Current Issue

In this issue the running theme seems to be transition. All three of our featured artists have a history of moving. All have incorporated these travels into their work in some fashion. Influences in color, theme, subject matter or style—these artists have created their individuality based on experiences. Another thing to note is the timelessness of their work. You can’t really pin a date to when their images were done, they’re anything but dated. And there seems to be a basis on traditional ways of working, only one has succumbed to the digital world and even that work lacks the trace of a pixel. Each image looks hand-done as it once was with paint and airbrush. We are pleased to delve more deeply into their lives and work.

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Sara Fanelli INTERVIEWED BY JEFFREY FISHER
Sara was born in Florence where she studied at the Liceo Classico Michelangelo before moving to London to study at the Royal College of Art. As a freelance designer and illustrator she has attracted worldwide recognition; in addition she is a much admired children’s book illustrator winning numerous prizes for her illustrated books. She also exhibits frequently in London, Pairs, Madrid, New York and Tokyo. Her clients include Tate Modern, The New York Times, The Independent on Sunday and The New Scientist, The Royal Mail and BBC Worldwide. www.sarafanelli.com

Nigel Buchanan INTERVIEWED BY CHRISTOPHER NIELSEN
Nigel gives much of the credit for his success to his schooling at Wellington, New Zealand where there was a healthy emphasis on drawing which trained the eye to see and the mind to conceptualize. His biggest transition has been switching from paint to airbrush to digital. Nigel’s commissions have ranged from several stamps for Australia Post to huge murals at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, however most of Nigel’s work has been for the publishing industry. Clients include The Wall Street Journal, MTV, The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Money Week Paris and Radio Times in London. He recently founded a new folio site, PicturePig, www.picturepig.com. www.nigelbuchanan.com

ICON12: Brian Grimwood
Our Icon is considered the Milton Glaser of the UK, we trace the multi-faceted career of Brian Grimwood and talk about the differences he finds across the pond. You'll be interested to hear what he has to say about UK art directors and their appreciation of illustration. www.briangrimwood.com

AD CAMPAIGN: Rubin Postaer
The folks at Rubin Postaer gave us this issue’s illustrated campaign for SoyJoy who used three diverse illustrators to develop the print and multi-media campaign. Hear both sides of the story.

PROFILE: Owen Phillips
Our art director profile is former illustration editor for the New Yorker and now deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal Magazine. This illustration advocate speaks about his early days at The New Yorker and how he misses illustrators in his new job.

CAREERTALK: Building The Foundation
With this issue we begin a series of special CareerTalk articles on building a successful illustration career. Vicki and Gail will investigate the business-side of illustration over the next several issues. The advice is perfect for the recent grad or someone who is struggling with business issues.

The Showcase
This issue features the diverse work of Karen Barbour, USA; Tin Salamunic, USA; LULU*, Germany; João Fazenda, Portugal; Shannon Brady, USA; Sally Elford, United Kingdom and Christopher Corr, United Kingdom.

The International Gallery
This is our second international gallery and features the works of illustrators Jill Calder, FARGO, Jo Holdaway, Kenneth Andersson, Mario Sughi, Daniel Stolle, Alberto Cerriteño, Takahisa Hashimoto, Jakob Hinrichs, Stephan Schmitz, Lars Henkel and Patrick Latimer.

EDITORIAL from Issue 13

Uh-Oh

I don’t like the number thirteen. A successful agency I once worked in made a move to a new office on the thirteenth floor and what had been a vibrant ad agency turned into an absolute fiasco. My own agency lasted thirteen years. I certainly didn’t want another bad experience with the number thirteen. So when I approached this issue I did so with some trepidation, should I pretend there was no Issue Thirteen? Jump directly from twelve to fourteen? But, knock on wood, everything turned out okay. Well almost. One of our featured illustrators had emergency surgery and was out for a month recuperating, thank goodness that turned out well in the end. But it did give me a sleepless night, had my superstitious issue caused this to happen? And of course, there was the economy heading into the toilet, no one could see that coming. But I must say in talking with illustrators most are fairing far better than I had thought they might during these tough times.
Many art directors are opting for illustration over photography. Many illustrators have more work than they can handle, a lot of that coming from new sources. True the fees may be lower and some illustrators are taking jobs they wouldn’t ordinarily take but everyone seems to be working in the spirit of cooperation in a tough economic climate. There are also surprises. One of my illustrator friends in Berlin hasn’t had a single job from the US this year but is loaded with work from Europe. And they’re great projects. My feeling has always been that the really good people stay busy even in bad times. When so many people are painting the economy as bleak we see colors.
In past recessions our design firm would find while clients tend to play it safe in a good economy they turn much more daring in a bad one—poor economies tend to unleash the chains that holds back creativity. Clients figure they don’t have much to lose by trying something out of the norm. They’re willing to take a risk. Sure these new ideas are not always going to work, but this isn’t a time to play it safe, it’s a time to be bold and daring.
Creative people embrace downturns, it tends to get rid of waste, of duplication or incompetence. A bad economy focuses us. We’re only worried about today and not forecasting for the future. Things are clearer. More understandable. Black and White. There is no wishing there is only doing. And doing it like there’s no tomorrow. You can be fresh out of school or a long-standing artist or designer, it doesn’t matter, we’re all approaching the present situation with a unique vigor and it will pay off. Maybe not monetarily in the extremes—do we want to go back to extremes?—but our work creates a worth of its own. Who knows, maybe when we’re out of the recession we’ll have a whole new crop of ad agency art directors who have been sold on the value of illustration. Art directors are smart and are always looking for a fresh way to solve visual problems. And I’ve found throughout my history in advertising that good work moves people to action. Even in a bad economy. Illustrators have an opportunity now to demonstrate how they can help clients survive and thrive. There are still customers out there. Whether they buy a painting in a gallery or respond to a poster for a Broadway show or an ad for apple juice, good work works. You keep producing it, we’ll keep recognizing it and showing it and the world will applaud.

Charles Hively
Publisher

NEW: You might notice that we have changed typefaces starting with this issue, thanks to Sarah Munt for recommending the typeface Calluna.

COMING IN ISSUE FOURTEEN
We'll be featuring the work of Lars Henkel, Germany; Justin Wood, USA and Lasse Skarbovik, Sweden.

Be sure to visit our blog for up to the minute happenings at 3x3.

Morgan-Gaynin www.morgangaynin.com
Bernstein and Andriulli www.ba-reps.com
Barbara Nessim www.barbaranessim.com
3x3 Gallery www.3x3Gallery.com
Folio Planet www.folioplanet.com
The ispot www.theispot.com

The Society of Illustrators www.societyillustrators.org
The Association of Illustrators www.theaoi.com
Illustration Mundo www.illustrationmundo.com
DRAWN! The Illustration Blog www.drawn.ca
Drawger www.drawger.com
Fecal Face www.fecalface.com
Communication Arts www.commarts.com
Illustration Friday www.illustrationfriday.com
Creative Latitude www.creativelatitude.com