Paid 2 Draw – An Illustration Podcast (David Leutert and Viktoria Cichoń )
Explore every episode of Paid 2 Draw – An Illustration Podcast
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02 May 2023 | 13. Mary Kate McDevitt Invents Stuff Every Day | 01:22:36 | |
Mary Kate McDevitt is a Vermont-based illustrator and lettering artist with a love of color, texture and humor. Since 2010 she’s written several books, hosted lettering workshops, taught five Skillshare courses and worked for clients like Nike, Nintendo, Target, Sephora and The New York Times. She loves trying new things. Because personal projects provide a value that commercial ones sometimes can’t. Living by her mantra “This didn’t exist yesterday,” Mary Kate invents beautiful new illustration work every day. Recently she’s been exploring frame-by-frame animation. Like this cute duck character dancing to Wu-Tang. On the newest episode, Mary Kate also opens up about her recent struggles with creative block and shares ways to cope with it. She talks about the importance of stepping away and taking it easy on yourself. “You have to listen to yourself,” she says. Go back to what brought you to making art in the first place. For her it’s going antiquing and looking at old ephemera. Until something clicks and she gets excited again. There it is: Another fun and candid conversation with one of the greatest—Mary Kate McDevitt. Listen, learn and make sure to tell all your friends about it. _________ SHOW NOTES: • Watch Mary Kate’s courses on Skillshare • Read Mary Kate’s new book, “Illustration Workshop” • Learn Motion Design with Jake Bartlett on Skillshare _________ FOLLOW MARY KATE: Website: marykatemcdevitt.com If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. Music by Amanda Deff. | |||
| 16 May 2023 | 14. Clémence Gouy About How Personal Pieces Pay Off | 01:04:21 | |
Clémence Gouy is a French illustrator and graphic designer currently based in Amsterdam. She specialises in creating visual identities and illustrated content for various brands and media. After working as an art director in agencies across the world and getting a Master’s degree, she started building an illustration portfolio and ended up getting hired by clients like Apple, Nike, Google and Netflix. On an all-new episode of P2D, Clémence explains the role of an agent and clears up people’s misconceptions of what representation entails. Agents might be able to help you with outreach, pricing, contracts and even project management, but you’ll still have to write a ton of emails, keep your sites updated and reach out to people. It’s a true collaboration. When Clémence is not busy with commissions, she finds herself working on socially-engaged personal pieces. Because a lot of times the work you do for free ends up paying off one way or another. She finds her clients mostly through social media, so of course her Insta account’s recent hack has been a challenge for her as a freelancer. Don't miss this super-insightful and inspiring convo with another incredibly talented illustrator and animator. _________ FOLLOW CLÉMENCE: Instagram: @clemence_gouy _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 23 Apr 2024 | 21. Cymone Wilder’s Perfectly Imperfect Painting Process | 01:00:32 | |
Cymone Wilder is a full-time Senior Art Director and lettering artist based in Nashville, TN. Since 2013 she has collaborated with clients like HBO Max, Nickelodeon, and Netflix, creating custom lettering artwork for established brands, books, apparel, and more. She is fiercely passionate about producing meaningful and long-lasting work, drawing inspiration from the black experience. On this episode, Cymone generously shares her wealth of knowledge with the P2D community. She just wants to show people: It’s not as hard as it seems. And she’s no longer bothered by copy cats, because they could never replicate the heart and soul that goes into her work. After all, we’re all individuals with different life experiences. Cymone also shares her perfectly imperfect painting process, why she began working on canvas and what tools she uses to create her personal projects. Whether she starts with a fully fleshed-out sketch or it turns into more of a trial-and-error approach, she always ends up making something she enjoys. Sometimes she uses sandpaper or a steel brush to add texture and other times she scrapes the wood with the metal ridge from a tape dispenser. With every painting, she says, the process has been different. Find out why Cymone uses her skill and voice for political messages, how she collaborates with her brother Cedric, and why you should never serve her soup as a main course on this brand-new episode of Paid 2 Draw. _________ MENTIONED LINKS: • Cedric Wilder (Cymone’s brother) _________ FOLLOW CYMONE: Instagram: @simonandmoose Website: simonandmoose.com HIRE CYMONE: hello@simonandmoose.com _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. | |||
| 28 Jun 2022 | 5. Scott Biersack Brings Fire to Everything He Does | 00:59:28 | |
Scott Biersack aka @youbringfire is a freelance designer specializing in lettering and type design based in Phoenix, AZ. He’s worked for clients like Adobe, Bacardi, BuzzFeed, Netflix, Snapchat, Starbucks, and Target. Living by the mantra “No Work, All Play”, Scott brings his fire for creating to every new creative challenge. In episode 5, Vicky and Dave have an honest conversation with Scott about mental health, burnout and the pressure of social media. But also less depressing stuff like collaboration, sustainability or trying new things. They talk about ways for designers to make a difference and affect meaningful change. Scott recently started teaching type design at ASU and is going back to school to become a musician — all while working full-time as a freelance designer. Some might say he is juggling a little bit too much, but you'd be surprised how much you get done when you wake up at 4:30am. _________ FOLLOW SCOTT: Instagram: @youbringfire _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 20 Jun 2024 | 24. Julia Rothman’s Drawings Appear On Literally Everything | 01:11:39 | |
Julia Rothman is an award-winning illustrator, pattern maker, NYT columnist and party motivator from New York. Her drawings appear on a variety of things, from newspapers and magazines to posters and billboards, wallpapers, bedding, towels, apparel, mugs and other merchandise. Julia has authored and illustrated over twelve books and has an illustrated column in the New York Times called “Scratch” about small businesses with big personalities. A lot of her projects were self-initiated. Julia just reaches out to people she wants to work with. She enjoys having a variety of projects at the same time and a lot of them are found by proactively pitching ideas. Many artists may not know this, she says, but she encourages everyone to just take a leap and contact prospective clients. You never know who might need your art. Julia likes to maintain a regular drawing practice. She always keeps a sketch pad around and can be found doodling most of the time. Sometimes she draws with friends and other times she just draws to stay busy. If she hasn’t drawn for a while, she feels a certain sense of discomfort. She regularly attends drawing nights, meets up with other artists and has co-founded Women Who Draw, an open directory of female* professional illustrators, artists and cartoonists. On this episode we dive deep into how Julia found her way into the illustration world, what teaching at RISD and SVA has taught her, the benefits of starting the year with a More/Less list, and why you shouldn’t be afraid of bad drawings. She even shares the backstory of how she became a professional party motivator. Such a fun and informative conversation with one of the most prolific illustrators of our time! _________ MENTIONED LINKS: • Women Who Draw: an open directory of female professional illustrators • Ladies Drawing Night: a female-only (trans-inclusive) drink and draw • “Scratch”: Julia Rothman & Shaina Feinberg’s New York Times column • The Anatomy Series: The Julia Rothman Collection • “Every Body – An Honest and Open Look at Sex from Every Angle”, Julia Rothman & Shaina Feinberg • Julia’s wallpapers at Hygge & West • Skillshare course: “How to Make A Repeat Pattern with Julia Rothman” • Purchase Julia’s books on Indiebound • Matt Dorfman: art director of the NYT Book Review • Lynda Barry’s “Making Comics” • Vogue article about Julia’s More/Less lists _________ FOLLOW JULIA: Instagram: @juliarothman HIRE JULIA: juliaaprilrothman@gmail.com _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. Music by Amanda Deff. _________ Berlin Letters Festival: Come to our live interview with Ximena Jiménez on Sunday, July 7th, at ~1:15pm at silent green in Berlin! ✨ There are also various workshops available during Berlin Letters, even for non-ticket holders. You can find a workshop overview right here. | |||
| 07 Jun 2022 | 2. Eugenia Mello on How to Draw Rhythm & Motion | 01:23:35 | |
On the second episode of Paid 2 Draw, Argentinian illustrator and graphic designer Eugenia Mello talks to Vicky and Dave about how to dance with a pencil. Her beautiful work is full of movement, emotions and vibrant colors. She talks about how growing up in the Caribbean has informed her style and what an impact dancing and ballet have had on her approach to image-making and visual storytelling. Eugenia tells listeners about the importance of understanding your process, being centered (during a proverbial pirouette) and finding something that feels true. The conversation addresses both dealing with imposter syndrome and being proud of your work. Eugenia really covers it all. She is very tired, but at least she's not dead. So she can keep on going. _________ FOLLOW EUGENIA Instagram: @eumiel _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. | |||
| 04 Apr 2023 | 11. Bene Rohlmann Found His Style by Making Mistakes | 01:19:00 | |
Bene Rohlmann is an award-winning artist and illustrator based in Berlin. His work combines a vintage aesthetic with bold vibrant colors, geometric patterns and a love for detail. Born in Münster, he was always doodling as a kid—fuelled by comic books and his grandpa’s fairytales. Vicky and Dave have an honest conversation with Bene about how he finds inspiration in vintage advertising, old matchbooks and traveling. And how he discovered his style in South Korea. On this brand-new episode of Paid 2 Draw, Bene talks about how he got to work for clients like The New Yorker, Google, Disney, Apple, Nike and Patagonia. He gives valuable tips on cold-emailing and shares his strategy for contacting art directors. Because it is their job to find illustrators, he says. So you’re doing them a favor by reaching out. Bene shares how he developed his unique style organically through messing up. He thinks that the mistakes we make can define our style. If you put too much pressure on yourself, you’ll probably never start. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be fun. _________ FOLLOW BENE: Instagram: @bene_rohlmann _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 21 Mar 2023 | 10. Giulia Hartz is the Queen of Authentic Personal Branding | 01:20:47 | |
