This week we talk to two of the three founders of Studio MUTI, a Cape Town-based creative studio. Miné Day and Brad Hodgskiss share their journey from starting a small illustration studio in 2011 to now managing a vibrant team of 18 creatives with a diverse range of styles and skills — from animation and lettering to icons and digital painting.

Versatility is one of MUTI’s strongest assets. By sharing knowledge, communicating on eye level and a mutual sense of curiosity, they keep on pushing stylistic boundaries and continuously challenge themselves to sustain a shared excitement for the craft. Throughout our conversation, Brad and Miné discuss the difficulties of maintaining artistic versatility, the importance of collaboration, and the balance between creative work and management responsibilities.

Their shared understanding of creative problem solving is to aspire to always create the kind of work they can be proud of and that is worthy of landing a spot in their pristine portfolio. Our conversation also touches on the challenges of balancing creative freedom with financial stability, the dynamics of working in a team with diverse specializations, and the excitement surrounding upcoming projects and events.

Listen, learn and share this episode with all your illustration friends! And while you’re at it: Sign up to Studio MUTI’s online session & workshop at Creative Works East on October 2nd and 4th, 2025.

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FOLLOW MUTI:

Website: studiomuti.co.za

Instagram: @studiomuti

Dribbble: dribbble.com/studioMUTI

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram, Spotify and TikTok.

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. Music by Amanda Deff.

Based in Glasgow, Angela Kirkwood is an illustrator and animator known for her whimsical, topsy-turvy worlds filled with expressive characters that inspire joy and curiosity. Having worked for clients like Adult Swim, Nike and The New York Times, her work is characterized by a unique DIY aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for childhood cartoons. Angela transitioned from a career in graphic design during the pandemic to pursuing animation and illustration full-time.

In this episode, Angela emphasizes the value of seeking inspiration beyond the screen. She shares how stepping away from the computer and immersing herself in real-life experiences fuels her creativity and helps avoid repetition. Angela believes that seeking out inspiration off-line allows for a more personal touch in her work, helping her create authentic art that resonates deeply with audiences.

Angela's approach to character design is both intuitive and intentional, capturing the essence of human emotion in a playful and engaging way. She draws inspiration from everyday interactions, infusing her characters with a sense of joy and underlying complexity. Her characters—although often simple in form—are designed to be easily animated, allowing their personalities to shine through in motion.

She also discusses the importance of community support, the impact of AI on jobs, and why life is hard, but reality TV helps. Listen, learn and stop asking for permission to be your own weird, authentic self.

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MENTIONED LINKS:

• University of Dundee: BDes Illustration
• “The Animator’s Survival Kit” by Richard Williams
• Norman McLaren (Scottish-Canadian animator)
• “Quasi at the Quackadero” (1976) by Sally Cruikshank
• Priit Pärn (Estonian cartoonist & animation director)
• Bravo TV

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FOLLOW ANGELA:

Instagram: @angelakirkwood
Website: angelakirkwood.com
Shop: angelakirkwood.com/shop

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram, Spotify and TikTok.

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff.

In this episode, we talk to award-winning Japanese illustrator Yuko Shimizu (清水裕子) about her journey from quitting a career in corporate PR to becoming a successful artist and educator—highlighting all the challenges and triumphs along the way. Our conversation touches on the importance of self-promotion, how to deal with imposter syndrome, and the role of art education in shaping an artist’s career.

Instead of fixating on what she can’t affect, Yuko focuses on the things she can control. All we can do as illustrators at any given time is to create the best work within our capabilities—the rest is out of our hands. With over 20 years of experience, Yuko shares valuable insights on finding your unique artistic voice, the significance of mental health in creativity, and the importance of giving back to the community.

Working in this field is all about learning to deal with disappointments. Rejection is a normal part of the creative journey and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. This episode is a treasure trove of advice for both aspiring illustrators and seasoned professionals alike. Yuko shares useful tips on how to navigate the creative industry. She emphasizes the need for artists to be genuine, to share knowledge, and to navigate their careers with honesty and humility.

