The Illustration Department Podcast
Episodes
Matt Curtius
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Matt Curtius, illustrator at Gina and Matt, and educator at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, about how he and hi...
Elena Giovinazzo
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to literary agent and founder of Heirloom Literary and Media, Elena Giovinazzo, about publishing’s waiting game; why it’...
Bob Eckstein
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to New York Times best-selling author, cartoonist, and educator, Bob Eckstein, about why we shouldn’t be “open” to AI;...
Steve Brodner
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, caricaturist, journalist, author, educator, lecturer, and political commentator, Steve Brodner, about the al...
Mariam Quraishi
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Mariam Quraishi, Senior Designer at Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, about how she works with illustrators. She als...
Maira Kalman
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, artist, designer, and writer, Maira Kalman, about navigating life’s inconsistencies; how we ...
Axel Scheffler
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to renowned children’s book illustrator, Axel Scheffler, about the deep, dark mistake he made with The Gruffalo; what he t...
Michael Deas
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and fine artist, Michael Deas, about his early years as an illustrator; how he created “The Torch Lady” f...
Robert Hunt
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, and distinguished educator, Robert Hunt, about why illustrators should embrace “woodshedding...
Nishant Jain
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to writer and (sneaky) artist, Nishant Jain, about why it’s okay for artists to say, “I am a creative”; how we can bre...
N.C. Wyeth
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Amanda Burdan, Senior Curator at The Brandywine Museum of Art, about N.C. Wyeth’s early life; what led to the restorati...
Fahmida Azim
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and storyteller, Fahmida Azim, about where and how illustrators can find validation; why a creative’s self-...
Emma Carlisle
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, artist, and author, Emma Carlisle, about how an illustration practice can be a bit of a whirlwind; why some ...
London Ladd
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, artist, and educator, London Ladd, about why he thinks “style” is a four-letter word; what and who helpe...
Huck Scarry
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and son of Patricia and Richard Scarry, Huck Scarry, about his father’s life and artistic process;...
Henry Cole
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Illustrator and author, Henry Cole, about the early years of his long career; what he experienced with the banning of And...
Kriota Willberg
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to educator, author, and graphic medicine cartoonist, Kriota Willberg, about why she felt the need to write Draw Stronger: S...
Martina Flor
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Martina Flor, award-winning lettering artist, author, and educator, about why creatives need to embrace self-promotion; w...
Véronique Sweet
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Véronique Sweet, Art Director for Crown Picture Books and Little Golden Books at Penguin Random House, about what she lo...
Vanessa Robles
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Vanessa Robles, Director of Production for Penguin Young Readers, about a production team’s role in bringing a book to ...
Whitney Sherman
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Whitney Sherman, illustrator, designer, and founding director of the MFA in Illustration Practice program at the Maryla...
Beth Spencer
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, writer, and creator of Introvert Drawing Club on Substack, Beth Spencer, about what she’s learned from Int...
Paul Buckley
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to renowned designer and art director, Paul Buckley, about what it takes to be a good art director; why illustrators and des...
Matthew Forsythe
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, illustrator, and character designer, Matthew Forsythe, about the many forms a picture book can take—from morali...
Maria Middleton
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Maria Middleton, Senior Art Director at Candlewick Press, about the role of an art director within the collaborative inne...
The Substack Episode
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning cartoonist, author, and comedian, Jason Chatfield, and award-winning illustrator and creator of Ten Minute ...
Toshiki Nakamura
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to children’s book illustrator and character designer, Toshiki Nakamura, about the all-important three months before and a...
Ali Fitzgerald
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to comics creator, writer, and educator, Ali Fitzgerald, about where art and art education intersect with social justice; wh...
Grant Snider
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to cartoonist and author, Grant Snider, about how he aligns his creative life; what similarities there are between illustrat...
Terry Brown
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Terry Brown, former director of The Society of Illustrators, about his time at the Society; what’s behind the Society’...
Sam Viviano
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Sam Viviano, award-winning cartoonist, and former art director of MAD Magazine, about his membership in MAD’s usual gan...
Genevieve Bormes
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Genevieve Bormes, Deputy Covers Editor for The New Yorker, about how she oversees the magazine’s covers; what real and ...
Michael Maslin
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author and long-time New Yorker cartoonist, Michael Maslin, about the reasons why Michael chronicles the history of carto...
