The Illustration Department Podcast
Episodes
Mary GrandPré
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Artist and Caldecott Honor-winner, Mary GrandPré, about why she got into and out of a career in illustration; what she l...
Janelle Washington
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Paper Cut and Silhouette Artist and Award-winning Illustrator, Janelle Washington, about the unexpected, multi-award winn...
Holly Hoover
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Holly Hoover, Art Director at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, about what she looks for in an illustrator’s portfolio;...
Sara Frazetta
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Sara Frazetta, co-founder of Frazetta Girls, and granddaughter of Frank Frazetta, about her relationship with her grandpa...
Liza Donnelly
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to New Yorker Writer, Cartoonist, and Visual Journalist, Liza Donnelly, about her early days as a cartoonist; what James Thu...
Erica Rand Silverman
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Erica Rand Silverman, Senior Literary Agent at Stimola Literary Studio, about what she expects from a creative for a posi...
Stephanie Alexander-Jinks
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Stephanie Alexander-Jinks, co-owner and agent at The Artworks Illustration Agency, about Stephanie’s transition from il...
Craig Frazier
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Craig Frazier, about Craig’s newest monograph, Drawn, and what he hopes the book can do for ill...
Don Tate
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Don Tate, about the reasons Black children’s book illustrators, historically, chose to or had t...
Vanessa Dina
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Vanessa Dina, Design Director at Chronicle Books, about some of Chronicle’s historical milestones, including how the ic...
Leo Lionni
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Stephanie Plunkett, Chief Curator at The Norman Rockwell Museum, Annie Lionni, granddaughter of Leo Lionni, Leonard Marcu...
Janine Le
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Janine Le, founder and agent at Janine Le Literary Agency, about how she became a literary agent; how the process of quer...
Matthew Cordell
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator and author, Matthew Cordell, about why it took some persuading for Matthew to embark ...
Tony DiTerlizzi
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator, Tony DiTerlizzi about how Dungeons & Dragons helped him along his j...
Stanley Chow
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Manchester’s best known illustrator, Stanley Chow, about how fan art and Myspace helped kickstart his career; what chal...
Julia Wertz
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to cartoonist, Julia Wertz about why illustrators should take themselves, but not their work, a little less seriously; why q...
Jason Chin
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Medalist and Sibert Honoree, Jason Chin about the life and work of Trina Schart Hyman, and how she mentored Jas...
Paige Braddock
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Paige Braddock, Chief Creative Officer at Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, about the life and work of Charles Schul...
Brad Holland
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning, Hall of Fame illustrator, Brad Holland about the early days of Brad’s fifty-plus-year career; how he fou...
Fred Blunt
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator and author, Fred Blunt about why being “cartoony” is a good thing; how illustrators can kno...
Robb Mommaerts
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to cartoonist and illustrator, Robb Mommaerts, about why he still feels like an imposter; why illustrators should think a li...
Emma Cheng
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Emma Cheng, medical doctor turned illustrator, about why she transitioned from tending to patients to… painting tendons...
Dr. Rose Roberto and Tamsin Rosewell
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Dr. Rose Roberto, part-time lecturer and librarian at Bishop Grosseteste University, and Tamsin Rosewell, illustrator and...
Dan Berry
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to cartoonist, educator, and podcaster, Dan Berry about Dan’s podcast, “Make It Then Tell Everybody,” and why he chose...
Rachel Ignotofsky
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to New York Times best-selling artist and author, Rachel Ignotofsky about how she set up shop in the children’s book world...
Darren Di Lieto
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Darren Di Lieto, Creative Director at Hireillo, about the founding and early years of Hireillo; why marketing for illustr...
Brian Pinkney
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to New York Times best-selling and two-time Caldecott Honor award-winning illustrator, Brian Pinkney about what it was like ...
Kate Tardif
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Kate Tardif, founder of Sullivan Moore, about why she’s looking to grow her boutique agency… in a big way; how illust...
Dawud Anyabwile
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Emmy Award-winning illustrator and graphic novelist, Dawud Anyabwile about the origin story of Brotherman: Dictator of Di...
Emily Harris
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Emily Harris, Associate Art Director at Lerner Publishing Group, about how illustrators can know what art directors want ...
Briana Mukodiri Uchendu
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, Briana Mukodiri Uchendu about why having no one to disappoint helped her begin her children’s book career;...
Freya Blackwood
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, Freya Blackwood about her rule-breaking approach to picture book art; how asymmetry and imperfection are key...
Mirko Ilić
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, Mirko Ilić, about how procrastination can help in one’s creative process; what role sacrifice plays in de...
