Ellen Kokontis

FromThe Illustration Department Podcast

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Ellen Kokontis

FromThe Illustration Department Podcast

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Length:

53 minutes

Released:

May 11, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Ellen Kokontis—Art Director at Cottage Door Press—talks to Giuseppe Castellano about the circuitous route she took to becoming a children’s book art director; what she looks for in illustrations (beyond “I know it when I see it”); what three big mistakes she sees illustrators make; and more.

Released:

May 11, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Giuseppe Castellano talks to folks in illustration, graphic design, publishing, animation, and other creative fields about the ups and downs of their careers.

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Lisa Brown: Lisa talks about Edward Gorey, digital vs. traditional media, and the revolution in children’s book illustration. by The Illustration Department Podcast
43 min listen
Erin Hunting: Erin talks about 1980’s cartoons; online piracy; and why fan art is art. by The Illustration Department Podcast
46 min listen
Mohamed Danawi: Mohamed talks about running an art agency; and what illustrators need to do to be successful. by The Illustration Department Podcast
69 min listen
Kelly Light, Part 1 of 2: Kelly talks about Chuck Jones, the beauty of a line, and a certain art director who almost ended her career. by The Illustration Department Podcast
43 min listen
Leonard S. Marcus: Leonard covers 150 years of children’s book history—from the Puritans to Ezra Jack Keats. by The Illustration Department Podcast
90 min listen
Kelly Light, Part 2 of 2: Kelly talks about character design; and why publishing is a big gamble. by The Illustration Department Podcast
46 min listen
Ben Zhu: Ben talks about Gallery Nucleus’s past, present, and future. by The Illustration Department Podcast
49 min listen
Javaka Steptoe: Javaka talks about his father, John Steptoe; getting the 3:00 AM phone call from the Caldecott committee; and the life and work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. by The Illustration Department Podcast
50 min listen
Mark Mills: Mark talks about his illustration agency, how art schools and agencies “rob” artists, and why every submission to Plum Pudding receives a reply. “Every one.” by The Illustration Department Podcast
51 min listen
Stephen Kroninger: Stephen talks about 1980’s New York, exhibiting at the MOMA, and the art of collage. by The Illustration Department Podcast
29 min listen
Yuko Shimizu by The Illustration Department Podcast
58 min listen
Leila Sales: Leila talks about editing and writing children’s books; and cancelling cancel culture. by The Illustration Department Podcast
60 min listen
Kayla Wasil: Kayla talks about working with Giuseppe; and she answers questions from illustrators about postcards, process, mistakes, and trends. by The Illustration Department Podcast
64 min listen
Jim Hoover, Part 1 of 2: Art director, Jim Hoover, talks about chatting with Maurice Sendak and Hilary Knight; how he finds illustrators; and why he never wants to hear, “Are we married to this illustrator”. by The Illustration Department Podcast
52 min listen
Krystal Lauk: Krystal talks about the art boom in Tech; and how illustration can inspire empathy. by The Illustration Department Podcast
43 min listen
Leo Espinosa: Leo talks about Bogotá, Colombia; the importance of a pencil; and the influence of immigrants (and their children) in publishing. by The Illustration Department Podcast
56 min listen
Pamela Zagarenski: Pamela talks about overcoming personal hardship, professional abandonment, and a near-death experience, on her Caldecott Honor-winning journey as an illustrator. by The Illustration Department Podcast
56 min listen
Stephanie Plunkett: Stephanie talks about how Norman Rockwell—his life, his work, and his museum. by The Illustration Department Podcast
51 min listen
Jess Brallier: Jess talks about being a publisher of kids’ books; and how he and Jeff Kinney launched the Wimpy Kid series. by The Illustration Department Podcast
53 min listen
Floyd Cooper: Floyd talks about how he started his illustration career; and why we all need someone to believe in us. by The Illustration Department Podcast
44 min listen
Emily Keyes: Emily talks about contracts; submitting to agents; and how anxiety lies to you. by The Illustration Department Podcast
51 min listen
Jim Hoover, Part 2 of 2: Art director, Jim Hoover, answers illustrators’ questions. by The Illustration Department Podcast
31 min listen
Barry Blitt: Barry talks about how he and art editor, Françoise Mouly, of The New Yorker have worked together for decades to create more than 100 covers; and why illustrators can be overly self-critical. by The Illustration Department Podcast
46 min listen
Peter Jaszi: Peter talks about Little Golden Books legend—and his step-grandfather—Tibor Gergely; the legality of fan art; and why and how illustrators should legally protect their work. by The Illustration Department Podcast
66 min listen
Alexis Orgera and Chad Reynolds of Penny Candy Books: Alexis and Chad talk about Penny Candy Books, the 5 steps to publishing a children’s book, and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
61 min listen
Anna Goodson: Anna talks about her illustration agency; the top 5 mistakes illustrators make; and COVID-19’s affect on the illustration community. by The Illustration Department Podcast
47 min listen
Jon Cockley: Jon talks about fatherhood; Handsome Frank’s founding; algorithm anxiety; and what he looks for in illustrators. by The Illustration Department Podcast
39 min listen
Ânia Marcos: Ânia talks about being an artist in Portugal; producing countless creative podcasts (war stories included); and why she thinks “failure” is a good thing. by The Illustration Department Podcast
64 min listen
Betsy Lewin: Betsy talks about attending Pratt Institute in the 1950’s; how she met Ted Lewin; her work; her travels; and her reaction to winning a Caldecott Honor. by The Illustration Department Podcast
65 min listen
David Goldman: David talks about his role as an agent; and why he would rather starve than give up an artist’s rights. by The Illustration Department Podcast
60 min listen