Mary Ann Naples
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Mary Ann Naples, the COO & Publisher of Publishers Marketplace, about what it means (and why it’s hard) for publishers ...
Brian Selznick
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator and author, Brian Selznick, about Brian’s approach to illustration; what’s wrong ...
The Bancroft Brothers
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to The Bancroft Brothers about how they approach character design; which lesser-known animation greats deserve more love; wh...
Nicholas Kole
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and character designer, Nicholas Kole, about how being stubbornly buoyant has helped his creative career; wha...
Sol Cotti
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, Sol Cotti, about how a little shamelessness can go a long way in establishing an illustration ...
Marc Burckhardt
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist and illustrator, Marc Burckhardt, about “real opportunities” for illustrators; how Generative AI is a degradat...
Jessie Kanelos Weiner
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and educator, Jessie Kanelos Weiner, about the healing properties of watercolor; what it means, with...
Lori Steel
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Lori Steel, Literary Agent and Founder of SteelWorks Literary, about launching a literary agency amid concerns (from some...
Charly Palmer
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, fine artist, and dreamer, Charly Palmer, about why he focuses on doing better, and on putting ...
Arabelle Liepold
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Arabelle Liepold, Executive Director of The Society of Illustrators, about the past, present, and future of the Society; ...
Edward Gorey
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to the folks behind The Edward Gorey House (as well as other Gorey fanatics and aficionados) about the life, work, and house...
Sarah Gonzales
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, Sarah Gonzales, about what the Ezra Jack Keats Award brought to her creative practice; why usi...
Emily Flake
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to cartoonist, writer, and comic, Emily Flake, about her work as a staff artist for The New Yorker; what “rejection” is ...
Bob Staake
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to one of the nation’s most prolific illustrators, Bob Staake, about how his creative approach aligns and differs between ...
Michael Dante DiMartino
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to writer, producer, and co-creator of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra, Michael Dante DiM...
Skylar Smith
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Skylar Smith, Professor of Liberal Arts at the Ringling College of Art and Design, about why there’s no time like the p...
Leslie Mechanic
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Leslie Mechanic, art director at Simon & Schuster, about what catches her eye in an illustrator’s portfolio; why saying...
Asia Orlando
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to visual artist and illustrator, Asia Orlando, about why she turned away from interior design and architecture to become an...
Brett Bean
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to comic book artist, character designer, and author, Brett Bean, about why Brett wishes he had his own book on drawing when...
Dan Chudzinski
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Dan Chudzinski, Director of Curation and Exhibitions at The Mazza Museum, about what being a curator literally and occupa...
Chris Haughton
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator and author, Chris Haughton, about the unfortunate difference between information and fact; what...
Paul O. Zelinsky
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator, Paul O. Zelinsky, about what his former Yale professor, Maurice Sendak, thought abou...
Christopher Denise
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Honor-winning, New York Times best-selling illustrator and author, Christopher Denise, about why “show, don’...
Lisa Maltby
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and designer, Lisa Maltby, about why freelance creatives should know the difference between constant and cons...
Frank Cammuso
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, cartoonist, and educator, Frank Cammuso, about Frank’s approach to pacing with panels, and why it’s one of th...
Jules Feiffer
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, Jules Feiffer, about the early years of his life and career; how Maurice Sendak and Wi...
Peter Brown
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to #1 New York Times best-selling illustrator and author, Peter Brown, about what it’s like getting “The Caldecott Call”...
Cale Atkinson
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Cale Atkinson, about how to properly pitch book dummies; what to make of the fracturing social me...
Oriana Leckert
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Oriana Leckert, Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, about the steps creators should take to start their Kickstarter journe...
Tracy Shaw
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Tracy Shaw, Art Director for Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, about how the world of picture books is more than lol...
Jess Lomax
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Jess Lomax, co-founder and director of Inkling Illustration Agency, about what special ingredient was needed to form her ...
Victoria Jamieson
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Newbery Honor-winning illustrator and author, Victoria Jamieson, about why quite a few publishing professionals know what...
Noa Denmon
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator, Noa Denmon, about how an artist’s traditional or digital tools don’t make the ar...
Katie Kordesh
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Katie Kordesh, about what creatives still need to do after “getting” a literary agent (and si...
Robin Preiss Glasser
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to New York Times bestselling illustrator, Robin Preiss Glasser, about how she worked with Jane O’Connor on Fancy Nancy (a...
