Giuseppe Castellano talks to Dr. David R. McDuff, sports psychiatrist and faculty member at the University Of Maryland’s School Of Medicine, about his role as a mental preparation trainer for the Baltimore Orioles; what simple, doable, healthy routines help manage anxiety and stress; why athletes and artists should accept the positive energy fear can bring into their lives; and more. To learn more about David and his practice, visit mdsports.net . Read Giuseppe’s article on the similarities betw...
Mar 21, 2023•55 min•Ep. 198
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Shannon McNab, surface designer, educator, and founder of Sketch Design Repeat about how she took the leap from corporate graphic design to freelance surface design; how surface designers can build a portfolio, find clients, and negotiate fees; why illustrators should really follow their own paths; and more. To learn more about Shannon, visit shannonmcnab.com . Other helpful links from Shannon include: Sketch Design Repeat , Pitch Your Portfolio , Artful Pricing &...
Mar 14, 2023•56 min•Ep. 197
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, critic, and children’s book historian, Leonard S. Marcus about his book, Pictured Worlds: Masterpieces of Children’s Book Art by 101 Essential Illustrators from Around the World; why Puffin’s tampering of Roald Dahl’s text opens the doors for publishers to rewrite—and re-illustrate—anything; why we should look to illustration’s history to understand its future; and more. To learn more about Leonard, visit leonardmarcus.com . To purchase Pictured Worlds: Maste...
Mar 07, 2023•45 min•Ep. 196
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Véronique Kirchhoff, Literary Agent & Founder of VeroK Agency, about what illustrators should never do when emailing an agent about representation; how she represents publishers, and what it takes for a children’s book from one country to sell in another; how to “put yourself out there”; and more. To learn more about Véronique and her agency, visit verokagency.com . Artists mentioned in this episode include: Jean-Jacques Sempé , Alain Grée , Charlotte Steiner , G...
Feb 28, 2023•55 min•Ep. 195
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Philip Lee, cofounder and publisher of Readers to Eaters, about the founding of Lee & Low Books and the philosophy behind its mission; how wabi-sabi guides his editorial process; why “diverse” isn’t the right word when we talk about diverse children’s books; why he’s promoting food literacy from the ground up; and more. To learn more about Philip and Readers to Eaters, visit readerstoeaters.com . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribin...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 194
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Jason Chatfield, Cartoonist, Comedian, and President of the National Cartoonists’ Society, about what illustrators can learn from Jason’s multi-hat-wearing ways; how comedians and cartoonists are cut from the same cloth; how illustrators are not alone in the fight against art theft from AI-image generators; and more. To learn more about Jason, visit jasonchatfield.com . You can follow Jason’s Substack at newyorkcartoons.com . Artists mentioned in this episode include...
Feb 14, 2023•49 min•Ep. 193
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Frances Soo Ping Chow, VP & Creative Director for Running Press and Black Dog & Leventhal, about her role and her time at Running Press; what words illustrators should never use when submitting portfolios to art directors; why illustrators should focus less on style, and more on quality; and more. To learn more about Running Press, visit runningpress.com . You can email Frances your illustration portfolio by clicking here . If you find value in this podcast, ...
Feb 07, 2023•51 min•Ep. 192
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Kerry Martin, Creative Director of Holiday House, Peachtree, and Pixel+Ink. Kerry answers questions from Patrons of the podcast on submitting picture book dummies; what good habits she thinks illustrators should have; what catches her attention when she looks at portfolios; and more. They also discuss what might be the worst piece of advice for illustrators. You can follow Kerry on LinkedIn . You can also email her examples of your illustrations, and a link to your p...
Jan 31, 2023•49 min•Ep. 191
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, illustrator, creative director, and executive director of Illustration Institute, Scott Nash about welcoming discomfort and change into one’s creative practice; who’s to blame for the general public’s ignorance of illustration; why you should know who Dahlov Ipcar, Barbara Cooney, and other great illustrators are from the great state of Maine; and more. To learn more about Scott, visit scottnashillustration.com . To learn more about Illustration Institute, vi...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 190
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Cathy Olmedillas, founder of Anorak and Dot Magazines, about the early days of her career as a children’s magazine publisher; why respecting readers and paying illustrators seem to be novel business models in the children’s magazine world; why you should start an illustration career, or a podcast, or a magazine, with joy; and more. To learn more about Cathy and her happy work, visit studioanorak.co.uk . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscri...
Jan 17, 2023•48 min•Ep. 189
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, former New York Times art director of the Op-Ed page and Book Review, and co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer as Entrepreneur program, Steven Heller. Steven talks about the early years of his career at the New York Times, and why the word “legacy” is on his mind; what he was looking for in an illustrator’s portfolio—beyond their ability to draw and paint; why he wrote more than seventy obituaries for illustrators, and why he stopped; and more. This was recorded ...
