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

Feeling stuck in a job that you know isn't right for you or doesn't allow you to maximize your creative talents? Or perhaps you're struggling to find time for art in your busy schedule? In this interview, illustrator, Liz Gera, reveals how she balances family life and a day job with making art and selling her work at conventions. You'll learn: How to make time for making art How to set goals and deadlines for your creative projects How to approach prospective clients for illustration jobs How to leave your 9-5 and pursue your real passion 

Are you cut out for a creative career...or should you just give up on your art dreams altogether? In this interview with freelance concept artist and instructor, Ned Rogers, you'll finally get your answer. It's a simple framework anyone can use to establish if you really have what it takes to make it as a creative. You'll also learn what Ned's art school looks for in portfolios - and, thankfully, 'being the best' isn't one of the requirements. Along the way, he'll dispel several common myths about artists and give you a real sense of what it's actually like to work as a creative in the entertainment field. So, if you've been wondering if a creative career is for you (or not) - this is the interview that will help you decide once and for all!

How do you make it as an artist - even when others won't support your work? In this revealing interview, fashion illustrator and portrait artist, Christina Burton, reveals how she made the important decision to follow her own path - despite being turned down for art school and her parents wanting her to get a regular career. You'll learn: How to build your social media following the right way How Christina found her voice by experimenting with different styles of artwork Why setting personal goals is so important for artists How to conquer the fear of putting your art out there Why your best work is always the work you love doing the most

How do you take the next step as an artist and bring your creative project to life? In this interview we talk to Jon Schindehette, owner of Art Order, about how to take your great idea from a sketch on a napkin to a fully-fledged product that actually makes you money. Having worked as an artist for more than 30 years with clients such as Dungeons and Dragons and Microsoft, Jon has a wealth of industry experience which he is now passing on to others. You'll learn: How to take that big idea for a creative project and turn it into a profitable reality The biggest hangups that prevent artists from moving forward - and how to avoid them The three big mistakes you never want to make in your art career So, if you've got a great idea but don't know what steps to take next, you'll want to tune into this episode so that you can finally start bringing your project to life.

Indie gaming is a big industry, but what's it like to launch your own title? In this podcast, co-founder of Crash Wave Games and co-creator of Iron Tides, Carina Kom, shares her story. You'll learn: How to pitch your idea to the right people How to reach out to your target audience of gamers Why your initial design doesn't have to be perfect Why feebback from the gaming community is crucial Why there are so many opportunities in the indie gaming industry

Thumbnail sketching and creative flow go hand in hand for many artists, but how can you make these part of your daily routine, too? In this podcast, UK concept artist and illustrator, Katy Grierson, explains why the freedom of thumbnail sketching helps her stay creative while constantly improving her skills. You'll learn how to start a thumbnail sketch with just a few basic shapes, and why doing this will kick-start your imagination and help you develop your ideas. So, if you've ever been hit by creative block, or are looking for an easy way to fit creativity into your busy lifestyle, this interview could be just what you need to get started again.

Finding your focus as an artist can be tough. Sometimes, your head can be swimming around with so many ideas that it's impossible to see the wood for the trees and concentrate on your main creative strengths. In this podcast, artist Derek Rodenbeck reveals how he learned how to say no to projects which were distracting him from his main passion. And he shares his action plan for letting go of the things that are holding you back from where you really want to be as an artist.

Take a fascinating journey inside the creative mind with fine artist and tutor at the New York Academy of Art, John Wellington. In this interview, the former DC and Marvel colorist draws on his years of experience to give you a wide range of insights into what it really means to be creative.  You'll discover: The artists who influence him Why staying true to your art is always the best option How to incorporate different influences into your art Comic book & storyboard techniques that always get great results The Number One ingredient for a successful painting Who to approach for feedback How to find the right audience for your art

There's an art school out there that has been nicknamed 'The Charles Xavier School for Gifted Artists' and today we talk with its founder, Kevin Murphy. Some of his students have, quite literally, gone from drawing stickmen to becoming accomplished artists in under 2 years. Why are his methods so effective? Because they simplify the drawing process down to the core essence of observation, and put 100% of the responsibility for learning onto the students themselves. Kevin doesn't hold back on any of his techniques in this blockbuster interview. So if you have been wondering how to approach your drawings, or even if you have what it takes to become a great artist, you'll find plenty of inspiration here. Because, as Kevin himself says: "Great artists aren't born - they're taught."