On the first in-person recording in Paid 2 Draw history, Vicky and Dave chat with illustrator and designer Giulia Hartz about her client work, personal projects and her online community. Giulia opens up about how she copes with uncomfortable feelings by customizing her living space with encouraging words and witty jokes. Turning dark thoughts into funny art, the physical act of painting calms her down in times of uncertainty. To connect with her audience, Giulia mixes nostalgic toys from her childhood with unexpected ironic messages to create tension, comedic relief and an almost meme-like quality in her illustrations. She has successfully created a personal brand by being true to herself. Giulia regularly engages with her online community by sharing personal experiences, meeting up for coffee dates and sending her followers on sticker hunts around the city. She even delves deep into technical tutorials and sharing knowledge with The Hearts Club — her devoted followers on Patreon. _________ SHOW NOTES: • “The Freelance Manifesto: A Field Guide for the Modern Motion Designer", Joey Korenman _________ FOLLOW GIULIA: Instagram: @giuliahartz _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. | |||
| 12 Mar 2024 | 18. Ju Mu is Inspired by the Creative Genius of Indigenous Communities | 00:45:47 | |
Jurena Munõz Lagunas, aka Ju Mu, is a multi-faceted artist based in Berlin with Peruvian-Chilean roots. Born in Hannover, Germany, she studied Fashion Design in Palma de Mallorca where she developed a fascination for surreal creatures and monsters. The cult of shamanism and the connections between humanity, the spirit world and nature are perennial features of her work and serve as inspiration for her colorful masks, canvases and murals. Deeply impressed by the creative genius of indigenous communities, Ju Mu implements influences from diverse cultures and creates her very own surreal worlds through patterns, colors and whatever tools she can find. Those ancient tales have informed her profound love for storytelling and it’s apparent in all of her artwork — from costumes to sculptures. Ju Mu is a creative powerhouse who never runs out of ideas. If she could, she would realize every spark of inspiration on her own. But art is a collaborative endeavor, so sometimes it’s best to work with people who know more about a certain technique than you do and to learn from them along the way. In recent years Ju Mu has started embracing the power of sowing seeds. Because in order for your creative career to stand the test of time you have to play the long game. Good work, she says, will always leave a lasting impact. You can hear all about Ju Mu’s process and inspiration in this inspiring interview with an incredibly unique artist. Thanks for listening! _________ FOLLOW JU MU: Instagram: @jumumonster HIRE JU MU: Jurena.mu@gmail.com _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. | |||
| 07 Mar 2023 | 9. Dave Arcade on How to Create Surrealist Isometric Cartoon Worlds | 01:33:07 | |
Paid 2 Draw is back with an all-new season! On the first episode, Vicky and Dave get to talk to the almighty Dave Arcade—a cartoon surrealist and visual storyteller from Salt Lake City, Utah. Dave explains how he found his hyper-intricate isometric style and shares his approach to creating uniquely personal work by simply drawing what you think is cool. He talks shop about his background in advertising, early cartoon influences, his passion for music, why VectorMagic is better than Image Trace, and what exactly ruined NFTs for him. Will AI art replace illustrators? Despite the rapid advancements in AI technology, Dave remains optimistic about the future. In the end, he thinks, no one’s willing to support the death of an artistic industry. So there you go. Another episode chock-full of doom talk, guitar pedals and Adobe bashing. Don’t miss this super-interesting conversation among three peers about the ups and downs of drawing for a living! _________ FOLLOW DAVE: Instagram: @davearcade _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 18 Apr 2023 | 12. Kati Szilágyi is Intrigued by Imperfections | 01:06:41 | |
Kati Szilágyi talks to us about how much she loves her job despite having a crisis every once in a while. During her studies her style was inspired by graphic and poster design, which she translated into whimsical characters in colorful dreamscapes. Her process is to welcome little mistakes on paper and to find abstract shapes while drawing humans. On this episode, we chat with Kati about how it’s necessary to take breaks from drawing to get inspired and how it’s normal to sometimes not be interested in illustration at all. She opens up about how the pandemic and adopting her dog has resulted in her working from home more, even though she shares a lively studio with other creatives. Since 2013, Kati has been consistently sharing her work on Instagram, showcasing two slightly different styles: drawing on paper & digitally as well as cutouts — which made her think in abstract shapes even more. _________ FOLLOW KATI: Instagram: @katiszi _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 31 May 2022 | 1. Nicole Rifkin About the Importance of Community | 01:10:32 | |
