Dan Piche is the creator of Champions of Akathena a board game launching on 15 June.  He has advice for anyone who has a passion to make a board game, but no experience actually making it a reality. 

In this episode:

In this week’s episode we get the final chapter on designing and launching your own board game.  We had Dan on the podcast in the past to talk about the process so far in Episode 230 (https://www.pencilkings.com/daniel-piche/) and now that he’s just about to launch again here’s the update of the story as he's just about to release his new board game to the world.  There's lots of insight into the care it takes to bring your project to the finish line, but mostly I hope while listening you can get a sense of how you can look at your own projects with fresh eyes and see how you can use feedback to make your work as good as it possibly can be.

Diego Jourdan Pereira is an author of puzzle and activity books, including the Giant Book of Games and Puzzles for Smart Kids, The Big Book of Brain-Boosting Puzzles, Bible Power Puzzles, and the Astonishing Bathroom Reader. With a background in illustration, comic books, and graphic design, his clientele has ranged from Dover Publications to The Topps Company.

In this episode:

In this week’s episode, Diego Jourdan Pereira walks us through how he went from a career as an illustrator working in licensing and completely reinvented himself as an author and book designer.  

Diego’s story is a fantastic model showing how clear goals and hard work pay off to break into a completely new market and create new opportunities. 

If you have been sitting on the fence, not knowing what to do or how to do it, just listen up because the clues are all right here and if you are willing to put in the work, it’s just a matter of continued effort and time before you’re well on your way towards your dream career where you get paid to be creative. 

In the last part of the episode we talk about the difference between dreams and goals, and Diego has a great way of looking at how to set and make your goals a reality.

Mitch Bowler is the Founder of Pencil Kings and the Co-founder of Evolve Artist. He has worked with countless companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Activision, and more.

As a former 3D technical artist, Mitch has gone through the ups and downs of honing his craft, which is why he decided to revolutionize the way that art is taught.

Both of his companies offer professional instruction and hands-on support from real artists in order to help creatives around the world take their work to the next level.

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

• How to ground your ideas of what a character designer does by looking at reference books
• Why not loving the character design process can be a huge red flag, and what to do if this is you.
• How to look for jobs and make your dream career more realistic.
• How and why to participate in online communities
• Putting together a portfolio based on your earlier research
• How to have an awesome creative career even if you realize that character design isn’t as fun as you thought it might be

In this episode:

In this week’s episode, Mitch Bowler from Pencil Kings breaks down a simple five-step process that he would use to break into having a career as a character designer. 

This talk skips right over technical skill development and gets right to the heart of the key steps any artist will need to take to land their dream job, even if they have no idea how to get started.  The cool thing about this plan is that you can get started right now, and when you put your mind to it and just follow the steps you could be landing your dream career as a character designer in the next 12 months. 

Michael Cawood is a multi-award winning British Animated Filmmaker based in Los Angeles who develops original animated projects in his free time. Having worked in animation since 1994, he's created Films, Series, Commercials, VR and Games.  His work in short films has won him numerous 'Best Short Film' and 'Best Animation' awards plus the Orson Welles Award. 

In this episode:

In this week’s episode, we’re speaking with Michael Cawood who had been on the podcast previously to speak about his independently animated film, ‘The Wrong Rock’ which has since been completed and published and is generating a lot of views on YouTube and which was also made the shortlist for consideration to be included in the Oscar Awards. 

Creating and finishing your animated short film is amazing in itself and Michael talks about the choices he made to ensure that the project would be completed before the birth of his son.  

For anyone who has dreamed of making an independent animation this is a fantastic interview that will give you a glimpse of what it’s like, and how long it takes to make it to the finish line. 

In this interview right at we discuss how indie projects are the perfect way to break into the creative industry of your dreams.  Nothing beats hands-on experience and Michael even gives a call out to anyone interested in collaborating on projects to get in touch.  If you’ve always wanted to work in the entertainment industry.

