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This week we’re joined by illustrator, studio owner, and self-described “friendly dad” Brad Woodard of Brave the Woods (and the massively popular kids’ channel Brave Kids Club). We get into how a pandemic side project turned into a YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, what happened when a nature short went unexpectedly viral, and why Brad dropped “art” from the channel name.
Brad also shares his approach to teaching kids to draw, how he balances giving them structure with leaving room for their own creativity, and why so many kids stop calling themselves “artists” somewhere around second or third grade.
We also talk about texture, and why too much texture can sometimes mask a weak drawing. Plus a candid conversation about what it actually takes to keep a creative business afloat when you’re juggling client work, a studio, two YouTube channels, books, and a podcast: including the reality of what a kids’ channel with millions of views actually pays.
All that and more when you listen to this episode:
- Where the idea for Brave Kids Club came from
- How one viral short changed the direction of the channel
- Why dropping “art” from the name helped the channel grow
- How Brad teaches kids to draw with structure while protecting their creativity
- Why kids stop identifying as “artists”
- The difference between running a solo illustration practice and calling it a studio
- What Brad’s dream illustration projects actually look like
- Why teaching and sharing your process can position you as an expert, even before you feel like one
- The “reps, not results” mindset for showing up on social media without burning out
Connect with Brad Woodard
Instagram: https://instagram.com/brave_the_woods
Brave the Woods: bravethewoods.com
Brave Kids Club: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBraveKidsClub
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