94. Echo Chernik discusses talent, skill, and diversity in art

Echo Chernik is a freelance artist who has diversified her skills and creates art in all mediums which is important from her experience as she is able to ride with any bumps in the economy and changes in demand. In addition to being well known in corporate America for brands such as Celestial Seasonings tea packaging, she also created two now-famous decks of playing cards for Name of the Wind by Pat Rothfuss (WOTF 18). Echo is the coordinating judge for the Illustrators of the Future Contest and enjoys sharing her hard-won advice to assist aspiring illustrators. She is a big believer in different styles and diversity in art, which is why the last volume had winners from Iran, Turkey, Viet Nam as well as the US, Can, and the UK. She discusses what she looks for in Contest submissions: your own style, skill, and is it telling a story with the illustration, and send the art YOU want to do. And send in your own art, no plagiarism -- we do check for plagiarism. Visit her website at www.echo-x.com