The Illustration Department Podcast (Giuseppe Castellano)

Author and Illustrator, Kelly Light, and Giuseppe Castellano, talk about how Chuck Jones and P. D. Eastman influence Kelly’s work; they discuss the beauty of a line; and they talk about the art director who—in 2010—told Kelly that she had no business getting into children’s publishing.

Author and Illustrator, Kelly Light, and Giuseppe Castellano talk about what it means to be a good character designer; they discuss the importance of believability; they get real about social media; and they explain why publishing is one big gamble.

Lastly, Kelly pinpoints the two things everyone needs to live a life as an illustrator.

Illustrator and Educator, Yuko Shimizu, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the fear of failure, negotiating with clients, finding your true self, Hokusai and the zen of brush and ink, and the necessary steps illustrators need to take to be successful.

Mohamed Danawi—the founder and creative director of IlloZoo—talks with Giuseppe Castellano about the renaissance in illustration, running an art agency, the pros and cons of social media, and the necessary steps illustrators need to take to be successful—from the perspective of an agent.

Illustrator, Erin Hunting, talks with Giuseppe Castellano about living in Melbourne, Australia; 1980’s video games and cartoons; how Grumpy Cat changed her life; what you can and can’t do with art piracy; what it means to be a Copic Ambassador; and why fan art is art.

Author/Illustrator and educator, Lisa Brown, talks with Giuseppe Castellano about myriad illustrators from Edward Gorey and Ed Emberley to Kaylani Juanita and Joohee Yoon; how one tweet led to a dream job with the New York Times Book Review (although Twitter is mostly a “nest of vipers”); and why she thinks contemporary children’s book illustration is going through a revolution.

Ben Zhu, the founder of Gallery Nucleus, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about being a child of immigrants; using a fortune cooking to get a job in video games; owning an art gallery; and why he thinks illustrators “deserve to be seen”.

Author/illustrator, Stephen Kroninger, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the art of collage; how a kid from “the sticks” got his own show at the MOMA; and why he thinks artists should always say they can—even if they can’t.

Art director and illustrator, Krystal Lauk, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the ups and downs of the art boom in the Tech industry; why “UX/UI” is simpler than you think; and how illustration can inspire empathy.

Mark Mills, founder of Plum Pudding—one of the world’s leading children’s illustration agencies, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the origin of his agency; how art schools (and other agencies) are taking advantage of artists; and why every illustrator who submits to Plum Pudding for representation gets a reply. “Every one.”

Multi-award-winning children’s book art director, Jim Hoover, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about what it’s like to talk to Maurice Sendak and Hilary Knight; how he finds illustrators; and why he never wants to hear, “Are we married to this illustrator”.

Children’s book art director, Jim Hoover, answers questions from illustrators.

Among other topics, he covers: postcards, portfolios, websites, getting work, digital vs. traditional methods, social media, and style.

Editor and author, Leila Sales, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about her editing days at Viking; the role of an editor; how her writing process is “probably not great”; what inspired her book, If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say; and why cancel culture needs to be canceled.

Publisher and author, Jess Brallier, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how an industrial engineer major at the University of Pittsburgh became a children’s book publisher; how he and Jeff Kinney launched The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and what a “P&L” is (and why you should care).

Author and illustrator, Floyd Cooper, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how a weatherman in Tulsa, Oklahoma—and his character “gusty”—stoked Floyd’s love of drawing. He also talks about his bumpy experiences with Hallmark; how Mark English became a friend and mentor; and why an author’s insistence—in 1989—that her publisher hire a black illustrator launched Floyd’s publishing career.

Leonard S. Marcus and Giuseppe Castellano cover 150 years of children’s book history. They discuss Caldecott, Potter, Little Golden Books, Maurice Sendak, Ezra Jack Keats, John Steptoe, and much, much more.

Jon Cockley, co-founder of Handsome Frank, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how fatherhood was a catalyst for starting his illustration agency; how they find illustrators to represent; and why—despite the problems he sees—illustration continues to be a viable career choice.

Agent, Emily Keyes, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the esoteric world of foreign rights and sub-rights; and the 3 things you should know before submitting to an agent.

