[Business Essentials for Illustrators] Online Course | Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base) ✕ The Good Ship Illustration (UK)
[ Business Essentials for Illustrators ] Online Course
Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base) ✕ The Good Ship Illustration (UK)
Organisers: Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base), The Good Ship Illustration
‘Business Essentials for Illustrators’ is an online course co-presented by The Good Ship Illustration and the Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base). It is a condensed course specifically curated for creators in Hong Kong and across Asia. The course covers portfolio presentation, marketing and client acquisition, copyright, as well as the professional skills behind building confidence and rational pricing, including evaluating the value of personal creation in commercial applications, pricing for international markets, and developing strategies for diversified revenue streams beyond one-off commissions.
The Good Ship Illustration is a renowned online creative education platform in the UK, co-founded by Tania Willis, Katie Chappell, and Helen Stephens. It provides professional work promotion techniques for illustration and picture bookcreators to help them connect their personal creations with international institutions, commercial brands, and the publishing industry. Across their four courses, The Good Ship Illustration has guided over 6,500 creators toward personal career breakthroughs. Between the three founders, they have over 60 years of expertise in different areas of illustration, picture books, and design. Multi-award-winning, they possess exceptional international practical experience!
‘Business Essentials for Illustrators’ consists of 14 lessons curated from within the full Business Course for Illustrators. It is tailored for creators in Hong Kong and Asia aiming to break into European and international markets. Expand your global perspective through a rare local learning opportunity—board The Good Ship and set sail for the world!
'Business Essentials for Illustrators' Online Course Details
Format: Pre-recorded online video lessons for flexible, self-paced learning
Duration: 14 lessons, approx. 7 hours in total
Language: Conducted in English with Traditional Chinese subtitles
Course Release Date: Available online from 16 September 2026
Fee: HK$2,990 ／ person
Enrolment: https://forms.gle/ZxspvEzp2EhRQj5E6
Fee Includes:
- One lifetime student account on the course platform
- Lifetime access with unlimited logins to the online course platform and video views
- Access and download course handouts, as well as information on major illustration and picture book festivals, competitions, and publishers across the UK and Europe.
- Attend exclusive live Q&A session and submit your course-related questions and get answers live from the tutors. (tentatively set for March 2027, conducted in English).
- Join bi-weekly one-hour focus and accountability co-working session (every other Thursday at 13:30 GMT).
Exclusive Special Offers
- Exhibition Opportunity: Selected outstanding students may be invited to showcase their work in the ‘Business Essentials for Illustrators’ Student Joint Exhibition at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, presented by the Hong Kong Arts Centre (Comix Home Base).
- Full Course Upgrade Discount: Students upgrading to the full course ‘The Good Ship Illustration Business Club’ (125 lessons in total) will receive a HK$2,000 discount.*
- Comprehensive Global Competition Directory: A broad selection of international illustration competitions to support your professional growth.
Course Features
- Core Course Positioning
A professional development course for illustrators and picture book creators, covering essential aspect of building and sustaining a practice — from portfolio website and marketing to client management, pricing, and creating additional income streams.
- Top UK Tutors
Curated by a renowned UK online creative education platform and delivered by their experienced training team, offering first-hand practical experience from the European publishing and design industries.
- Complements the IP Licensing Value Chain
Connects the entire journey from 'creating exceptional work' to 'marketing, working with art directors, and getting it in writing with proper contracts', delivering a complete commercial transformation framework.
