Arthur Haywood is working to creating art that inspires people to learn and want to read about the stories behind what the viewer sees. He is a classically trained painter and has created an incredible body of work for his book, The Great Library. In this interview, we talk about Arthur's journey and how he learned from several different school ...…

Rayna was stuck for 15 years... and then 3 questions changed everything. The questions allowed her to see her life from a completely different view allowing all kinds of amazing opportunities to come her way and now she helps other artists do the same. This fascinating conversation continues on with the creative coaches we've been speaking with ...…

In this episode, Mitch talks about how you feel about the art that you are making and why if you aren't loving it, you could be in for a very rocky road. But even if you don't love it and still want to do it there is hope! The reason why it's important to realize this is that the people who really love what they are doing are actually quite rar ...…

This interview with Catherine Orer from theArtistEntrepreneur.com was like a rapid-fire Question and Answer session all around the topic of how do you take the next steps to build a viable art career. You'll also learn how artists make the process harder than it needs to be so you can get onto the fast track instead of being stuck. If you feel ...…

Suzanne Redmond has been interviewing artists for the Left Brain Artist Podcast just like we do with the Pencil Kings show and in this episode of the show she comes on to share a lot of the wisdom she has gained. Formerly being an accountant, Suzanne brings an interesting voice to the creative conversations because she has the business backgrou ...…

This episode was originally recorded in early 2018 and has just been released. In this episode, Mike Mattesi and Mitch explore different ideas for the future of art education, how to focus and how niching-down can lead to becoming world-renowned. Highlights: 2:00 - What's new at DrawingForce.com 4:00 - Thinking forward to using VR in the classr ...…

Sand is known to the other Evolvers as having a unique ability for keeping the live homework rooms always full of energy and she did not disappoint in this interview! We covered a lot of ground in this episode talking about education, life as a working professional and the passion and drive it takes to make it as a full-time creative. For me, t ...…

Jan rediscovered her love of art when she found some old paints at a garage sale. The last time she had done any art was when she was 6 years old and took an art class for a month. Those newly acquired paints brought art back into Jan’s life, but even though she was enjoying learning to paint on her own she wanted the mentorship and system to f ...…

Daniel never dreamed that he would create realistic oil paintings. In fact, he has never taken any art classes before participating in the http://www.EvolveArtist.com program. In this interview, you can see how far he has come in just a few months. What's interesting about Daniel's journey is that while he is creative; he is first and foremost ...…

Have you always wanted to create art that gets noticed, but not sure if you have the talent to make it happen? If so, you'll love Michael's story as he is currently working through Block 4 of the Evolve Artist program (http://www.evolveartist.com) where students have learned the skills necessary to create professional level illustrative paintin ...…

Kristen's college professor told her she couldn't draw and after 10 years of believing that lie, she was inspired by the idea of showing her own work at an art convention. The only problem was that she was starting literally from the beginning. To get started with her art, she joined several different online courses and programs but kept runnin ...…

Meet Peggy Durant - Community Superstar and student at Evolve Artist: http://evolveartist.com Peggy is on a great path and people are starting to take notice of her amazing artistic progress, but it wasn't always like this. About a year ago she had fallen off with her art practice and went for 8 months with doing very little. As good as her ori ...…

As the head instructor at Evolve Artist, Piper Talladay oversees all student homework submissions. She makes sure everyone is kept to the highest standards of the program while still moving ahead at a good pace and encouraged at each step of the way. She also has another career building her Equine Art business where she paints the portraits of ...…

A little over two years ago the original idea for the Evolve Artist program was first discussed. It took a long time to go from the initial idea of taking the proven art curriculum Kevin was using in his school to getting the knowledge online and everything ready so it could be delivered into the hands of students anywhere in the world. It's no ...…

Learn how Kevin Murphy has been helping complete beginner artists consistently win awards and scholarships. If you've always wanted to learn, or have been trying to learn for years with limited success his program could be the answer you have been looking for.

After a much needed break, we're back and here's what's been happening the past few months while we've been focusing on developing the new generation of art education with the Evolve program.

