LORI JOY SMITH
Occupation: Artist and Illustrator Website: Lori Joy Smith Biography: Lori is an artist and illustrator (and aspiring comic and children's book author) living in Vancouver Canada. You can see her work on her website, where she also keeps a sporadic blog. What do you do and how did you start? I am an illustrator. I have published greeting cards and bookmarks. I have also designed logos, products and packaging for products. I am working on illustrating a children's book and a comic. In the Fall of 1999, I started making homemade watercolour cards and selling them at craft fairs and little shops around town. At one show, a lady came up to me and told me she thought I could get my cards published. She turned out to be a local illustrator, and we met up later and she helped me to get started. I had no clue about how to be an illustrator, how to get work, or how to approach an art director. I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't...
STEPHANNIE BARBA
Occupation: Illustrator/Calligrapher Website: Stephannie Barba Biography: Stephannie Barba is an award winning illustrator, calligrapher and stationery designer who ran away to New York at an early age. Her talent bloomed once she was surrounded by other artists, and it was there where she began her stationery and illustration "couture" house. Her client list includes fashion companies Christian Dior, Cynthia Rowley, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gap, and her work has appeared in numerous fashion, bridal and travel magazines. She currently lives and works in San Francisco but spends as much time as possible in Paris. What do you do and how did you start? I am an illustrator, calligrapher and stationery designer. My illustration career began as soon as I entered art school as a means to pay for tuition. Since I had been creating and selling my art since I was a kid, I found it quite a natural step to try and work at selling it in New York, albeit on a grander scale. After being introduced to letterpress printers and beautiful papers,...
JULLIANNA ARDEN
Occupation: Owner/designer Website: Parlez Vous Cards Biography: Julianna Arden is the designer and illustrator of her greeting card company, Parlez-Vous. She sells her products wholesale to boutiques and card shops across the country as well as through her website. She lives and works from her home studio in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two children. What do you do and how did you start? I design and produce a line of hand-embellished greeting cards, notes, and invitations. My cards are kind of girly, kind of old-fashioned, and a little playful. I started my business in 2001 when I decided to print my first run of cards. I got the bug after I made my daughter’s birth announcement and thought it might be a great way to earn some extra cash for our growing little family. At first, I submitted my designs to large greeting card manufacturers like American Greetings and Sunrise, and I was rejected by all of them. I was crushed and confused but also tenacious and optimistic and I decided to...
JEN GRIGGS SEBASTIAN
Occupation: Artist/Product Designer Website: Scout Dog Studios Biography: Jen Griggs Sebastian is an artist and product designer living in Denver, Colo., and sharing her home/studio with Matt the Husband, Scout the Dog and Izzy the Cat. Though her business is constantly evolving, she currently is focused on painting commissioned pet portraits as well as developing her ScoutDog and Friends character/product line that includes whimsical dogs, cats and other animals. What do you do and how did you start? I am an artist, product designer, website designer, entrepreneur, owner of ScoutDog Studios... really I do whatever is necessary so that I can continue to follow my passion and make my own path. I have always been a doodler and have always had a list of projects and ideas that I wanted to do. How old were you when you realized you wanted to do what you're currently doing and how old were you when you actually began. Looking back, I think that I always knew that I wanted to be an artist and an entrepreneur....
DEBBIE DRECHSLER
Occupation: Illustrator Website: Debbie Drex Biography: I work as an illustrator and comic creator in Santa Rosa, California, about 50 miles north of San Francisco. I used to do all my painting with gouache, but about four years ago I bought a Macintosh computer and now I do everything but the preliminary sketches in a program called Illustrator. I resisted making the switch but once I did I was smitten and love working digitally. When I'm not painting I spin my own yarns to knit and crochet fun stuff like hats, socks, sweaters and purses. I also sew and tend a very small garden. What do you do and how did you start? I'm an illustrator. I began when I was very young, drawing my own illustrations in the end papers and margins of my childhood books. How old were you when you realised you wanted to do what you're currently doing and how old were you when you actually began. I knew that I wanted to illustrate books when I was quite young--elementary...
CLAIRE ROBERTSON
Occupation: Illustrator Website: Clairetown Biography: Claire Robertson is a freelance illustrator living in Melbourne, Australia. She works for such clients as Scholastic, Cambridge University Press, New Riders and The Owl Group. She also maintains her award winning personal web site Loobylu, with (almost) daily stories and pictures What do you do and how did you start? I have been working from home as a freelance illustrator now for about a year and a half. I started by taking the plunge and quitting my full time dull design job and starting from scratch. It was extremely scary (like jumping off a precipice) and took a little while to get going but it's been entirely worth it. How old were you when you realised you wanted to do what you're currently doing and how old were you when you actually began. I have always wanted to be an illustrator, ever since I read picture books as a little girl. It just took me around 25 years to finally listen to my heart. I was 28 and...
AMANDA WOODWARD
Occupation: Illustrator & Graphic Designer Website: amanda woodward & woodward design Biography: In the beginning, there was nothing. And then Amanda Woodward spoke up and said "I’m all for white space, but this is ridiculous." Millennia later, the universe is a much more colorful place and Amanda continues to do her part by designing and illustrating into the wee hours of the morning. Her design boutique, Woodward Design, is ultimately a work of heart and owes its continuing success to Amanda’s passions for art, people, life, and the occasionally covert sniffing of a grapefruit. What do you do and how did you start? I am a freelance illustrator / graphic designer, I run Woodward Design from my home in Edmonton, Alberta. My husband, Dana, is a part-time helper (also a designer), and my cat Isis is a wonderful outlet for serious critique sessions. I began doodling when I was very young and was always encouraged by my family to do art & craft projects. It all just grew from that. How old were you...