Get Paid to Draw: Mike Lowery on Building a Portfolio That Gets You Hired

Mar 4, 2026

Margo is joined once again by celebrated illustrator, author, and educator Mike Lowery for a lively conversation about the realities of building a creative career. Mike is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of more than 80 books for children and he’s spent decades navigating the ups and downs of freelance illustration and publishing.

In this episode, Margo and Mike pick up where their first conversation left off—diving into the lessons Mike has learned over twenty years as a working illustrator, what it actually takes to build a portfolio that attracts clients, and why being “good at drawing” isn’t always the same as being hireable. They also talk about Mike’s new course, Get Paid to Draw, designed to help illustrators create strategic portfolios, understand what art directors are really looking for, and turn their creative skills into real opportunities.

Margo and Mike discuss:

• What Mike’s younger self would think of his career today
• The behind-the-scenes work of running a creative business
• Why a strong portfolio matters more than raw talent when it comes to getting hired
• Portfolio tips to help art directors understand how your work fits their needs
• The difference between creating art for yourself versus creating work that attracts clients
• The power of community in a freelance creative career
• Mike’s Get Paid to Draw course and how it helps artists build portfolios that actually lead to work
• The upcoming Portfolio Challenge starting March 11 and how creatives can participate

Connect with Mike:
Join the Illustration Portfolio Challenge: https://bit.ly/illoportfoliochallenge

Website: https://www.mikelowery.com/

Course: https://www.gettingpaidtodraw.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikelowerystudio/

Connect with Margo:

• Website: www.windowsillchats.com
• Instagram: @windowsillchats
• www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill
• https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry