Pencil Kings | Inspiring Artist Interviews With Today's Best Artists

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ When Darren Yeow created the Nomad Art Satchel a few years ago, he wanted to create a super-useful tool for artists with one aim in mind - to encourage creativity and help artists everywhere capture their ideas. Now, after the huge success of this product on Kickstarter, he's back with a brand new brand and a product which takes the design of the Nomad to an exciting new level for artists - the Etchr Lab Multi-purpose Satchel. In this interview, you'll hear about the fascinating design process behind this new product, and how Darren and Simon invited feedback from working artists to create something which truly met their needs. You'll learn why collaboration is key, and why the best people to work with might be easier to reach than you think. And, if you've ever wanted to develop and launch your own product (but don't know where to start), you'll get some invaluable insights on doing this from listening to Darren and Simon's experiences. Interview

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/   Are you looking for a way to learn figure drawing... but have been put off in the past by scary math formulas and endless anatomy diagrams? Or perhaps you're just looking for a way to put the fun back into drawing and create sketches full of life and action? As a teacher with more than 20 years' experience, Mike Mattesi has seen the struggles aspiring artists go through and the hurdles they face. And that's why he developed Drawing With Force - his own unique method of drawing figures which captures all the dynamism of the human body...without getting all bogged down in the science and technical stuff. So, if you've been looking for a way to capture movement and form using just the power and beauty of line, we think you'll find this week's interview super interesting... And the best part? You won't need anything more than the cheapest art materials you can find to get started! Interview Chapters [00:00-06:58] Introduction and Career Overview Your host

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ What happens if you give up everything and take your creative show on the road? That's what Derek Rodenbeck has done, and we catch up with him again to see what he's learned in the past 5 months of travelling city to city and often living out in nature in a tent with his girlfriend and their two huge dogs. Interview Chapters: [00:00-05:54] Introduction and Overview Your host, Mitch Bowler, introduces today's guest, Derek Rodenbeck, who talks about his epic journey so far and where he's planning on travelling to next. [06:31-13:34] How has Travelling Changed Derek's Outlook and his Creativity? It's impossible to travel to incredible places without them having a profound effect upon your outlook and your creativity. How has travelling helped Derek find inspiration, and how has this changed his approach to being creative? [14:46-16:57] Why is it so Important to Enjoy What You do as a Creative Person? Although his background is in comic books, Derek has dis

Full show notes and links at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ John Martin walks us through the process of creating a successful children's book and what it really looks like behind the scenes as a children's book illustrator. Interview Overview Here are some of the great insights from John Martin in this interview: More than anything he stressed how powerful and important having a good agent is. They can open doors for you that you don't even know you need to be opening. When it comes to the success of your projects good character design is so important. You have to remember that with books you're competing primarily against interactive mediums like video games, and what John does to approach his character design is to pull from design ideas that he's seen and loved from all of the different media he's consumed like comic books, television and moves and then stir them all together to come up with his own new ideas. But he doesn't just stop there... he uses a fluid design process where he's not afraid

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ Want to know how to break out of art jail and finally move forwards with your creative career? Do you long to leave your day job but just don't know how to make progress as an artist? In this interview, Chris Oatley from The Oatley Academy reveals the simple changes you can make to really start pushing things forwards. Drawing on years of experience with students of his hugely popular online courses and community, he highlights the most common roadblocks faced by aspiring artists, and what you can do to get past these and finally start working towards a more fulfilling career. It's not about becoming a rockstar artist, and it certainly isn't about having overnight success. What it really boils down to is your willingness to keep working and learning from your mistakes. And, in this week's interview, you'll find everything you need to help you do just that. Interview Chapters [00:00:00-00:04:08] Introduction and Career Overview Your host, Mitch Bowler, i

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ Ready to get your career as an artist started, or feeling stuck that you just can't seem to land your first art job? Today, we talk with Shane Madden from Illustration Lighthouse on how he is working with artists to shortcut the time it takes to start earning money with your creative skills. Interview Chapters 00:00-03:15 Introduction and Career Overview Your host, Mitch Bowler, introduces today's guest, Shane Madden, who talks about his varied career so far as an artist and the many different projects he's been involved in. 04:24-09:27 Why Being a Rockstar Concept Artist Isn't Your Only Career Option Many artists have dreams of becoming a rockstar concept artist like the ones you see on big art portfolio sites. But this certainly isn't the only option for you as an artist. There are so many areas where you can use your creative skills and still get paid....and in this chapter, Shane outlines what some of those areas are. 09:55-15:25 What is Illustratio

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ Go to any comic con and you'll see countless artists selling fan art featuring some of our most popular characters. From Spiderman to Superman and Harley Quinn to Stormtroopers, it's all there. But could you be breaking the law as an artist by producing this kind of work? And how can you avoid getting slapped with a lawsuit for infringing copyright? Well, who better to ask than an expert in these matters? In this interview, we talk with an actual IP lawyer, Seth Polansky, to see exactly where artists stand when making art based on our favorite comic book and game characters. So, if you've ever innocently produced fan art (even if you haven't actually sold it), you might want to listen closely. Because the advice you'll get from listening to Seth just might save you a stack of money and help keep you on the right side of the law. But as well as being an expert in legal matters, Seth is also a pretty awesome indie filmmaker and musician. So, you'll also h