Course Outline and Structure
|
Section |
Module |
Video Name |
Key Points |
Duration |
|
1 (A1) |
Welcome to Business Essentials |
Welcome to Business Essentials! |
Welcome to the course! |
~5mins |
|
2 (A2) |
Why Learn From Us |
Business QUICKFIRE go go go! (Why learn from The Good Ship?) |
- Introduction to course approach and philosophy |
~10mins |
|
3 (B) |
Illustration Atlas |
The Good Ship Illustration Atlas |
- Overview of the illustration world
(Task included) |
~31mins |
|
4 (C) |
Show Your Work: Portfolio & Website |
Show Your Work |
- How to present work effectively online
(Printable · Task included · Podcast) |
~19mins |
|
5 (C) |
What Makes a Good Illustrator’s Website |
Special Guest: Sarah ARCHARD - building a website that attracts your dream clients |
- Structure and navigation
(Interview with designer Sarah ARCHARD ・ Downloadable checklist) |
~54mins |
|
6 (D) |
SEO for Illustrators |
SEO for illustrators with Menekse STEWART |
- How search engines find illustrator websites
(With Meneske STEWART ・ Downloadable checklist ・ Cheat sheet) |
~37mins |
|
7 (E) |
Self-Promotion & the Dream Client List |
Making Your Dream Client List |
- Identify ideal clients
(Printable · Task included) |
~12mins |
|
7 (E) |
TASK: Getting in Touch
|
- Optimise LinkedIn profile - Research and target clients - Reach out professionally - Maintain ongoing outreach |
N/A
|
|
|
8 (E) |
Making Contact with Art Directors |
How to find the names of editors, designers, and art directors in picture book publishing |
- How to reach out professionally
|
~11mins |
|
9 (F) |
Show Me the Money: Pricing & Licensing |
Show me the money! Pricing with licences |
- How illustrators price work
(Task included) |
~42mins |
|
10 (F) |
Copyright: In-Depth Conversation with Marloes DE VRIES |
Talking Copyright - Tania chats with Marloes DE VRIES |
- What copyright means in practice
(In-depth interview with Marloes DE VRIES) |
~65mins |
|
11 (G) |
Working with Clients & Art Directors |
Working with Art Directors |
- From brief to delivery workflow
(With Downloadable Task) |
~31mins |
|
12 (H6) |
Selling at Markets |
A chat with The Good Ship pal Taaryn - selling at markets |
- Selling illustration work at markets
(With @taaryn_b) |
~43mins |
|
13 (H7) |
Pitching Non-Fiction Books to Publishers |
Emma BLOCK - pitching your non-fiction book idea |
- Identify the right publishers
(With Emma BLOCK) |
~44mins |
|
14 (H8) |
Bologna Children’s Book Fair Guide |
The Good Ship Guide to the Bologna Children's Book Fair |
- Attending and exhibiting strategies
(Touring) |
~31mins |
The organisers reserve the right to amend the course.
For any enquiries regarding the course above, please contact:
Tel: 25820275
Email: shecho@hkac.org.hk
Facebook: hkacchb | HongKongArtsCentre
Instagram: @comixhomebase | @hongkongartscentre
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About The Good Ship Illustration
Based in the UK, The Good Ship Illustration is a professional creative and business education platform co-founded by three working illustrators — Helen Stephens, Katie Chappell, and Tania Willis — with over 60 years of combined experience across every major sector of the illustration industry, from editorial and picture books to live and emerging illustration.
Their teaching is expert-led, direct, and grounded in real professional practice. Through online courses, a podcast with nearly half a million downloads, and a global student cohort of over 6,500, The Good Ship Illustration ‘Business Essentials for Illustrators’ equips creators with the business skills to build sustainable, commercially confident careers.
Official website: thegoodshipillustration.com | Podcast: thegoodshipillustration.com/podcast |
Facebook: The Good Ship Illustration | Instagram: @thegoodshipillustration
About The Co-founders
- Tania WILLIS
Tania is an award-winning designer/ illustrator with 30 years of experience, and an MA in Illustration from the Royal College of Art. She has taught illustration at BA & BFA level in the UK, US and Hong Kong and has more than 30 years of perspective on the industry in Asia. Her illustration clients include English Heritage, South China Morning Post, Conde Nast Traveller, Cartier, TIME Magazine, Waitrose Magazine and Swire Group.
Her illustration experience covers advertising, murals, editorial, design, surface design, licensing, publishing, branding, events, editorial and corporate clients. She’s also designed liveries for a Hong Kong A330 Airbus and a Hong Kong tram. But her biggest passion is illustrated maps.
Official website: www.taniawillis.com | Facebook: @TaniaWillisIllustrator | Instagram: @tania.willis
- Helen STEPHENS
Helen is an award-winning author and illustrator best known for Smelly Peggy and her How to Hide a Lion series, which has become an international bestselling classic. She taught at the highly respected Cambridge School of Art MA in Illustrating for Children and has mentored graduate illustrators on the Picture Hooks Scheme.
