Creator Crush: Mike Lowery

Sneak peek from Issue 5: Motion: Mike Lowery doodles his answers to our Q & Artist interview.

Who cannot absolutely adore Mike Lowery for his amazing doodles, hand-lettering, books, and inspiring-hilarious-addicting-to-watch #randomillustratedfacts?

From Mike Lowery's Instagram feed, where he regularly shares videos of his sketchbook drawings featuring engaging and adorable random illustrated facts. 

Mike is a prolific children's book writer and illustrator who infuses his work with a sense of humor and child-like simplicity that never fails to amuse and delight us. His latest series with Workman Publishing, Doodle Adventures, invites kids to draw their own characters into the story and, page by page, the interactive book continues along via prompts for more illustrations by the reader. It's an ingenious format that combines drawing and doodling with the silly escapades of a wonky cast of characters that will keep everyone anticipating the next funny episode. By the end of the book, the reader will have helped to co-write a totally unique story that can be read over and over again with family and friends for a riotous good time. 

Doodle Adventures Series

Thankfully with three books out (The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs!, The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate!, The Rise of the Rusty Robo-Cat!) and counting in this series, your little doodlers will have enough to keep them creatively satisfied for some time. We are thrilled to share Mike's book trailer for this series, a series which has been described as "a visual Mad Libs: part game, part graphic novel, and a thrilling, interactive experience in which the reader draws him- or herself into the story and becomes the star." So much good!

And a few more glances at Mike's Q & Artist for Illustoria, issue 5: Motion:

Yes! Roald Dahl books...we couldn't agree more. 

Art by Mike Lowery. See The Motion Issue for the full Q & Artist feature!

Don't miss out on Mike's awesome books and make sure to get a copy of The Motion Issue to learn more about what inspires Mike, what he's currently up to, and when he feels his most creative.

And be sure to enter our GIVEAWAY in partnership with Workman Publishing between now and Friday, 9/15/17, for a chance to win a set of Mike's Doodle Adventures books. Head to our Instagram feed for contest details.

Why You Ought to Doodle Every Day

Jon Burgerman is a Brooklyn-based, award-winning purveyor of doodles and author of several books including his latest, Jon Burgerman’s Daily Doodle. You might recognize Jon’s art from his popular social media channels, paintings hanging in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, highly-designed airline barf bags, and even a custom line of Crocs™.  

This week, Jon joins Illustoria to share some insight into his quirky art style and why he doodles constantly. 

-----------

There are several reasons why I think drawing is so vital. By the way, drawing and doodling are pretty much the same. I like to use the word doodling because it sounds more causal, goofy, and easy-going—a bit like me!

Photo © Bas Berkhout

I like to doodle every day because it helps me hone my drawing skills. The more I draw, I gain a better understanding of the materials and my own hands. It’s not so much about becoming ‘better’ but gaining more insight into how everything works together.

Photo © Bas Berkhout

Doodling helps me think. I find when I doodle I come up with ideas that I couldn't come with if I didn't have a pen in my hand at the same time. For me drawing and doodling is a discipline of thinking.

Drawing and mark-making in general is just a different means of thinking and articulating visually. Being able to share ideas visually is very important, especially in our overloaded-with-visual-information-modern world. Almost everything we interact with was once originally devised as a drawing. Doodling helps us learn how to speak visually. It’s a global language.

From Jon Burgerman's Daily Doodles. Published by Laurence King Publishing. 

Super accessible and silly prompts for all ages. 

Learn to draw from combining simple shapes. 

Doodle first, then color in!

Our favorite: Tofu gorilla.

From Jon Burgerman's Daily Doodles. Published by Laurence King Publishing. 

We adore this cover and all the ridiculously fun and engaging doodling prompts in this book, which comes with cool doodle stickers to complete and stick anywhere!

Doodling can be meditative and relaxing. It often helps me focus and order my thoughts. Seeing my ideas scribbled down on a page helps me understand them a lot better than juggling them in my head.

But overall, doodling is simple just good fun. Absolutely anyone can do it and get a great kick of it. Creating is fun and it makes us happy. So grab a pen and get doodling. It doesn’t matter what you draw—just have fun, and see what happens!

Now it’s your turn to get doodling. Be sure to enter the #DailyDoodleBook drawing competition from Laurence King Publishing! 

 To see more of Jon’s work, follow him online at @jonburgerman. 

We Heart Sakura

View fullsize

Who doesn't love a maze?! But with a selection of colorful Gelly Roll Pens at our side, doodling and writing takes on another level of playful pleasure. Photo ©  Melissa Kaseman

When Michaela Yee at Sakura of America heard about us through a Facebook post, she connected with us right away. Aside from the fact that we have an amazing friend (Patricia Wakida of Wasabi Press) in common--one of those connectors of people who attracts artistic, talented, energetic, generous souls into her life--we both knew right away that Sakura and ILLUSTORIA were going to get along like playground pals at recess. 

Mark working on the Archidoodle activity for issue 1, with his trusty Micron Pens of course.

While Sakura as a company is nearing its centennial and ILLUSTORIA is just a newborn pup, we have a lot in common. We believe in quality materials, access to artistic expression for all, and keeping creativity alive in both grownups and little ones. I must admit, as the new kid on the block I was already smitten with everything that Sakura represented. Art supplies are one of those pleasures that need not be guilty! Micron Pens are a staple in our house, with my architect-maker husband constantly sketching with his number 01s and 02s and on up the spectrum. The Pigma Sensei Pens are never far out of reach of my 10-year-old comic artist in the making, and my youngest can't get enough of his collection of Gelly Roll Pens.

Paper and ink are so important to me as a reader and as a publisher. I made sure to test out our uncoated interior stock for maximum drawability before we hit the press. The Gelly Roll Pens truly glide smooth as jelly on the pages of our mag, and the ink dries beautifully too--so no unsightly smudging when you flip the page! Photo ©  Melissa Kaseman

We pretty much as a family tote them around to every and all long car rides and dinners out. I personally use a selection of all the above to capture my wandering thoughts and doodles. There's really something so satisfying about putting not just pen to paper but really lovely ink that glides oh-so smoothly and beautifully. The words and illustrations somehow look more intelligent and attractive on the page. Really, it does!

A selection of colorful Gelly Roll Pens on our table beckons the creative (and silly!) spirit in all of us. 

For Sakura, then, to see this new fledgling indie press and believe in us from the start--with no track record to show of but a lot of heart, enthusiasm, a dedicated team of contributors and a mission to inspire artistic expression, they proved to me that they are true supporters of the creativity cause. Their motto celebrates the "Power To Express" and we at ILLUSTORIA couldn't agree more. May we all tap into our own artistic expression and find the tools that work best for us individually, for our own daily creative practices. 

A very hearty thanks to our issue 1 sponsor, Sakura of America, for your support of us and your dedication to creative expression in all ages!