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ Building your art career is so much easier if you have the right advice and resources. In this interview, 3D Total Publishing studio manager, Simon Morse, reveals why knowing your audience is key, and how their books, website, and magazines, have helped countless artists develop their skills and take their careers to the next level. Interview Chapters: 00:37-2:20 Introduction and Overview Your host, Mitch Bowler, introduces today's guest, Simon Morse from 3D Total Publishing, and asks him to give a brief overview of his main job role as a studio manager. 02:42-05:04 What Does a Studio Manager do? In this chapter, Simon outlines his day-to-day duties and reveals how the small but highly motivated team at 3d Total Publishing helps everything run smoothly. 05:05-09:09 What are the Key Skills a Successful Artist Needs to Have? Being really good at painting or drawing is just the start if you want to be a successful artist. There are lots of other skills you

Complete show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast Want to know how to become a fantasy artist? In this week's interview, artist and illustrator, Nick Elias, reveals how attending art conventions such as Illuxcon helped him meet fellow artists and boost his career. You'll learn how to refine your portfolio to make the best impression on prospective employers, and hear about the fascinating themes of mythology and folklore which inspire Nick's work. And, you'll hear why even in an age of digital art, Nick feels nothing comes close to the sensation of painting with oil on canvas. Interview Chapters: 00:36 - 02:53 Introduction and Overview Your host, Mitch Bowler, introduces Nick Elias and the artist gives a brief overview of his creative career so far. 03:27 - 04:55 Nick Elias on Illuxcon and What he's Gained From Attending Art Conventions Going to Illuxcon gave Nick his first break as a fantasy artist. In this chapter, he reveals how meeting and networking with fellow artists helped him make valuable

Shownotes at https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ To many aspiring artists, Stan Prokopenko, aka Proko, needs no introduction. Already an established artist inn his own right, Proko has built up a huge following on YouTube for his fun and incredibly useful tutorial videos which show people how to draw figures and anatomy. In this inspiring interview, we discuss the reasons WHY you make art and do our best to tackle any hurdles that might be holding you back. You'll hear about Proko's background as an artist and teacher, and why even an experienced artist like him never ever stops learning. You'll also hear his thoughts on the future of online education, and how technology could present all kinds of exciting opportunities for artists in the very near future. And, as if that wasn't enough, there's a coupon code at the end of this podcast that gets you 20% off everything on Proko's site! Interview Chapters: Introduction (00:00-02:27) Mitch introduces today's guest, Stan Prokopenko, who gives a quick overview of

Ever have the feeling when you are staring at a blank piece of paper that you're not sure what to draw? Clark Huggins had this same problem. He found he was spending extra time and putting extra pressure on himself before he ever put his brush to the canvas - and he realized that all he wanted to be doing was making art. To get around this he took out some index cards and wrote down different ideas and then shuffled the deck. He then chose 3 cards at random and went to work - leaving chance to decide what he was going to create. What he found was that this process allowed him to jump immediately into the creation process and also to tap into truly new and unique ideas by combining elements that he would never have chosen on his own. This discovery led to the creation of the Reckless Deck, where artists can use the exact same process Clark used to come up with new and unique creations. The Reckless Deck is just about to go live on Kickstarter so you can pick up a deck for yourself and get busy creating your ow

Artists often have to work to tight deadlines, but what happens when you've got three whole years to complete a single project? That's exactly what happened to artist, illustrator and Pencil Kings tutor, Francis Vallejo. In this interview, you'll hear all about the fascinating creative process behind illustrating Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph, and how having more time to research and develop his illustrations actually helped Francis find his true niche as an artist. So, if the fast-paced world of the average art studio environment just isn't for you, you'll find plenty of valuable advice in this interview to help you plan, research, execute and market your art projects. Plus, you'll get lots of super-useful insights on what it's really like to work as an illustrator, and why good things are more likely to come your way if you stay true to yourself and your art. Interview Chapters: 00:00 - 03:12 - Introduction Detroit-born artist and illustrator, Francis Vallejo, introduces himslef and reveals wh

Want to know how to build a successful freelance art career...without burning out? In this week's interview, artist and illustrator, Diego Jourdan Pereira, shares his essential advice and tips from a long, established career in the creative industry. Having broken out of his native Chile to live in several different countries and produce work for clients across the globe, he's learned stacks of valuable lessons along the way. With a refreshing honesty and a no-nonsense approach to the reality of being a working artist, he sheds lights on what a freelance art career actually looks like...and how you can avoid the pitfalls many artists have to face. Interview Chapters: 00:00 - 02:23 - Introduction and Overview 03:37 - 06:08 - How did Diego get started as a freelance artist? 06:35 - 10:57 - What are the big takeaways from Diego's long freelance career? 11:50 - 13:02 - What is it really like to work as a freelance artist? 13:54 - 18:54 - How do you approach publishers and clients to find work 19:46 - 23:03 - Why

