The Odd Pod Episode 3 - Planning vs Not Planning an Illustration

Hi! I’m Kayla Stark, an illustrator working primarily in the children’s publishing world. You’re reading “Odd Thoughts”, my blog/newsletter where I talk mostly about illustration, process, publishing, and anything else that’s tangentially related in my life. Join in! Everyone’s welcome!

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Episode 3 - Notes

“This is a good one.”
-both me and Vivien after recording this 😄

I’m calling this the “lost episode” because it was recorded almost one whole year ago! And I’m just now sharing it…Wow, sorry! There are a few curse words—if you like to know that ahead of listening. 😬

In this episode my pal

Vivien Mildenberger

joins me again, and we discuss “planning” vs “not planning” an illustration. Neither way is correct; both are important—you especially need to plan if you have to prove your concept first. Like most things in life, it’s all about finding that elusive balance. (famously so easy to do 😅) Well, we have some thoughts AND preferences!

We go DEEP in process talk, and discuss questions like…

What even is “planning an illustration”? Can I trick myself into thinking I don’t have a plan (when maybe I kind of actually do)? Am I really just procrastinating and calling it “planning”? What’s hindering me and what’s helping me in this process?

a spread from “Birds Have a lot to Say” that I planned to a T vs. a sample book cover I whipped up in an hour or so out of nowhere.

We answer our first listener question!

What do you do when you get feedback from an art director that you think is bad or does not improve the piece?

I’m so sorry that I can’t remember who asked this question. That’ll teach me to go a year between episodes again…

Disclaimer: We aren’t speaking about any art directors or editors in particular, just about our own opinions and experiences.

the illustration and the redo that Vivien shows me during the recording—which do you think was first? :) … It’s the left one; the writing is a big clue. 😅

Some updates since recording this!

I talk a bit about the process of illustrating the picture book “Christmas Ahoy!”. It’s actually out now from Sleeping Bear Press! You can get it wherever you like to get your books! (I’m partial to local, independent booksellers. 😉)

I say that I “don’t want to make a book the same way I made my bird stickers”. But now, a year later, I think I actually do!?

Bonus Assignment to do with us! ✏️

At the end of the episode we each choose a couple of exercises from our discussion to try.

• I want to try… transferring my sketch in layers (not all at once) & working on three versions simultaneously.

• Vivien wants to try… 3 different ways of working from sketches, & working on multiple versions simultaneously.

We both want to work a little more “unplanned” so we chose similar exercises. Maybe you want to work a little more “planned” and do something like a whole page of thumbnails, value studies, color studies, etc.

Tell me if you want to join in, and what you’d like to work on! It would be fun to share what we make and what we think about it, yeah? (hey ho accountability! 😅)

If you haven’t listened to the first two episodes on ✨STYLE✨🙃, or need a refresher, (I know I did!) I’ll toss some buttons out for ya! :)