<p><strong>Interview with Raymond Biesinger</strong></p><p>How do you defend your creative work when clients underpay, misuse your images, or ignore copyright entirely?</p><p>In this episode, I talk with Montréal-based illustrator, artist, and author <strong>Raymond Biesinger</strong>, whose new book <em>9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off</em> (Drawn + Quarterly, 2025) is part memoir, part self-defence guide for independent creatives.<br>Raymond pulls back the curtain on wage theft, unauthorized usage, blurred legal lines, and the everyday realities illustrators face when protecting their work — and their livelihood.</p><p>This is a wide-ranging, candid conversation about money, boundaries, professionalism, and what it really takes to survive as an illustrator today.</p><p>🙏 <strong>A huge thank-you to all paid supporters on Patreon — without you, this show wouldn’t exist.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>IN THIS EPISODE</strong></p><p>• What “being ripped off” really means (hint: it’s not just stylistic copying)<br>• Why wage theft is rampant in the creative industries<br>• The blurry, case-by-case nature of copyright enforcement<br>• How creatives can strategically bluff to protect their work<br>• Why talking openly about money is essential for healthier creative careers<br>• The role of mood, timing, and resources in deciding whether to pursue a dispute<br>• How Raymond developed his signature collage-driven style<br>• The surprising story of a fan who copied his style — and how it turned into something positive<br>• What Raymond hopes independent creatives will take away from the book</p><p><br></p><p><strong>SHOW LINKS</strong></p><p><strong>Raymond Biesinger</strong><br>Website — https://fifteen.ca<br>Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/raymondbiesinger<br>📕 <em>9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off</em> (Drawn + Quarterly, 2025) —  <a href="https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/9-times-my-work-has-been-ripped-off/">https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/9-times-my-work-has-been-ripped-off/</a><br>📘 <em>305 Lost Buildings of Canada</em> — Goose Lane Editions — <a href="https://gooselane.com/products/305-lost-buildings-of-canada?_pos=1&_psq=305+lost&_ss=e&_v=1.0">https://gooselane.com/products/305-lost-buildings-of-canada?_pos=1&amp;_psq=305+lost&amp;_ss=e&amp;_v=1.0</a></p><p><strong>From Tom</strong><br>🎨 <em>SLO-FI Illustrations</em> (new Skillshare class) — 30 days free: <a href="https://skl.sh/4nbo3KT">https://skl.sh/4nbo3KT</a><br>📗 <em>Drawing is Important</em> — now available for preorder: <a href="https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant">https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>SUPPORT THE PODCAST</strong></p><p>You can help Thoughts on Illustration grow by:<br>• Sharing the episode with a friend<br>• Leaving a rating or review<br>• Following the show<br>• Becoming a paid supporter on Spotify or on Patreon — <a href="https://patreon.com/tomfroese">https://patreon.com/tomfroese</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>FIND ME ELSEWHERE</strong></p><p>Website — <a href="https://www.tomfroese.com/">https://www.tomfroese.com</a><br>Instagram — <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese">https://www.instagram.com/mrtomfroese</a><br>Daily Drawings — <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant">https://www.instagram.com/drawingisimportant</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>CREDITS</strong></p><p>Music and cues by Mark Allan Falk — <a href="https://linktr.ee/semiathletic">https://linktr.ee/semiathletic</a></p>