CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! THE BLACK & WHITE ISSUE

Art by Elizabeth Haidle

Are you an artist or writer who would love to contribute to ILLUSTORIA? Well, we'd love to hear from you!

We have a few slots left in our upcoming issue, themed "BLACK & WHITE." In particular, we're looking for:

- a couple of 2- to 3-page comics or illustrated stories

-spot art or standalone illustrations + minimal text or poetry

-1–3 panel comic strips

Pssst...! We  may be a wee bit biased toward work that celebrates diversity, silent films, and b&w photography...but also totally open and excited to see your original ideas! 

Submissions due by October 12th, 2017. Find out more about our submissions guidelines here, then email your submission to: submissions@illustoria.com.

Good luck!

Announcing #5: THE MOTION ISSUE

Cover art by Yuliya Gwilym

We are thrilled to present issue #5 of ILLUSTORIA, The Motion Issue. This issue is currently at the printer and will be delivered in the coming weeks so be on the lookout! 

Color proofs of The Motion Issue

The Motion issue is bursting with invigorating stories and comics that will get your brain humming and your feet gearing up for action. We asked writers, artists, and makers to explore motion in all different forms, and the result is a meditation in movement in the form of sea creatures at the aquarium, the gallop of horses, journeys into space and fantastical worlds, the capturing of motion through art and photography, and even the progressive, forward-movement of trailblazers and activists. 

Start off the school year inspired and energized through interviews with writer/activist Kate Schatz and visionary artist Miriam Klein Stahl of the bestseller Rad Women Wordwide.

A spread from our interview with rad women Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl of Rad Women Worldwide and Rad American Women A-Z

Learn how to make your own Victorian-era animated thaumatrope with a DIY activity by our creative director, Elizabeth Haidle.

DIY Victorian-era thaumatrope activity

Become a color detective when you read a brief history of vermilion by pigment and watercolor expert Alexis Joseph of Case for Making and master watercolorist Lindsay Stripling.

A Brief History of Vermilion by Alexis Joseph and Lindsay Victoria Lee, for issue #5: Motion

Fall in love with heroes of art history through eye-opening comics on Eadweard Muybridge, Madeline L'Engle, and Henri Matisse, and enjoy so much more in the form of comics, illustrated stories, book recommendations, a playlist and recipe, coloring pages, and activities.

Photographing Motion: Eadweard Muybridge, by Marlowe Dobbe for issue #5: Motion

 Spread from Literary Giants as Kids: Madeleine L'Engle, by Elizabeth Haidle for issue #5: Motion

So get moving and pre-order your copy of The Motion Issue on our shop page or at your local favorite shop, newsstand, or bookstore! 

Oakland Book Festival 2017

Don't miss the Oakland Book Festival this Sunday, May 21st, 2017, from 11am–6pm! ILLUSTORIA will be there with plenty of magazines--including the just-out issue 4: The Grow Issue -- and lotsa swag including temp tattoos, stickers, coloring pages, and pins. We'll be at booth 22 in the kids' activity area, where you and your creative little ones can color, craft, make zines and create your own custom bookmarks with us. Meet Joanne and Mark, the publisher and co-founders of Illustoria and craft and chat kids' lit with our team. We would love to meet you!

Check out the impressive list of authors at this not-to-be-missed annual event for literary lovers in the heart of downtown Oakland:

There are events and talks galore so check out all the happenings here. 

What: Oakland Book Festival

When: Sunday, May 21st, 2017

Time: 11am–6pm

Where: Oakland City Hall, Downtown Oakland

See you there!  

Lisa Brown cover art: The OUTSIDE-IN Issue

Issue 3 coming soon.... Cover art by Lisa Brown; Cover design by Elizabeth Haidle

We are so pleased to reveal our cover for issue 3, The Outside-In Issue, featuring delectably delicious, wondrously charming art by the amazing Lisa Brown!

As many of you picture book and comic fans know, Lisa is the creator of the ingenious Three Panel Book Review strips featured in The Rumpus, co-creator with Lemony Snicket of The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, author/illustrator of the hilarious Baby Be of Use board book series, and author/illustrator of her very latest, The Airport Book. Needless to say we've had a creator crush on Lisa Brown for some time....

So when a few months ago Lisa graciously took a morning out of her busy schedule as a writer, illustrator, teacher, mom, and passionate kid-lit advocate to meet with me at one of her favorite cafes in San Francisco, I was beyond excited and a little nervous. I knew through her work that she was exceedingly intelligent and bitingly witty. Being the warm and generous person that she is, Lisa immediately put me at ease. I should have known--after all, those who work in children's books generally are a kind-hearted bunch! Lisa shared with me her thoughts on why it's important to cultivate creativity in kids through that excruciating, self-conscious phase around the middle school years, the range of diverse picture books on her syllabus at CCA, the challenges that women illustrators face in the publishing industry, and she even gave me a sneak peek of her upcoming picture book. (Psst...interview with her and her elusive co-author to come in issue 4!) By the end of the meeting, she sent me along with a list of fabulous artists to contact and agreed to create cover art for an upcoming issue. I was totally blown away...and so grateful, and excited!

Now, here we are several months later with a gorgeous cover by Lisa that speaks volumes about what we at Illustoria care most about: timeless, captivating art with a unique point of view that resonates across generations; the value and delights of print publishing; the power of illustration; our ever-lasting love for visual storytelling. And how cool is this take on the swallowed-whole dilemma from Little Red Riding Hood??! Just wait until you see her back cover....

Thank you, Lisa, for your fabulous contribution to The Outside-In Issue!!

