Claire Astrow 7/23/18 Claire Astrow 7/23/18

Day in the Life of Jess Smart Smiley

photograph courtesy of Jess Smart Smiley

If you haven't heard of the multi-talented, rad cartoonist, teacher, illustrator, and writer Jess Smart Smiley, you're in for a treat. Smiley is based in Utah and has created six rad kid's books including Upside Down: A Vampire Tale and Rude Dude Book of Food. His bold drawing style and witty characters are not only smile-inducing, they're approachable. By creating hilarious, instantly love-able personalities out of simple shapes and lines, Smiley makes illustration inviting for readers of all ages and drawing skill. In his latest book Let's Make Comics Smiley leads readers through a roller-coaster ride of 90 jam-packed activity pages that offers a foundation for any budding cartoonist. Best friends Peanut (a turtle donning a top hat) and Bramble (a lady-bug loving bear) star as the teachers of the activity book, creating mischief and adventure on every page. Because the book is set up with its own comic book narrative, Smiley makes learning the ins-and-outs of drawing feel just like watching Sunday morning cartoons. And for kids and grownups that have a paralyzing fear of picking up a pen, this book is a refreshing antidote. We were lucky enough to pick Jess Smart Smiley's brain a bit about the joys and challenges of being a professional artist, the process of making Let's Make Comics, and some of his favorite graphic novel and comic recommendations. We hope you enjoy, and don't forget to check out ILLUSTORIA's Instagram giveaway of the book running now until June 31st!

Let's Make Comics! by Jess Smart Smiley — *Let's Make Comics!* by Jess Smart Smiley

Hi Jess! Tell us about yourself.
Jess Smart Smiley is a joke. Seriously. He makes rad pictures with his bare hands and has helped more than 1,000 children, teenagers, and adults create their very first comics. See more at jess-smiley.com.

What was the last thing you made with your hands?
I drew this tiger face in my sketchbook.

In your latest release, Let’s Make Comics, you offer tons of creative, engaging ways for comic book beginners to start creating their own story lines. What was the inspiration behind this book?
6 years ago I was invited to teach a week-long comics workshop to teenagers. I came up with the activity pages as a way for students to complete a comic while also exploring the nature of comics, the role of words and pictures, and a variety of tools, methods, and techniques for creating comics. Since that very first workshop, I’ve used the activity pages to introduce children and their parents to the exciting world of storytelling through comics!

What do you love most about creating comic books?
Because a comic can display several illustrations on a single page, it gives me the opportunity to draw a character I love from a bunch of different angles, in a variety of situations, and with a range of emotional expressions.

Can you talk about your process of creating Let’s Make Comics from start to finish, and share some process pics with us?
Sure! Once I had created a handful of activity pages for my workshop and had seen how helpful they were for beginning creators, I started writing ideas for other possible pages onto index cards. I used something like 350 index cards and then picked my favorite 100 or so from the stack.

From here, I grabbed a bunch of blank 8.5" x 11" copy paper and spent some time drawing very rough versions of each activity. The drawings were sloppy and the writing wasn’t usually well-thought-out, but my goal was to get the idea down on paper in a way that I could understand and make a final version from.

I scanned each rough activity page and pulled them one at a time into Photoshop, where I created new layers for my final drawings, colors, and text.

(As a side note, there was one Sunday when I still had something like 20 activity pages to rough out. I was starting to lose steam from so much drawing, but there was a sudden rainstorm and our power went out. I love a good rainstorm, so I sat on the porch and drew the final 20 pages, charged by the energy of the storm.)

If you could be any comic book character from history, who would you be and why?
Probably Snoopy. Now THERE’S a dog who knows how to have a good time! Plus, his dog house can fly!

What were you like as a kid?
Quiet. Timid. Always drawing in class. I loved playing basketball and kickball at recess and reading everything from Roald Dahl and Beverly Cleary.

art by Quentin Blake from Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox — art by Quentin Blake from Roald Dahl's *Fantastic Mr. Fox*

art by Louis Darling from Beverly Cleary's Ramona — art by Louis Darling from Beverly Cleary's *Ramona*

What is the most challenging part about being an artist/writer/maker?
Pitching a new idea. Publishers want to make great books, but they can’t just trust a creator to do whatever they want. Publishers want to know what your next book will be before you’ve made it. That means a creator has to prepare some illustrations and writing that demonstrate and describe a book before it ever exists. If I don’t put enough thought into the drawings and writing in my pitch, then I leave too many gaps in the story and holes in the idea for publishers to guess at. It’s like not finishing a sentence—and how often do people guess at exactly what you were trying to say?

Where/ do you feel your most creative?
When I’m working on a project I’m really enjoying, but also have time to explore doodling in my sketchbook and time to read.

What is your favorite activity from Let’s Make Comics?
I love watching children, teenagers, and adults complete the “Let’s Take a Walk” activity on page 26. The comic is missing backgrounds and environments, so it’s up to the reader to draw their own into the comic.

Let's Make Comics by Jess Smart Smiley, page 26 — *Let's Make Comics* by Jess Smart Smiley, page 26

What are some comics every kid should get their hands on, ASAP?
There are so many great comics out there and I’ll never be able to list them all. That being said, here are some of my favorites that I often recommend:

Bone by Jeff Smith is a wonderful fantasy adventure centered around a lovable cast of friendly cousins who find themselves in a magical and terrifying forest, where they encounter horrific creatures, the Great Red Dragon, and a host of mysteries.
The Hazardous Tales series by Nathan Hale recount true tales from history in an incredibly informative and entertaining way. There are currently 7 books in the series, covering everything from the Revolutionary War to the Donner party and World War II.
The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier is the book I’ve gifted the most—to young readers, to my cartoonist friends, and to anyone who enjoys a good story. Walker Bean is a young boy who takes to the high-seas in an attempt to relieve his grandfather from an ancient curse. Along the way, Walker Bean encounters pirates, sea witches, mysterious machines, and a magical glowing skull. Do yourself a favor and read it before the sequel comes out this October!

Raina Telgemeier’s Smile tells the story of the author’s sixth-grade experience with injuring her front teeth, getting braces, trying to understand boys, and finding her true friends.
Luke Pearson’s Hilda books are incredibly charming, filled with beautiful illustrations, giants, sprites, trolls, and hounds, adventurous stories, idyllic landscapes, and a curious blue-haired girl named Hilda. (Did I mention Hilda is coming to Netflix this Fall?!)

What is the day in the life of Jess Smart Smiley?
On any given day I might be working on a new comic, illustrating a picture book, designing a video game, creating character designs, developing story ideas, drawing in my sketchbook, teaching a comics workshop, or doing some combination of these things.

I prefer to wake up and get right to work, usually by finishing something I started the night before. (It’s helpful for me to finish something early in the day, so I can stay motivated to keep going.) I keep a to-do list in my sketchbook of different things that need to be done for each of my projects, which makes it easy for me to know what to do next. I’ll often prioritize my projects by ranking them in the order they should be completed, and then I’ll try to come up with a rough idea of how much time any one task with take. I never have to ask myself What should I do next?, because I’ve already thought through what needs to be done.

After writing, drawing, and planning at home, I might spend a few hours working at the library, the local Barnes & Noble, or my neighborhood comic shop, Dragon’s Keep. I meet up with local business owners, friends, and fellow creators to talk about upcoming projects, or I might take the role of consultant, offering what I hope are helpful thoughts for writers, artists, comic book creators, and others in the community.

In-person events are also a big part of my schedule. Over the last few years I’ve been able to help more than 1,000 children, teenagers, and adults complete their first comics. I started with a week-long comics workshop, and have since introduced others to making comics at school visits, library events, Girl Scout meetings, comic conventions, book festivals, writing and art symposiums, and Skype visits. Last month I was able to visit a group of schoolchildren in Pakistan and a comic festival in England, all thanks to the magic of Skype!

I love seeing people’s reactions to Let’s Make Comics, and knowing that I’ll be teaching others about the things I’m learning about making comics helps me stay committed and really consider what I’m doing and how I’m doing it.

My family and I spend time together and I like to get a little reading in, maybe go for a walk, and then I do a little more drawing or writing before bed. Pretty exciting!

We hope you enjoyed this interview with Jess Smart Smiley! Don't forget to head on over to our Instagram for a chance to win Let's Make Comics in our giveaway (closes 7/31).

If you've got the comic-loving-bug, you will obsess over ILLUSTORIA's Issues #1 - #7. Each issue of ILLUSTORIA is filled to the brim with comics, illustrated short stories, interviews with artists, coloring pages, DIYs and more. Order an issue or a subscription today and fill your days with creativity!

Paige Geimer 7/5/18 Paige Geimer 7/5/18

Summer Reading Roundup

School’s out and summer is settling in! It’s the best time of year for jumping in lakes, beating the heat with ice-cold drinks, and falling asleep in the shade with a good book. Don’t know where to start with all of the wonderful titles lining the shelves? We rounded up some of our favorites that are the perfect companions for all your summer adventures! There is plenty of time for fun activities, thrilling stories, and books that take you to a new and unique world during these long days.