Mitch Bowler is the Founder of Pencil Kings and the Co-founder of Evolve Artist. He has worked with countless companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Activision, and more. As a former 3D technical artist, Mitch has gone through the ups and downs of honing his craft, which is why he decided to revolutionize the way that art is taught. Both of his companies offer professional instruction and hands-on support from real artists in order to help creatives around the world take their work to the next level.

In this episode:

Mitch wraps up his series on getting serious about using your creativity to generate income and talks about the different types of resources you can use to move towards your goal.

Having a goal of 12 months into the future, while also looking back at how you have performed in the past 12 months gives you a good idea of where you are right now... and wherever that is, is perfectly fine!  

The most important part is being honest with yourself so you can move forward and get to where you want to be in the most direct way possible.  

The four options that you have are:

• Free Resources
• Paid Courses
• Mentorship
• School

Each resource has its own plusses and minuses, but most importantly you need to do what is right for YOU.  Your situation is unique and by knowing yourself and having clear goals you can make the right choice to make the next 12 months really count!  

Mitch Bowler is the Founder of Pencil Kings and the Co-founder of Evolve Artist. He has worked with countless companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Activision, and more. As a former 3D technical artist, Mitch has gone through the ups and downs of honing his craft, which is why he decided to revolutionize the way that art is taught. Both of his companies offer professional instruction and hands-on support from real artists in order to help creatives around the world take their work to the next level.

What skills do you need in order to start making money from your art? While many artists focus on creative skills such as drawing or painting, these are not always the most important skills for landing your dream creative career. 

According to Mitch Bowler, exploring and developing the skills that are in demand for creative projects is a necessary step for making your artistic dreams a reality. But, how do you know which creative skills are in demand—and which ones will be the right fit for you? Mitch Bowler has some tried-and-true strategies for testing different career ideas, discerning project-fit, and taking simple steps to find your creative calling. 

In this week's episode of Pencil Kings, host Mitch Bowler demonstrates how you can discover—and develop—the skills necessary to land your dream creative career. Mitch shares his strategies for identifying which skills are in demand for creative projects, how to find your calling as an artist, and the simple ways to unlock new possibilities for your creative career. Stay tuned for more!

Mitch Bowler is the Founder of Pencil Kings and the Co-founder of Evolve Artist. He has worked with countless companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Activision, and more. As a former 3D technical artist, Mitch has gone through the ups and downs of honing his craft, which is why he decided to revolutionize the way that art is taught. Both of his companies offer professional instruction and hands-on support from real artists in order to help creatives around the world take their work to the next level.

If you’re ready to transform your dream of having an art career into a reality, then you’re going to need a plan. And, what better way to start planning your art career path than by determining exactly what skills will benefit your level up? 

For artists looking to jumpstart their careers, job descriptions are a goldmine of valuable information. That’s because they are essentially a wish list compiled by the companies you want to work for. As Mitch Bowler says, by analyzing a job description in the creative field you want to join, you can effectively gauge the skills that are in demand and devise a plan of action for how to obtain those skills—and land your dream job. 

In this week's episode of Pencil Kings, host Mitch Bowler reveals how to ground your art career path in reality using job descriptions. Listen in as Mitch talks about how to discern what creative skills are in demand for a specific field, why experience isn’t the only metric for determining if you are qualified for a job, and the importance of breaking out of your comfort zone as you make your dreams a reality. Stay tuned.

Mitch Bowler is the Founder of Pencil Kings and the Co-founder of Evolve Artist. He has worked with countless companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Activision, and more. As a former 3D technical artist, Mitch has gone through the ups and downs of honing his craft, which is why he decided to revolutionize the way that art is taught. Both of his companies offer professional instruction and hands-on support from real artists in order to help creatives around the world take their work to the next level.

Where are you on your creative journey? Are you still dreaming about leaving your day-to-day job and taking the next step in your career as an artist? If so, now is the perfect time to create a 12 month art career goal. 

Far too many artists have romanticized what it means to be a full-time creative. For these artists, their dream of pursuing a creative career is precisely that: a dream. However, according to Mitch Bowler, it is entirely possible for you to transform your dream of being an artist "one day" into a concrete reality—and all you need is 12 months. 