Brian Biggs
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, illustrator, designer, and educator, Brian Biggs, about how reinvention can play a part in one’s creative life;...
Sarah Walsh
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to maker of books & illustrated goods, Sarah Walsh, about what separates expectation from visualization; why running your ow...
Andrew Leung
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to concept artist, designer, and filmmaker, Drew Leung, about what storytelling has to do with concept art; what the key dif...
Tim Jacobus
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Tim Jacobus, the original illustrator for Goosebumps, about why no one working on Goosebumps thought it would last past t...
Katty Huertas
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist, illustrator, and art director, Katty Huertas, about what she looks for in illustrators (hint: it’s not “being...
Orlando Arocena (or, Mexifunk)
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to multi-award-winning artist, Orlando Arocena (also known as Mexifunk) about how illustrators can avoid betraying their own...
Joe Cepeda
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator and author, Joe Cepeda, about how Joe took the scenic route to starting his illustration career...
Antonia Weaver Atkins
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Antonia Weaver Atkins, educator and daughter of the great Robert Weaver, about what it was like growing up with her outsi...
Kate Kunac-Tabinor
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Kate Kunac-Tabinor, Creative Director at Oxford University Press, about what part illustrators play in OUP’s diverse bo...
Kathryn Humphries
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Kathryn Humphries, Art Director at Harper’s Magazine, about how she finds, keeps track of, and works with illustrators;...
Katie Kalupson
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Katie Kalupson, Associate Art Director at TIME, about how transitioning from designer to art director requires personal g...
Michael Mrak
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Michael Mrak, Creative Director for Scientific American, about how often (and where) he looks for illustrators; why he ch...
Chris Van Dusen
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Chris Van Dusen, about the pros and cons of using gouache—and why spittle is a problem; why cal...
Erika Gaffney
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Erika Gaffney, Acquisitions Editor in Scholarly Publishing and Founder of Art Herstory, about why everyone should brush u...
Hope Christofferson
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist and storyteller, Hope Christofferson, about why a lot of what you see on social media is fantasy (and not in a goo...
Emily Kleinman
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Emily Kleinman, Art Director at Mudpuppy, about her role in the creation of Mudpuppy’s toys, puzzles, books, and other ...
Hana Nakamura
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Hana Nakamura, Art Director for Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton, about how she finds and keeps track of i...
Timothy Travaglini
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Timothy Travaglini, Senior Literary Agent at Transatlantic Agency, about how illustrators and writers aren’t the only o...
Toby Fox
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Toby Fox, Deputy Art Director at Rolling Stone, about what A.I. imagery really is (it’s not art); how stylistically ope...
Semadar Megged
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Semadar Megged, former Art Director at Penguin Random House, about her approach to art direction; what makes good illustr...
Jill Pratzon
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Jill Pratzon, founder of Pratzon Art Restoration, Illustrator, and Graphic Novelist, about what it takes to restore and c...
Daniel Liévano
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author and conceptual illustrator, Daniel Liévano, about the job of an editorial illustrator; how he connects philosophy...
Naomi Kirsten
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Naomi Kirsten, Senior Editor at Chronicle Books, about what it means to create children’s books with heart and a “fel...
Antonia Markiet
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Antonia Markiet, retired Editorial Director for HarperCollins Children’s Books, about her early days as an editor at Ha...
Philip Palmer
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to the Morgan Library and Museum’s Robert H. Taylor Curator and Department Head for Literary and Historical Manuscripts, P...
Skye Kelly-Barrett
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Skye Kelly-Barrett, Founder & Agent at Roar, about the psychology of parting ways with an illustrator; what “visual voi...
Hervé Tullet
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to multi-disciplinary artist, performer, and renowned children’s book author, Hervé Tullet, about the beginning of his ch...
Bob Shea
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to the author and illustrator of your favorite children’s books, Bob Shea, about how a logo and Lane Smith helped him laun...
Scott McCloud
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to cartoonist, author, and presenter, Scott McCloud, about the very real problem of poor visual communication in our society...
Yas Imamura
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, Yas Imamura, about how establishing a stationary shop led her to a children’s book career; w...
Helen Stephens
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning children’s book creator and co-founder of The Good Ship Illustration, Helen Stephens, about the rules she...
Nathaniel Mell
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Nathaniel Mell, Founder and CEO of Felt+Fat, about the founding of his Philadelphia-based ceramic design studio; what “...