The Kid's Awesome Activity Book by Mike Lowery

It’s no secret that we love Mike Lowery here at ILLUSTORIA - how can we resist the amazing doodle-esque illustrations and immensely fun activities?! This book has you coming up with some funky monsters hairstyles (mullets are back in, right?), deciphering secret messages, and creating a masterpiece to go on the walls of a museum. Lowery has made a book that is perfect for long car rides or sitting hanging out in the backyard. Plus, the book comes with stickers, finger puppets, and a fold out poster to keep you creative even when you can’t see the white spaces in the book anymore!

The Better Tree Fort by Jessica Scott Kerrin and Qin Leng

The Better Tree Fort by Jessica Scott Kerrin and illustrated by Qin Leng — *The Better Tree Fort* by Jessica Scott Kerrin and illustrated by Qin Leng

Jessica Scott Kerrin’s story will have you feeling nostalgic about long summer nights that were spent dreaming of the world’s raddest tree house - equipped with a skylight and fireman’s pole for getting down, obviously. The Better Tree Fort focuses on Russell who is building a tree fort with his dad, but can’t help but be jealous of the bigger one 3 doors down. After spending some time at the bigger fort, Russell realizes that his tree fort is better after all! We absolutely love Qin Leng’s watercolor illustrations, which we have gotten to know and love in her book A Family is a Family is a Family. She perfectly captures the ambiance of a summer’s DIY activity; we can almost hear the crickets chirping in the beautiful sunset spread.

Rad Girls Can by Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl

Rad Girls Can by Kate Schaltz and illustrated by Miriam Klein Stahl — *Rad Girls Can* by Kate Schaltz and illustrated by Miriam Klein Stahl

This summer reading list wouldn’t be complete without including the newest edition of the Rad Women series with Rad Girls Can by Kate Schaltz and Miriam Klein Stahl. Their new book featuring 50 (FIFTY!) girls that have done, well, rad things that all of us are completely in awe about. Turning the focus onto girls under the age of 20, girls can see that they are never too young to stand up and make a difference. In fact, some of the most revolutionary ideas come from young minds! Flashback to Issue 5: Motion, Kate and Miriam talked to us about what inspires them and how to use their talents to support women and girls alike. Now the duo is releasing the third book in the series and we are more inspired to get out there and help more than ever. Rad Girls Can comes out July 17, so make sure to keep an eye out at your fav local bookstore!

Under the Canopy by Iris Volant and Cynthia Alonso

Under the Canopy by Iris Volant and illustrated by Cynthia Alonso — *Under the Canopy* by Iris Volant and illustrated by Cynthia Alonso

This one is for all of the nature lovers out there! Under the Canopy not only showcases Alonso’s stunning, colorful illustrations of some of the amazing trees that we find around the world but also highlights the cultural context of these seemingly everyday sightings. Did you know that Hawthorne trees were thought to be the meeting place of Celtic fairies? Or that Anne Frank used to look out to a large Horse Chestnut Tree outside of her hiding spot in Amsterdam? Just because school is out doesn’t mean that the learning has to stop, especially when it is about awesome subjects like this! After reading this Flying Eye book, you’ll want to go out and see what trees you can find in your own backyard. (Super cool bonus: check out Cynthia’s sweet illustrated story in Issue 6: Symbols.)

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

While this might not exactly be beach reading, Ghost Boys is a fantastic and necessary tale to be told. Jewell Parker Rhodes paints a heartbreakingly poignant story that is all too familiar - a young boy dies at the hand of a trigger happy policeman. This middle grade novel retells the story by weaving through time and relationships that were made both while alive and after death. He comes across many sides of the story, including another boy whose fate was not unlike his as well as the policeman's daughter, highlighting different perspectives of these events. While the hectic nature of school is gone, summer could be a great time to open up a conversation about these themes with your young one.

I Really Want to See You, Grandma by Taro Gomi

I Really Want to See You, Grandma is one of those books that we keep going back to over and over. Probably because Taro Gomi is a genius and we can’t stop looking at his illustrations, but also because this book reminds us of what it’s like to miss someone we are close to and do everything we can to see them. Gomi does a perfect job at creating a sweet story about the bond between a grandmother and granddaughter who both have the same idea to make a trip, but keep missing each other in the process. Though, this doesn’t discourage them and we get to follow these journeys, inspiring us to reach out to our grandparents too. Pack this book in your backpack and go on a journey to read it with a loved one!

The Forest by Riccardo Bozzi, Violeta Lopiz, Valerio Vidali

The Forest refuses to be put into a category, and that’s what we love about it. Bozzi, Lopiz, and Vidali do a phenomenal job at making every single aspect of this book special. The story is a sweet rendition of life - from birth to death - using the metaphor of a forest, but it doesn’t lay a heavy hand. Instead you follow travelers through stunning and bright illustrations that are paired with delicate cut outs, where you can see the forest through the physical perspectives of the travelers. Ending in full circle, the book inspires to not take life for granted and to appreciate the small things.

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Shout out to all of us out there who feel as if we don’t fit in - Be Prepared’s for you! This comic focuses on Vera, a girl whose family and economic background doesn’t quite fit in with her other friends... They can afford the coveted (and expensive) "Historical Dolls". She decides to go to a summer camp and feels even MORE out of place then before. It’s a perfect story that is sure to give you some laughs while also acting as a gentle reminder that you aren’t alone. We all feel out of place sometimes. Not to mention, Vera Brosgol is able to capture the perfect summertime camp vibes.

Hoakes Island by Helen Friel and Ian Friel

Hoakes Island by Ian Friel and Helen Friel — *Hoakes Island* by Ian Friel and Helen Friel

Are you and your kiddo stuck inside when it’s hot enough to fry an egg outside? Have no fear! Hoakes Island will have you solving a mystery within one of the most interesting amusement parks ever. Complete with a fold out map and a detective magnifying glass, this book has you working your way through pages of puzzles with the help of some animal friends. What’s even cooler? Hoakes Island was written by a dad and daughter duo - Helen is a paper engineer and visual artist and Ian is a historian and has written books about ships. It inspires us to collab with our families and see the genius that comes out of it. So get your brains movin’ again and help save Hoakes Island!

The Great Dog by Davide Cali and Miguel Tanco

The Great Dog is a playful and comforting picture book that is a great summer read. A father walks his child down a great hallway of ornate family portraits while retelling their stories. Descending from a policeman, an athlete, and an astronaut, the pup wonders what he will be when he grows up. This makes us reminiscent of the long, hot summer days when we pictured what our lives will look like in the future. *Cough* My bounce house castle might still be under construction. The important thing to know, relayed in this book, is that no matter what you are you will be great. Plus, there is more than meets the eye to all of our great heroes, as noted by the snarky and beautiful illustrations done by Miguel Tanco.

That Night, a Monster by Marzena Sowa and Berenika Kolomycka

You know that feeling after watching a scary movie where everything feels spooky? Even the tree right outside your window? That’s what Tommy, the little boy who went to wake up his parents on a Saturday morning, felt; his mom turned into a fern! Of course, she did not turn into a fern, but rather had a bad hair day that got out of control. That Night, a Monster is a self-aware graphic novel that plays with our worst fears, but in a light-hearted way that makes you turn around an appreciate what you have. Plus, these painted panels by artist Berenika are so silly and relatable at the same time that they remind us that our fears can be the scariest thing of all! The book is on sale August 21, 2018, but is available for pre-order now.

If you're looking for even more, check out: Boats on the Bay, Book of Bones, Square (it would be an understatement to say we adore everything by the duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen!), and The Wild Robot Escapes.

So there you have it - enough books to fill those times when you are bored in the summer and need a creative pick-me-up. We hope you enjoyed them as much as we did and we want to see what books you've enjoyed this summer. Show us what you've been reading on Instagram @illustoria_mag and be on the lookout for the release of Issue 7: Black & White. You can pre-order it now!

Claire Astrow 6/22/18 Claire Astrow 6/22/18

Pride Month Book Review

The summer equinox is here folks, and that’s pretty much the adult-version of throwing textbooks in the air and sprinting out of 7th period with “School's out for the Summer” by Alice Cooper blasting out of the school’s PA. In addition to being known as the beginning of summer, the time when dreams of pools and working AC machines flood our minds, June also importantly marks LGBTQ+ Pride Month and the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.

During Pride, we take to the streets to honor our sisters and brothers of the not-so-far-away past who fought fiercely for the queer and trans community as well as those who continue to pave the way for a more inclusive future. When all the dust (and glitter) from Pride parades across the nation has settled, we remember June as a celebration of inclusion, diversity and love. With this short reading list, we hope to commemorate exemplary releases of kids' literature that embody the inclusion of Pride Month. The books featured were chosen for their representation of gender-nonconforming and/or queer characters as well as LGBTQ+ civil rights leaders.

Here at Illustoria, we’re still dreaming of an even more diverse children’s book world, where overlooked or ignored voices are embraced (anyone up for writing a picture book on Audre Lorde or Martha P Washington?). But in the meantime, we’re jumping for joy about these incredible releases. We hope you enjoy our list, and have a happy Pride Month!

