David Wiesner, illustrator, author, and 3-time Caldecott Medal-winner, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the path that led him to wordless picture books; how Maurice Sendak, James Marshall, Trina Schart Hyman, and other legends helped David feel like he “belonged”; how an “unplanned moment” led to his Caldecott-winning, Tuesday; what it was like to get the “Caldecott Call”; why the pictures in picture books matter; and so much more. To learn more about David, visit davidwiesner.com . David and ...
Nov 10, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 78
Debbie Bibo, the founder of Debbie Bibo Agency, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how and why she became a “picture book agent”; what she looks for in illustrators; and how “bad agents” are burning through illustrators’ good-will equity. She also answers questions from Patrons of the podcast about what illustrators should say in their queries; how to conduct oneself during an interview with an agent; how COVID19 is affecting—and will affect—her agency and the children’s book industry; and so mu...
Nov 03, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 77
Illustrator, Author, and Illustration Teacher, James McMullan, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his globe-trotting, but tragic, childhood; what his early days as an illustrator were like; why his philosophy on drawing—and the teaching of drawing—stems from intuition and humanization; why he thinks illustrators should embrace risk; and so much more. To learn more about James, visit jamesmcmullan.com . Artists mentioned in this episode include: Betsy Lewin , Milton Glaser , Egon Schiele , Ben Sh...
Oct 27, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 76
Illustrator and Author, Sergio Ruzzier, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he “broke into” children’s publishing; how Hieronymus Bosch, the Italian Renaissance, and Popeye influence his work; why watercolor is his medium of choice; what it was like living with Maurice Sendak; and so much more. Artists mentioned in this episode include: Hieronymus Bosch , Giotto , Simone Martini , Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti , George Herriman , Elzie Crisler Segar , Chester Gould , Massimo Mattioli , Paul ...
Oct 20, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 75
Martin Salisbury, Author and Professor of Illustration at Cambridge School of Art in Anglia Ruskin University, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about what led him to illustration; what illustrators should be thinking about when they think about children’s books; what makes a picture book “great” or “bad”; why Martin thinks illustrators should draw, and draw, and draw; and much more. Artists mentioned in this episode include: Russell Mills , Paul Slater , Angela Barrett , Maurice Sendak , Judith Kerr...
Oct 13, 2020•52 min•Ep. 74
Founder of Purple Rain Illustrators, Ella Lupo, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she became an agent; what it was like being an illustration agent in the late 1990’s; when illustrators should and shouldn’t chase “style” trends; how “bad agents” give “good agents” a bad name; how COVID19 is affecting the illustration community; and much more. To learn more about Ella, visit purplerainillustrators.com . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling ...
Oct 06, 2020•49 min•Ep. 73
Chief Curator and Curator of American Art at the Delaware Art Museum, Heather Campbell Coyle, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about examining and preserving the lives and work of illustrators; how the struggles of past illustrators continue to echo throughout time; what happens when the general public is asked to curate a museum; and much more. Artists mentioned in this episode include: John Sloan , William Glackens , Howard Pyle , Frank Schoonover , Raphaelle Peale , Frederic Edwin Church , Edward...
Sep 29, 2020•49 min•Ep. 72
Curator of the Brandywine River Museum of Art, Amanda Burdan, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the Brandywine’s history, mission, and collection; how her team finds and curates art; how the Brandywine literally creates space for women in illustration; what it’s like living in “Wyeth Country”; and much more. Artists mentioned in this episode include: Newell Convers Wyeth , Andrew and Jamie Wyeth , Howard Pyle , Maxfield Parrish , Jessie Willcox Smith , Charles Dana Gibson , Rockwell Kent , Hora...
Sep 22, 2020•48 min•Ep. 71
Illustrator/author, and native “Michigander”, Rebecca Green, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about her first steps as an illustrator; why you sometimes have to unlearn what you learned in art school; what she thinks about when she thinks about color; and how illustrators can navigate blocks and burnouts and breakdowns by following their own “creative compass”. To learn more about Rebecca and her work, and to read her helpful blog posts, visit myblankpaper.com . We discuss Rebecca’s debut picture bo...
Sep 15, 2020•47 min•Ep. 70
Illustrator, Cory Godbey, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he balances illustration and parenthood; how personal projects—from sketchbook collections to a tribute website for Where the Wild Things Are—led Cory to landing prestigious client work (including The Dark Crystal for the Hensons); what it’s like to be bitten by the “Comparison Bug”—and how to be cured from it; and much more. To learn more about Cory, visit corygodbey.com . They discussed Cory’s tribute website to Maurice Sendak’s ...
