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

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 own unique creations. Interview Chapters: 00:37 - 02:29 Introductions Mitch introduces today's guest, Clark Huggins, who gives you a quick overview of what Reckless Deck is all about...and how you can use it to help unlock your creativity. 02:53 - 04:31 Why is Reckless Deck Such a Useful Tool for Artists? Clark has taken Reckless Deck to comic conventions and other events across the US. What's the response been like from the public and how are artists using it to help them create original characters? 05:20 - 05:50 How can a Humble Deck of Cards Boost Your Creativity? Why does Reckless Deck help you come up with character ideas so quickly? Clark explains the thinking behind his product in this chapter. 05:58 - 09:37 Where did the Idea to Make Reckless Deck Come From? The idea of Reckless Deck came about through Clark's own experiences as an artist and his desire to start working on a new character as quickly as possible. Find out how this project came to life in this chapter. 09:49 - 13:23 What was the First Character Clark Created Using Reckless Deck? Clark can still remember the first character he created using Reckless Deck. In fact, it's one he's revisited many times since! Find out more in this chapter. 13:33 - 20:01 How did Clark Start Developing His Idea? Reckless Deck began life as a set of index cards Clark made for himself. So how did he develop this idea into a fully-fledged product that people can buy online? You'll discover all the hard work that went into Clark's idea (and how long this process took) in this chapter. 20:33 - 21:35 Why Should you Hire a Graphic Designer to Help With Packaging Your Product? Many artists take it upon themselves to do all the graphic design work on their projects, but this doesn't always give you the professional look you want for a product and its packaging. In this chapter, you'll learn why Clark - despite being fluent in using Photoshop - decided to hand his logo and packaging design over to a specialist. 22:07 - 23:08 How did Clark Find the Right Printing Company to Produce Reckless Deck Finding the right printer at the right cost can sometimes be difficult. In this chapter, you'll hear why Clark chose to use a company in China, and why he was overjoyed with the results - especially when an unexpected issue actually added another feature to his project! 24:03 - 32:30 How did Clark Turn a Kickstarter Fail Into a Win? Clark didn't have an overnight success when he first tried to launch Reckless Deck on Kickstarter. In fact, he had to go back to the drawing board to find out what makes a project successful and get noticed on this site. Find out how he learned from his mistakes and eventually got successfully funded in this chapter. 33:05 - 34:55 How Can You be The First to Hear About New Reckless Deck Products And Offers? If you're excited by Reckless Deck and want to find out more about new releases and special offers, this is one part of the interview you won't want to miss. 35:48 - 36:57 What is it Really Like to Launch a Product Like Reckless Deck? It's easy to listen to Clark talking and imagine the whole process behind making and launching Reckless Deck as being super-easy. But it wasn't. Discover the reality and hard work behind launching any new product successfully in this chapter. 37:45 - 39:00 How Can Reckless Deck Help You as an Artist? Reckless Deck has already helped many concept and fantasy artists get past creative block and searching for ideas. Find out how it can help you too in this chapter. 39:01 - 42:37 Find Our About Special Offers and Swag for Pencil Kings Listeners There are some exciting offers in the bag for anyone who's interested in finding out more about Pencil Kings and Reckless Deck. Find out how you can get your hands on some cool free stuff and special offers in this chapter. 42:39 - 44:00 Conclusion Mitch and Clark wrap up their interview and reveal some more exciting things about Reckless Deck. Shownotes & more info at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/

