Art by John Hendrix
Illustrator John Hendrix joins Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry to discuss enjoying the process, forming community, drawing at church, and so much more. Don’t miss this juicy interview!
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SHOW LINKS
John Hendrix: johnhendrix.com, Twitter, Instagram, books on Amazon
Abrahms Books
Episode 139: MFAs Are a Bad Idea and Here’s Why
SCBWI
Jack Unruh
KEY TAKEAWAYS
If you want to succeed as an illustrator, you have to learn to enjoy making the art at least as much as seeing the final result. What niche could you find joy digging into from start to finish?
If you care deeply about something, you won’t be able to keep it out of your work.
The secret to a creative life is balancing solo time making art with a creative community. Build a real-life network of “professional friends” who can keep you connected, accountable, and sane amid the otherwise solitary career that is illustration.
BIO
John Hendrix is the New York Times-bestselling illustrator and author of many children’s books, including Shooting at the Stars, Drawing is Magic, John Brown: His Fight for Freedom, Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus, The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in visual communication, he worked in graphic design and PR before heading to New York’s School of Visual Arts for his MFA. While there, he began working in editorial illustration, where he learned how to communicate ideas visually.
John’s work is notable for his explorations of faith and biography. His current project is a book about the friendship of writers C.S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. John believes that if you deeply care about something, you can’t keep it from influencing your work.
John is chair of the MFA in Illustration and Visual Culture at Washington University in St. Louis. His work has been featured in many places, including the Miami Book Festival, the Festival of Faith & Writing, the SCBWI Conference, The National Archives in Washington D.C., The National World War I Museum, and more. His sketchbook drawings from church have been featured in Christianity Today and Smithsonian Magazine.
John lives in St. Louis with his wife and two children. Learn more at johnhendrix.com.
LINKS
Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44
Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt
Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo
Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.
Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com
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