George by Alex Gino

In a forward-thinking addition to the middle-grade genre, Alex Gino has penned a tender story of a fourth grader named George whose male body doesn’t fit her true identity. George longs to star as the female spider Charlotte in the school production of “Charlotte’s Web” rather than Wilbur, the male pig, but worries whether her family and community will understand. With a main character that is as eloquent as she is strong, George soars beyond the typical story of the challenges of being young and queer. Better yet, George offers much needed visibility to gender-nonconforming and transgender communities in children’s literature, and is a story of bravery that every middle grade student should read and re-read.

Reading Level: 3rd grade +

Lumberjanes 50 by authors Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh; illustrators Dozerdraws & Brooklyn Allen

Lumberjanes 50 by Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh, illustrated by Dozerdraws & Brooklyn Allen

Lumberjanes is a graphic novel series that is bursting at the seams with feminist joy. The story takes place at Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types, and is attended by campers known as Lumberjane Scouts. Each book in the series brings readers on the adventures of a rough and tumble group of five best friends, each unique in their own right. The playful, beautifully colored illustrations are to die for, and the pop culture references couldn’t be cooler (catchy phrases used by the Lumberjane crew include, “What the Joan Jett?” and “Oh My Bessie Coleman”). Plus, each issue features a music playlist by one of the characters, inspiring fan art, and a rotating lineup of illustrators that keep the comic fresh and exciting. We love this series for its diverse representation of young queer characters and storylines, slapdash sense of humor and heartening stories of friendship. Lumberjanes is celebrating its 50th issue with an oversized anniversary edition which features the incredible editor Shannon Watters (co-creator of the series), acclaimed writer Kat Leyh (who has also written for Adventure Time, Bravest Warrior and Steven Universe), illustrator Dozerdraws and long time series illustrator Brooklyn Allen. Lumberjanes 50 is an absolute dream come true for seasoned fans of the series, but if you're a newbie we suggest beginning with the very first issue Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware The Kitten Holy.

Reading Level: 4th grade +

A Family is A Family is A Family by Sara O'Leary, illustrated by Qin Leng

This sweet-as-a-peach tale demonstrates just how diverse and beautiful a family can be. In it, a teacher asks a classroom to think of what makes their family special. The young narrator becomes worried, thinking “My family is not like everyone else’s.” But to her surprise, each student who shares a story about their family is more unique than the next. There are mix race families, adoptive families, gay and lesbian families, families led by grandparents and everything in-between. Soon, the narrator realizes that families comes in all shapes and sizes; what they have in common is the love that brings them together. With cheerful writing by Sara O’Leary and adorable (yet modern) watercolor illustrations by Qin Leng, A Family is A Family is A Family strikes the perfect match of showing appreciation for inclusion without being pedantic or corny.

Reading Audience: Preschool +

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

Two rounds of applause are deserved for the outstanding picture book Julian is a Mermaid. One is for Jessica Love, who has created what so many authors and illustrators aspire to: a book with a setting so vivid the reader becomes entranced, and a groundbreaking, socially conscious storyline that sets it apart from the rest. Another round of applause for the main character Julian, whose confidence and ingenuity will leave them starstruck.

In Love’s story, a little boy named Julian is riding the bus home with his abuela one day when he becomes captivated by three utterly gorgeous mermaids who step on board. They appear like something out of a dream, with long flowy hair and turquoise dresses. As soon as he gets home, Julian balls out in mermaid attire, fashioning for himself a plant headdress, billowing skirt made from a curtain and bright red lipstick. When his abuela finds him, there is a brief moment of fear --will Julian be reprimanded for breaking gender norms he doesn’t yet know exist? Readers hold their breath as the grandmother takes his hand and leads him on a mysterious route. Soon Julian, still in full princess garb, is surrounded by beautiful beings that look just like him. In the book's joyous ending, it becomes clear that his loving grandmother has brought him to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, to be among the underwater gods and goddesses just like him.

excerpt from Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

Julian is a Mermaid’s morale is as touching as it is richly layered. Readers may interpret the story as one of a young boy’s self discovery, a tale of the abundance of beauty and character found in brown and black communities (the book takes place in Brooklyn, New York), or a narrative about the loving bond between an abuela and her grandson. No matter how the story is interpreted, there is no doubt readers will pour over the details Love works into every nook and cranny of the book (check out the cool-as-can-be lemonade sippers or hip man walking his wiener dog). It’s this thoughtfulness towards character, setting and storyline that has us over the moon for this treasure, that we have our bets on becoming an award-winning picture book very soon.

Reading Audience: Preschool +

Wave a Flag for Harvey Milk Sing-along Coloring Book by Mr. Greg

At long last, a coloring book for a hero of San Francisco and the LGBTQ+ community at large, Harvey Milk. The artist behind this rad creation is Mr. Greg, a SF-based teacher and indie record label owner.

"Each year, my preschool class in San Francisco leads an assembly in honor of Harvey Milk. After searching fruitlessly for an age-appropriate book or song about Harvey Milk to share with my preschoolers, I decided to write and illustrate one myself. I wrote Wave a Flag for Harvey Milk as a way to introduce the preschoolers to the positive things that Harvey Milk did for San Franciscans in particular, and the LGBT community at large. The words of the book are the lyrics to an accompanying song that I sing with my students." Mr. Greg explains.

The coloring book features quirky illustrations as well as narration that doubles as an interactive sing-along. Click here (link provided in the coloring book) to hear the original song, which features indie musician legend Cass McCombs. The wholesome, catchy song is a work of art in its own right, and can be likened to the greatness of the School House Rock hits of the late genius Bob Dorough (known for writing and singing Three is the Magic Number and Conjunction Junction among many others).

The coloring book can be purchased here. If you’re a fan of the coloring book and music, be sure to check out the rest of the goodies put out by Mr. Greg’s record label Secret Seven Records. For another great children’s book read on Harvey Milk, read Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag.

Audience: Preschool +

We hope you greatly enjoyed our Pride Month Book Review! At ILLUSTORIA, it is our mission to publish stories that champion inclusion with a diverse lineup of illustrators and writers. Check out Issue 5: Motion for our interview with the dream team behind Rad Women A-Z, Rad Women Worldwide and Rad Girls Can author Kate Schatz and artist Miriam Klein Stahl who talk about their goals of prioritizing stories about women of color, becoming a part of the Bay Area's feminist punk scene, and the importance of getting readers of all ages and genders excited about social justice.

the ILLUSTORIA team 6/19/18 the ILLUSTORIA team 6/19/18

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! ISSUE 8: HOME

Are you an artist, writer, illustrator or maker who would love to contribute to ILLUSTORIA? Well, we'd love to hear from you! We're on the look out for work inspired by the theme "home" for Issue 8. We welcome submissions that interpret "home" in unique, unexpected ways. Think: sustainability, immigration, native lands, haunted houses, utopias and beyond.

In particular, we're interested in:
- a couple of 1- to 2-page comics or illustrated stories
-spot art or standalone illustrations + minimal text or poetry
-1–3 panel comic strips for our Comic Mixup feature

Guidelines:
1. Before submitting, familiarize yourself with ILLUSTORIA’s past issues.
2. If sending art, please send a small description of the article or story you have in mind. If the work is sport art / a standalone illustration please note it as such.
3. Please submit work as small, web friendly files. Please don’t use file-sharing services with links that might expire or that require us downloading your work in order to view it.
4. Include full contact information: phone, email, and mailing address, website and social media channels.
5. Fiction and nonfiction manuscripts should include an exact word count; poetry manuscripts should include an exact line count.

For more information on submissions, please look here.

Submission Deadline: July 10th, 2018

Email: submission@illustoria.com

Paige Geimer 6/14/18 Paige Geimer 6/14/18

DIY: Father's Day Badges and Patches

Happy Father's Day! Here is a special DIY just for the occasion.

Are you looking for something to give your dad, grandpa that shows him how rad he is? Need something new to add some pizzazz to your routine outfit?

Make these super easy and fun patches and badges to show off your creativity and throw something unique into your summer wardrobe. And the best part is, you can make them any color, size, and shape that you want!

This activity involves some sharp materials - always have an adult around to help out.

What you'll need:

fabric (felt and canvas scraps work!)
permanent markers/fabric markers
scissors
needle & thread
safety pin

How to do it:

1. Draw your design on a piece of fabric - keep in mind how big you want your patch to be! If you are comfortable embroidering, you can do that too.

2. Cut the desired shape of your patch around your design. Next, cut the back piece of fabric**.
**If you want a simple patch, just cut another piece of fabric the same size or a little bit larger than your first piece (see squares A & B). If you want to make a badge, cut a larger piece and don’t forget the tails (see square C).

3. Using a fun colored piece of thread or embroidery floss, sew the two pieces together! An easy way to do this is to follow the shape of the top layer. Another option is to use a hot glue gun with an adult to glue the pieces together.
Don't forget to knot the thread in the back of the patch!