Sep 08, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 69
Illustrator and portraitist extraordinaire, Joe Ciardiello, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his first steps as an illustrator—with the help of Murray Tinkelman; who Jim Spanfeller was, and what he taught Joe about drawing; what Joe thinks about when he thinks about drawing; how he manages the ebb and flow career of an illustrator; how procrastination affects Joe; and much more. To learn more about Joe, visit joeciardiello.com . Illustrators mentioned in this episode include: Murray Tinkelman ...
Sep 01, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 68
Illustrator, graphic novelist, and filmmaker, R.O. Blechman, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about why he became an artist despite not loving to draw, and having no interest in art; how he went from having a “rigid” style with “no quality whatsoever” to one of the most recognizable styles in all of illustration; what happened when Maurice Sendak asked Blechman for advice; what would be his best piece of advice for today’s illustrators; and much more. To learn more about Blechman, visit roblechman.c...
Aug 25, 2020•33 min•Ep. 67
Illustrator and Artist, Anita Kunz, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how art saved her life; how she achieved an illustrious career in spite of “hundreds” of rejections; why she calls illustrating her first New Yorker cover—called “Mohawk Manhattan”—“one of my worst experiences”; why there continues to be great power in art; what advice Anita has for today’s illustrators; and more. To learn more about Anita, visit anitakunz.com . Anita’s “10 Tips for Creative Success”, by Marie DeFreitas , was...
Aug 18, 2020•48 min•Ep. 66
Deborah Feingold talks to Giuseppe Castellano about her 40-year career as a photographer; what it was like taking photographs of major figures in music, politics, and popular culture—from Chet Baker to Madonna to President Obama; how she feels about the age of built-in cameras in smart phones; and why she likes to photograph illustrators. To learn more about Deborah, visit deborahfeingold.com . Musicians, politicians, and illustrators mentioned in this episode include: Scott Lee , David Byrne , ...
Aug 11, 2020•54 min•Ep. 65
Founder & Managing Director of The Jacky Winter Group, Jeremy Wortsman, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he founded an illustration agency in 2007 out of his back bedroom; what he looks for when looking through a thousand portfolios a week; what illustrators can do to make sure that an art director’s “dart” lands on them; how illustration can help us find the good in troubled times; and more. And… he answers the question: Who exactly is Jacky Winter? To learn more about Jeremy and The ...
Aug 04, 2020•55 min•Ep. 64
Vice President, and Managing Agent, for the Bright Agency, James Burns, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the role of an artist rep; how COVID-19 has affected publishing; what the facts are regarding the graphic novel boom (including fees); what an illustrator can do to improve their portfolio; and so much more. James also answers questions from Patrons of The Illustration Department Podcast. To learn more about James, visit his page on Bright’s website. Several podcast episodes with other agen...
Jul 28, 2020•58 min•Ep. 63
Senior Deputy Art Director at AARP, Dian Holton, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she went from Army kid to Design Leader; what she thinks are the benefits and struggles of being a mentor and mentee; and what conversations need to be had with respect to diversity and inclusion in the applied arts. Throughout this conversation, Dian and Giuseppe touch on the racial inequities they see in conventional teachings of art history. To learn more about Dian, visit dianholton.com . If you find valu...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 62
Illustrator, David Edward Byrd, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his 50-year career in illustration. David takes us on a journey that begins in Cleveland, Tennessee; detours through Miami Beach, Florida; stops in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—where he studied at Carnegie Mellon University; and settles in Port Jervis, New York—where he created posters for The Woodstock Festival. His story then moves through New York City in the 1970’s—where he hung out with Jimi Hendrix; and where he created posters...
Jul 15, 2020•45 min•Ep. 61
Illustrator, and forerunner of the digital illustration age, Nancy Stahl, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she started her illustration career in 1971 with two hundred dollars and two years of art school. They also discuss the pleasure and pain of working in gouache; what it was like to be one of the first illustrators to “go digital” in the 1980’s; and why a company called Adobe invited her to try out a new program called, Photoshop. To learn more about Nancy, visit nancystahl.com . Illus...
Jul 07, 2020•51 min•Ep. 60
Art Director at Pixar, Noah Klocek, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how a childhood without a television led to simultaneous careers in feature film animation and children’s book illustration; what differentiates Pixar from Dreamworks (aside from kicks in the groin); and why it’s so important to learn about color theory. To learn more about Noah, visit imageblock.com . Writers and illustrators mentioned in this episode include: Tomie DePaola , Trina Schart Hyman , Lisbeth Zwerger , Gustaf Ten...
