The Illustration Initiative LLC - Brooklyn, New York

Ana P. F.

Working with Emily from The Illustration Initiative has been an absolute turning point in my illustration journey. I recently signed up for a portfolio review, and the experience exceeded all my expectations. Emily provided incredibly detailed and constructive feedback on my work, pointing out what was already working well and where I could improve. Her insights were tailored specifically to my goals, making every piece of advice feel practical and actionable. If you’re looking to grow as an illustrator, I can’t recommend Emily enough. It’s a game-changing experience that will leave you inspired, empowered, and ready to take your work to the next level!

Susan M.

Emily is a generous, thoughtful, and polite person. The Portfolio Review made me realize key points I had not noticed before. Emily gave detailed tips and guidelines for each image presented. I'm now putting them into practice and can already see the difference and evolution in the new illustrations. I'm already thinking about having a 1-on-1 consultation with her because I know that with her eye for illustrations, I'll be able to reach the level of illustration and work that I aspire to.

Leandro C.

Here’s my most sincere recommendation for Emily's work in her mentorship program, The Illustration Initiative LLC. She is a dedicated, kind, and fully capable professional who can guide any artist toward a clear path of development and growth. I had so much fun during the process because it was incredibly rewarding to discover, through her feedback and guidance, the best in my illustration style. I left feeling more confident, secure, and with a much clearer direction to follow. Emily is amazing!

Kerry M.

I just did the Super Enhanced Illustration Portfolio Review with Emily Coggins and I can't say enough good things about it. This type of in-depth review is exactly what I was hoping for. I was very inspired to jump right into revisions, because Emily's suggestions were so specific and actionable. Highly recommend!

Kaitlin B.

If you’re looking for a sign to work with Emily, THIS IS IT!

I started working with Emily when I was in a bit of a rut. I am an amateur illustrator and am working on my picture book dummy. I have a lot of lovely people in my life, but no one I could truly bounce ideas off of and trust to give me honest, constructive feedback. I felt like I had done so much, yet hit a wall and didn’t know how to move forward or objectively look at my work.

Emily combed through my work and sent me a document with her thoughts on my style, strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions of where to go from there. She gave me the perspective of someone who actually knows the industry, and let me tell you…that was *gold*.

She walked me through my manuscript and several new illustrations, and from that alone, I feel like I’ve grown creatively.

At the end of the day, Emily may not be able to magically make me Oliver Jeffers, but I do feel like she did something maybe even a little better…she helped me to grow artistically as Kaitlin Bishop. And that was worth every penny.

TL/DR: Emily is great. Do it.

Sheri P.

I 100% recommend a portfolio review with Emily. Having your work reviewed can feel nerve wracking but I'm so glad I took the plunge. My review with Emily gave me more confidence in my work. She highlighted my strengths and weaknesses and gave clear (and kind) feedback on my next steps. Since my review with Emily I got taken on by an agent and am now working on picture book projects.

Marina A.

Working with Emily from The Illustration Initiative was the best decision I've made for my art career! Earlier this year I signed up for a portfolio review and later a 1-1 consultation, and I'm so glad I did. Since working with Emily, my work has noticeably improved, and I feel much more confident and knowledgeable as an illustrator. She’s a seasoned pro with up-to-date industry insight and working with her was a truly valuable and delightful experience.

The portfolio review helped me pinpoint exactly what I needed to do to make my portfolio shine, and it was also the most in-depth and personalized critique I’ve ever received! Emily is incredibly thorough and patient with answering all kinds of questions, and I felt comfortable asking her about anything. Her advice was always clear and focused on my personal illustration goals, and the next step suggestions at the end of the review were very encouraging. Afterwards I was able to take some time to work on my portfolio then sign up for a 1-1 consultation.

The 1-1 consultation was an absolute game changer for me! Within a few months I was able to fill in gaps in my work that I’ve struggled with for years, and the overall skills I learned through our time together are invaluable. What I like best about Emily’s coaching style is how she knows exactly how to improve a piece while enhancing what's already good about it. We worked closely together to create three portfolio pieces, each targeting specific things to improve my overall portfolio. At every stage Emily provided clear and encouraging feedback, and the final pieces are now the strongest in my portfolio! Working with Emily’s professional advice also improved my conceptual eye and workflow by leaps and bounds. Creating fresh pieces together was an irreplaceable experience that undoubtedly leveled-up my work. The consultation was professional and empowering from beginning to end, and I feel very lucky to have worked with her!

I'll be applying to several illustration agencies soon and I'm so excited to move forward with the new skills and confidence Emily helped me develop! She’s truly the best of the best, and I highly recommend The Illustration Initiative for illustrators of all kinds.

Jennifer B.

Emily is a amazing to work with. She helped point out my strengths and weaknesses in my portfolio and what to do to improve on it. She then helped me create an art peice for my portfolio and she was extremely helpful giving pointers and suggestions to it. I love how the final piece turned out and I know it turned out amazing because Emily was there guiding me along with creating it!