Nicole Rifkin talks about the importance of giving back to the community that made you and how the DIY punk scene influenced her career path. She talks about how working hard all the time was her choice and how lucky she has been to have so much support. On the very first episode of Paid 2 Draw, Vicky and Dave have a heart-felt discussion with Nicole about kindness, competition, pro bono work, dying alone, and of course, Cheese Wednesdays — the ultimate perk of being freelance. Don’t miss out on this inspiring conversation between three illustrators! And remember: “Don’t work for cops.” _________ FOLLOW NICOLE Instagram: @nicolerifkin _________ SHOWNOTES | |||
| 15 Jun 2023 | 16. Josephine Rais on the Perks and Pitfalls of Freelancing | 01:33:51 | |
Josephine Rais is an artist based in Berlin with a main focus on digital illustration. Having a background in product design and a Master’s degree in strategic design, Josephine’s broad skill set allows for a multidisciplinary approach to her illustration work. Being forced to go freelance after not landing an agency job led to her working for clients like Adidas, Apple, Coca-Cola, Samsung and Die Zeit. Josephine’s favorite subject to draw is people. She loves capturing the raw emotions and unique energy that Berlin has to offer in her dynamic portraits. Playing with distorted perspectives, she creates bold sceneries of every-day life situations and her diverse protagonists appear on products, animated screens and large-scale murals. Instagram has given her many opportunities and opened doors for her when she first started out, but, she says, it doesn’t support realness. The platform is seeking a portrayal of perfectionism that’s impossible to attain. But as long as we’re all playing along with it, planning our grids and feeding the algorithm, she fears that things probably won’t change. On the final episode of season 2, Josephine talks about the art of tufting, why German clients tend to be the (surprise!) least friendly, the importance of knowing your limits as a freelancer and saying ‘no’ — and she shares all the secrets behind her vibrant color palettes. Another really inspiring conversation with one of Berlin’s coolest illustrators! Listen, learn and then tell everyone you know about it. 📢 _________ SHOW NOTES: • Follow Daniel Stuhlpfarrer on Instagram (Type & graphic designer)
• Check out Philipp Basler on Instagram (Digital artist & motion designer) _________ FOLLOW JOSEPHINE: Instagram: @josephinerais _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 21 May 2024 | 22. Aaron Draplin is Grateful As Sh*t To Be A Creative | 01:36:54 | |
Aaron Draplin is on the show this week, giving us a lesson in gratitude. His advice to listeners: “Be thankful as sh*t that you get to be a creative person.” Showing up and getting the job done builds confidence. Or at the very least, it gives you a better understanding of your own creative process. Aaron is the founder of DDC, Draplin Design Company. With his signature bold lines and colorful illustration style he’s worked for clients ranging from small indie bands to Nike, Patagonia, Target and USPS. When he’s not working from his backyard in Portland he’s out on the open road with his wife Leigh in their iconic orange van, giving talks and workshops about design, typography and illustration. On this episode Draplin shares some valuable lessons he’s learned after 20 years of freelancing. Don’t quit your job until you’re financially stable enough to take the leap. He says: “If you have a sucky job, do your sucky job and then get home and have fun. And it’ll tip at some point. Like it did for me.” He talks about his humble beginnings, growing up in Michigan, buying his first computer in Alaska in 1996, moving out West to work at Snowboarder Magazine, and ultimately ending up in Oregon and going freelance in 2004. His Midwestern roots and down-to-earth sensibility shine through in every facet of his career — all the way to his popular side venture, Field Notes memo books. Aaron generously shares advice on how to make your own stuff, the power of slowing down, giving back and helping other people. We even get to collectively geek out about Dinosaur Jr and he plays us an acoustic version of “Little Fury Things.” And then, towards the end, we go extra deep and talk about where we go when we die. Good times all-around, folks! Another episode of your favorite illustration podcast that’s jam-packed with lil nuggets of wisdom from one of the hardest-working individuals in graphic design. _________ FOLLOW AARON: Instagram: @draplin If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. | |||
| 05 Jun 2024 | 23. Aliyah Salmon Dismantles Stereotypes About Black Femininity With Yarn | 01:07:30 | |