In this week's episode of Pencil Kings, host Mitch Bowler shares his expert strategies for transforming your creative dreams into a reality in the next 12 months. Mitch highlights the importance of setting a concrete goal as an artist, how to determine the right path to take on your creative journey, and his tips for making real progress with your next project. Stay tuned!

Mitch Bowler is the Founder of Pencil Kings and the Co-founder of Evolve Artist. He has worked with countless companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Activision, and more. As a former 3D technical artist, Mitch has gone through the ups and downs of honing his craft, which is why he decided to revolutionize the way that art is taught. Both of his companies offer professional instruction and hands-on support from real artists in order to help creatives around the world take their work to the next level.

Where are you in your journey to make art full-time? Have you just started dreaming about being an artist? Or, have you already landed your first client? (If so, congrats!) 

Wherever you are in your creative journey, Mitch Bowler, the Founder of Pencil Kings and Co-founder of Evolve Artist, wants to help you kickstart the art career of your dreams in the new year. With his expert advice, you can start on the path to achieving not only a creative career in 2021, but also creative freedom. 

In this week's episode of Pencil Kings, host Mitch Bowler discusses how to transition from a dreamer to a doer in the new year. Mitch shares the essential steps for taking your art career to the next level, the story of how he first broke into the industry, and his journey to becoming the artist and teacher he is today. Listen in to learn more about how to achieve your artistic and career goals in 2021!

Mitch Bowler is the Founder of Pencil Kings and the Co-founder of Evolve Artist. He has worked with countless companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Dungeons & Dragons, Activision, and more. As a former 3D technical artist, Mitch has gone through the ups and downs of honing his craft, which is why he decided to revolutionize the way that art is taught. Both of his companies offer professional instruction and hands-on support from real artists in order to help creatives around the world take their work to the next level.

You are an architect of your own time, and only you can choose how you spend it. However, many artists struggle to find time and create space in their days to pursue their creative work. So, how can you start making time for your art in 2021, without the typical distractions of day-to-day life?

Mitch Bowler, the Founder of Pencil Kings and Co-founder of Evolve Artist, has often struggled with the challenge of carving out time for his artistic goals. Then, in the chaos of 2020, he stumbled on a silver lining: the opportunity to slow down and be more intentional with his time. Now, Mitch is starting off 2021 with a goal to stop wasting time and start treating his creative endeavors as a marathon, not a sprint. 

In this week's episode of Pencil Kings, host Mitch Bowler reflects on how 2020 allowed him to take stock of his creative pursuits—and the time he spent working on them. He discusses the common challenges artists face with making time to pursue their creative endeavors, the importance of saying “no” when carving out time for your art, and his strategies for sticking to your artistic goals in 2021. Stay tuned.

Terri Rodriguez-Hong is a UX/UI designer and a UX/UI Tutor at CareerFoundry. In her position as a UX/UI designer, Terri hopes to bridge the gap between products to be accessible by all users. She received her MFA from the University of Hawaii and is currently working on her master’s degree in Human Computer Interaction. Outside of her passion for UX/UI, Terri is an avid Muay Thai boxer, a volleyball fan, and the co-host of the Ramblings of a Designer podcast.

What happens when you blend a passion for art and user experience? While many artists base their success on commissions and reputation, there may be a more fulfilling path. 

UX/UI is the combination of design, art, and user experience that bridges the gap between a product and its user. Terri Rodriguez-Hong made the leap into the UX/UI world four years ago—and she hasn’t looked back since. With her fine art and visual design background, she brings a unique perspective to her role as a UX/UI designer. So, what is Terri’s advice to fellow artists looking to create a career in the sweet spot between art and user experience? 

In this week's episode of Pencil Kings, host Mitch Bowler sits down with UX/UI Designer, Terri Rodriguez-Hong. Terri recalls what gave her the push to transition from visual design to UX/UI, how she navigated the interview process, and why the most important investment you can make is in yourself. She also shares her tips for building industry connections and starting your journey in UX/UI. Stay tuned!