More Episodes from The Illustration Department Podcast

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Michael Mrak: Michael talks about how often (and where) he looks for illustrators; why he chooses not to not use AI for SciAm’s illustration needs; why the need for good, smart, human-made illustration isn’t going away anytime soon; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
51 min listen
Chris Van Dusen: Chris talks about the pros and cons of using gouache—and why spittle is a problem; why calling an illustrator’s work “old-fashioned” is not a productive critique; how children’s book writers can spend their time if they want to rhyme; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
44 min listen
Erika Gaffney: Erika talks about why everyone should brush up on their art herstory; why the “merit over gender” argument does not apply; why art, or the study of its entire history, doesn’t have to be intimidating; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
45 min listen
Hope Christofferson: Hope talks about why a lot of what you see on social media is fantasy (and not in a good way); why illustrators should be wary of the siren call of creative influences; and why, if you’re going to believe in magic and lore, you should first believe in yourself. by The Illustration Department Podcast
67 min listen
Emily Kleinman: Emily talks about her role as an art director at Mudpuppy; where she goes first to look for illustrators; what she looks for in illustrators’ portfolios, and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
43 min listen
Hana Nakamura: Hana talks about how she finds and keeps track of illustrators; how she art directs a children’s book; why a big key to being an illustrator is… to illustrate; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
44 min listen
Timothy Travaglini: Tim talks about how illustrators and writers aren’t the only ones who experience rejection in publishing; why being open to the editorial process is almost always a good thing; why it’s important to find joy in creating art; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
56 min listen
Toby Fox: This episode is sponsored by Agency Access. Toby talks about what A.I. imagery really is (it’s not art); how stylistically open the field of editorial illustration is—for the print or digital space; how creative inspiration can come from anywhere; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
51 min listen
Semadar Megged: Semadar talks about her approach to art direction; what makes good illustrators good; why it’s important to not just look at art, but to be curious about it; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
61 min listen
Jill Pratzon: Jill talks about what it takes to restore the work of Winsor McCay, George Herriman, and other llustration giants; what she learns about artists’ lives through examining their art; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
69 min listen
Daniel Liévano: Daniel talks about the job of an editorial illustrator; how he connects philosophy and illustration; how illustrators are “traitors”; and more… by The Illustration Department Podcast
59 min listen
Naomi Kirsten: Sponsored by Agency Access. Naomi talks about what it means to create children’s books with heart and a “felt sense”; what role “the market” and “trends” play in her acquisition process; why the term “kid-friendly” has no place in kids’ books; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
67 min listen
Antonia Markiet: Antonia talks about her early days as an editor at Harper & Row; what illustrators should do if they want to be great; why Maurice Sendak’s newest book, Ten Little Rabbits, was published more than a decade after his passing; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
61 min listen
Philip Palmer: Philip talks about the behind-the-scenes decisions that went into curating Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature; how she left behind many legacies; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
32 min listen
Skye Kelly-Barrett: Skye talks about the psychology of parting ways with an illustrator; what “visual voice” is and isn’t; how illustration (and illustration work) is everywhere; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
54 min listen
Hervé Tullet: Hervé talks about the beginning of his children’s book career; how a children’s book illustrator’s creativity comes from within, and not from a bookstore; why you have to act like an adult, if you want to create books for children; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
37 min listen
Bob Shea: Bob talks about how a logo and Lane Smith helped him launch his children’s book career; what ADHD is and isn’t, especially for creatives (or loved ones); what illustrators should let go to enjoy being an illustrator; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
59 min listen
Scott McCloud: This episode is sponsored by Agency Access. Scott talks about the very real problem of poor visual communication in our society; what comics are and could be; why living in a phenomenal world isn’t as great as it sounds; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
55 min listen
Yas Imamura: Yas talks about how establishing a stationary shop led her to a children’s book career; why it is a mistake to paint all publishers with the same brush; why it’s a good idea for artists to create in different ways; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
46 min listen
Helen Stephens: Helen talks about the rules she ignored in the early days of her career; why “have fun” might be the most no-nonsense piece of advice illustrators will ever hear; why an illustrator’s work should not be called “imaginative”; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
51 min listen
Nathaniel Mell: Nathaniel talks about the founding of his Philadelphia-based ceramic design studio; what “working hard” really means for artists; why demand for hand-made art and craft is as hot as ever; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
40 min listen
Mary GrandPré: Mary talks about why she left her career in illustration; what she likes most about her art for Harry Potter; why it’s important for artists to keep exploring; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
52 min listen
Janelle Washington: Janelle talks about the unexpected, multi-award winning beginning of her children’s book career; what she’s learned, through cut paper, about mental health; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
41 min listen
Holly Hoover: Holly talks about what she looks for in an illustrator’s portfolio; why an illustrator would decline a publisher’s book offer; how to have a positive art director/illustrator relationship; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
38 min listen
Sara Frazetta: Sara talks about her relationship with her grandpa; what Frazetta influenced, and who influenced him; what illustrators today can learn from Frazetta; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
58 min listen
Liza Donnelly: Liza talks about her early days as a cartoonist; what James Thurber has meant to her, personally and professionally; how illustration—cartoons or otherwise— is the greatest form of communication; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
46 min listen
Erica Rand Silverman: Erica talks about what she expects from a creative for a positive working relationship; and what it means to approach one’s art from a place of play. She also answers questions from podcast patrons about creating a book dummy; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
61 min listen
Stephanie Alexander-Jinks: Stephanie talks about her transition from illustrator to agent; what stands out to her—positively and negatively—in portfolios; what illustrators can do to increase their chances for success; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
46 min listen
Craig Frazier: Craig talks about his newest monograph, Drawn, and what he hopes the book can do for illustrators; how our time is precious—especially with the ones we love; what illustrators can do that AI and its prompters can never do; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
67 min listen
Don Tate: Don talks about the reasons Black children’s book illustrators, historically, chose to or had to illustrate representationally; why physical fitness is vital for active creativity; why illustrators don’t have to draw every day; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
40 min listen