Kickstarter is littered with failed art projects, and one of the biggest reasons for this is the lack of an established audience. Yet, despite this, today's guest Scott Sawyer was able to buck the trend and raise CA$ 12,181 in just 8 days for his graphic novel, North. So how did he do it? In this interview, you'll hear just how powerful networking can be, and why this is such an essential part of marketing yourself as an artist. You'll also hear just how long a passion project like this can take, but how collaboration and dedication can get your dream project off the ground sooner than you think. So, if you've ever wondered how to create a graphic novel and get it published, you'll find plenty of great advive in this interview to help you get started. Interview Chapters: 00:00 - 01:00 - Introductions 01:01 - 03:35 - What is North, the comic, all about? 04:50 - 13:23 - Scott on the Candian comic book industry 14:47 - 20:59 - What inspired Scott to create his own comic book? 23:58 - 39:35 - What's really goes i

What was it like to work as editor for Marvel Comics in its heyday? In this interview, Carl Potts talks about the exciting creative scene in NYC in the 1980s and discovering artists such as Mike Mignola, Arthur Adams, and Jim Lee. He sheds light on how artists can break into the industry, and breaks down the fundamental skills editors are looking for. Drawing on his years of experience as an artist, creative director, and teacher, Carl goes on to explain how artists can utilize the power of social media and the internet combined with networking to get a foot in the door of any creative industry, and provides clarity on the mindset you need to adopt if you want to be successful. Interview Chapters: 00:00 - 01:09 - Introduction 01:10 - 02:04 - Carl Potts Career Overview 02:05 - 06:15 - How Carl got his First Big Break in The Industry 06:16 - 24:00 - Carl on the Golden Age of Marvel Comics 25:00 - 33:30 - Learning Resources for Artists 33:30 - 42:44 - How to Get Your Work Seen by the Right People 42:45 - 45:43 -

Are you a creative introvert? Today we look at how this affects you in social settings, and then go deep on what this means to your art and how you can work around any limitations that you might have. This is a very fascinating conversation that goes into the experiences that Cat and Mitch have both had with working with creative people to uncover the things that are holding you back. 00:00 - 01:18: Introduction Cat Rose explains the idea behind www.thecreativeintrovert.com and how she drew on her own experiences as a creative introvert to help others. 01:19 - 03:23: Which Mindset Issues Make You a Creative Introvert? Cat reveals the roadblocks she faced when she decided to swap her career as a web designer for a freelance career as an illustrator. Are you a creative introvert, too? Then you'll probably recognize many of the issues she talks about. 05:03 - 05:44: How can you Become More Aware of Your Energy Levels When Networking and Promoting Your art? As an artist, you'll probably already know when the bes

Are you one of those creatives with 'Da Vinci Syndrome' who gets ideas faster than they can actually implement them? Good news! You're not alone. In fact, you're in very good company. In this inspiring, in-depth interview, artist Kirsten Zirngibl delves deep into the creative process and reveals the wide range of influences which inspire her to make art. She sheds light on the fascinating subjects of synesthesia, abstract and fractal art, sci-fi illustration, concept art and many more. And, she reveals how to get all those ideas out of your head and into production as visual art. So, if you've been looking for a deeper explanation of the creative process and what it really means to be an artist, you'll find plenty of food for thought here. Interview overview: [01:24 - 07:40] How does Kirsten describe her work and her influences? [07:50 - 11:20] What do the terms 'Synesthesia' and 'Ideasthesia' really mean [11:21 - 14:20] How can you learn to think more deeply about the creative process without over-analyzing

  Artistacon was held for the first time in September 2016 in Burlington, New Jersey and was an art convention dedicated to celebrating and encouraging creativity. It featured workshops, symposiums, portfolio reviews, demonstrations and displays from leading artists and writers. And, vistors and aspiring artists had a chance to engage with them like never before. So, what were the highlights of Artistacon 2016? In this interview, organizers Chris Kotsakis & Enrico Botta give us the inside story on last year's successful event and reveal their exciting plans for Artistacon 2017. Visit: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ Email: mitch@pencilkings,com

How do you stay creative when life throws you a curveball? In this interview, we catch up with artist, Derek Rodenbeck, and hear his advice on how to keep moving forwards when a big project falls through. You'll learn: How to have a cushion in place for when things don’t work out How to stay creative in any environment Why networking and meeting other people is so important How to turn that curveball into a new opportunity

Ever wanted to know how to publish your first children's book? Hear how illustrator, Oliver Kriel, achieved this in just three months in this inspiring podcast interview.   You'll learn: How to develop the concept of your story How to find the right style for your illustrations How to turn procrastination into action Why perfectionism could be holding you back