They then discuss mental health; and why Wormtongue from The Lord of the Rings is wrong about you.

Copyright Law expert and former Professor of Law, Peter Jaszi, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his step-grandfather—and Little Golden Books legend—Tibor Gergely.

They then discuss the legality of fan art; copyright vs. trademark; the real deal behind the “poor man’s copyright”; and why and how illustrators should legally protect their work.

Illustrator and Designer, Leo Espinosa talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how the passing of his father led a 13-year old Leo to drawing.

They discuss Leo’s upbringing in Bogotá, Colombia; the relationship between illustration and graphic design; Milton Glaser’s life-changing influence (professionally and personally); the beauty of a pencil; and how immigrants (and their hyphen American children) have shaped children’s literature.

Author and illustrator, Javaka Steptoe, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about growing up with his father, John Steptoe; why collage is “a means of survival”; getting the 3:00 AM phone call from the Caldecott committee; and the life and work of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Artist Representative/Personal Manager/Producer and Founder of David Goldman Agency, David Goldman, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his role as an agent; why he would rather starve than give up an artist’s rights; what fees illustrators get from magazines and children’s book publishers; and how the illustration world has changed since 1980.

David also shares what he thinks is the “key most important thing” anyone in a creative field should be attempting to do.

Illustrator, Olimpia Zagnoli talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the ups and downs of speaking a second language; why she calls herself an illustrator; how her father’s advice to “make your portfolio big” might have helped land her first New Yorker job; and what illustrators should think about when staring at a blank page.

They also discuss how the legendary Bruno Munari has been “following” Olimpia her whole life.

Illustrator and animator, Francesca Gambatesa talks to Giuseppe Castellano about Italy’s best kept secret (spoiler: it’s Puglia); how she found a literary agent; what she thinks about when she thinks about character design; and why a career in children’s publishing isn’t for the faint of heart.

Illustrator, Designer, and Art Director, Kayla Wasil, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how Giuseppe met (and hired) Kayla; what it’s like to work on licensed properties in book form; and why the publishing design process can be frustrating.

Kayla answers questions provided to Giuseppe by The Illustration Dept. Newsletter subscribers. They cover postcards, process, trends, and more.

Illustrator and Cartoonist, Barry Blitt, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about why showing his drawings to Major League baseball players helped start Barry’s career; how he and art editor, Françoise Mouly, of The New Yorker have worked together for decades to create more than 100 covers; and why illustrators can be overly self-critical.

The President of Delaware College of Art and Design, Jean Dahlgren, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about what sparked her lifelong interest in art education; why she’s tired of the “myth” of the “starving artist”; and how the Delaware College of Art and Design prepares future artists.

They also praise the Delaware, and the city of Wilmington—the rightful birthplace of the Golden Age of Illustration.

Illustrator and educator, Will Terry, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he lied his way into a meeting with art director, Carol Porter, of The Washington Post; how the Society of Visual Storytelling got its start; and why the debate between online vs. brick & mortar art programs continues.

Vice President of Learning Experience Design at McGraw-Hill Education, Kelly Delaney, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about her role within an educational publisher; why she doesn’t love the word, “textbook”; and why McGraw-Hill—who published Paul Galdone, Robert Barry, and a teenage Maurice Sendak—isn’t part of “The Big 6”. . . yet.

Author and illustrator, Meghan McCarthy, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about creating non-fiction picture books; her “depressing” experiences while working at Barnes & Noble; childhood and adulthood bullies; how Twitter criticism leads to “outrage telephone”; and what the morality clause from publishers could mean for creators.

Senior book designer at Scholastic and graphic novelist, Betsy Peterschmidt, and host, Giuseppe Castellano, talk about what it was like working together for four years at Penguin Young Readers Group (Giuseppe was her former art director); how they both live with depression; how she finds illustrators to hire; and what Clifford the Big Red Dog creator, Norman Bridwell, teaches us about rejection, imposter syndrome, and perseverance.

Executive Creative Director at Serino Coyne, Jay Cooper, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his path to becoming an “Ad Man”; what it’s like to be in the room where Jay and his team created visual ad campaigns for Frozen, Hamilton, and Boys in the Band; how he manages to double as a prolific author and illustrator; and all that jazz.

Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator, Betsy Lewin, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about attending Pratt Institute in the 1950’s; how she met Ted Lewin; how a poem she wrote for Parents Magazine led her to children’s publishing; and why she didn’t know she won a Caldecott Honor after getting a phone call from the Caldecott committee.

Illustrator and Educator, Kelly Murphy, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about their shared experiences at the Rhode Island School of Design; Kelly’s first phone call with an editor; what it’s like teaching at RISD; why she doesn’t have an agent; and how author/illustrators can sneak around a publisher’s “no unsolicited manuscript” policy.

Writer, artist, publisher, and co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Kevin Eastman, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how a “dumb” drawing sparked a global phenomenon; how he and Peter Laird self-published the first TMNT comics; what he sees in the current Turtles renaissance; and what his one big regret has been since the first comic published in 1984.

Illustrator, Zina Saunders, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about growing up with her father—the legendary pulp artist, Norman Saunders; how she overcame “screwing off” with alcohol and drugs to start an illustration career; what you can and can’t expect from art directors; and so much more.

Stephanie Haboush Plunkett, the Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she came to work at the museum; what lessons we can learn from Rockwell’s life and work, and why she and the museum are trying to change how the public views and appreciates the yet-to-be-fully-appreciated field of illustration.

Illustrator, Charles Santoso, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the circuitous path through graphic design and animation that led him to children’s book illustration; why he chooses to work in multiple styles; how he lives with imposter syndrome; and what three words uttered ten years ago by concept artist, Ian McCaig, still give Charles goosebumps.

The founder of Books of Wonder, Peter Glassman, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about opening his first book store in 1980; coming out to his parents in the late 1970’s; the genius and heart of Maurice Sendak; and the connections Peter made with Arnold Lobel, Madeleine L’Engle, and many of the brightest stars in children’s publishing.

Illustrator and Cartoonist, Gabriel Alborozo, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the anxiety-inducing choice to be a children’s book author and illustrator; why he sometimes sees the agent-illustrator relationship as “owner-pet”, how he handled rejections from agents for being “just a cartoonist”; what your big social media following says about you and your art (hint: not much); and how Gabriel dreamt of being a matte painter after watching Star Wars in 1977—and why it never happened.

Co-owners and publishers of Penny Candy Books, Alexis Orgera and Chad Reynolds, talk to Giuseppe Castellano about how they started a publishing company; what 5 steps are needed to publish a book; why they accept unsolicited manuscripts; and why diversity is integral to their mission.

Lastly, they discuss if Penny Candy Books—with employees living in Oklahoma, North Carolina, Georgia, and New Jersey—is the future of children’s book publishing.

Seymour Chwast—“one of the most influential graphic designers and illustrators of the 20th Century”—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how and why he, Ed Sorel, and Milton Glaser formed Push Pin Studios in 1954; why he once considered Norman Rockwell to be “the enemy”; what it was like hanging out in the studio of Ezra Jack Keats; what his thoughts are on Comic Sans and Papyrus; and much more.

Illustrator and Graphic Designer, Steve Simpson, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he transitioned from animation and comics to illustration—and how he found his “style” in the process. They discuss the similarities between graphic design and illustration; the differences between influence and appropriation; and the relationships between colors.

Two-time Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator, Pamela Zagarenski, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about why personal hardship—which led to professional abandonment—almost torpedoed her career. They discuss how she picked up the pieces; how her company’s name, Sacred Bee, came from a near-death experience; and what poets, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and John Anster, teach us about achieving our creative goals.

We don’t give our podcast titles themes. But if we did, this would be, The One about Perseverance.

Betsy Bird (otherwise known as “Fuse8”), the Collection Development Manager of Evanston Public Library, and former Youth Materials Specialist of the New York Public Library, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about her path to becoming a librarian; the origin of “Fuse8”; a librarian’s responsibility—particularly with “problematic” books; the mischievousness of favorite children’s book creators; the Berenstain’s and Alternate Timelines, the six-foot long mustache she once received from Giuseppe’s team at Penguin, and more.