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 59
Author and illustrator, Shawna J.C. Tenney, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about getting into illustration thanks to a scheduling snafu in high school; why illustrators sometimes need to break up with their agent (or agents); why her illustration and animation podcast, Stories Unbound, was short-lived—and what she regrets about it; and why—as Mercer Meyer would agree—rejection should be viewed as a normal part of an illustrator’s career. To learn more about Shawna, visit shawnajctenney.com . Write...
Jun 23, 2020•45 min•Ep. 58
Since June 18, 2019, Giuseppe Castellano has talked to leaders, legends, and luminaries in illustration, graphic design, publishing, animation, and other creative fields, about their beginnings, their successes, and the bumps and bruises they’ve experienced along the way. To celebrate the podcast’s 1-year Anniversary, Giuseppe asked listeners of the podcast to answer three questions: 1. What is the best thing about being an illustrator? 2. What is the worst thing about being an illustrator? 3. W...
Jun 17, 2020•43 min•Ep. 57
Educator, and multi-award-winning artist, Rudy Gutierrez, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he’s “lived many dreams” over a 40-year career in Illustration; why the famous musician, Carlos Santana, chose Rudy’s art for his 2002 album, Shaman; why he thinks the role of an educator is to help students “find their validity”; what it was like getting the “Caldecott Call”; and how illustrators can find their path. To learn more about Rudy, visit altpick.com/rudygutierrez or rudygutierrez.net . Gi...
Jun 09, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 56
Publisher of Akashic Books, Johnny Temple, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he went from touring with Rage Against The Machine to launching a socially conscious publishing company; why it took a “constellation of fortunate events” to form Akashic; why Johnny doesn’t like the idea of “mandatory gatekeepers” between artists and companies; and, how Go The F*ck To Sleep went from an almost-rejected proposal to a game-changing phenomenon. Johnny talked about Samuel L. Jackson’s reading of Stay ...
Jun 02, 2020•49 min•Ep. 55
Co-founder, Publisher, Art Director, and Editor of Enchanted Lion Books, Claudia Z. Bedrick, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she—and her family—started the leading independent publishing company; why Enchanted Lion has yet to be swallowed by a Big Fish—despite several attempts; what it takes for an independent to survive—and in many cases, thrive—in the marketplace; and what the publisher of beautifully illustrated books looks for in illustrators. Lastly, Claudia and I explain why we both...
May 26, 2020•53 min•Ep. 54
Founder of Kowal Stannus Agency, Angharad Kowal Stannus, chats with Giuseppe Castellano about how the publishing industry will look post-COVID-19; why being an American in the UK gives her an advantage as an agent; what subsidiary rights are, and how they work; why her agency doesn’t use “nameless and faceless” submission forms; and what advice she would give to you, if she were your agent… To learn more about Angharad, visit kowalstannusagency.com . Don’t be fooled by the “ Website Coming Soon ...
May 19, 2020•47 min•Ep. 53
Illustrator and writer, Hilary Knight, chats with Giuseppe Castellano about his life and work as an illustrator; his service for the U.S. Navy during World War II; his up-and-down relationship with Kay Thompson; the creation of “Eloise”; the mysterious theft of his “Eloise” painting from The Plaza hotel in 1960; and much, much more. Illustrators and artists mentioned in this episode include: Peter Arno , Reginald Marsh , David Downton , George Tooker , Ronald Searle , Kay Neilsen , William Ivy L...
May 12, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 52
Author and Illustrator, Kelly Light, returns to the podcast! She chats with Giuseppe Castellano about how life has changed for Kelly since our first chat with her way back in June of 2018. She shares how she (probably) contracted COVID-19; how one—by choice or necessity—RE-starts a creative a career; and what Tove Jansson, Ashley Bryan, Judith Kerr, and others can teach us about staying creative through hardship. To learn more about Kelly, visit kellylight.com . If you want to listen to our firs...
May 05, 2020•48 min•Ep. 51
This is our 50th Episode! To celebrate, Giuseppe Castellano compiled short highlights from each guest. Through 49 episodes, illustrators, agents, art directors, and others talked about starting an illustration career, launching an art agency, understanding the history of children‘s publishing, living with depression, finding one’s artistic style, fighting in World War II, and… starting a podcast. Our first 47 guests (two of them were double episodes) were (in order): Kelly Light, Yuko Shimizu, M...
Apr 28, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 50
Illustrator, Entrepreneur, and Podcast Producer-extraordinaire, Ânia Marcos, chats with Giuseppe Castellano about living and working in Portugal; how and why she’s helped produced countless creative podcasts; and why she thinks “failure” is a good thing. They also trade “war stories” from the front lines of podcasting. To learn more about Ânia, visit aniamarcos.com . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes On Illustration , on S...
Apr 21, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 49