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 what motivates and inspires him as an artist 03:23 - 04:10 - The Story Behind Illustrating Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph Francis describes his book illustration project and what he learned from working on it. 04:36 - 07:29 - What's it Like to Work on a Project That Lasts 3 Years? Illustrating Jazz Day took 3 years. Here, Francis talks about the reasoning behind this, and how what could have been a huge gamble actually paid off. 08:23 - 11:01 - How Illustrating Jazz Day Changed Francis' Life Francis says illustrating Jazz Day changed his life as an artist. Find out why in this part of our interview. 12:00 - 14:07 - How did Working on Jazz Day Help Francis Find His Niche as an Artist? Most artists take a while to find their true niche - the one thing that truly inspires them and motivates them to keep on making art. For Francis, illustrating Jazz Day brought him closer to the world of literature he loved, and enabled him to make lots of new contacts with people in this industry. 14:36 - 16:09 - Is Working in Literature Really as Romantic as you Might Think? Many artists dream of working in the field of literature, but is it really as romantic as all that? Hear what Francis thinks in this chapter. 16:26 - 18:41 - What's Next for Francis? Having completed one big project, Francis is ready to move onto the next one. Here, he describes the exciting projects he's got lined up, and how he's inspired by the prospect of travelling and researching in the near future. 19:01 - 20:54 - What are the Benefits of Working at Your Own Pace? Taking the time to research a project and see it through to completion without feeling rushed can really help you as an artist. Here, Francis explains why he loves working this way, and how you as an artist can find an area of work which best reflects your personality. 21:41 - 22:08 - How Can Working on a Long Project Help You Improve as an Artist? Francis felt he truly developed as an artist while working on Jazz Day. Find out why in this chapter. 22:44 - 27:10 - What Happens After a Long Project is Finished? In this chapter, Francis reveals what happens once you've completed a long project and goes into detail on all the associated marketing and promotion which follows. 28:08 - 32:28 - How did Francis get Discovered as an Artist? Amazingly, Francis didn't reach out to the publishers of Jazz Day looking for work. Instead, they found him. How does this work and what can you do to help promote your art? You'll find out in this chapter. 33:10 - 35:56 - How Should you Present Yourself to Book Publishers and Work With Them on Your Project? Francis went out of his way to meet his clients face-to-face as often as possible during his project. Find out why he believes this is so important in this chapter. 37:03 - 39:54 - What Advice does Francis Have for Aspiring Artists? Francis learned a lot through working on his project. Here, he shares his advice for any aspiring artists who have yet to find their true niche. 40:35 - 42:40 - What Makes Your Art Saleable? A lot of artists fall into the trap of producing work in the style of others in an attempt to make their work more saleable. Find out why staying true to yourself is the way forward in this chapter. 43:25 - 44:53 - Conclusion and Where to Find Francis Online Where can you see examples of Francis' work online? Find out in the concluding part of this interview.   https://www.pencilkings.com/category/podcast/

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 are collaboration and teamwork so important in your art career? 23:38 - 31:18 - How has Diego built an established freelance art career and which lessons has he learned along the way? 32:35 - 35:17 - How can you avoid buring yourself out and still enjoy your creative career? 35:58 - 42:08 - What do Diego's latest creative projects look like? 42:36 - 43:39 - Where can you see Diego's work online? 43:40 - 45:18 - Conclusion

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 into creating a graphic novel? 42:31 - 49:13 - How Scott launched a successful Kickstarter project 50:02 - 53:23 - Scott's advice for artists 54:06 - 57:38 - Where to find Scott online. Interview conclusion www.pencilkings.com

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 - How to Adopt the Right Mindset for Success 45:44 - 48:24 Conclusion

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 best times to work are. But what about the business side of promoting yourself to others? In this part of the interview, you'll learn how to get stuff done...without burning out. 05:48 - 09:04: What Were Cat's First 6 Months as a Freelance Illustrator Like? Cat didn't find the going was easy when she decided to become a freelance illustrator. In this section, she gives her honest advice to anyone thinking of going down this route...and how to diversify and adapt if things don't quite go to plan. 10:40 - 11:30: The Tough Medicine You Might Have to Swallow as a Creative After a while, Cat decided to concentrate on her site instead of being an illustrator. Find out why this part of her interview. 11:32 - 13:40: What has Cat Learned Since Starting her Site? Cat has had lots of insight into being a creative introvert since starting her site, including a deeper understanding of 'Imposter Syndrome' and why even famous people such as actor, Tom Hanks, lack confidence sometimes. 13:50 - 17:45: How can you Become More Confident? Ever heard the phrase 'Fake it till you make it'? In this part, Cat reveals why this expression makes her cringe, and reveals some super-actionable steps you can take right now to start building your confidence instead. 19:00 - 22:19: It's all About the Baby Steps Sometimes, having that big vision or dream of becoming a successful artist or creative can seem overwhelming. Here, Cat reveals why taking small, baby steps can help you get closer to your goal. 22:20 - 34:53: The Key Steps you can Take Today How does Cat help people who join her site? In this part, she reveals the key steps you can take as a creative introvert. 34:55 - 44:33: Cat's 'A-ha!' Moments Cat has experienced many lightbulb moments since starting her site. Here' she reveals what these were. 44:44 - 46:54: Are you a Creative Introvert? Where to Find Cat Online In this concluding part of her interview, Cat tells you where you can find her online and start taking action on whatever's holding you back as an artist and creative introvert.

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 things? [14:53 - 21:20] How do you carve out your own new genre as an artist and find your voice? [21:21 - 24:00] How can you find out more about singularity, smart matter and futurist thinking? [24:01 - 29:25] How do you get your ideas out to a wider audience? [29:26 - 42:24] How can you find the one thing that truly inspires you as an artist? Visit: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast/ Email: mitch@pencilkings.com

  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