No money for art school? No problem... In today's interview with concept artist, David Tilton, you're going to learn exactly how you can: - Self-evaluate your work - Build a support network of mentors - Work out how many hours you should be putting in - Track your time effectively - Systematically apply to studios and stand out from the crowd If you are currently working on getting your first paid gig and want to work in the highly competitive entertainment industry, you should take the next 30 minutes to just listen and take notes. Because this is the plan of attack that you've been looking for, and it's surprisingly straightforward.

The freedom of a freelance art career can help you see the world and get involved with all kinds of exciting opportunities. In this interview, acclaimed Canadian illustrator, Derek Stenning, talks about traveling through Europe, living in Iceland, and getting to work with concept art legend, Scott Robertson. He also reveals why building up a regular client base and collaborating with other artists is the key to a fulfilling and successful creative career.

It's not easy making a graphic novel, yet this seem to be the number one goal for so many artists. In this interview, we're going to look at the mindset behind your creative projects. And, if you've ever wondered how to make a graphic novel, this advice could end up saving you years of time by really thinking deeply about how you approach your creative projects. Today's guest, Patricio Clarey, has created 3 graphic novels - and his first one was over 200 pages!

Like everything worth doing in life there's hard work involved, and today you'll learn how Cathleen McAllister made the most of her time in art school when she made the decision to get serious and take things to the next level. If you're in art school, or thinking about going... this is the perfect place to start and see a real example of what it takes to go from wherever you're at right now to actually getting a job as a full-time creative.

In this interview, Jonas Koffler, co-author of New York Times bestseller, Hustle, reveals exactly how artists can leave the cliche of the starving artist behind and propel their careers forward in new and exciting ways.

Creating your own comic book or graphic novel is the big goal of many artists, but very few actually make it to the finish line. In this podcast, you'll hear from Alex Banchitta, founder of Fright Comics, on how he's working to create his own comic books by focusing on being the writer and then hiring out to different people to get the whole thing made. And, if you've been wanting to make your own book, we hope this really gives you some insight into what the actual process looks like and how trying to do everything yourself may be the biggest thing holding you back from getting your book published.

It's one thing to create a beautiful work of art that's rendered to perfection, but it's an entirely different challenge to express complex ideas with your art. Today we talk with Dorian Vallejo and explore how he approaches his paintings and the thought process that goes into applying deeper meaning to your art. We'll also touch on why being comfortable in a career can hold you back, and what it really means to live a fully-engaged life as an artist.

Consistency is one of the best ways to improve as an artist, but how do you make time in your busy day for practicing your drawing and painting skills? In this podcast, Pencil Kings founder, Mitch Bowler, shares his own methods for staying on track and seeing a project through. And, if you can incorporate these into your busy schedule like he does, you should start to see real improvements in your creativity and art career too.

The independent animation industry is changing the way movies are made. In this podcast, former Lucasfilm and Disney artist, Spyros Tsiounis, explains how new technology is making production more affordable for artists, why this is such a good thing for creativity, and how you can get your own animation project off the ground.   Visit www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ Email: mitch@pencilkings,com

Struggling to figure out how to make a go of your freelance career? In this podcast, acclaimed Assassin's Creed artist Fred Rambaud shares some incredible insights on how to build a career as a successful freelance concept artist. Listen as he holds absolutely nothing back and explains exactly what it takes to get your career off the ground. And, if you think that means busting your butt to be the best in the world - well... that's only 50% of the battle. Amazingly, there's a whole other side to being a successful artist that you may not have been aware of before. And it's thanks to the sharp business mind of Fred's wife that he discovered this invaluable insight too!  So if you're really serious about developing your creative career, you'll want to listen to this episode over and over again (Yes... it's that good). Because Fred reveals why producing outstanding paintings is only part of the challenge, and outlines the key simple steps you can take to get your career off the ground...and never have to hustle

Thinking about giving up your day job in favor of a creative career? In this podcast we cover the things that you need to consider before making the leap and how you can take small steps to minimize any risk you might face. Steve Riederer had a career as a counsellor, but he found that his day job left him feeling drained and unfulfilled. However at night when he would spend time working on his art he'd feel full of energy and happy. This got him thinking... what if... What if I made the change?