Jan 10, 2023•56 min•Ep. 188
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, character designer, and “brushmancer”, Max Ulichney about the importance of studying from your favorite artists’ favorite artists; why not having a stylistic home-base may not be a bad thing; how he designs (and how you should use) his MaxPacks brushes; and more. To learn more about Max, visit maxulichney.com . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes On Illustration , on Substack . Among...
Jan 03, 2023•53 min•Ep. 187
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and educator, C.F. Payne about the early years of his illustration career, and how a frustrating portfolio review became a turning point; why he defines illustration as “art done under the circumstances”; why “get good” is the best piece of advice illustrators will ever hear; and more. To learn more about C.F., visit cfpayne.com . Artists mentioned in this episode include: Bart Forbes , Norman Rockwell , Charles Schulz , Steve Pietzsch , Sean Earley , Chr...
Dec 27, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 186
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Bryan Collier about how he dealt with years of rejection and coded racism from publishers; why he thinks there is “no landing place for an illustrator”; what it means to be a “dream walker”; and more. To learn more about Bryan, visit bryancollier.com . Artists mentioned in this episode include: Ezra Jack Keats , Crockett Johnson , Ernie Barnes , Tom Feelings , and Jerry Pinkney If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribi...
Dec 20, 2022•38 min•Ep. 185
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Aram Kim, Art Director at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, about how she manages her creative duality as both art director and illustrator/author; what it feels like when a book you art direct (not illustrate) wins a Caldecott; why illustrators don’t need to know what she looks for in portfolios; and more. To learn more about Aram, visit aramkim.com . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes On ...
Dec 13, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 184
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, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes On Illustration , on Substack . Among other benefits, you will gain access to bonus episodes we ca...
Dec 06, 2022•54 min•Ep. 183
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 lis...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 182
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 ...
Nov 22, 2022•50 min•Ep. 181
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 If you ...
Nov 15, 2022•46 min•Ep. 180
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 blow...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 179
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...
Oct 25, 2022•58 min•Ep. 178
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 . If you find value in this podcast, you ...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 177
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. I...
Oct 11, 2022•35 min•Ep. 176
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 . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes...
Oct 04, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 175
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...
Sep 27, 2022•57 min•Ep. 174
Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist, author, and educator, Alice A. Carter about the life and love of Red Rose Girls—Jessie Willcox Smith, Elizabeth Shippen Green, Violet Oakley, and Elizabeth Cozens—and the scandal that broke them apart; why there’s been a disparity between women and men in the illustration Hall of Fame; why it’s important to view contemporary illustration through an historical lens; and more. You can connect with Alice on LinkedIn. Artists mentioned in this episode include: Ch...
Sep 20, 2022•53 min•Ep. 173
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustration agent and founder of Alan Lynch Artists, Alan Lynch about what has and hasn’t changed in illustration during his 30-year career as an agent; how conversations about AI-generated imagery sound very familiar (and why that might be good news for illustrators); how agents have a negative reputation, and why it’s unfair “for the most part”; and more. To learn more about Alan and his agency, visit alanlynchartists.com . If you find value in this podcast, you c...
Sep 13, 2022•46 min•Ep. 172
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and visual literacy advocate, Ed Vere about growing up with Jan Michał Pieńkowski—and the life-lessons Jan imparted upon him; why it is so important to teach visual literacy to teachers; why “supposed to” should not be part of any creative process; and more. To learn more about Ed, visit edvere.com . To learn more about The Power of Pictures , visit clpe.org.uk/books/power-of-pictures/about . Artists mentioned in this episode include: Jan Michał ...
Sep 06, 2022•50 min•Ep. 171
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, Melissa Castrillón about how she went from being “pretty bad” at approaching publishers to becoming a full-time illustrator; what her approach is with character design, color, and negative space; how—through limitation—illustrators can find freedom with their creativity; and more. To learn more about Melissa, visit melissacastrillon.co.uk . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our best-selling publication, Notes On Illu...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 170
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Mumtaz Mustafa—Senior Art Director for William Morrow, Harvest Books, and Mariner Books at HarperCollins—about how she oversees and art directs hundreds of books a year; what the four main steps are when designing a book cover (and why they’re judged, often harshly, within Publishing); how illustrators can get her attention; and more. To learn more about Mumtaz, visit mmdesignbookcovers.com . If you find value in this podcast, you can support it by subscribing to our...
Aug 23, 2022•52 min•Ep. 169
