The Illustration Department Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Charlie Bowden Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Charlie Bowden, agent and founder of Pickled Ink about the founding of her illustration agency; how illustrators should negotiate fees with clients; what it means to be a friendly agent; and more.

To learn more about Charlie and Pickled Ink, visit pickledink.com.

If you find value in this podcast, consider becoming a paid subscriber on Substack, or a supporter on Patreon. On either platform, you will gain access to bonus episodes we call “Extra Credit”—among other perks and benefits. | Visit illustrationdept.com for offerings like mentorships and portfolio reviews, testimonials, our alumni showcase, and more. | Music for the podcast was created by Oatmello.

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Tracy van Straaten Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Tracy van Straaten, Founder and President of TvS Media Group, about the difference between marketing and publicity in children’s publishing; what illustrators and writers should realistically expect from marketing and publicity departments; why the pre-order window is important when it comes to the life or death of a book; and more.

To learn more about Tracy and TvS Media Group, visit tvsmediagroup.com.

Tracy mentioned Giuseppe’s chat with Hilary Knight. You can listen to that conversation here.

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Steve Light Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Steve Light about the early years of Steve’s illustration career; why drawing should be like breathing; what it means to be a stylophile; why a little bit of tenacity can take us a long way toward our goals; and more.

To learn more about Steve, visit stevelightart.com.

Steve’s favorite pen is a Montblanc 149. He also recommends the “fude” nib. To learn more about the “fude” nib, visit janinescribbles.com/tag/fude-nib/.

Artists mentioned in this episode include: Dave Passalacqua, Květa Pacovská, Marcus Pfister, Shel Silverstein, Ben Shahn, Andy Warhol, and Mozelle Thompson

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R. Gregory Christie Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to multi-award-winning illustrator, R. Gregory Christie about how his illustration career got its start with the help of a local dance club; why illustrators would do well to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset; what Greg’s three keys are to making it as an illustrator; and more.

To learn more about Greg, visit: rgregorychristie.com

Artists mentioned in this episode include: Ernie Barnes, Ashley Bryan, Jerry Pinkney, Floyd Cooper, Romare Bearden, and Ben Shahn

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Kennett Square Arts Festival Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to organizers and artists involved with the first annual Kennett Square Arts Festival, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

The organizers explain why proceeds from the fair are needed to support a new library, and how libraries are funded.

The artists share their experiences with exhibiting at festivals and fairs; why collecting emails from attendees is of utmost importance; why artists might want to consider doing pet portraits; what needs to be done to keep art from blowing into a river (literally); and more.

You can donate to the construction of Kennett Square’s new library by visiting their website.

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Shaun Tan Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist and writer, Shaun Tan about his new book, Creature: Paintings, Drawings, and Reflections—and what he learned from compiling twenty-six years worth of his work; how illustrators can avoid falling into the rabbit hole of self-imitation; why having fun might be the best guide for any artist’s creative journey; and more.

To learn more about Shaun, visit: shauntan.net.

This is Shaun’s second appearance on the podcast. Click here to listen to his first episode.

To purchase Creature: Paintings, Drawings, and Reflections, visit our book shop.

Artists mentioned in this episode include: Chris Ware and Frank Auerbach

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Anna Goodson Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Anna Goodson, President & Founder of Anna Goodson Illustration Agency, about why—“post-COVID”—her illustration agency is busier than ever; how an illustrator should build their portfolio; whether social media is truly a necessary marketing tool for illustrators; and more.

To learn more about Anna and her agency, visit agoodson.com.

This is Anna’s second appearance on the podcast. Click here to listen to her first episode.

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The Illustration Department’s Illustrators’ Day Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to the attendees of The Illustration Department’s Illustrators’ Day in this “campfire” episode.

Recorded on September 24, 2022, the attendees explain why they chose illustration as a profession; why authors should never say “my illustrator” (with help from illustration collector and author, Roger Reed); what frustrates them most about being an illustrator; and more.

The sound is a little off, but what the attendees share—their wisdom, insight, and advice—is excellent.

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Corey Peterschmidt Oct 04, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Corey Peterschmidt, Book Art and Design Manager at Blizzard, about what they look for in illustrators’ portfolios, and why they say there’s magic in fan art; how trauma can split you into more than one person; what has helped them work and live with Depression (including the healing power of illustration); and more.

Corey’s Instagram handle is @bcpeterschmidt.

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Loren Long Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Loren Long about the early days of his illustration career, and why being a children’s book illustrator was not part of the plan; how he paints with color blindness; why he feels like he’s still trying to figure things out with his art; and more.

To learn more about Loren, visit lorenlong.com.

Artists mentioned in this episode include: Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Maynard Dixon, N.C. Wyeth, Gary Kelley, Mark English, Brad Holland, Leo and Diane Dillon, Alice and Martin Provensen, David Shannon, C.F. Payne, Chris Van Allsburg, Virginia Lee Burton, Wanda Gág, Gustaf Tenggren, Lois Lenski, George and Doris Hauman, Kadir Nelson, and Robert McCloskey