4. All done! To attach, put the safety pin through the back layer (so it does not poke through the top layer) and put on your shirt, backpack, or anything!

© Patches by Claire Astrow, Paige Geimer, and Alexandria Lai

Optional step: gift to your dad or best friend for a rad custom gift that they can show off!

Love this DIY project? Post your finished piece on Instagram with the #ILLUSTORIAinspires for a chance to have your work displayed on our blog! And stay tuned for more DIY projects on our blog and in the upcoming Issue 7: Black & White, set for shelves late July 2018.

Rebecca Green 6/13/18 Rebecca Green 6/13/18

Creating Cover Art for #7: The Black & White Issue

Hi All!

Rebecca Green here (you can call me Becca!). I had the pleasure of creating the cover for Illustoria Issue #7, The Black and White Issue, and today we're going to walk through a bit of the creative process behind the illustration.

Illustration by ©  Rebecca Green — Illustration by © Rebecca Green

Besides sending along keywords, details about the features, and some of my previous art they were drawn to, Joanne and Beth of Illustoria gave me a lot of freedom to choose which direction I wanted to go with the artwork. Immediately, I knew I wanted to draw a little boy with black and white animals. I started with this simple sketch.

The drawing, I decided, needed something more. The boy would be...an artist! Complete with an easel and lots of brushes and markers. One thing I did like in the first drawing was the use of one simple color. Green felt right. (and not because it's my last name!) The sketch was drawn in colored pencil (I use Faber-Castell and Prismacolor).

As you can see, I drew some of the elements on a separate piece of paper and cut them out so I could try out placing them in multiple places. One I had my complete sketch, I scanned it, cleaned it up a bit in Procreate (on my IPad), and send it in for approval.

Once the sketch was approved (this meant making the image a little bigger and enhancing the butterfly), I went to work on the final. I created the final illustration in gouache and colored pencil. Here are some peeks of the cover before it was edited!

The final illustration was edited in Procreate and Photoshop, along with the hand-lettered text. When finished, it was sent to the kind folks at Illustoria and voilà! A cover was born!

There you have it - a glimpse into the world of the cover creation. Hope you guys enjoy the issue, and thanks for letting me share a peek into my process. And thanks to Illustoria for having me!

Elizabeth Haidle 6/7/18 Elizabeth Haidle 6/7/18

DIY: Drawing in Reverse

For days when you feel like you're in an art rut, simply out of ideas or just plain bored, here's a rad, instantly inspiring DIY drawing project to keep in your back pocket. Have you ever tried drawing.... in reverse? Sounds strange and even a little intimidating, but it's actually a fantastic way to spark your imagination without breaking a sweat. By using an eraser to draw instead of a pencil or pen, your page suddenly becomes a playground for zany, totally original ideas, doodles, and experimental drawings. Grab your eraser and get ready to look at the world in a whole new way!

What you need:

Graphite Powder (get at an art supply store or online)
Erasers - large, small, all shapes
Paper - cardstock, watercolor or multi-media…anything thicker than printer paper
Larger placemat, newspaper, or something under your project…it can be a tad messy!

STEPS:

1. Using a crumpled up paper towel or tissue, dip into the jar of graphite powder and coat one side, then rub in circular motions across your page until an even tone of grey appears. (Don’t be afraid to press down quite a bit!)

2. Lightly brush any excess powder away by whisking another tissue across the surface. The graphite should be kind of ‘scrubbed into’ the paper, like a stain.

3. With a pencil, sketch in a few lines to show which shapes you intend to make lighter (might be the area around a shape, as in this case!) Erase with a giant eraser or kneaded eraser (my fav)

4. When you have the shape you’d like, fill in details with a finer eraser, the end of a pencil, or one of those refillable cartridge erasers (these can apply a decent amount of pressure)

5. Now add finishing details in pencil or pen. You can even overlay thin watercolor washes on top of the erased spaces or the graphite-tone parts, just be aware that the moment you put water down, it’ll fix your image on the page in a permanent way—no longer erasable.

Here are other images made using this method:

And a process vid, to see it in action:

Love this DIY project? Check out our Instagram Giveaway to win Elizabeth Haidle's completed piece from the DIY video (pictured above) ! More details on the giveaway can be found here. And stay tuned for more black-and-white themed DIY projects in our next ILLUSTORIA Issue #8: Black and White, coming oh-so-soon.

the ILLUSTORIA team 6/1/18 the ILLUSTORIA team 6/1/18

The Pipers Sneak Peek

Art from The Pipers by Paul du Coudray and Beth Haidle

Did you know that Illustoria's very own creative director/art wizard Elizabeth Haidle and our longtime contributor and friend Paul du Coudray are collaborating on a project of otherworldly dimensions?

We're excited to share a few sneak peek images from The Pipers, a graphic-novel adaptation of a P.K. Dick short story from the 1950’s. Sci-fi lovers rejoice. Get updates on their progress, gain early access to their work, plus member perks and prizes at Studio Mascot. Far out ❕ 〰️

And don't miss out on Beth and Paul's gorgeous contributions to Illustoria. We're so honored to have their awe-inspiring artwork and insightful visual storytelling gracing the pages of our mag.

Alexandria Lai 5/23/18 Alexandria Lai 5/23/18

Stockist Showcase: Case for Making

art & photo by Alexandria Lai; a small rendition of Alexis in front of her shop ☻

As part of our Stockist Showcase campaign, #ILLUSTORIAshopslocal, we’re interviewing the staff behind beloved shops that carry Illustoria, to spotlight the amazing people behind small businesses that make their neighborhoods so special. This week, we made a visit to Case For Making, the most dreamy studio supply shop located in the Outer Sunset district of San Francisco.

Enter through the doors of Case For Making, just a block away from windswept Ocean Beach, and you’re instantly transported into an artist’s wonderland. With a lush wooden interior and beautifully curated goods displayed in every corner, it’s easy to hole up in this cabin-esque shop for hours on end. For those who find themselves wandering in with nothing in mind, they, too will find it easy to roam through each nook and cranny.

Illustration excerpt from "A Brief History of Vermillion" written by Alexis Joseph & illustrated by Lindsay Stripling for ILLUSTORIA  Issue 5: Motion — Illustration excerpt from "A Brief History of Vermillion" written by Alexis Joseph & illustrated by Lindsay Stripling for ILLUSTORIA Issue 5: Motion

I had the opportunity to interview Alexis Joseph, one of the co-founders of Case for Making. Her interest in color is what initially brought her into the world of watercolor paint making. Each Case for Making watercolor is a handmade, labor of love with rocks sourced from across the United States and then processed into pigment by Alexis and her team. If you don’t see Alexis at the shop, she might be running to and from their other location, thinking up the next new color to produce with the managers, or writing her regular feature to Illustoria magazine, "The Brief History of Color." (Check out Issues 4 - 6 to read the incredible stories behind ultramarine blue, vermillion, and ochre, written by Alexis Joseph and illustrated by Lindsay Stripling; and find more episodes in the series in upcoming issues of Illustoria). Thankfully, she could squeeze out some time during her schedule to answer a few questions about Case for Making.

How does Case for Making find the artists and makers who also inhabit the space?

A lot of the original supplies I stocked the shop with were all my favorite supplies that I have used throughout a lifetime of drawing and painting as well as architecture and drafting supplies I used in undergraduate and graduate school! I quickly saw that the products that we were selling the most of were watercolors and watercolor supplies, which worked out because its always been my favorite medium. Other things we stock are made by friends, so it feels extra special to carry their work and support them in that way. Anything we couldn’t find or just wanted to see a certain way, we decided to make ourselves!

Do you have a current favorite product/book/magazine that can be found at your shop?

We really love all the Illustoria magazines!!! Other than that we just got in a line of pure pigment and all the supplies you need to make your own paint! We love being able to share and teach all aspects of what we do here with everyone who walks in or joins us for a class or finds us online or through Illustoria.

How did you overcome the obstacles you faced before launching Case for Making?

I started Case for Making while I still had a full-time job. It took me three years in order to get the business (and myself) to a place where I could work full time only for Case for Making. It all took time and hard work and trusting myself to make decisions quickly. All in all, I had to learn how to get good at seeing what was working, and letting go of the things that weren’t.

What is different about Case for Making?

Our paired down selection of drawing and watercolor supplies compliments our in-house handmade products and supplies. We have over 70 colors of watercolor paint that we make by hand in the shops made from pure pigments that we source from all over the world mixed with natural binders. It’s fun to see this process in action and I hope people feel the love and care that goes into our products when they use them! Both shops are also active workspaces so you might see us mixing up fresh batches of paint or collating and gluing up packs of our letterpress watercolor postcards!

photo by Alexandria Lai; Staff member MJ at the work station

Do you have any big dreams or goals for your business?

We want to continue to develop not only our handmade line of watercolors but also a range of paper and ceramic products; who knows what else we’ll dream up! We just love approaching a creative practice from a place of curiosity in terms of material and process. I’m also working on my own studio practice and am reminding myself to incorporate advice that I’ve been handing out over the years into my own process!

