YONK is a Dutch 3D animation studio consisting of artistic power couple Victoria Young and Niels van der Donk. Coming from different backgrounds like fine art and graphic design they decided early on to combine their individual skills to create 3D work. Since 2019 they specialize in using Virtual Reality and 3D sculpting tools to create uniquely strange, textured and colorful artworks, animations and character designs for an increasingly international client list such as Google, Sprite, Nike, Amazon and The New York Times, but also just for the sake of creating and having fun experimenting. 

In this episode they take us into their world and explain how sculpting 3D figures in virtual reality is more intuitive and less technical than the traditional way with a keyboard and mouse. Working in VR has led to quicker results and helped them discover their unique style. By embracing the explorer’s mindset they experiment in a way where everything is allowed and create a body of work by describing their nightmares to each other. 

They generously share how their style gradually developed by not knowing how to do things “properly” and how they made a conscious decision to leave the imperfections and happy accidents in their work to give it a more organic feel. While collaborating they acknowledge each other’s strengths and try to involve each other throughout the whole process to create a cohesive result. 

Even though their work is mostly created in VR it can be transferred to many other mediums and be experienced by everyone as an animated video, a 3D print or traditional 2D image. But their activities are not only limited to making art — they also develop tools to solve specific problems within the sculpting or animation programs and share them with the growing VR and 3D sculpting community. 

It was that constant sharing of their personal work on Instagram that has caught the attention of potential clients who want be a part of their exciting experiences and set their mark in the VR space. To YONK, client work not only poses creative challenges, but also requires them to incorporate some planning and organizing into their process while still keeping it as intuitive and natural as possible. 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Adobe Medium

• Substance 3D Modeler (by Adobe)

• Joseph Melhuish

• Meta Quest Pro

• YONK & Friends (live stream)

• Christopher Rutledge

• Blender (open-source 3D & animation software)

• Step Motion on Blender Market

• WarpySTEP v1.2 for Blender (by Will Anderson)

• Grease Pencil Resources for Blender

• Geometry Nodes for Blender

• Dédouze

• Other 3D software: Cinema 4D, Houdini, ZBrush, Maya 

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FOLLOW YONK: 

Instagram: @yonk.online

Website: yonk.online

YouTube: YONK

TikTok: @yonk.online

Twitch: yonkonline

Threads: @yonk.online

Twitter: x.com/yonkonline

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.

Music by Amanda Deff. Assistance by Diana Lazaru. 

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This interview was recorded on May 5th, 2024, during the 20th annual Pictoplasma Conference at silent green in Berlin. Each spring, Pictoplasma transforms the city into an international meeting point for a diverse scene of artists and creatives, trailblazing the face of tomorrow’s visual culture. The central conference brings together 900 key players on a global scale and features 20+ lectures by forward-thinking creatives. The accompanying animation screenings showcase cutting edge short films, with most of the filmmakers present in Q&A rounds. The character lab offers hands-on workshops, immersive media demos, panels and networking.

Get your tickets for Pictoplasma Berlin 2025 (May 1st–4th).

Slovak illustrator Martina Paukova has come a long way from originally studying politics to completely switching gears and moving to London — studying at Camberwell College of Arts — to now settling in Berlin. On her path, she developed a distinct style marked by her trademark vector lines, bold color palettes and flat character-driven subject matters, allowing her to accumulate an impressive client list spanning from Google, Apple and The New York Times to IKEA, The Economist, Die Zeit, and many more. 

Starting out in the illustration world as a “late bloomer” in her mid 20s, Martina relied on three different ways to land her first clients: University connections, referrals from previous industry projects and competitions (a.k.a. self initiated work). 

She explains how one job led to another and how having a set of recurring clients can bring financial stability to one’s career, but can also lead to stagnation and hindering growth. As clients usually hire based on previous work to ensure a safe outcome, it is easy for artists to get stuck in the hamster wheel of repetition. 

Martina also points out the importance of not relying on a single way of finding clients (like an agent or referrals or one social media platform) and that as professional freelance illustrators we must be our own agency and find ways to motivate ourselves to grow both creatively and as a business. Even though life tends to get in the way and time for personal development is limited, Martina wants to keep experimenting — dabbling in 3D and textile illustration; maybe even knitting or sewing quilts — to keep herself and her clients excited for what’s to come. 

We are definitely excited about Martina’s path to becoming a professional illustrator, just as much as her useful industry insights and hilarious anecdotes like the one where she lost her Apple Pencil on the day of a deadline.

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Reps: Agent Pekka & Making Pictures

• Camberwell College of Arts

• Illustrator on the iPad 

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FOLLOW MARTINA: 

Instagram: @martinapaukova

Website: martinapaukova.com

LinkedIn: Martina Paukova

Twitter: x.com/martinapaukova

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.

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This interview was recorded on May 5th, 2024, during the 20th annual Pictoplasma Conference at silent green in Berlin. Each spring, Pictoplasma transforms the city into an international meeting point for a diverse scene of artists and creatives, trailblazing the face of tomorrow’s visual culture. The central conference brings together 900 key players on a global scale and features 20+ lectures by forward-thinking creatives. The accompanying animation screenings showcase cutting edge short films, with most of the filmmakers present in Q&A rounds. The character lab offers hands-on workshops, immersive media demos, panels and networking. 

Get your tickets for Pictoplasma Berlin 2025 (May 1st–4th).

Julia Rothman is an award-winning illustrator, pattern maker, NYT columnist and party motivator from New York. Her drawings appear on a variety of things, from newspapers and magazines to posters and billboards, wallpapers, bedding, towels, apparel, mugs and other merchandise. Julia has authored and illustrated over twelve books and has an illustrated column in the New York Times called “Scratch” about small businesses with big personalities. 

A lot of her projects were self-initiated. Julia just reaches out to people she wants to work with. She enjoys having a variety of projects at the same time and a lot of them are found by proactively pitching ideas. Many artists may not know this, she says, but she encourages everyone to just take a leap and contact prospective clients. You never know who might need your art. 

Julia likes to maintain a regular drawing practice. She always keeps a sketch pad around and can be found doodling most of the time. Sometimes she draws with friends and other times she just draws to stay busy. If she hasn’t drawn for a while, she feels a certain sense of discomfort. She regularly attends drawing nights, meets up with other artists and has co-founded Women Who Draw, an open directory of female* professional illustrators, artists and cartoonists. 

On this episode we dive deep into how Julia found her way into the illustration world, what teaching at RISD and SVA has taught her, the benefits of starting the year with a More/Less list, and why you shouldn’t be afraid of bad drawings. She even shares the backstory of how she became a professional party motivator. Such a fun and informative conversation with one of the most prolific illustrators of our time! 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Women Who Draw: an open directory of female professional illustrators

• Ladies Drawing Night: a female-only (trans-inclusive) drink and draw

• “Scratch”: Julia Rothman & Shaina Feinberg’s New York Times column

• The Anatomy Series: The Julia Rothman Collection

• “Every Body – An Honest and Open Look at Sex from Every Angle”, Julia Rothman & Shaina Feinberg

• Julia’s wallpapers at Hygge & West

• Skillshare course: “How to Make A Repeat Pattern with Julia Rothman”

• Purchase Julia’s books on Indiebound

• Matt Dorfman: art director of the NYT Book Review

• Lynda Barry’s “Making Comics”

• Vogue article about Julia’s More/Less lists 

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FOLLOW JULIA: 

Instagram: @juliarothman
Website: juliarothman.com
Twitter: x.com/juliarothman
Patreon: patreon.com/juliarothman

HIRE JULIA: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.

And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.

Music by Amanda Deff.