Aliyah Salmon is a tactile artist based out of Brooklyn, NY. Her art explores the intricate crossroads of black femininity and the Afro-Caribbean diaspora in contemporary America. Through textiles and collage, her work challenges and reframes simplistic narratives surrounding Black identity. Using traditional textile methods like hand tufting with an Oxford punch needle and bead embroidery alongside modern materials and collage techniques, Aliyah embraces “slow craft” to construct dream-like compositions. On this episode, Aliyah talks about how she enjoys exploring techniques and materials through 3 different sketchbooks — writing notes, trying out colors with markers and sampling yarn. She loves the process and all the work that goes into making a composition and a piece look good. But more than anything she loves playing with color. In the digital age it’s important to Aliyah to feel a connection to her work. Understanding how to use your hands to make things, she says, is a skill that everyone should have. Because making stuff with your own two hands is a very grounding experience. Aliyah embraces pieces she sees as “bad work,” because to her they’re the foundation of the really good ones. No artist creates a hit every time they pick up a pencil. People tend to get discouraged too easily by perceived mistakes, but to Aliyah they’re a gateway to the good stuff. In a way she enjoys being frustrated and challenged, so she encourages everyone to keep making bad work. _________ FOLLOW ALIYAH: Instagram: @tyrabanks_official HIRE ALIYAH: aliyah.d.salmon@gmail.com _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. | |||
| 27 Feb 2024 | 17. Anna Rupprecht on the Struggle of Running Your Own Commercial Art Business | 01:09:16 | |
Paid 2 Draw is back with an all-new season! On the first episode, we get to talk to Anna Rupprecht who is an artist and freelance illustrator based in Berlin. Her art reflects the current zeitgeist through clear contours and interesting image dynamics with diverse protagonists of her generation. Since going freelance after graduating from the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, she has worked with a wide range of international clients like Adidas, Apple, Netflix, the New Yorker, NY Times and Pinterest. Anna’s hyper-detailed work stands out with bright colors, unusual perspectives, political themes and bizarre fashion elements. But no matter what style you’re working in, she argues, what it all comes down to is a good idea. The most inspiring people for her are interdisciplinary artists who put their creativity first. Also, creatives should always make time for quiet contemplation. In order to come up with great ideas, Anna says, boredom is an integral part of the creative process. Sometimes you just need to sit around and do nothing. We talk about all this and so much more on the season premiere of Paid 2 Draw. From losing herself in the process of trying to fit in to phone-induced depression, the pressure of having to be online, using references and being the last true Heelys ambassador, Anna touched on every subject you could think of. Don’t miss this super inspiring chat we had with one of Berlin’s greatest! And then tell all your creative friends about it. _________ FOLLOW ANNA: Instagram: @annarupprecht_studio _________ HIRE ANNA: studio.rupprecht@gmail.com _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. | |||
| 09 Apr 2024 | 20. Marte on the Power of Being Your Own Union | 01:18:42 | |
Martina Galarza, aka Marte, is an Argentinian graphic designer and lettering artist based in New York. Inspired by cartoons, graffiti and psychedelia, she’s all about infusing fun and vibrancy into her designs—creating a perfect blend of nostalgia and contemporary cool. In this very personal conversation, Marte opens up about how she had to change her life to avoid burnout and made a point to enjoy weekends and vacations in order to be happy. Her favorite medium to design for is the poster. She loves how it interacts with the environment, how it changes it, fades and gets torn away. And how it can have an actual impact on an event’s turnout. Starting out by making gig posters for her friends’ bands, she now gets to create work for big-time artists like Paul McCartney, Arctic Monkeys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Even though Adobe Illustrator is Marte’s go-to software, she always approaches every project by drawing with a pencil on paper. Because for her it’s important to be in touch with the material. On this episode Marte shares with us her entire process from rough sketch to finished artwork. Find out how to create striking posters, why nothing really matters and what rocks have to do with all of it on the latest episode of P2D! _________ SHOW NOTES: • Marte’s Domestika course: “Creative Poster Design for Events” _________ FOLLOW MARTE: Instagram: @marte_______ HIRE MARTE: hola@martevisual.com _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. | |||
| 27 Mar 2024 | 19. Florian Schommer: From Touring With Bands to Drawing For Brands | 01:23:02 | |