Can you describe some of your typical customers? What do you enjoy most about helping your customers find the perfect book/watercolors/art supply/gift, etc.?

We love all of our customers so much and we get all sorts of people visiting the shop! We have people who follow us on Instagram and plan to visit the shop while they are here on vacation and we have neighborhood artists who get all their supplies from us. We also have lots of people stumble in who’ve never heard of us and they’re excited to try out some pens and hang out for a bit! Everyone who walks in is generally pretty happy to be in an art store and we love talking to everyone about the products we make and how we produce our watercolors. We also yell at anyone who comes in and says that they wish they were artistic; we say, “EVERYONE IS ARTISTIC!” Can you make a mark on paper? Fine then, make that mark over and over on a piece of paper with a pen or a pencil or with a brush and watercolor and see what you can make just with that!

Any advice for aspiring small business owners?

Simplify your idea, hone it, and build it out from there. I didn’t think I’d have a watercolor paint making company when I started an art store 4 years ago! It was all a response to what was working and what people were interested in combined with my experience and interests! Stay flexible yet clear with yourself on what it is that you’re excited about and then clearly state that in every aspect of your business!

And as always, if Case for Making were an animal, which animal would it be?

Easy. We’d be an Octopus because they have pigment in their skin and can change color on demand all of which is based on their own process of trial and error! They also have 8 arms so they could draw and paint many things at once! They’re the coolest.

Octopus, painted in the Indigo and Titanium White handmade watercolors by Alexis Joseph

Thanks to Alexis for taking the time to chat about this amazing studio supply shop! Be sure to check out their Instagram caseformaking for regular updates and loads of paint making Instagram stories! Case for Making and Lindsay Stripling are also regular contributor's to Illustoria with their incredible feature "The Brief History of Colors". Check out Issues 4 - 7 to read the stories behind vermillion, orche and ultramarine blue.

Stay tuned for our next stockist showcase, and in the meantime be sure to check our stockist list to find the ILLUSTORIA seller nearest to you!

the ILLUSTORIA team 5/7/18 the ILLUSTORIA team 5/7/18

An Afternoon at the Wythe

WHERE:
Wythe Hotel
80 Wythe Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11249

WHEN:
Saturday, May 19th
12:00–2:00 PM

WHY:
Join us for an afternoon of crafting, story time, shopping, and catching up with friends at the Wythe.

New Yorkers and Brooklynites! We are so thrilled to be making an appearance at the historic building of the Wythe Hotel. Come see us on Saturday, May 19th, from 12:00–2:00 PM, where we will be leading an adorable art-making activity perfect for all ages. Hosting this event is Avion Clothier, an LA & NY-based designer and store close to our hearts. Soor Ploom will also be on hand showing off their gorgeous line of children's clothes. Best of all, Basak Agaoglu, an acclaimed children's book illustrator and creator of The Almost Impossible Thing, will be reading from her book and talking about her craft and process as an artist to inspire your creative kiddos. Bring family and friends and join us for this perfect afternoon at the Wythe!

RSVP to info@avionclothier.com

Invite artwork by Basak Agaoglu; design by Claire Astrow

Claire Astrow 4/26/18 Claire Astrow 4/26/18

Playlist: Issue #6 Symbols

Symbols are everywhere, from the language we use to say "I love you" to the beat of a drum telling you to shake your hips. Take a trip with us to the dreamy world of shapes and sounds in the Issue 6: Symbols playlist! This mix features an eclectic melting pot of Zambian "Zam-rock", Turkish folk, and psychedelic electronica that make the perfect backdrop for art making, dancin' or just hanging out on a Thursday afternoon!

Hope you enjoy the tunes, and make sure to follow us on Spotify for groovy playlists of Issues 1 - 26!

art by Marina Muun from Issue 6: Symbols — Artwork by © Marina Muun for ILLUSTORIA #6: The Symbols Issue

the ILLUSTORIA team 4/24/18 the ILLUSTORIA team 4/24/18

Indie Bookstore Day at East Bay Booksellers!

WHERE:
East Bay Booksellers (formerly known as Diesel!)
5433 College Ave
Oakland, CA 94618

WHEN:
Saturday, April 28th
11:00 AM–1:00 PM

WHY:
To celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, make awesome pop-up books and DIY bookmarks at our craft table, and stock up on ILLUSTORIA magazines plus grab some adorable free bookmarks and pins!

Here at ILLUSTORIA, we consider independent bookstores to be just about our favorite places in the world. Join us on Saturday, April 28th from 11:00 am–1:00 pm to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day at a shop very dear to our hearts, East Bay Booksellers. We'll be offering an adorable pop-up book activity perfect for all ages; giving away limited edition bookmarks, stickers, and enamel pins; and selling magazines, of course!

We believe in accessible crafts for all ages. Art by Alexandria Lai

Loyal supporters of our mag, East Bay Booksellers was one of the very first places to stock ILLUSTORIA. We love this shop for its brilliant book curation, super friendly staff and fireplace reading area so cozy we've often been tempted to camp out there and never return.

Make some pop-up book-art with us! Art by Claire Astrow

We're so excited to be a part of this special book-ish holiday with one of our favorite Bay Area independent bookstores, and hope you can join us to celebrate! Check out http://www.indiebookstoreday.com/ to learn more about Indie Bookstore Day festivities near you.

the ILLUSTORIA team 4/24/18 the ILLUSTORIA team 4/24/18

Mother's Day Card Making at Heath Newsstand

WHERE:
Heath Newsstand, located in Heath Ceramics
2900 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

WHEN:
Saturday, May 12th
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

WHY:
Decorate loving, refrigerator-worthy Mother's Day cards at the SF-based wonderland that is Heath Newsstand, a gorgeous space dedicated to quality print publications from around the globe. We'll be on hand making pop-up cards, string-art cards with colorful embroidery floss, and good 'ol paper, markers, and scissors. Come craft with us and enjoy a beautiful afternoon at the lovely Heath Newsstand. PLUS! Receive a free gift of Sakura Gelly Roll White or Gelly Roll Metallic pen + Illustoria stickers and bookmarks with every Illustoria magazine purchase! (Good for the first 30 customers. Limit 2 per customer.)

No time for the kiddos (or you!) to make a Mother's Day card? No sweat, ILLUSTORIA's got your back. Join us May 12th at our happy place, Heath Newsstand, to make and customize a card or two or three. See you there!

Heath Ceramics has been a champion of quality dining and house wares in the Bay Area since 1948. The company was founded by Edith and Brian Heath in Sausalito, CA and today you can find the kiln fired pieces in museums and shops around the country. Not only are heath ceramics, tiling, and furniture made to last--they are art objects that push boundaries and embody the down-to-earth, California spirit. On an average weekend, you can find the ILLUSTORIA staff wandering the Heath Ceramic showroom or perusing their newly opened Newsstand. We're honored to be stocked at Heath, and hope you can join us on Saturday, May 12th, to celebrate the strongest women in our lives — our moms.

Art by Cynthia Alonso from ILLUSTORIA Issue 6: Symbols

Andrew Aydin 4/20/18 Andrew Aydin 4/20/18

On Letter Writing and Activism

This April, we're celebrating Letter Writing Month with Andrew Aydin, co-author, with John Lewis himself, of the graphic memoir series March, which details the civil rights journey of congressman and activist icon John Lewis. In his foreword to the newly released MARCH: 30 Postcards to Make Change and Good Trouble, Andrew Aydin offers a heartfelt ode to the importance and beauty of letter writing. We're honored to share an excerpt from his foreword with our readers, and hope that it inspires you to get writing--to your loved ones and friends, or to your congressperson or the president--before the month's end.

INTRODUCTION BY ANDREW AYDIN
From March: 30 Postcards to Make Change and Good Trouble by Andrew Aydin, John Lewis, and Nate Powell (Chronicle Books, 2018).

If you know about Congressman John Lewis, or if you have read March, you probably know that John Lewis first met Martin Luther King, Jr., by writing Dr. King a letter asking for his help in desegregating Troy State College, now known as Troy University, in Alabama. Dr. King wrote back and sent John Lewis a round-trip Greyhound bus ticket to visit him in Montgomery. That letter, and its response, set John Lewis on a path that helped reshape the moral landscape of our nation.

segment from March: Book One by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell — segment from *March: Book One* by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

Perhaps then you can understand my own trepidation when I started my first job working for Congressman Lewis: answering his mail. Even after serving on his staff for more than ten years, making “Good Trouble” into #goodtrouble, and writing three graphic novels with him, I can still remember the intimidating awesomeness of the sight of so many bins, boxes, and stacks of unopened envelopes from those first days. You might think of it as starting in the mail room, except you would be overstating the available space for such a task if you believe there is a whole room in a congressional office available to devote to opening, sorting, and responding to the mail that has poured into his office nearly every day of his more than thirty years in the U.S. House of Representatives. No; it was simply a desk, where the office refrigerator once sat, among nearly a dozen other desks, tightly packed and partitioned, in a room built more than a century ago.

