pm and then at events all night in hopes someone with any kind of hiring power or will to collaborate is looking for a color loving vector illustrator with some graphic design skills.

The dedication paid off and I left SDCC with record profits and a number of new connections, some of which eventually grew into job opportunities.

C2E2

C2E2 fell at the start of the year when the emotional spending was at an all time high, profits were up about 30% on last year which is crazy. Chicago always brings the love but this year it was BIG! I always want to meet fans with the same enthusiasm as they bring so I pour a lot of love into my prep for C2E2, Chicago has the highest rate of returning customers for me so I like to make sure I’m offering up something new year on year. I always leave C2E2 with a full heart and this year was no exception!

LA Comic Con

I continue to drag myself to LA Comic Con because it’s 30mins from my house. This year they rearranged the halls and put artist alley in the basement carpark of the building. My table was located in a compact park, which really set the tone for the weekend. LA is unfortunately a city that has more industry than fans, the attendance is never poor but the engagement is low considering.

All in all it’s a low lift show for me, my expenses are just the table. I tell myself I can either sit home and make no money or set up my table and earn some cash whilst hanging out with friends. The latter feels like the wiser move, you never know what the show might bring!

Florida Super Con

I love ReedPop! these guys truly look after us at every show they run including Florida Super Con. The unfortunate part of this show is that its attendance is heavily dependent on the guest line up, and your position on the show floor is paramount to your success. This year I was in the last row of artist alley and it didn’t do me any favors. There also isn’t a lot of networking opportunities at this show as it swings more anime, leaving profits as the main metric. It was one of the least profitable shows I did for the year, not the worst so I’ll consider it for 2026.

I’ve spent the last two years in perpetual panic that design and illustration jobs are going to dry up. Whilst there has been a decline in job availability I don’t think the landscape is as desolate as the media make it out to be. I met up with one of my managers for an end of year drink and her wisdom after being in the industry for 30 years ended the drought. With a kind smile she told me she’s seen this before, it ebbs and flows but the best thing you can do during the dryer periods is to take any work within the industry you want to be in. Because when the job market fills back up you will be the one who still has the relevant experience and skill growth.

Most of the freelance opportunities and work I gained in 2025 came from talking to other creators and editors at conventions. I can’t stress enough how much this matters, how much easier it is to get a reply from someone who has met you and remembers you as a real person not a handle. I want to talk more about this in another telegram so I’ll save the smaller details for later!

You can’t create when you are in a bad headspace, recognize when social media or industry conversations are doing more damage than good and take a break. It will all be waiting for you when you are ready to reengage.

Thank you, dear readers for your support, for stopping past at shows, for buying my work for sending words of encouragement and for reading this telegram! I’m looking forward to seeing what 2026 has in store, I hope you will join me for this next chapter.

Drop me a comment if there is anything specific you would like me to share in these updates, I’m always open to suggestions.

Happy New Year! May 2026 bring much love, warmth and peace to you all.