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

The work of Jake Mengers speaks for itself - you can see the care that goes into all of the subtle details that make up the final pieces. It's this level of expertise and expression that Jake is so passionate about and tries to bring to the table with each project he takes on. But it's not just a one man show, and we explore the difference of this high level thinking and then bring it back to understanding how each and every one of us can work to bring the same level of passion into our work to push the art forms that we are involved in to a higher standard and ultimately break new ground.

Mike Clarida is back with even more information on how to get your creative career off the ground by focusing on the 3 key steps, which are: - Portfolio - Outreach - Interviews But it doesn't just stop there, because Mike dives deep into each topic to explain the more important motivating factors that need to be there throughout the whole process.  

Mike Clarida did everything right coming out of art school. He was talented, and was getting interviews at some of the biggest entertainment companies. There was a problem, however... the timing was all wrong, and instead of going straight off to work at Disney in the beginning - he had to take a different approach. This interview covers what it takes to be a standout art student, why it might be worth paying a ton of money for art school, how to get noticed in a noisy world and at the end of the day keep a smile on your face while you're doing it. This is one episode you won't want to miss because Mike's passion for being creative and his depth of knowledge in forging a successful freelance career comes through crystal clear.

Jeff Maksuta has been working and teaching animation for years and is the new leader of House Animation in the Pencil Kings Community. We talk about the first few assignments that are lined up for house animation and what members can expect.

How do you develop as an artist and find a fulfilling creative career? In this episode, established artist and Pencil Kings community member, Chaz Sutherland, talks about his career so far and his plans for the future. You'll learn about studying different art subjects at the same time, and how different personalities adapt to different creative roles. Finally, you'll discover how to play to your strengths as an artist by seeking out the creative projects which you enjoy doing the most.

Should you learn the strict fundamentals of art, or actually try and follow something a little more fun? The more we think about it, the more that having fun and having a goal is the best way to learn and stay motivated. Marco has learned to draw, paint, make 3d, program, make music... in other words, he's a master at learning, and today we sat down to ask him about this learning process. During the interview we also talk about being rejected from art school and what to do when we're told that we're not good enough to pursue a life as a creative.

Jon deMartin has spent the last 20 years exploring figure drawing and he's just released a book on how to draw figures using the same techniques as the classical artists. In this episode you'll learn about Jon's approach to figure drawing and how it's much different than the path most people take.

Derek Rodenbeck is back with the next update on his story as he continues to work and get his name out.  It's been two month since we last caught up with Derek and as always the story has a few unexpected twists and turns that left Derek living in his car for a few days, and finding traction on social media which is leading to him being busy with paid work.  

Today Shane Madden joins us to talk about which skills you need to get start in a creative career. The answers we come up with will likely surprise you because it has nothing to do with being the best artist that you can be. The skills you need are actually far easier to acquire than you may have thought possible.

Do you want to be more creative...but always find there's something stopping you? In this podcast, Pencil Kings founder, Mitch Bowler, talks about his own battle with creative block and how he overcame it by learning how to have fun again with his art. Listen to his story now and see how you can shake off the rust and start believing in yourself as an artist again.