In Praise of the Art Director

We have finally completed the first regular episode of Illustration AMBUSH!**

On this inaugural episode we are discussing the job of the Art Director. What do they do, how do they do it, and what makes that job so vital and challenging? To help us delve into this subject we are proud to welcome Jon Schindehette, Kieran Yanner and Socar Myles as our guests.

We'd love to hear what you think about our new podcast in the comments below, and if you have a chance, please spread the word about Illustration AMBUSH to your friends and fellow artists!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/Illustrationambush/IA_ep01.mp3

**Well... by "regular" we mean "as often as we can get it out". We're hoping for every two weeks but don't hold us to this. Podcast Gold doesn't just fall off the trees. And if it did, we'd eventually get annoyed, always having to sweep it up and everything.

Notes:

The awesome ART ORDER forums

"Art Direction Explained At Last"

Starkweather: Immortal, Patrick's graphic novel

Fantasy Art for Beginners, Jon's book thingie

Illustration AMBUSH episode 00!

Podcasting from high atop the very outer crust of the earth, Jon Hodgson and Patrick McEvoy bring you Illustration AMBUSH!! Each episode we will bring you artists and illustrators in conversation about art and, um... illustration.

All aspects of the illustration world will be covered including business, history, technique, materials, philosophy and more. Lots of friends and special guests will show up (folks you've heard with us on Ninja Mountain and a lot more) for a magazine-format show. We'll have short- to medium-length segments and even hope to stay pretty much on-topic when we aren't drunk. For this inaugural episode we've got less segments than usual, and we have a couple of recurring "articles" that will start next time (such as our ArtRage section where Jon valiantly tries to teach Patrick how to use that wonderful program).

But there's some real meat in this introductory episode as it is! Here's what we cover this time out: an introduction by J & P, an in-depth talk about what we've done and what we're doing currently in illustration, and the job of a professional illustrator. Then we've got a fantastic interview with Wizards of the Coast Art Director Jon Schindehette, and finally a short rant by Socar Myles. So consider this a preview of things to come! Well, we hope you enjoy our first try at this thing! Let us know in the comments if you enjoy it, hate it, have ideas, want to bear our children, or any other reaction you might have.

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/Illustrationambush/IllustrationAMBUSH_ep00.mp3

Soon to be available on iTunes!
(Well, it was for a day, but now it's not - having a slight technical problem. Check back RIGHT HERE for updates and when it's ready again we'll have the link back up..)

Feel the anticipation!

The first episode should be out very, very soon, sorta. Jon is exhorting the forces of darkness to give it their infernal blessings even as we speak.  Expect some exciting things:

• An interesting introduction by Patrick and Jon
• An interview with a well-known Art Director
• A very odd rant by Socar Myles

 And the ever-popular "more".  We have even more planned for the next episodes, so consider this a warm-up. The dress-rehearsal if you will. And you will be there!

Ambushed! Very slowly!

So we've been getting together the first episode of Illustration AMBUSH! for about 6 months now. The show will be a podcast aimed right between the eyes of the professional freelance artist. We plan a strictly limited season of shows, probably released monthly, though we'll see how that goes. Once assembled the show season one will comprise six tightly themed shows, each one tackling an area of interest to the working professional.

Our first episode is undergoing final edit right now, and should be out very very soon!