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MENTIONED LINKS:

• Artists: Christoph Niemann, James Jean, Marshall Arisman, Minh Uong, Tomer Hanuka, Shepard Fairey, Marcos Chin, SHOUT (Alessandro Gottardo), David Sandlin, Gary Panter, Chip Kidd
• Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan
• SVA MFA Illustration as Visual Essay
• NYT email format: firstname.lastname@nytimes.com
• Yuko’s FAQ page
• Thanks to Ari Liloan (aka @madeby_ari) for the thoughtful questions.

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FOLLOW YUKO:

Instagram: @yukoart
Behance: be.net/yuko
Facebook: fb.com/pages/Yuko-Shimizu
Website: yukoart.com
Shop: yukoart.bigcartel.com
Yuko’s Skillshare courses
Books: “The Cat Man of Aleppo”, “Up, Up, Ever Up!”, “Barbed Wire Baseball”

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram, Spotify and TikTok.

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff.

Lisa Tegtmeier is a Hamburg-based illustrator who’s known for bold characters, vibrant colors and energetic compositions. Inspired by nostalgic color palettes from the 60s to the 90s, Lisa creates worlds filled with optimism and empowerment. What her characters are lacking in eyes and noses, they wholly make up for in personality. “Emotion comes through movement,” she says “You can express so much through gestures.”

On this week’s episode, Lisa talks to us about how her style has evolved over the years and why it’s important for illustrators to find their niche. She explains how to develop your own voice through experimentation and self-expression, encourages artists to dodge perfectionism and share their work, and—most importantly—to just keep creating.

Lisa also shares openly about burnout, mental health and the pressure of keeping up. Freelance life can be quite hectic, so it’s nice to touch grass every now and then. Other topics include: embracing imperfection, developing healthy habits, the human touch in art, and the joy of doing nothing. We hope you enjoy this conversation like a sparrow in a puddle!

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MENTIONED LINKS:

• Cowgirl boot-shaped mug
• HAW Hamburg: B.A. Illustration / M.A. Illustration
• Abstract – The Art of Design: “Paula Scher: Graphic Design” (S01E06) on Netflix

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FOLLOW LISA:

Website: lisategtmeier.com
Shop: lisategtmeier.com/shop
Instagram: @lisategtmeier
Threads: @lisategtmeier
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-tegtmeier
Behance: be.net/lisategtmeier
TikTok: @lisategtmeier

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow @Paid2DrawPodcast on Instagram, Spotify and TikTok.

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff.

For the season 4 premiere we talk to lettering legend and muralist Ximena Jiménez. Born in Cali, Colombia, she moved to Argentina in 2014 to study graphic design in Buenos Aires where she fell in love with hand-lettering. Today she creates lettering for brands, paints murals for cafés and restaurants, gives workshops across the globe, and live-paints on jackets at festivals. Her lettering work is raw, dynamic, expressive and immediate while effortlessly conveying important messages about equality, self-care and mental health.

After moving to Bogotá—one of the graffiti capitals of the world—she discovered street art and started experimenting with spray cans. Ximena explains how the city has influenced her work as a muralist and gives us a detailed description of her process of creating her signature large-scale, hand-lettered murals using spray paint. Hint: “caps” and “cutting” are a thing, apparently.

Throughout the conversation Ximena reflects on the importance of political and personal messages in her art and how she has gained more confidence through therapy and self-reflection. She describes the balance between personal and political art and the value of giving herself permission to take risks. Lastly, Ximena generously shares her social media strategy of focusing on her community rather than viral content to maintain her artistic integrity.

Go check out this engaging conversation with one of the best letterers of our time and make sure to tell all your type-obsessed friends about it!

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MENTIONED LINKS:

• Berlin Letters Festival
• University of Buenos Aires: Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism
• Fileteado Porteño (Argentinian sign-painting style)
• Bogotá Graffiti Tour
• LetterWest 2026
• Circus Network (Gallery from Porto, Portugal)

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FOLLOW XIMENA:

Instagram: @jimenezlettering
TikTok: @jimenezlettering
Website: jimenezlettering.com
Online Shop: jimenezlettering.com/tienda

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok.

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff.