006: Dani Jones – Becoming More Than an Illustrator

In All, Picturebooking, Podcasts by Nick Patton1 Comment

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In this episode of the Picturebooking Podcast I interview Dani Jones, the author-illustrator of the Stan Lee’s Kids Universe picture book Monsters Vs. Kittens and the webcomic My Sister the Freak.

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Video Excerpt: Becoming More Than an Illustrator


Dani Jones is personally one of my favorite artist working today. Beyond her impressive skill as a visual storyteller, I love her willingness and fearlessness to experiment with her projects. It was truly an honor to finally get to speak with her.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • How her parents gave her just the right amount of support for her to grow into an artist
  • Dani’s career is shifting to the type of stories she liked as a kid and away from traditional picture books
  • People told her that her work was “To Disney” in school (haters … the horror of someone modeling their work off of the best storytellers of their time)
  • How to start a successful webcomic (hint: think like that shoe company)
  • How to start a successful webcomic … 2nd hint: Befriend Otis Framptin??
  • Keeping a schedule: the hardest part of maintaining a webcomic
  • How personal projects changed Dani’s outlook as a creative … becoming more than an illustrator
  • Tips to get the client jobs you want through personal projects
  • Dani is modest here, but Stan Lee loves Dani Jones! Don’t believe me … YouTube it!
  • Three companies that can help you self-publish your stories.
  • The big takeaway from her Kickstarter campaign. (If you’re thinking of Kickstarter, this advice is golden.)
  • Next up … A Little Women Graphic Novel!

Check out Dani’s Art (click to enlarge)

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Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

 

Dani-Jones-2014Getting to know Dani Jones

Dani Jones is an illustrator, artist, and writer based in New England. She began her career as a freelance illustrator in 2005. Since then, her work has been used in picture books, magazines, and educational publishing. Dani is the author and illustrator of Monsters Vs. Kittens and Once Upon A Time There Was A Pig, published by Stan Lee’s Kids Universe. Dani has produced and self-published several projects, including the webcomic My Sister the Freak, and the Halloween short story Frosty the Gourdman.

Website: danijones.com
Twitter: @danidraws

Buy Dani’s Books

And support the show through our Amazon affiliate links:

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And buy Dani’s comics directly off her site:

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Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

 

Thank you!

Thanks for listening to my chat with Dani Jones! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons below, and leave a comment to continue the conversation about personal projects.

Also, reviews for the podcast on iTunes help others find the show. These reviews matter in the rankings of the show, and I’d greatly appreciate your feedback!

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