Jay Cooper and Jim Hoover
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Jay Cooper (New York Times Best-Selling Illustrator and Executive Creative Director at Serino Coyne) and Jim Hoover (Seni...
Alyssa Walker
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Alyssa Walker, Design Director at WIRED, about her approach to editorial design, and how illustration fits into that appr...
Ellen Keiter
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Ellen Keiter, Chief Curator of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, about the life and work of Eric Carle, and the ...
Vicki Willden-Lebrecht
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Vicki Willden-Lebrecht, CEO and Founder of The Bright Agency, about the founding of Bright, and whether or not it’s “...
Rick Richter
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Rick Richter, Literary Agent and Senior Partner at Aevitas Creative Management, about the early days of Rick’s publishi...
Janine Vangool
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Janine Vangool, publisher, editor, and designer of UPPERCASE magazine about the origins and vision of UPPERCASE; why goin...
Darrel Rees
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author of “How To Be An Illustrator”, and founder of Heart, Darrel Rees about why he chose to form an il...
Melissa Sweet
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and Maine Master Naturalist, Melissa Sweet about the “convoluted” beginning of her children’s ...
Lisa Kollins
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Lisa Kollins, Founder and Executive Director of The Superhero Project, about the origin story of The Superhero Project; w...
Jaleen Grove
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustration historian, educator, and visual communicator, Jaleen Grove about the public’s lack of awareness of illustr...
Carter Goodrich
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, character designer, and author, Carter Goodrich about his creative process—and why he finds it difficult t...
Jutta Bauer
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Jutta Bauer, about how she went from being a “bad pupil” to building a multi-award-winning ...
Dr. David R. McDuff
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Dr. David R. McDuff, sports psychiatrist and faculty member at the University Of Maryland’s School Of Medicine, about h...
Shannon McNab
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Shannon McNab, surface designer, educator, and founder of Sketch Design Repeat about how she took the leap from corporate...
Leonard Marcus
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, critic, and children’s book historian, Leonard S. Marcus about his book, Pictured Worlds: Masterpieces of Child...
Véronique Kirchhoff
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Véronique Kirchhoff, Literary Agent & Founder of VeroK Agency, about what illustrators should never do when emailing an ...
Philip Lee
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Philip Lee, cofounder and publisher of Readers to Eaters, about the founding of Lee & Low Books and the philosophy behind...
Jason Chatfield
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Jason Chatfield, Cartoonist, Comedian, and President of the National Cartoonists’ Society, about what illustrators can ...
Frances Soo Ping Chow
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Frances Soo Ping Chow, VP & Creative Director for Running Press and Black Dog & Leventhal, about her role and her time at...
Kerry Martin
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Kerry Martin, Creative Director of Holiday House, Peachtree, and Pixel+Ink.Kerry answers questions from Patrons of the po...
Scott Nash
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, illustrator, creative director, and executive director of Illustration Institute, Scott Nash about welcoming disc...
Cathy Olmedillas
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Cathy Olmedillas, founder of Anorak and Dot Magazines, about the early days of her career as a children’s magazine publ...
Steven Heller
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, former New York Times art director of the Op-Ed page and Book Review, and co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer as Ent...
Max Ulichney
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, character designer, and “brushmancer”, Max Ulichney about the importance of studying from your favorite ...
C.F. Payne
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and educator, C.F. Payne about the early years of his illustration career, and how a frustrating portfolio re...
Bryan Collier
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Bryan Collier about how he dealt with years of rejection and coded racism from publishers; why he...
Aram Kim
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Aram Kim, Art Director at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, about how she manages her creative duality as both art...
Charlie Bowden
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Charlie Bowden, agent and founder of Pickled Ink about the founding of her illustration agency; how illustrators should n...
Tracy van Straaten
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Tracy van Straaten, Founder and President of TvS Media Group, about the difference between marketing and publicity in chi...
Steve Light
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Steve Light about the early years of Steve’s illustration career; why drawing should be like br...
R. Gregory Christie
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to multi-award-winning illustrator, R. Gregory Christie about how his illustration career got its start with the help of a l...
Kennett Square Arts Festival
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to organizers and artists involved with the first annual Kennett Square Arts Festival, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.The o...
Shaun Tan
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist and writer, Shaun Tan about his new book, Creature: Paintings, Drawings, and Reflections—and what he learned fro...
Anna Goodson
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Anna Goodson, President & Founder of Anna Goodson Illustration Agency, about why—“post-COVID”—her illustration ...
