The Illustration Department Podcast

Giuseppe Castellano talks to artist and illustrator, Marc Burckhardt, about “real opportunities” for illustrators; how Generative AI is a degradation of the making and perception of art; what “talent…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator, author, and educator, Jessie Kanelos Weiner, about the healing properties of watercolor; what it means, with respect to mental health, to be “the movement”; …

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Lori Steel, Literary Agent and Founder of SteelWorks Literary, about launching a literary agency amid concerns (from some) surrounding the health of the children’s book i…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, fine artist, and dreamer, Charly Palmer, about why he focuses on doing better, and on putting love out into the world; why artists should work …

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Arabelle Liepold, Executive Director of The Society of Illustrators, about the past, present, and future of the Society; why illustrators should consider becoming members…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to the folks behind The Edward Gorey House (as well as other Gorey fanatics and aficionados) about the life, work, and house of Edward Gorey.

The first half of this episode w…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator, Sarah Gonzales, about what the Ezra Jack Keats Award brought to her creative practice; why using traditional media and digital media is not an …

Giuseppe Castellano talks to cartoonist, writer, and comic, Emily Flake, about her work as a staff artist for The New Yorker; what “rejection” is and isn’t for illustrators (and comics); what it mean…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to one of the nation’s most prolific illustrators, Bob Staake, about how his creative approach aligns and differs between editorial and children’s book illustration; why chi…

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 challenges he faced in self-pub…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Skylar Smith, Professor of Liberal Arts at the Ringling College of Art and Design, about why there’s no time like the present to start learning about illustration history…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Leslie Mechanic, art director at Simon & Schuster, about what catches her eye in an illustrator’s portfolio; why saying “it’s a competitive market” isn’t the most accurat…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to visual artist and illustrator, Asia Orlando, about why she turned away from interior design and architecture to become an illustrator; how one can leverage their past exp…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to comic book artist, character designer, and author, Brett Bean, about why Brett wishes he had his own book on drawing when he was starting out; why adjectives and verbs co…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Dan Chudzinski, Director of Curation and Exhibitions at The Mazza Museum, about what being a curator literally and occupationally means; why artists should make art, not …

Giuseppe Castellano talks to award-winning illustrator and author, Chris Haughton, about the unfortunate difference between information and fact; what oral culture’s four R’s are, and why they matter…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator, Paul O. Zelinsky, about what his former Yale professor, Maurice Sendak, thought about social media; why he’s aways wondering at point…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to Caldecott Honor-winning, New York Times best-selling illustrator and author, Christopher Denise, about why “show, don’t tell” is advice children’s book creators should av…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to illustrator and designer, Lisa Maltby, about why freelance creatives should know the difference between constant and consistent; how illustrators, designers, and other cr…

Giuseppe Castellano talks to author, cartoonist, and educator, Frank Cammuso, about Frank’s approach to pacing with panels, and why it’s one of the most beautiful things about comics; how Steve Ditko…