Florian Schommer is an art director and designer working within branding, illustration, editorial design, packaging and contemporary art. Dividing his time between personal projects and collaborating with international clients like Pepsi, Nike, Penguin, Sony Music, Columbia Records and The Guardian, Florian now lives and works in Berlin. Growing up in the skate and punk scene of the ‘90s, he later attended art college in Düsseldorf while constantly touring the world with a variety of bands. Doing design work for bands during his studies gave him a reason to show his work and make a name for himself. Florian shares how a break-through project for Jägermeister lead to him dropping out of grad school in Hamburg to pursue a full-time career as a freelance creative. He’s basically had a professional career before his career as an illustrator. Playing in touring bands back in the day has taught him how to navigate an independent creative business today. Art directing record covers and having a booking agent are very similar to working with an illustration agency. On this week’s episode, Florian also discusses the importance of talking about prices. Because somehow we were all tricked into believing that talking about money is rude. If you’re unsure about how to price a project, don’t be afraid to reach out to your colleagues. Talk to your peers and don’t let clients rip you off. Now go ahead and listen to this super inspiring conversation with Florian and tell all your illustration friends about it. We’re trying to build a community here! _________ SHOW NOTES: • Album art for “Joy Is The Only Treat” by Client _________ FOLLOW FLORIAN: Instagram: @florian.schommer HIRE FLORIAN: hello@florianschommer.com _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. | |||
| 27 May 2022 | Trailer: Paid 2 Draw | 00:01:20 | |
Paid 2 Draw is a new illustration podcast hosted by David Leutert and Viktoria Cichoń, two illustrators and lettering artists from Berlin. In the first season they interview 8 inspiring creatives about how they manage to get paid doing what they love. Episode 1 airs May 31st, 2022. Featuring Nicole Rifkin, Eugenia Mello, Martina Flor, Helen Li, Scott Biersack, Monique Aimee, Diana Beltrán Herrera and Abraham Lule. | |||
| 12 Jul 2022 | 7. Diana Beltrán Herrera Creates Her Own Worlds With Paper | 01:09:07 | |
Diana Beltrán Herrera is a Colombian artist and designer who uses paper to create and transform things. With a sharp eye for detail she is a living example of why it pays off to take the time to specialize in one thing. From Bristol, UK, Diana talks to Vicky & Dave about why she stuck with paper as a medium, how she connects with nature and what her pristine lab-like studio means to her — all while dropping inspirational quotes every 10 seconds. On this hour-long group therapy session she tells listeners about the importance of play and why you should have fun doing what you do. Diana truly encourages you to make the most of your life. Don’t miss this super-inspiring conversation about the power of patience, passion, paper-craft and procrastination! ✨ _________ FOLLOW DIANA: Instagram: @dianabeltranherrera _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 07 Jan 2025 | 25. Martina Paukova Finds Growth in Complexity (Live at Pictoplasma Berlin 2024) | 00:45:36 | |
Slovak illustrator Martina Paukova has come a long way from originally studying politics to completely switching gears and moving to London — studying at Camberwell College of Arts — to now settling in Berlin. On her path, she developed a distinct style marked by her trademark vector lines, bold color palettes and flat character-driven subject matters, allowing her to accumulate an impressive client list spanning from Google, Apple and The New York Times to IKEA, The Economist, Die Zeit, and many more. Starting out in the illustration world as a “late bloomer” in her mid 20s, Martina relied on three different ways to land her first clients: University connections, referrals from previous industry projects and competitions (a.k.a. self initiated work). She explains how one job led to another and how having a set of recurring clients can bring financial stability to one’s career, but can also lead to stagnation and hindering growth. As clients usually hire based on previous work to ensure a safe outcome, it is easy for artists to get stuck in the hamster wheel of repetition. Martina also points out the importance of not relying on a single way of finding clients (like an agent or referrals or one social media platform) and that as professional freelance illustrators we must be our own agency and find ways to motivate ourselves to grow both creatively and as a business. Even though life tends to get in the way and time for personal development is limited, Martina wants to keep experimenting — dabbling in 3D and textile illustration; maybe even knitting or sewing quilts — to keep herself and her clients excited for what’s to come. We are definitely excited about Martina’s path to becoming a professional illustrator, just as much as her useful industry insights and hilarious anecdotes like the one where she lost her Apple Pencil on the day of a deadline. _________ MENTIONED LINKS: • Reps: Agent Pekka & Making Pictures _________ FOLLOW MARTINA: Instagram: @martinapaukova Website: martinapaukova.com LinkedIn: Martina Paukova Twitter: x.com/martinapaukova _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. Music by Amanda Deff. Assistance by Diana Lazaru. _________ This interview was recorded on May 5th, 2024, during the 20th annual Pictoplasma Conference at silent green in Berlin. Each spring, Pictoplasma transforms the city into an international meeting point for a diverse scene of artists and creatives, trailblazing the face of tomorrow’s visual culture. The central conference brings together 900 key players on a global scale and features 20+ lectures by forward-thinking creatives. The accompanying animation screenings showcase cutting edge short films, with most of the filmmakers present in Q&A rounds. The character lab offers hands-on workshops, immersive media demos, panels and networking. Get your tickets for Pictoplasma Berlin 2025 (May 1st–4th). | |||