Inside you'll also find Lisa's sketchbook tips to aspiring artists. Truly the inside of issue 3 is just as delectable as the outside, with contributions by an array of lovely artists and writers whom we couldn't have pulled this off without, including: Nina Chakrabarti, Amy Novesky, Paul duCoudray, Micah Player, Willie Real, Elizabeth Haidle, Ruth Kneass, Mike Dutton, Alexis Joseph / Case for Making, Britt Browne, Claire Astrow, Yuliya Gwilym, Alexandra Rose Franco of Rito-ito, Rachel Garrison, Kristen Solecki, Clark Jackson, Martin Cendreda, Anne Pomel, Karl Dotter, and Jeremy Anderson. More sneak peeks to come so follow us on Instagram to see the latest updates. 

Here's a look at #3's table of contents, and be sure to check out our Shop page to see sample spreads from this issue and to pre-order. We'll send out copies in March 2017. 

The Outside-In issue's table of contents. So much good inside....

I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we loved putting it together. 

Lastly, thanks to Sakura of America and Case for Making for sponsoring issue 3!

THE CANVAS ISSUE is IN

We are so thrilled to announce that Issue 2 has arrived and is getting ready to ship to our dear readers! (Stockists: Please contact us to place your order!) The Canvas Issue is overflowing with vibrant, gorgeous art by some of our favorite artists and writers. From the awesome cover art and interview feature with Press Here author Hervé Tullet to a Q&A with Tony DiTerlizzi of The Spiderwick Chronicles and The Search for WondLa series, a biographical story on Martha Graham by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Marlowe Dobbe, a comic on Georgia O'Keeffe by Todd Webb, a non-fiction piece, "Beyond the Canvas," by our very own Elizabeth Haidle of Docu-Comix featuring artists Lee Bontecou, Frank Stella, Diego Rivera, Louise Bourgeois, and Christo & Jeanne-Claude and so so much more.... It's an embarrassment of riches to be sure!

Here are a few pages from the packed 64-page issue.... Please enjoy! : )

Excerpt from "Beyond the Canvas: Artists Who Reinvented the Rectangle" by Elizabeth Haidle

Excerpt from "Mix, Splash, Muddle" by Julia Breckenreid

DIY twig mobile by our very own Claire Astrow!

Excerpt from our interview with Tony DiTerlizzi

Excerpt from "Georgia In the Desert" by Todd Webb, a comic that draws from O'Keeffe's own writing.

Purchase your copy here or ask for issue 2 at your fave local bookstore. xox

Making a Magazine: Inside Issue 1

Some of you have been asking about what you can expect to find in our premiere issue. After some months of feeling like an overprotective mama bear guarding her treasured babes, I'm finally ready to let these cubs roam just a tiny bit away from their cave.

In issue 1 you'll find interviews with Aaron Becker, Caldecott Honor award-winning author/illustrator of Journey; Newbery and Eisner award-winning graphic novelist Cece Bell; and chef Rayneil De Guzman of Ramen Shop Oakland. You'll read original essays by artists including the celebrated singer, violinist and master whistler Andrew Bird. You'll also discover original comics, illustrations, and stories by a list of swoon-worthy contributors including Lark Pien, David Goldin, Zack Soto, Laurel Snyder, Molly Maeda, Martin Cendreda, Andrew Jaffe, Katherine Tsina Bird, Zack Giallongo, Lisa Maloof, Leela Corman, Thien Pham, Teri Sloat, Brave the Woods and more. With activities, book reviews, music recommendations and a recipe to boot, kids and grownups are sure to find inspiration in these packed 64 pages of joyful visual storytelling and creative expression. 

It's impossible to choose favorites, but I'm quite proud to be premiering Elizabeth Haidle's Literary Giants as Kids series, with the first of this 2-page Docu-comix featuring Maya Angelou and her remarkable story from silenced child to internationally renowned poet. I'm also especially thrilled to be sharing Cece Bell's story about the making of her graphic novel memoir, El Deafo, with an audience of young readers who will surely be as moved and inspired by Cece's making-of story as they are of her unforgettable, brilliant book. 

Get ready: in just a couple months, these cubs will be off and running, roaming their way into your city, town, and (if you subscribe) mailbox. For now, I hope our issue 1 contents give you a sense of the fresh, new ideas we've been brewing up here at ILLUSTORIA and entices you to join us! 

Who We Are: Elizabeth Haidle

Name: 

Elizabeth Haidle

Me & Eli

Location: 

Portland, OR

Profession: 

Freelance artist & musical saw player (& Creative Director of ILLUSTORIA)

Favorite artist/illustrator: 

recent discovery: Nathaniel Russell; also Jillian Tamaki, Brecht Evens, Emily Carroll 

Best book you've read in the past year: 

Your Illustrated Guide to Becoming One with the Universe, by Yumi Sakugawa

Kids’ book you could read every night: 

What Was I Afraid Of?  by Dr. Suess

Best memory of being a kid: 

Dressing up as a ham sandwich for Halloween, made with scraps I scrounged from my dad's studio. My head stuck out of a bite mark at the top. I had a little trouble climbing on the bus & standing during the ride to school, but it was worth it. Absolutely zero other people were a ham sandwich that year. 

Favorite weekend activity: 

3-course breakfasts. Also anything involving a hammock.

 Song currently on repeat: 

"The Very Thought of You," by Billie Holliday; I just know everything's gonna be alright when Billie sings.

Favorite meal: 

Blue Star Donuts

Last time you made something with your hands: 

Accordian fold mini book entitled: 'Inner Donkey'

Patterned postcards using eraser chunks as stamps

Fun fact about you: 

I'm terrible at wrestling and my son always wants to, so I made up my own moves. One is called 'Cheek Pin', where you press the other person down by smushing your cheek really hard against theirs. Also they are maybe paralyzed by laughter, which helps. Another is called 'Cashmere Head Clamp' and requires one to be wearing a cashmere robe. Which I wear often.