Epistles arrived at the office in droves, filled with all-too-human stories of tragedy, pleas for help, and beautifully plainspoken descriptions of how the policies debated in Washington should be viewed in a context far larger than merely numbers on a page or entries in a ledger. It took a little while to find my way, but eventually I realized I had been training for this nearly all of my life.

My training began with thank-you notes. I’ve been told this is a distinctly Southern experience. My mother’s rules were unequivocal: handwritten and prompt. She had me start writing them nearly as soon as I could write anything. Even today they are a beneficial habit, which I should be better about. It’s not that I don’t often write thank-you notes. I write quite a few. But the ones I do not write—that I know my mother would insist I should write—loom over me like a dark cloud until it’s been so long since they were “due” that I absolve myself of their necessity by rationalizing that it would seem strange and discourteous to send a thank-you note now, after such a long time.

As I got older and my penmanship improved, my Uncle Hi continued my epistolary learning by exchanging letters with me. His name is actually Hiram, but my Aunt Jody always told me to call him Hi. That’s what everybody called him. “Hi! . . . Hi” was how I clumsily began most of our conversations. I remember having a hard time picking up any sort of meaningful conversational thread after botching the salutation, and phone calls would be quite formal. But when we wrote letters, it was much simpler. “Dear Hi.” There was a degree of sanctuary to it, and our written conversations took on a more vivid life full of honest questions and advice. In some ways, those letters did more to teach me how to write than anything else did. We still write to each other even now. I’m pretty sure I owe him a letter.

Once, when I visited Hi and Jody in Ohio at their home, Hi pulled out a yellowing stack of handwritten letters marked by varying degrees of what can best be described as block letters, then primitive cursive, and, eventually, a bizarrely imitative version of my mother’s own handwriting. I was equal parts deeply touched that he had been saving my letters to him all these years and terribly embarrassed that an archive of (let’s just call them “early”) writings had been so neatly preserved. In that moment at Hi’s house, I felt a sudden flush of gratitude that my youth existed there, on paper, both tangible and private, as if I were the last of a dying tribe born with privacy, about to be overtaken by the perpetual and public preservation of youth by the new Internet generations.

Don’t get me wrong; I believe the Internet can be a force for good. It is perhaps the greatest potential tool for organizing sustained campaigns of nonviolent civil disobedience that the world has ever seen. I like to ask students, What would Dr. King have tweeted? Or, What would Gandhi have posted? How could SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) have used the Internet? By the end of the discussion, the students often realize that they would be using these tools as a means to get people to physically show up. It would be like giving Bayard Rustin a super–Swiss Army Knife of organizing tools; but it would not have changed the need for people to show up to the 1963 March on Washington to push for civil rights legislation.

And that’s how I feel about mailing letters and postcards in the era of instant communication. Human beings are social animals. We need human interaction, and the further removed from the personal those interactions become, the less meaningful they are. If you’re trying to change someone’s mind, you need to be personal; you need to establish a connection to share your ideas. You need to make sure a very real part of you shows up to make sure your voice and your ideas are heard.

That’s why I believe you should regularly write to your congressperson, or state legislator, governor, or the president to express your views on policies, and you should probably write by hand. It is no doubt simpler to throw some words into a contact form and hit Send, but having spent a good amount of time on the receiving end, I can tell you that a handwritten note will go a lot further. Some part of it certainly has to do with the personal intimacy of reading another person’s handwriting. But I’m also sure that some of it has to do with the spectacle of seeing thousands of pieces of paper, all individually constructed but united in purpose, laid out in support of or opposition to a particular position.
.
.
.
So, what letter will you write? What words will you choose? Get started, because we need you now more than ever.

If you're an avid fan of March, or just learned about this incredible graphic novel series, be sure to check out our Instagram giveaway of newly released March: 30 Postcards to Make Change and Good Trouble, MARCH journal, and special edition Good Trouble / Necessary Trouble MARCH pins. Special thanks to Chronicle Books for partnering with us to make this giveaway possible!

MARCH pin, photograph taken by Chronicle Books

Joanne Chan 4/16/18 Joanne Chan 4/16/18

Q & Artist: Cover Artist Marina Muun

We are so thrilled to showcase Marina Muun, our cover artist for The Symbols Issue. Marina hails from Bulgaria and currently resides in Vienna, Austria. She has illustrated for The New York Times, Tate Publishing, Google, BuzzFeed, The New Yorker, Wrap Magazine, and many more esteemed publications. We fell head over heels in love with her beautiful, bold artwork for our latest cover:

Illustoria # 6: The Symbols Issue; Cover art by Marina Muun — *Illustoria* # 6: The Symbols Issue; Cover art by Marina Muun

Check out The Symbols Issue to see her beautiful illustrated comic, "The Rock Garden," which combines her fascination with modern architecture with her reverence for the antiquated.

Enjoy Marina's illustrated Q & Artist interview. We're pretty sure you will fall in love with her and her artwork as much as we have!

Screen Shot 2018-04-13 at 10.16.55 AM.png

Alexandria Lai 4/3/18 Alexandria Lai 4/3/18

Stockist Showcase: Skylight Books

Skylight Books is the epitome of a bookstore that truly defines the neighborhood it resides in. This bustling bookstore was born in 1996, and since then, has become a home not only to those who have worked or shared their stories there, but also to travelers looking for respite on both bright and rainy (though rare!) days. If their large glass windows, which usually feature a themed display of some sort, do not stop you from wandering in, then the chalkboard sign full of amusing messages surely will.

Screen Shot 2018-03-27 at 6.36.22 PM.png

Screen Shot 2018-03-27 at 6.32.39 PM.png

Screen Shot 2018-03-27 at 6.33.48 PM.png

Screen Shot 2018-03-27 at 6.34.32 PM.png

ILLUSTORIA's publishing assistant and LA native Claire Astrow considers Skylight Books a home away from home.

Follow @skylightbooks on Instagram for more fun posts!

In our new stockist showcase campaign, we're featuring some of our most beloved shops where you can find the magazine and introducing readers to the heroes running their most treasured neighborhood shops. This week, we're featuring our home-away-from-home @skylightbookstore located in Los Angeles. We had the opportunity to interview Steven Salardino, the manager of Skylight Books, on what this historic bookstore that stocks ILLUSTORIA is all about.

Please describe what a customer will experience when they walk into your bookstore.

Some notice the tree in the middle right away and some look up years later and wonder if it has been here the whole time. A lot of people don’t know that we have an Arts Annex next door even though it has held our selection of art books, music books, comics, architecture, film, and magazines for the last ten years. Still, others wonder if we are related to the “comic book store next door.” I think the combination of books, music, and staff work well with the space to create a feeling that is relaxed and makes one feel both “at home” and connected to something cultural and communal.

Is there something unique about your bookstore that cannot be experienced anywhere else?

You know those words that can’t be translated into English? Like there is no direct translation (see: “wabi-sabi” or “saudade”)? That is sort of what you want your bookstore to have as an experience. There is a specific bookstore feeling that says, “This is what a bookstore should feel like,” and then there is, “This is what this bookstore should feel like.” On a good day, it feels “rènào* (热闹).”

*Rènào captures the feeling of a lively space bustling with noise and excitement—a fitting description of Skylight Books

Junot Diaz Reading Islandborn

Junot Diaz pictured with Skylight Books staff

...And we have a fifteen-foot cardboard sculpture with hidden messages.

There is no denying that the community behind Skylight Books is large and supportive, but like any independent bookstore, there were quite a few obstacles faced before establishing the business. When asked about the beginnings of Skylight Books and what they had to overcome, Steven told us this:

Bookstores in general have faced many challenges since we opened twenty-one years ago. The challenges of opening any business can be tough. We have had to face competition from discount and chain stores as well as online behemoths. Then, there was the presumed threat of electronic books to the bookstore world. Skylight Books has always tried to be positive. We have always loved books (and magazines and journals) and believed other people did too and would feel as we did – that books and bookstores were important and should be supported. I know that I often find myself buying books at other independent bookstores on my day off!

If Skylight Books were an animal, which animal would it be?

I would like us to be one of those Dr. Seuss creatures…like four animals grafted into one, brightly colored, and with a silly smile.

Illustration by Skylight Books staff, Alex Hemming

Thanks to Steven and all the folks at Skylight Books for taking the time to chat about your awesome bookstore! Stay tuned for our next stockist showcase, and in the meantime be sure to check our stockist list to find the ILLUSTORIA seller nearest to you!

Everyday, there are endless tasks to complete, patrons to help, and emails to answer. But whether the staff are busy tidying up the bookstore, feeding their resident cat Franny, or posting about upcoming book releases and author readings, they will never be too busy to share their love for the community of booksellers, artists, zinesters, and readers that inhabit their space! So don’t be afraid to ask any of the staff you get to meet what their current favorite read is. With any luck, maybe they’ll be able to convince you to take it home too.

Steven’s current favorite book is: Monograph by Chris Ware. Though it has already been a year since its release, Steven still can’t get over how huge, beautiful, and detailed this graphic novel is, noting that Ware is one of the most important artists and storytellers of our time. If this has enticed you, don't hesitate to swing by Skylight Books to purchase your very own copy of it.

