The Illustration Department Podcast

Shawn Harris

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and writer, Shawn Harris about the difference between detail and specificity in an illustration; what a p

Sterling Hundley

Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, educator, and creative investigator, Sterling Hundley about why it’s challenging for artists to find a “voice”; why it’s importa

From the Archive: Michael Dante DiMartino

Giuseppe Castellano talks to writer, producer, and co-creator of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra, Michael Dante DiMartino, about the ch

Catarina Sobral

Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, author, and educator, Catarina Sobral about how she uses color to keep her illustrations in balance; what people m

Emiliano Ponzi

Giuseppe Castellano talks to visual artist, Emiliano Ponzi about how he uses chaos and ping-pong to come up with creative ideas; how an artist is like a broken glass of w

Kathleen Merz

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Kathleen Merz, Editorial Director at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, about what she looks for in children's book text and art; what top fiv

From the archive: Yuko Shimizu

Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, Yuko Shimizu about how illustrators can manage their fear of failure; how to negotiate with illustration clients;

Jon Klassen

Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator and writer, Jon Klassen about how mid-century UPA cartoons led him to a children’s book career; why illustrators ca

Ann Telnaes

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, Ann Telnaes about her news-making departure from The Washington Post; how illustrators can comba

Cátia Chien

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator, Cátia Chien about balancing her personal and artistic lives; how the nervous system and the creative pro

From the Archive: Lane Smith

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator and author, Lane Smith about how he went from illustrating an album cover for Oingo Boingo, to publishing

Micha Archer

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and author, Micha Archer about what illustrators can do when they don’t feel motivated to illustrate; wha

Leslie Cober

Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, educator, and President of the Society of Illustrators, Leslie Cober about who the great Alan Cober was as an illustrator and a

Julien Chung

Giuseppe Castellano talks to New York Times best-selling illustrator, Julien Chung about his road to getting published, and why it started a bit later in life; how Lois E

From the Archive: Brian Pinkney

Giuseppe Castellano talks to New York Times best-selling and two-time Caldecott Honor award-winning illustrator, Brian Pinkney about what it was like growing up—and creat

Travis Jonker

Giuseppe Castellano talks to school librarian, blogger, podcaster, author, and illustrator, Travis Jonker about the “shameless” origins of 100 Scope Notes—Travis’s popula

Sophie Blackall

Giuseppe Castellano talks to two-time Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator and author, Sophie Blackall about what a “sludgy” color palette is, and why it’s okay to use one

Luis Mendo

Giuseppe Castellano talks to drawer and writer, Luis Mendo, about what art directors love hearing from illustrators—before and during a project; why artists should find s

LeUyen Pham

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Eisner Award and Caldecott Honor-winning children’s book creator, LeUyen Pham, about what artistic inspiration is and isn’t; how illustrating

Michelle Komie and D.B. Dowd

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Michelle Komie, publisher for art and architecture at Princeton University Press, and DB Dowd, author and professor of design at the Sam Fox