Dave McKean talks to Giuseppe Castellano about being a writer, illustrator, filmmaker, and all around “creativo”; what his first impression was of Neil Gaiman; why he dislikes being called “artist” and “genius”; and how he managed to talk to artist Paul Nash—an early-20th-century British Modernist who passed in 1946.

President & Founder of Anna Goodson Illustration Agency, Anna Goodson, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the founding and management of her world-renowned agency; the top 5 mistakes she’s seen illustrators make; how COVID-19 has affected—and may affect—the illustration community; and what illustrators can do to stay responsibly productive during a time of isolation.

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.

Renowned children’s book author and illustrator, Ashley Bryan, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how—over almost 100 years—art has helped Ashley persevere through adversity. They also discuss Ashley’s experiences during World War II; Ashely’s 50-year career in children’s publishing; and why art is at the heart of what it means to be human.

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.

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.

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.

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…

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 hope that the publishing industry does NOT go back to normal post-pandemic.

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.

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.

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.

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. What advice would you offer to illustrators?

Lastly, each of the 23 contributing illustrators share an important message.

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.

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.

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.

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 for Broadway shows, including: Follies, Godspell, and Little Shop of Horrors.

The journey concludes in Los Angeles in the 1980’s —where David illustrated for Van Halen, Warner Brothers, and Disney; he met his partner; he art directed for The Advocate; and much more.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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”.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Julia Rosenfeld, Senior Designer at Penguin Young Readers Group, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the inner-workings of the children‘s book design department; working with Giuseppe as his former Design Assistant; what #mailersandcoffee was, and why it was important; how Julia looks for illustrators during the COVID19 pandemic; and much more.

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 much more.

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.

Award-winning cartoonist, John Cuneo, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about John’s career before and after his “artistic crisis”. They discuss how insecurity and anxiety drive wedges between an artist and their work; why John “goes there” with his “NSFW” illustrations; what role depression plays in John’s, and Giuseppe’s, lives; and much more.

Author and Illustrator, Kazu Kibuishi, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the personal hardships and challenges he faced in becoming a graphic novelist; where comics and graphic novels stand, and where they should go; why doctors gave Kazu a 99% chance of dying in 2012, and how his near-death experience effects him now; what advice he has for comic book and graphic novel creators; and more.

Jane O’Connor, children’s book author, and editor-at-large at Penguin Young Readers Group, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about her 50-year career.

She shares her thoughts on mergers in Publishing; writing Fancy Nancy; creating the trend-setting, non-fiction series, Who Was?; working with Giuseppe as her art director; working with Gyo Fujikawa, Tomie dePaola and Peggy Rathmann; and so much more.

Lindsay Nohl, illustrator, educator, and founder of Light Grey Art Lab, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the founding of her gallery; how she curates exhibitions; why submitting artwork to competitions, exhibitions, and potential clients, involves paradoxical truths; what artists need to do if they want to be product designers; and more.

Luke Flowers—illustrator, author, and self-described “creative cave-dweller”—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about why Jim Henson is a big part of Luke’s kindness and creativity; how he’s managed to illustrate more than 50 children’s books in less than a decade; how he lives with self-doubt and depression; and much more.

David Borgenicht—Owner and CEO of Quirk Books—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the founding, management, and future of Quirk Books; how his team looks for illustrators, and what they look for in illustration; whether Publishing saw its worst-case scenario in 2020; why a book is a much-needed companion as we try to survive whatever life throws at us; and more.

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Daniel Abraham—Attorney at Law—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his career protecting the rights of artists.

He shares how he and his small team reversed a 1986 tax law that destroyed an artists’s ability to deduct expenses; how gatekeepers attempt to separate artists from their art; why illustrators need to know the difference between “specs and terms”; how illustrators can protect—and make money from—their “authorship”; and so much more.

Christine von der Linn—Director of Illustration Art at Swann Auction Galleries—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she values traditional and digital illustration; whether important illustrations belong in a museum or in your dining room; why collectors are turning their attention to artists most of us never learned about in art school; and more.