It's one thing to create a beautiful work of art that's rendered to perfection, but it's an entirely different challenge to express complex ideas with your art. Today we talk with Dorian Vallejo and explore how he approaches his paintings and the thought process that goes into applying deeper meaning to your art. We'll also touch on why being c ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “You have to be true to yourself, you have to have 100% commitment. If you’re gonna do it, you’ve just gotta do it. You can’t half hit the mark.” ~ Matt B Lewis. Becoming a children’s book illustrator is a dream for many artists, but how can you turn this dream into reality and actually m ...…

Show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “In Canada, as soon as you write down and you create the comic strip and you put pen to paper, you have author rights - right from that point of the creation.” ~ Paul Lomic. Ever wondered how to copyright artwork? If you’re an artist, illustrator or any other kind of creative, there will ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “If you want your life to change and evolve a bit, sometimes you have to take a step into the unknown and see what happens. Because, if you don’t do anything, for sure you won’t have anything.” ~ Ladislas Chachignot. Travel and living creatively often go hand in hand, with many artists al ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “Take the time and get at least one book done for yourself, because I just think it’s more impactful. When you go to these cons and you want to talk to people, if you hand them a finished book rather than a script or inked pages, that finished product is definitely something that’ll be an ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “If you’re painting the things that you are interested in, you’re probably going to have a better result than if you’re trying to satisfy what you think somebody else is expecting to see.” ~ David Palumbo. Are you itching to learn how to make the art you want to make? If you’re pursuing a ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “You don’t need a publisher now to be successful. You don’t need the ‘gatekeepers’ any more. You don’t need to worry about the ‘gatekeepers’ any more. ” ~ Michael Dolce Want to know how to break into comics? Whether you’ve always wanted to write a graphic novel or illustrate pages for Mar ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “There is something in every one of us that is waiting for this motivation to arrive, that is waiting to be moved. Start scribbling if you don’t know what to do and allow this scribbling to continue. Because when new memories arise, novel ideas will also form. ” ~ Dr Srini Pillay. Want to ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “This whole idea that we should be as good as whoever it is next to us is just crazy. If you really want to do something badly enough and you step into it, then you will be taken care of.” ~ Tracy Verdugo Want to know more about how to live creatively? Sometimes, finding the one thing you ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “Make sure it’s something you really, really have a passion for...not just a thing that you think is gonna make money.” ~ Jim Pavelec Witches, demons, and art have always been strongly linked. If you look back through art history, you’ll find countless artists such as William Blake who ha ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “That’s a key thing - to be willing to make art that you don’t like and be almost neutral about it, be objective about it, rather than making it mean anything.” ~ Tamara Laporte. Can making art change your life? Today’s guest, mixed media artist, Tamara Laporte, certainly thinks so. Like ...…

Show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “Somebody always knows somebody in this creative industry. And, because of the internet, we have a global reach now.” ~ Jenni Onn. Travel and creativity are closely linked, with scientific research now suggesting that people who travel tend to become more creative as a result. But, have y ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “Even if you don’t know what you want to do, just keep doing, keep trying, keep learning. Listen to yourself, listen to your heart, listen to what you love...and eventually the pieces will come together.” ~ Donna Adi. Want to know how to promote your art on Instagram to gain followers and ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “I make art. It makes me happy. There’s a certain number of people that it also makes happy. And that’s better for me than scrolling through social media feeds and looking at all the terrible things that are happening.” ~ Marc Scheff. Want to learn how to live like an artist and build a s ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “Illustration was something I knew I always wanted to do - it was just finding a way to do it full-time. And, as soon as I started drawing what I wanted to draw and what I was interested in, that’s when it started to change.” ~ Collette J Ellis. Dragons, myths and illustration are just so ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “I wanna do stuff because I want a finished product at the end, or I want a piece of animation, or I want a comic book at the end of it. And I’m learning everything so I can do that finished product - I’m not learning everything just so I can learn everything.” ~ Jason Brubaker. Can anyon ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “When you have the creative fire burning inside you, sometimes you just don’t know what to do with it and it has to come out” ~ JP Cawood. Self publishing can be a great way to get your ideas out there, but how do you even get started with a project as huge as this? In this week’s intervi ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ The Pencil Kings podcast is sponsored by Freshbooks https://www.freshbooks.com/pencilkings email: mitch@pencilkings.com “People who are motivated know that it doesn’t start with motivation - it starts with a commitment to show up. Because, if you wait for the motivation, it’s never going ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “What I’d say to people with a great idea is to be prepared to take a few risks, be prepared to commit time, be prepared to learn new software, and be prepared to stick with your ideas.” ~ Peter Richardson. Want to know how to turn your ideas into an animated cartoon series? Do you have a ...…