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Emily Harris: Emily talks about how illustrators can know what art directors want (spoiler: they can’t); how she finds illustrators for the myriad books she art directs; and what myths need to stop spreading about being—and creating art as—a children’s book illustrator; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
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Emily Kleinman: Emily talks about her role as an art director at Mudpuppy; where she goes first to look for illustrators; what she looks for in illustrators’ portfolios, and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
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Helen Stephens: Helen talks about the rules she ignored in the early days of her career; why “have fun” might be the most no-nonsense piece of advice illustrators will ever hear; why an illustrator’s work should not be called “imaginative”; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
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292: Mystical or mindless, it's all part of the practice (w/ Carson Ellis): Carson Ellis is the author and illustrator of the bestselling picture books Home and Du Iz Tak? (a Caldecott Honor book and the recipient of an E.B. White Read Aloud Award). She has illustrated a number of books for kids including bestsellers The... by Your Creative Push
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Hervé Tullet: Hervé talks about the beginning of his children’s book career; how a children’s book illustrator’s creativity comes from within, and not from a bookstore; why you have to act like an adult, if you want to create books for children; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
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Rivkah LaFille: Rivkah talks about becoming a graphic novel creator; why many illustrators find it difficult to believe in themselves and their work; three misconceptions people have about the creation of a graphic novel; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
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134: Don't let "conventional life" smother your creativity (w/ John P. Weiss): John P. Weiss is an artist, cartoonist, and writer. He writes a weekly column for Fine Art Views, an online art and marketing site. He studied landscape painting extensively with Scott L. Christensen, and he was a staff editorial... by Your Creative Push
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Felicita Sala: Felicita talks about her early days as an illustrator; why illustrators need to find their “why”; what makes it so difficult to write good books for children; why being inconsistent with her picture book illustrations is fine by her; and more. by The Illustration Department Podcast
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Ellen Kokontis

Ellen Kokontis

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from The Illustration Department Podcast

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