The Illustration Department’s Illustrators’ Day
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to the attendees of The Illustration Department’s Illustrators’ Day in this “campfire” episode.Recorded on September...
Corey Peterschmidt
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Corey Peterschmidt, Book Art and Design Manager at Blizzard, about what they look for in illustrators’ portfolios, and ...
Loren Long
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Loren Long about the early days of his illustration career, and why being a children’s book ill...
Alice A. Carter
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist, author, and educator, Alice A. Carter about the life and love of Red Rose Girls—Jessie Willcox Smith, Elizabeth...
Alan Lynch
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustration agent and founder of Alan Lynch Artists, Alan Lynch about what has and hasn’t changed in illustration duri...
Ed Vere
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and visual literacy advocate, Ed Vere about growing up with Jan Michał Pieńkowski—and the life-l...
Melissa Castrillón
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, Melissa Castrillón about how she went from being “pretty bad” at approaching publishers to becoming a f...
Mumtaz Mustafa
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Mumtaz Mustafa—Senior Art Director for William Morrow, Harvest Books, and Mariner Books at HarperCollins—about how sh...
Shadra Strickland
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and educator, Shadra Strickland about what led her to becoming a picture book maker—despite the na...
Mike Lowery
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, Mike Lowery about how he managed to turn illustrating into a living; why drawing every day is a vital part o...
Chris Sasaki
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to animation director, production designer, and illustrator, Chris Sasaki about how he found his way—in spite of multiple ...
Eileen Christelow
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to best-selling illustrator and author, Eileen Christelow about her transition from being a photographer in the 1960’s, to...
Felicita Sala
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, Felicita Sala about her early days as an illustrator; why illustrators need to find their “why”; what ma...
Antoinette Portis
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to best-selling illustrator and author, Antoinette Portis, about how creative expression can help one navigate life’s hard...
Eugenia Mello
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, designer, and educator, Eugenia Mello about what “draw what you know” means—and why it’s both good a...
Robyn Phillips-Pendleton, Part 2 of 2
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Robyn Phillips-Pendleton—Professor of Visual Communications at the University of Delaware, and Interim Director for the...
Robyn Phillips-Pendleton, Part 1 of 2
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Robyn Phillips-Pendleton— Professor of Visual Communications at the University of Delaware, and Interim Director for th...
Heidi and Ryan Sanchez
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Heidi and Ryan Sanchez, Art Agents and Cofounders of Spinning Yarn, about how they formed and (with a little help from Ca...
Charlie Moyler
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Charlie Moyler, Fiction Art Director at Little Tiger, about how her path to becoming an art director; and how making a li...
Keith Henry Brown
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and author, Keith Henry Brown about how music has a played a vital role in both his life and art; what it mea...
Tom Lichtenheld
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to picture book illustrator and author, Tom Lichtenheld about why and how he works in so many different styles; why not havi...
Jacqueline Lipton
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Jacqueline Lipton, founding agent at Raven Quill Literary Agency, and faculty member at The University of Pittsburgh’s ...
Rivkah LaFille
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and educator, Rivkah LaFille about the sequence of events that led her to becoming a graphic novel c...
Emma D. Dryden
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Emma D. Dryden—founder of drydenbks, a children’s editorial and publishing consultancy—about what it was like to wo...
Richard Borge
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, animator, director, and educator, Richard Borge about choosing a freelance life over something more (ostensi...
Victoria Kann
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to New York Times Best-selling illustrator and author, and creator of Pinkalicious, Victoria Kann, about how Rolling Stone h...
The 150th Episode
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is our 150th Episode! To celebrate, Giuseppe Castellano has compiled short highlights from Episodes 101 to 149.If this is the first time you’ve...
Roz Chast
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Roz Chast, long-time cartoonist for The New Yorker, about the early days of her fifty-year career; what tricks she uses t...
Arsh Raziuddin
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Arsh Raziuddin, Creative Director at Bon Appétit and Epicurious, about her career in editorial design and art direction;...
Kat Irannejad
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Kat Irranejad—Co-Founder and Executive Agent at Snyder—about work ethic and entrepreneurship through the lens of bein...
Greg Foley
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Greg Foley—illustrator, writer, designer, and all-around creator—about how studying fashion design at the Rhode Islan...
Nicole Tugeau
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Nicole Tugeau, Agent and Founder of Tugeau 2 (also known as T2) about the founding of her agency; what she looks for in a...
Maria Modugno
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Castellano talks to Maria Modugno, Executive Editorial Director at Random House Studio, about how Tomie dePaola taught her to become an edito...