Show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “With what I’ve produced at the Evolve Art Academy, I’m very confident I could submit a portfolio to a prestigious art school and get accepted. Because that’s how much progress I’ve had.” ~ Michelle Lopez. Want to know how to become a better artist...but just don’t know where to start? Wh ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ The Pencil Kings podcast is sponsored by Freshbooks “Just put your stuff up on everything, because you don’t know where the next big thing is gonna be.” ~ Fran Krause. Want to know how to create a webcomic...that actually gets noticed?! In this week’s interview, we speak to Fran Krause, c ...…

Complete Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “For the people who come to me and say: ‘how did you do it and how can we do the same?’ I say find your partner. Find somebody who already has a foot in the door of the business and bring him or her something to the table.” ~ Fabrice Sapolsky. Ever wanted to know more about creat ...…

Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “At certain periods of time, the status quo should always be challenged for the better. Not a revolution, but a disruption to the way these things are done.” ~ Matt Davis. Ever wished printing for artists was more straightforward? Ever wished there was a one-stop printing shop dedicated t ...…

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “Find that thing that makes your heart sing (it sounds so cheesy, I know!) ; that thing you could draw or paint forever. Find a way to do that, and then market that and find which people buy that...and you’ll be golden! ” ~ Crystal Sully. Want to know more about how to become a fanta ...…

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “I think what’s really important is to work on a style that makes you happy. I think you have to create artwork or work in a style that you get really excited about.” ~ Anna Goodson. Can an art agency help your career? In this week’s interview, we talk to illustration agency owner, A ...…

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “You can teach yourself so much from the internet these days” ~ Michael Cawood. Want to know how to make an animated short film? In this week’s interview, we speak to Michael Cawood, creator of the award-winning Devils, Angels & Dating, about his exciting new project, The Wrong Rock. ...…

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be done. You can always rework it.” ~ Katie Buckleitner. Want to become a magazine designer or illustrator but don’t know where to start? In this week’s interview, we hear how Katie Buckleitner landed her dream job as a digital designer for one of th ...…

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “Just let go of any intention towards making a cool drawing, and somehow that cool drawing comes of itself.” ~ Ian Ingram. Art and mindfulness are closely linked,, but what really happens in your brain when you put pencil to paper and lose yourself completely in your art? In this int ...…

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “There are so many moments in your daily life when you can actually draw! Lunch break is half an hour, you’ve finished your sandwiches in 20. 10 minutes left...what do you do? Do you go and check your Facebook status, or do you draw? If you want to be a better artist, you draw.” ~ Ir ...…

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ Want to know how to ask for feedback from an artist and take the next steps in your creative career? This episode will show you how to ask for feedback the right way, so the artist feedback you receive will be as on point as possible. It doesn't matter if you want to work in a studio ...…

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ PK 148: What Does it Really Take to Make it as a Fine Artist? “It takes application and it’s hard work, but that’s no different to building any other kind of career. Nothing comes easy!” ~ Barney Davey. What does it really take to make it as a fine artist? In this week’s interview, B ...…

PK 147: Thinking of Becoming an Illustrator? How Artist, Kate Oleska, Switched Careers. Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “You just have to do what appeals to you and just do it! Because that’s how you’re gonna get a job that you want to be doing. You just have to grab every minute you have, every second, and just do ...…

Full Show Notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ “You have to do the legwork. I strongly believe you have to go to the conventions and physically meet people.” ~ Kensuke Okabayashi Want to know how to become an illustrator? This week, we speak to Kensuke Okabayashi, creator of the bestselling book, Manga for Dummies, and an artist ...…

Full show notes at: https://www.pencilkings.com/podcast-home/ Want to find out how to make an awesome art portfolio and find more clients? In this interview, we speak to Paul Yates, a concept and fantasy artist from Montreal, Canada. Since leaving uni and going freelance, Paul has scored a number of wins as an artist, including being featured i ...…