Helen’s work has featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Uppercase Magazine and The Guardian. Her books have been Guardian Book of the Year and Times Book of the Year (twice).
Her books are published in about 30 languages, and her clients include Walker Books, Random House, Penguin, Scholastic, Macmillan, Nickelodeon Junior and Bayard Presse.
Helen started the popular #walktosee hashtag on Instagram to celebrate drawings made from life in a sketchbook. It has 100K+ contributions so far.
Official website: www.helenstephens.com | Facebook: @helenstephenslion | Instagram: @helenstephenspal
- Katie CHAPPELL
Katie is a live illustrator working globally. Her clients include Netflix, Apple, Meta, Google, Penguin Random House, United Nations, Nespresso.
Her live illustration work covers everything from graphic recording in corporate meetings to painting giant murals on shop windows in Regent Street, London.
Katie has an MA in illustration from Edinburgh College of Art, as well as a foundation degree in animation and a BA in illustration and graphic design.
Katie loves helping illustrators to get booked up.
Official website: www.katiechappell.com | Facebook: @katiechappellillustration | Instagram: @katiedraws
Online Course Terms and Disclaimers
1. Platform and Technical Disclaimers
- Mainland China Access and VPN Notice: This course is hosted on the US online platform Kajabi. Students based in mainland China should be aware that access to US-hosted platforms may occasionally require a VPN due to local network environments; The Good Ship Illustration holds no control or liability over network censorship or third-party platform connection stability.
- Independent Accounts and Real-Name Registration: We ask that each student register with their own email address when they first access the course to ensure account permissions and attendance tracking.
2. Copyright, Intellectual Property, and Unauthorised Distribution
- Course Content Copyright Notice: All intellectual property rights for videos, handouts, quizzes, and related course materials belong to The Good Ship Illustration Ltd.
- Prohibition of Unauthorised Copying and Sharing: Course access passwords and exclusive codes provided to students are for personal use only. Public disclosure, transfer, screen recording, distribution, or commercial secondary use is strictly prohibited. The Good Ship Illustration reserves the right to immediately revoke access to the course, without refund, in the event of any unauthorised access, sharing, or use of course materials.
3. Earnings and Commercial Outcomes Disclaimer
- No Guarantee of Commercial Earnings or Outcomes: Pricing strategies, contract templates, marketing advice, and industry insights provided in this course serve as general career guidance only. Completion of the course does not guarantee specific commercial commissions, publishing contracts, agency representation, or a specific level of income.
- Nature of Case Studies: Case studies and practical insights shared in the course, such as Tania Willis's website SEO experiments or interviews, represent individual creator experiences; actual results vary based on individual artistic style and market demand.
4. Discount & Upgrade Terms and Conditions*
- Full Course Upgrade Discount: Students applying to upgrade to the full course ‘The Good Ship Illustration Business Club’ (125 lessons in total) are eligible for a HK$2,000 course fee discount.
- Non-transferable & Non-refundable: This discount cannot be redeemed for cash, nor can it be transferred to any third party.
- Ownership & Liability Disclaimer: The full course is owned and managed by The Good Ship Illustration, which retains full authority and decision-making over all course content and discount details. The Hong Kong Arts Centre is not involved in the operation or management of the full course and accepts no legal liability.
5. Course Content and Speaker Opinions Disclaimer
- Tutor Opinions and Position: All content, teaching cases, and tutor views are provided and produced by The Good Ship Illustration. Course content represents only the personal experiences and industry observations of the tutors, and does not represent the official position of the Hong Kong Arts Centre.
- Right to Amend Content: The Good Ship Illustration and the Hong Kong Arts Centre reserve the right to make necessary administrative or format adjustments, such as modifying lesson sequencing, video presentation formats, or community operation details. This right applies strictly to scheduling and delivery formatting. The Good Ship Illustration retains sole editorial authority over the artistic substance and core educational content.
6. Course Fee, Refund, and Registration Terms
- Non-refundable and Non-transferable Fees: Once enrolled and payment is completed, fees are strictly non-refundable and non-transferable to any third party.