| 30 May 2023 | 15. Dan Christofferson’s Journey from BeeTeeth to Young Jerks | 01:34:02 | |
Dan Christofferson is an illustrator and designer from Salt Lake City, currently based in Philadelphia. He’s a partner and creative director at Young Jerks—an independent brand and packaging studio. Growing up out West, Dan’s work has been informed by the religious heritage of his upbringing and the DIY ethos of Utah’s straight-edge hardcore scene. On this week’s episode, he explains why illustrators and designers should know their worth and acknowledge the value they’re adding to a client’s product. Dan also gives crucial advice on how artists should run their online shops in 2023. He recounts his journey from working at Big Cartel to having his own successful online shop and ultimately moving to the East Coast to start a studio with his friend Dan Cassaro. Dan talks about how he’s been working his way back to finding a more impulsive, less refined and—as he calls it—“dumber” way to draw. He’s been un-training himself to draw things out of proportion, trying not to balance everything and allowing his kids to influence more of his work. Such a fun and informative conversation with one of the greatest! Go tell all your friends about it. Then make some shirts about how good this episode was and wear ‘em around town. It’s so easy! _________ FOLLOW DAN & YOUNG JERKS: Instagram (Dan): @beeteeth HIRE DAN: hello@youngjerks.com BUY “SNAKES OF WRATH”: snakesofwrath.com
BUY YOUNG JERKS MERCH: jerkstore.biz
Non-alcoholic agave spirits: drinkparch.com Also, check out Arizona artist Joe Sorren’s work. And follow the other moms & dads at YJ: Dan Cassaro, Kelly Thorn, Brett Stenson _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 21 Jun 2022 | 4. Helen Li — Fun and Failure As an Illustrator and Tattooer | 01:14:16 | |
Helen Li is an Australian illustrator and tattoo artist living in Poland. She has worked for clients like Nike, Google, Adobe, Dropbox and Snapchat, and has illustrated the book “The Art of Drag” for Nobrow. Her work is full of joy and personality. On the 4th episode of P2D, Helen talks about her journey from Sydney to New York and Warsaw. And how her path led her from finance to graphic design to ultimately her dream gigs — full-time illustration and tattooing. She gives listeners a deep-dive into how she developed her signature style, the importance of humor in her work, and how drawing buff babies was the pinnacle of her career. Vicky and Dave have a candid conversation with Helen about dealing with social anxiety and accepting failure as part of the process. But also about embracing who you are and not letting self-doubt get in the way. Because your ideas are valid. Helen loves her job and wants to keep working until something fails. Retirement isn’t really something she is looking forward to. So she even started training her left hand to draw — just in case. Hear all about it on one of the objectively funniest episodes of season 1! _________ FOLLOW HELEN: Instagram: @helen.of.koi _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 05 Jul 2022 | 6. Monique Aimee is All About Self-Care & Community Work | 00:50:23 | |
Monique Aimee is a multidisciplinary artist based out of Boston. Her work ranges from digital illustrations to hand-painted murals to chain-stitch patches — all with themes of empowerment and self-care. She studied illustration in Boston and typography in Melbourne. On this episode of Paid 2 Draw, she explains how she went from being a sign maker in a basement for Whole Foods to becoming a super-successful freelance illustrator, working for clients like Disney, Netflix, Snapchat, Coca-Cola, Patagonia and Chronicle Books. Monique shares her journey from Massachusetts to Australia and Japan, and now back to Boston. She talks to Vicky and Dave about the importance of saying ‘no’ and how she made six figures as a freelancer. The three illustrators discuss everything from chain-stitching to community work and superior toilets. Monique also describes how she found a way to improve her time-management skills. She gives valuable tips on how she finds time for self-care in between client work, teaching herself animation and sharing her process, knowledge and experiences on TikTok. After all, she’s just a human. And she googles stuff, too. _________ FOLLOW MONIQUE: Instagram: @moniqueaimee _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 14 Jun 2022 | 3. Martina Flor: “The Future of Lettering is Just Beginning” | 01:11:23 | |
Martina Flor is a lettering artist, author and educator. Based in Berlin, she runs one of the world’s leading studios in lettering design and custom typography. On this episode Vicky & Dave talk to Martina about her journey from Argentina to the Netherlands and to Germany. How she found a sense of belonging in the type community, what teaching has taught her about her own process, and how her background in acting has helped her become a great public speaker. By asking “How can we help people with what we do?”, Martina and her team have impacted the work and businesses of thousands of brands and creatives all over the world. She also talks about ways for creatives to diversify their income streams and how to combine their various skills to create a unique career for themselves. Martina thinks the future of lettering looks bright. And she still loves getting to draw letters every day. _________ FOLLOW MARTINA: Instagram: @martinaflor Listen to her podcast Martina Flor’s Open Studio. And sign up to Leap Now — her 4-month group coaching and mentorship program. _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 26 Jul 2022 | 8. Abraham Lule is a Master of Hand-Crafted Branding | 01:03:10 | |