Be sure to check out Skylight Books for upcoming events, programs, and more!

Egg Press 3/22/18 Egg Press 3/22/18

Why You Ought to Join the Write_On Challenge

This week, we're offering a special giveaway in partnership with the #Write_On challenge, taking place throughout the month of April, which is National Letter Writing Month. The challenge is lead by Egg Press, a greeting card company, design studio and letterpress print shop based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1999, they’re pioneers in the resurgence of letterpress printing and are often noted for their sophisticated color palette, hand drawn illustrations, all-over textile inspired patterns, and sense of humor.

For our giveaway, we're setting up one lucky winner with supplies to practice their hand at calligraphy! The prize includes a copy of our Issue #6: Symbols, which features a guide to hand lettering by Michaela Yee, three collectable ILLUSTORIA pins and bookmarks, a Sakura Gelly Roll pen, very adorable Write_On stickers, and a stash of Write_On cards by Egg Press and Hello Lucky Cards. Check our Instagram post for entry guidelines! One winner will be picked at random on March 27th.

When was the last time you took time to write a handwritten letter? In today’s fast-paced, media-saturated world, letter writing offers a path for slowing down and engaging with others in a meaningful way, expressing ourselves, and noticing and savoring the present moment.

Write_On began when Egg Press Founder Tess Darrow realized that, despite having a studio full of beautiful greeting cards, she wasn’t devoting as much time as she’d like to correspondence. In 2014, she challenged to herself to write 30 letters in 30 days, about the amount of time it takes to develop a lasting habit. Tess invited the entire Egg Press staff as well as the co-founders of Hello!Lucky, Eunice and Sabrina Moyle, to join the fun. They all agreed that connecting with loved ones through a strong letter-writing practice was a great way to affirm their founding principles. What started as a humble effort has grown into a global movement!

Are you up for the challenge?

All you have to do is write 30 letters in 30 days, or as many as you can. Keep a log of your letters, and join the movement online by sharing your progress using #Write_On. Not sure what to write about? Here are some reasons to write to help get you started:

Write to thank a friend for seeing you for who you are
Write to tell someone that you just heard a song that reminded you of them
Write to ask an older relative to record a memory
Write to send a letter from your pet to a friend's pet
Write to a company that makes a product you like

The possibilities for your letters are endless. For more inspiration, visit the resources page of the Write_On website here.

Stock up before April 1st!

With the help of our Write_On partners Hello!Lucky, Sakura of America, and Mohawk papers, we’ve got a collection of writing prompts, tips, and resources available at writeoncampaign.com as well as a shop full of custom designed and printed goodies to make participation in the challenge easy and fun. We're also offering two different Party Pack variations, packed with everything you need to host a letter-writing shindig for 10 to kick off the Write_On Challenge. For every purchase of a Letter-Writing Kit, we’re able to donate a kit to someone in need, including educational and under-resourced community programs across the country. Visit the Write_On shop and stock up before we sell out!

Let’s stay in touch!

We welcome your correspondence and creative mail all year round. Your suggestions and feedback help inform the direction of the Write_On Challenge each April, so please, be in touch!

Write_On
℅: Egg Press
2181 NW Nicolai Street, 3rd Floor
Portland Oregon 97210
write_on@eggpress.com

For more details on the campaign, visit the Write_On website at writeoncampaign.com.

Kickliy 2/21/18 Kickliy 2/21/18

Creator Crush: Kickliy

Cover art for Musnet; The Mouse of Monet by © Kickliy

Kickliy is a French storyteller, esteemed oil painter, and creator of the award-winning graphic novel series Musnet. This tale, recently translated from French to English by Uncivilized Books, is set in 19th century France and stars a nameless mouse who happens upon Monet's garden in Giverny. He soon becomes enchanted by Monet's work and resolves to become a master artist himself. This sensational, darling book will have young readers absorbed with the story of an artist's self discovery, as told through beautiful watercolor, ink, and oil illustrations. This week, Kickliy joins Illustoria to share drawing tips for budding artists, and offers a sneak peak inside his sketchbook and studio.

-----------

DRAWING IS SEEING

They say that Monet had the BEST EYES. They say that he saw EVERYTHING.

Drawing is the foundation of the arts. When you put pencil to paper, the drawing will show you what you understand and what you do not. If you want to get good at drawing, it is easy- You just have to be very dedicated and draw every day.

Page from Musnet; The Mouse of Monet by © Kickliy — Page from *Musnet; The Mouse of Monet by* © *Kickliy*

"This is my studio.  Where I write, draw, paint, make comics, draw toys, drink tea, and day dream.  It is kind of messy, but that's what happens when you make art.  Luckily my mom and dad aren't here to yell at me to clean it up. "&nb… — "This is my studio. Where I write, draw, paint, make comics, draw toys, drink tea, and day dream. It is kind of messy, but that's what happens when you make art. Luckily my mom and dad aren't here to yell at me to clean it up. " — Kickliy

I carry a small sketchbook with me wherever I go. I stop whenever I see something interesting. I have even learned how to walk and draw at the same time. I look for light and dark areas- Those are the best places to find good drawings. I watch how people sit, stand, and move. Those make good drawings too. I draw plants, toys, cars, hair, whatever. I even make drawings up, like a mouse that can paint.

"These are my sketch books.  They are all filled up with drawings for "the field."  (That's a cool way to say that you draw on the location of the drawing.) " — Kickliy — "These are my sketch books. They are all filled up with drawings for "the field." (That's a cool way to say that you draw on the location of the drawing.) " — Kickliy

The only wrong way to draw is to not draw at all.

-----------

Feeling inspired? Head to your local library or bookstore and check out the whole Musnet series 1-4! And be sure to enter our Instagram giveaway to win all four of Kickliy's head-over-heels charming books from Uncivilized Books plus a copy of Illustoria Issue 6 Symbols! To see more of Kickliy's work, follow him on Twitter at @kickily.

the ILLUSTORIA team 2/13/18 the ILLUSTORIA team 2/13/18

Illustoria Issue 6 Release Party

WHERE:
Morningtide Shop
847 Cornell Avenue
Albany, CA

WHEN:
Saturday, February 24th, 11am – 2pm

WHY:
Celebrate the release of our latest issue, meet friends, shop local, color and craft, get swag and discounts!

Grab your friends and come party with us Saturday, February 24th, 11–2 PM at Morningtide, our favorite little shop in Albany to celebrate the release of the oh-so-beautiful Issue #6: The Symbols Issue!! There will be CD Mandala crafting, an exclusive DIY project from Issue #6, as well as a big coloring table for all you drawing wizards. Come ready to snack because Good Eggs, the absurdly fresh grocery delivery service, will be providing delightful treats! And if tasty snacks weren't enough to solidify your Saturday plans, our amazing sponsor Sakura will be giving out free pen/marker set for every ILLUSTORIA magazine purchase.

Issue #6: The Symbols Issue Cover Art by Marina Munn.

There could be no better place to share The Symbols Issue with you than Morningtide. This exquisitely curated boutique shop was founded by friends Lisa Fontaine and Lisa Wong Jackson, who share a love for objects that bring happiness and offer a sense of well-being.

We hope you can join us to craft, snack, and most of all get inspired by all of the amazing content to be found in Issue #6. Get your hands on our interview with the brilliant cult artist Yuko Higuchi, an exclusive look at the making of Her Right Foot written by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Shawn Harris, a stunning comic by cover artist Marina Munn, the latest edition of Literary Giants as Kids featuring Dr.Seuss by Elizabeth Haidle, and so much more. See you there!

Claire Astrow 1/23/18 Claire Astrow 1/23/18

Creator Crush: Teresa Sdralevich

You will have no trouble finding Poster Power! on the shelf at your local bookstore. Nor will you have any issues describing it to your friendly bookseller to make sure it's in stock (which it definitely should be!), your best friend, your kids, kid's teacher, monthly bookclub, or absolutely whoever for the very reason that this glorious guide to poster design and history by Teresa Sdralevich stands out like a bright sunbeam in the middle of a grey winter. This is not only because of Poster Power!'s unmissable huge neon orange cover that basically shouts, "OPEN ME, I AM EYE CANDY!" but because it's contents are masterfully designed, written and curated by Sdralevich to create the ultimate joyful reading experience.

Poster Power! book cover by Teresa Sdralevich. — *Poster Power!* book cover by Teresa Sdralevich.

Each page is handwritten by Sdralevich in eclectic, dazzling fonts composed on the page like a visual poem or lovingly doodled notes passed back and forth in class. With wit and hilarity, Teresa breaks down graphic design into delicious bite size chunks and washes it all down with striking examples of posters from all over the world. Best of all, Teresa invites readers to practice their poster-making skills right on the pages on the book with inviting prompts and interesting questions.