Renowned Painter and Author, Greg Manchess, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the turbulent beginning of his artistic journey; why his 2017 groundbreaking graphic novel, Above the Timberline, is about searching for his father; how he processes failure; why oil painting and the perfection of imperfection have sustained his 40-year career; and more.

Chris Sickels, also known as Red Nose Studio, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he built his illustration career, from farm to drawing table; why he illustrates in three dimensions—and why he’s preparing for a day when editors no longer want “puppets” in their magazines. Also, Chris shares the secret to working alone, or as he put it, “running your own race”.

Illustrator, Author, and Educator, David Soman, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how David got his first picture book job—despite not having a single illustration in his portfolio. They discuss the past and future of the beloved, Ladybug Girl books; the bad art advice coming from publishing professionals; painting with watercolor; teaching at the School of Visual Arts; and much more.

Illustrator and Printmaker, Frances Jetter, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she wandered from photographing inmates at Rykers Island to starting an illustration career in the mid-1970’s. They discuss what it was like working with art directors in the 1980’s; why she hits political and social issues—hard; what illustrators can do to find authenticity; and more.

Matthew Carlson—Design Director at Adobe Creative Cloud—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his role at Adobe, and how they responded to COVID-19; why Adobe, Facebook, Twitter, and the rest of Big Tech are so reliant on illustration; what the similarities and differences are between digital and traditional methods of creating art; and more.

Victor Juhasz—award-winning illustrator, satirist, and visual reporter—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about working “in the old school” as an illustrator in the 1970’s; the relationship between the U.S. Military and Illustration throughout history; being an artist embedded with U.S. troops; knowing when an illustration is “finished”; and more.

Andrew Fairclough—illustrator, designer, and founder of True Grit Texture Supply—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the early days of his career and the founding of True Grit; why he prefers limited color palettes; what illustrators can do to stay on their feet from a “knock-back”; and more.

Illustrator and Author, Dinalie Dabarera, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how she went from querying agents, to getting an agent, to receiving a two-book deal from Macmillan—in the span of a year; what valuable lesson she learned from illustrating her first picture book; why some illustrators feel they need permission to make the art they want to make; and more.

This episode is sponsored by Skillshare. Explore your creativity at Skillshare.com/ID, where you will get a free trial of Premium Membership. That’s two weeks free... at Skillshare.com/ID.

Barbara Nessim—Illustrator, Fine Artist, and Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame inductee—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the early days of her illustrious career—starting at Pratt Institute in the 1950’s; working as one of the very few women in illustration in the 1960’s; hanging out with Milton Glaser, Tomi Ungerer, and Gloria Steinem; being one of the first artists to “go digital”; avoiding the need to “fit in”; and more.

D.B. Dowd—Professor of Art and American Culture Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, and faculty director of the D.B. Dowd Modern Graphic History Library—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the definition of illustration; whether illustration is or is not art; what advice he has for any illustrator looking to find their “style”; and so much more.

This episode is sponsored by Skillshare. Explore your creativity at Skillshare.com/ID, where you will get a free trial of Premium Membership. That’s two weeks free... at Skillshare.com/ID.

Caldecott-winning illustrator and author, David Macaulay, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about his first steps in publishing—from rejections to Caldecott wins. He also shares this thoughts on: “breaking into publishing”, developing curiosity, quitting illustration, and more.

Visual Artist, Henrik Drescher, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the early days of Henrik’s career in New York City; how artists can stoke the fire of interest and creativity; what publishing professionals mean when they say that illustration needs to be “unique”; what the word “commercial” really means; and more.

This episode is sponsored by Skillshare. Explore your creativity at Skillshare.com/ID, where you will get a free trial of Premium Membership. That’s two weeks free... at Skillshare.com/ID.

Caldecott-winning Artist & Writer, Uri Shulevitz, talks to Giuseppe Castellano about how he went from fleeing the Nazi’s in 1939, to publishing his first picture book with Harper & Row in 1963; why he thought his career in picture books was over before it really began; why he wrote Writing with Pictures (and how the beloved book almost didn’t happen); why he thinks illustrators should “give up” on the idea of the “perfect picture”; and so much more.