Pencil Kings | Inspiring Artist Interviews with Today’s Best Artists
Arts:Visual Arts
Lauren Panepinto is the Vice President & Creative Director at Orbit Books at Hachette Book Group, and in this episode, we'll deep dive into what it takes to break into the world of book illustration, and as you'll learn it's not always about being 'the best artist' in the room.
There's so much info jam-packed into this that if you're looking to get into book covers I suggest that you take notes throughout the entire interview because this is your blueprint.
00:38 - What does really 'getting out there' look like for a book cover art director
01:49 - How Lauren approaches portfolio reviews to help artists get clarity on what their next steps could look like
03:44 - Info on the cheat sheet guides that Lauren helped put together to instruct artists on their next steps
05:11 - How did you get into the world of art directing, and what does a book cover art director do?
11:27 - What does an art director look for in a portfolio that artists might not be thinking about?
15:55 - How to start building a portfolio specifically for book covers (and why including type in your work often makes it look worse)
22:14 - What catches Lauren's eye when she's looking at a portfolio so you can stand out?
26:38 - Which books do you recommend to get a good sense of the best work that you can use to research and inform your own style?
29:20 - Why subject matter knowledge is more important than technical skills as an artist
31:35 - How to make life easier for the art director (and increase your chances of getting hired over and over again)
38:41 - Advice for the first phase of your career in book covers, before you land your first job
40:43 - How much of a difference is it when you meet someone who could hire you in person vs just emailing someone quarterly updates
Check Out Lauren on the Web:
Web: http://www.laurenpanepinto.com/
Twitter: @Planetpinto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.panepinto
Instagram: @planetpinto
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/planetpinto/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenpanepinto
Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Marc Scheff - https://www.marcscheff.com/
Artistacon - https://www.artistacon.net/
Drawn and Drafted - http://www.drawnanddrafted.com/
Art Business Bootcamp PDFs (Lauren & Marc's artist cheat sheets) https://gumroad.com/drawnanddrafted
Make Your Art Work - https://www.makeyourartwork.com/
Orbit Books - https://www.orbitbooks.net/
Jon Schindehette - https://theartorder.com/
Richard Anderson - https://www.artstation.com/flaptrapsart
Donato Giancola - https://donatoarts.com/
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http://www.pencilkings.com
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http://www.pencilkings.com/evolve
Grab Mitch's Book:
Digital Artist Career Blueprint Physical Book: https://amzn.to/2VmUybF
EBook: https://amzn.to/2Xo4P9g
PK 123: How to Balance Your Career With Your Creativity
PK 122: Are you cut out for a Creative Career?
PK 121: How to make it as an artist - Interview with fashion illustrator, Christina Burton
PK 120: How to bring your creative project to life with Jon Schindehette
PK 119: Indie Gaming and Iron Tides - How Crash Wave Games Sailed to Success
PK 118: How Thumbnail Sketching Helps Artist Katy Grierson Find her Creative Flow
PK 117: Finding Your Focus as an Artist - With Derek Rodenbeck
PK 116: Inside the Creative Mind With Fine Artist, Tutor & Former DC and Marvel Colorist John Wellington
PK 115: How YOU Can Become a Great Artist in Just 2 Years
PK 114: Concept Artist David Tilton Reveals How to Get Hired as an Artist
PK 113: How the Freedom of a Freelance Art Career Can Help You See The World
PK 112: Creating a Graphic Novel and Finding Time for Art - Interview With Patricio Clarey
PK 111: Making the most of your time in art school - with Cathleen McAllister
PK 110: Interview with Jonas Koffler, author of New York Times bestseller, Hustle, on how artists can raise their profiles and sell more work by making simple changes to their mindset
PK 109: How to create your own comic books with Fright Comics founder, Alex Banchitta
PK 108: What REALLY Makes You An Artist?
PK 107: Why Consistency is Crucial to Your Success as an Artist
PK 106: Why the future of the independent animation industry is so exciting for artists
PK 105: Assassin's Creed artist Fred Rambaud reveals the key things you need to do to become a successful concept artist
PK 104: The mindset behind leaving your job for a full time creative career.
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