Poster Power!  by Teresa Sdralevich — *Poster Power!* by Teresa Sdralevich

Poster Power! leaves no stone unturned, covering all matters of importance from typography, color interaction, and composition to design technique, printing methods and poster making history. You and your young readers will finish this book, published by the ever-brilliant Cicada Books, feeling inspired and invigorated to become poster-making power-houses. However, it is very likely that like us, you'll be dying for more. And lucky for you, there is! Check out our Q&Artist with the mastermind herself Teresa Sdralevich on the making of Poster Power!, her life as a butt-kicking freelance designer, and who makes her top list of every designer a 12 year old should know. You can also find more of Sdralevich's work on her website, at http://www.teresasdralevich.net/. Happy reading!

The collection of posters featured in Poster Power! are absolutely stunning. What was your process for finding them all?
With a few exceptions, I know these posters inside out, they really shaped my way of seeing. The collection reflects my main influences, Polish and modernist posters. There are also works by designers whom I personally know and who had an important role in my life.

What’s the hardest part about being a freelance designer? The best?
I think I skipped the worst part, which is earning enough money to survive at the beginning of your career. Taking all the decisions can be very tiring, but for advice there are friends, my partner and my mother – she throws her sharp eye from Italy if necessary.

The rest is the best part: working without steady hours (which means, at least before having a family, almost all the time), working alone, skipping meetings and all the "workplace" literature, which I abhor.

Teresa Sdralevich's printmaking studio in Brussels.

What was your favorite part about growing up in Milan?
Probably our independence, at respectively age 6/7/8 myself, my brother and sister, we would go alone to school or to the park (which was gloomy and not at all children-friendly!). Like all middle-class families we escaped every week-end to Varese, an extraordinarily green city: we had our caravan parked in the huge park of of an uncle's villa, that was our kingdom, our paradise...

You interned for designer Jean-Christophe Geluck in 1996. What was that like?
My internship lasted one month, then I became part of the studio; I learned almost everything from Jean-Christophe and his colleague, Thierry Suykens. Actually you may say that a huge part of the book content comes from my experience there. It was then a small studio that mainly produced posters (notably a yearly series of unconventional accident prevention posters) and book covers; right from the start it was a very balanced relationship, because they needed me as much as I needed them, and we spoke the same language except that I still had to learn it. We had a lot of work but I managed from the beginning to illustrate young readers' books for two Italian publishing houses, and to build my own list of clients or do pro bono actions. I had security and liberty at the same time.

It’s incredible that 99.9% of Poster Power! is handwritten. What inspired that decision? How long did it take to create all of the text?
A couple of years ago I had an exhibition of my posters in a cultural center in Belgium; I knew that many classes of children from 6 to 15 would visit it so I thought that it would be nice to write a guide to give them a key for looking. I don't have a laptop, I was running late and had to work while at my parents' so I simply decided to begin writing: I drew this booklet in a few days, with no plan, and gave in the pile of paper directly for photocopying. That was the first draft of the book to come. I don't want to think how long did it take, certainly an incredible amount of hours, hours of pure pleasure! Generally speaking, the less I sit in front of a computer, the happier I am, even if it's an awfully useful engine.

What was the biggest challenge of creating Poster Power!?
I was really afraid to end up with some boring pedagogical book that would miss the humor and taste for nonsense that came out naturally in the first version; but the publisher, Ziggy Hanaor, edited the text with an incredible respect for my personal tone and at the same time an eye for structure and detail, the two things that make a book run smoothly.

What are your top 3 favorite fonts?
For years, my favorite font has been Akzidenz Grotesk, the font that the only graphic design teacher I ever had, Patrice Junius, always used. I also love Futura, especially Bold, because it's so impossible to manage, it inevitably sets the viewer in the 1930's, in the Bauhaus spirit. It's so beautiful and difficult to draw.

Bronx Shaded Font, photo by Teresa Sdralevich

Then I would mention Bronx Shaded (see above) is a beautiful and bizarre alphabet that in a way stands for all the bizarre alphabets I can use and copy because I own a lot of old letter transfer sheets, or Letraset.

Letraset pages are a great (and vintage!) lettering tool for any graphic design project.

What were your favorite children’s books growing up?
Although our house was filled with books, there were very few books intended for children; the one that's really engraved in my memory is Sembra Questo Sembra Quello (in English, It Looks Like This, Looks Like That), a beautifully crafted, simple book by Enrica Maria Agostinelli. I have been reading it to my daughters and it never wears out, the images and the rhythm are just perfect. We had also the "Little Bear" series, illustrated by Sendak, those are books thet still move me, even if I see many poor editions around –– poor in terms of printing quality and paper. We also read the Moomin cartoons and Richard Scarry, an underestimated gentle giant, was also present on our shelves.

Sembra Questo Sembra Quello by Enrica Maria Agostinelli — *Sembra Questo Sembra Quello* by Enrica Maria Agostinelli

Sembra Questo Sembra Quello by Enrica Maria Agostinelli. Translation: It Just Looks Like A Yellow Flower.... — *Sembra Questo Sembra Quello* by Enrica Maria Agostinelli. Translation: *It Just Looks Like A Yellow Flower....*

Sembra Questo Sembra Quello by Enrica Maria Agostinelli. Translation: ......No, it's the beak of the parrot — *Sembra Questo Sembra Quello* by Enrica Maria Agostinelli. Translation: ......No, it's the beak of the parrot

Who are the graphic designers you wish every kid (or grownup!) knew about?
This is a difficult and tricky question! In the book there already a few good names, so I will not mention them, the majority being of course poster designers – but if I have to I throw an alternative list of classics it would include: Dick Bruna (before Miffy), Robert Massin, Alvin Lustig, Tibor Kalman, Ed Fella, Bruno Munari, Charles and Ray Eames, Sister Corita Kent – whom I would not call a designer, but she's certainly worth knowing because she was so much more. This is a different list than the one I would write tomorrow, but I think what's important is to get to know someone's work deeply, in the frame of his or her time, which is the opposite of the Pinterest approach.

Dick Bruna, Koop niet alléénzwarte beertjes (Buy not only black bear-books) poster to promoteZwarte Beertjes books A.W Bruna & Zoon. Utrecht 1961 — Dick Bruna, Koop niet alléén
zwarte beertjes
(Buy not only black bear-books)
poster to promote
Zwarte Beertjes books
A.W Bruna & Zoon. Utrecht
1961

Sister Corita Kent in her silkscreening workshop at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, CA.

La Cantatrice Chauve by Ionesco. Design by Robert Massin, 1964. — *La Cantatrice Chauve* by Ionesco. Design by Robert Massin, 1964.

A Season In Hell by Arthur Rimbaud, Cover Design by Alvin Lustig. — *A Season In Hell* by Arthur Rimbaud, Cover Design by Alvin Lustig.

Where is your favorite unusual place to hang a poster?
The most unusual place I ever hanged a poster is... the wrong country! For the Europalia Italia Festival I had almost 800 posters displayed on the walls of Brussels; nice posters altogether, but announcing cultural events that were taking place at that very moment in Italy. It was surreal and I like to think that it puzzled people. On a smaller scale, I did the same with British posters for the opening of the British Council.

MSF Belgique: Brochure FR/NL, 2017 by Teresa Sdralevich  © — MSF Belgique: Brochure FR/NL, 2017 by Teresa Sdralevich ©

What project are you currently working on?
I continue my collaboration with MSF (Doctors Without Borders), I continue making three drawings every week for an Italian magazine, I prepare two workshops that I will lead in the next couple of months, I answer interviews... and somewhere in the back of my mind I think about a book for small children, a sort of sequel of My Family is a Zoo (published by Minibombo) that I made a couple of years ago. It will deal with those typical phrases you hear a lot in family gatherings (especially in Italy) like "She looks like her late grand-grand-mother!" or "He has his uncle's ears". But then I might work on a totally different kind of book!

Stop Cyberbullying: PAGE magazine by Teresa Sdralevich ©

Tribute to Rene Wanner: Bienal del Cartel - Bolivia 2013 by Teresa Sdralevich ©

Do you have a favorite type of pen, or brush, or paper for drawing with?
I drew Poster Power exclusively with Artline 70 black markers, and I used Staedler very fine markers for retouches. For years I worked with the Pentel brush, that enables you to trace either perfect lines or messy strokes. As for paper, I only pay attention to it when I am printing in silkscreen – my favorite is Steinbach – but usually I work on the most common office 90g A4. I waste an incredible amount of A4s.

Poster Power is filled to the brim with top-notch advice. But if you had to boil down your words of wisdom into one statement of advice for young aspiring graphic designers, what would it be?
Oh... I hate giving advice, did I really do that in the book? Probably I would say: look, draw, have fun while working, look, draw.

Conference in Spain: silkscreen, A2 by Teresa Sdralevich ©

Posterzegel march 2014: Family, don't feel like it by Teresa Sdralevich ©

La Donna Scimmia: poster remake for an exhibition by Teresa Sdralevich ©

We are thrilled to have partnered with Cicada Books to make this blog post possible. Be sure to check out their excellent selection of stunningly illustrated books, and participate in our giveaway of Poster Power on Instagram on January 21st, 2018!