7. Subtitles, Language, and Technical Support Division
- Nature of Chinese Subtitle Service: The original course videos are delivered in English. Traditional Chinese subtitles and handouts are provided for reference and assistance; in the event of any textual discrepancy, the original English audio and English course materials shall prevail.
- Division of Technical Support:
8. Personal Data Collection and Privacy Policy
- Personal Data Authorisation and Transmission: Personal data provided by students upon enrolment (including name, contact details, etc.) will be used by the Hong Kong Arts Centre for administrative management and online course platform access code distribution. Students must register a personal email upon logging into the Kajabi platform, and relevant data will be processed and used for backend analytics by Kajabi and The Good Ship Illustration in accordance with their respective privacy policies.
9. Third-Party Operation & Service Interruption Disclaimer
The online course content, videos, and hosting platform are owned and managed by The Good Ship Illustration (utilising third-party hosting services, including but not limited to Kajabi).
- Business Changes: In the event of any business changes or permanent operational interruptions at The Good Ship Illustration that prevent students from logging into the platform to view videos or download materials, all associated liabilities shall be borne solely by The Good Ship Illustration. The Hong Kong Arts Centre shall bear no legal liability, compensation, or refund obligation.
- Events Outside Reasonable Control (Force Majeure & Outages): Neither The Good Ship Illustration nor the Hong Kong Arts Centre shall be held liable for temporary platform outages, technical downtime, server failures, or service disruptions caused by third-party service providers (such as Kajabi) or other events beyond their reasonable control.
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About Hong Kong Arts Centre
Hong Kong Arts Centre - Art for Passion, Art for Life, Art for All
Since 1977, the Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been a platform for nurturing and supporting artists, and infusing art into everyday life. Its unique arts and educational programmes aim to make the arts accessible for all. The HKAC believes in the transformational power of art for people from all walks of life. Established for more than four decades, the HKAC endeavours to bring arts to the people of Hong Kong by presenting programmes in diverse art disciplines, such as visual arts, performing arts, moving images, media arts, comics, animation, arts education, lecture forum, public art, art festival and community art. With the vision of inspiring creativity in the local and international art community. With a vision of inspiring creativity in the local and international art community, HKAC focuses on four strategic areas: Leading Art Programmes, Nurturing Future Generations, Fostering Exceptional Art Education and Developing a Multi-Functional Building for Art in Wan Chai to create versatile exhibition spaces that accommodate a diversity of art forms and styles.
The HKAC aspires to engage everyone in the community to become an active participant in the arts - as an enthusiast, an artist or a patron. Let’s continue to embrace ‘Art for Passion, Art for Life, Art for All’, and share the inspiration.
Official website: hkac.org.hk | Facebook: Hong Kong Arts Centre | Instagram: @hongkongartscentre
About Comix Home Base
Comics and animation are important local pop culture and artistic creations. Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) has been dedicated to planning and organising diverse and unique activities to promote the arts and culture of comics and animation to the local community and abroad.
Since 2006, HKAC curated Comix Home Base project (CHB), and has been working closely with comics artists, animators, industry practitioners and various government departments to promote local works. Over 1,000 ani-com-related events are hosted, such as exhibitions, talks, workshops, performances, publications, screenings, public arts, etc.
In recent years, Comix Home Base has continued to proactively orchestrate cross-media collaborations and look for crossovers between comics and different media like public art, movie, dance, intangible cultural heritage, martial arts etc., expanding the creative space for comix. Outside Hong Kong, the footprints of Comix Home Base can be found overseas in France, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, Russia, Indonesia, Portugal, Türkiye, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Austria, etc. This has facilitated the involvement of numerous Hong Kong comics artists in international collaboration projects. Also, local comics have been successfully published in different foreign versions in European countries and the United States, increasing the international recognition of local comics and animation artists.
Comix Home Base is fully committed to creating a platform for the art of Hong Kong anime and comics to flourish and keep elevating comics that are 'made in Hong Kong' to the global stage with stakeholders.
Official website: www.comixhomebase.com.hk | Facebook: hkacchb | Instagram: @comixhomebase