Abraham Lule is a Mexican designer, typographer and art director based in New York. He describes his hand-crafted packaging and branding work as “design with a human touch.” With an unparalleled work ethic, Abraham is eager to learn new tools and techniques whenever he gets the chance. He always makes time for personal projects to improve upon his brush lettering skills. His background in dancing and choreography has informed the way he approaches his design work today. Wearing many different hats as an independent designer, Abraham is all about getting things done. He doesn’t want to waste his or anyone’s time. On this week’s episode of Paid 2 Draw, Abraham gives listeners valuable advice about the importance of presentation, collaboration and hanging out with the right people. Because if you’re working with talented folks it’s reflected in your own work. And quality is at the forefront of everything he does. To say it in Abraham’s words: “Good design lasts forever.” _________ FOLLOW ABRAHAM: Instagram: @abrahamlule _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. _________ Hosted by Viktoria Cichoń and David Leutert. | |||
| 21 Jan 2025 | 26. YONK Pushes Boundaries In Virtual Reality (Live at Pictoplasma Berlin 2024) | 00:51:01 | |
YONK is a Dutch 3D animation studio consisting of artistic power couple Victoria Young and Niels van der Donk. Coming from different backgrounds like fine art and graphic design they decided early on to combine their individual skills to create 3D work. Since 2019 they specialize in using Virtual Reality and 3D sculpting tools to create uniquely strange, textured and colorful artworks, animations and character designs for an increasingly international client list such as Google, Sprite, Nike, Amazon and The New York Times, but also just for the sake of creating and having fun experimenting. In this episode they take us into their world and explain how sculpting 3D figures in virtual reality is more intuitive and less technical than the traditional way with a keyboard and mouse. Working in VR has led to quicker results and helped them discover their unique style. By embracing the explorer’s mindset they experiment in a way where everything is allowed and create a body of work by describing their nightmares to each other. They generously share how their style gradually developed by not knowing how to do things “properly” and how they made a conscious decision to leave the imperfections and happy accidents in their work to give it a more organic feel. While collaborating they acknowledge each other’s strengths and try to involve each other throughout the whole process to create a cohesive result. Even though their work is mostly created in VR it can be transferred to many other mediums and be experienced by everyone as an animated video, a 3D print or traditional 2D image. But their activities are not only limited to making art — they also develop tools to solve specific problems within the sculpting or animation programs and share them with the growing VR and 3D sculpting community. It was that constant sharing of their personal work on Instagram that has caught the attention of potential clients who want be a part of their exciting experiences and set their mark in the VR space. To YONK, client work not only poses creative challenges, but also requires them to incorporate some planning and organizing into their process while still keeping it as intuitive and natural as possible. _________ MENTIONED LINKS: • Substance 3D Modeler (by Adobe) • YONK & Friends (live stream) • Blender (open-source 3D & animation software) • Step Motion on Blender Market • WarpySTEP v1.2 for Blender (by Will Anderson) • Grease Pencil Resources for Blender • Geometry Nodes for Blender • Dédouze • Other 3D software: Cinema 4D, Houdini, ZBrush, Maya _________ FOLLOW YONK: Instagram: @yonk.online Website: yonk.online YouTube: YONK TikTok: @yonk.online Twitch: yonkonline Threads: @yonk.online Twitter: x.com/yonkonline _________ If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review. And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. _________ Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert. Music by Amanda Deff. Assistance by Diana Lazaru. _________ This interview was recorded on May 5th, 2024, during the 20th annual Pictoplasma Conference at silent green in Berlin. Each spring, Pictoplasma transforms the city into an international meeting point for a diverse scene of artists and creatives, trailblazing the face of tomorrow’s visual culture. The central conference brings together 900 key players on a global scale and features 20+ lectures by forward-thinking creatives. The accompanying animation screenings showcase cutting edge short films, with most of the filmmakers present in Q&A rounds. The character lab offers hands-on workshops, immersive media demos, panels and networking. Get your tickets for Pictoplasma Berlin 2025 (May 1st–4th). | |||