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Berlin Letters Festival: Come to our live interview with Ximena Jiménez on Sunday, July 7th, at ~1:15pm at silent green in Berlin! ✨ There are also various workshops available during Berlin Letters, even for non-ticket holders. You can find a workshop overview right here. 

Aliyah Salmon is a tactile artist based out of Brooklyn, NY. Her art explores the intricate crossroads of black femininity and the Afro-Caribbean diaspora in contemporary America. Through textiles and collage, her work challenges and reframes simplistic narratives surrounding Black identity. Using traditional textile methods like hand tufting with an Oxford punch needle and bead embroidery alongside modern materials and collage techniques, Aliyah embraces “slow craft” to construct dream-like compositions. 

On this episode, Aliyah talks about how she enjoys exploring techniques and materials through 3 different sketchbooks — writing notes, trying out colors with markers and sampling yarn. She loves the process and all the work that goes into making a composition and a piece look good. But more than anything she loves playing with color. 

In the digital age it’s important to Aliyah to feel a connection to her work. Understanding how to use your hands to make things, she says, is a skill that everyone should have. Because making stuff with your own two hands is a very grounding experience. 

Aliyah embraces pieces she sees as “bad work,” because to her they’re the foundation of the really good ones. No artist creates a hit every time they pick up a pencil. People tend to get discouraged too easily by perceived mistakes, but to Aliyah they’re a gateway to the good stuff. In a way she enjoys being frustrated and challenged, so she encourages everyone to keep making bad work. 

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FOLLOW ALIYAH: 

Instagram: @tyrabanks_official
Website: aliyahsalmon.com
TikTok: @aliyahsalmon

HIRE ALIYAH: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff.

Aaron Draplin is on the show this week, giving us a lesson in gratitude. His advice to listeners: “Be thankful as sh*t that you get to be a creative person.” Showing up and getting the job done builds confidence. Or at the very least, it gives you a better understanding of your own creative process. 

Aaron is the founder of DDC, Draplin Design Company. With his signature bold lines and colorful illustration style he’s worked for clients ranging from small indie bands to Nike, Patagonia, Target and USPS. When he’s not working from his backyard in Portland he’s out on the open road with his wife Leigh in their iconic orange van, giving talks and workshops about design, typography and illustration. 

On this episode Draplin shares some valuable lessons he’s learned after 20 years of freelancing. Don’t quit your job until you’re financially stable enough to take the leap. He says: “If you have a sucky job, do your sucky job and then get home and have fun. And it’ll tip at some point. Like it did for me.” 

He talks about his humble beginnings, growing up in Michigan, buying his first computer in Alaska in 1996, moving out West to work at Snowboarder Magazine, and ultimately ending up in Oregon and going freelance in 2004. His Midwestern roots and down-to-earth sensibility shine through in every facet of his career — all the way to his popular side venture, Field Notes memo books. 

Aaron generously shares advice on how to make your own stuff, the power of slowing down, giving back and helping other people. We even get to collectively geek out about Dinosaur Jr and he plays us an acoustic version of “Little Fury Things.” And then, towards the end, we go extra deep and talk about where we go when we die. Good times all-around, folks! Another episode of your favorite illustration podcast that’s jam-packed with lil nuggets of wisdom from one of the hardest-working individuals in graphic design. 

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FOLLOW AARON: 

Instagram: @draplin
Website: draplin.com
Field Notes: fieldnotesbrand.com
DDC Book: ddcbook.com
DDC Fonts: ddcfonts.com
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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

Cymone Wilder is a full-time Senior Art Director and lettering artist based in Nashville, TN. Since 2013 she has collaborated with clients like HBO Max, Nickelodeon, and Netflix, creating custom lettering artwork for established brands, books, apparel, and more. She is fiercely passionate about producing meaningful and long-lasting work, drawing inspiration from the black experience. 

On this episode, Cymone generously shares her wealth of knowledge with the P2D community. She just wants to show people: It’s not as hard as it seems. And she’s no longer bothered by copy cats, because they could never replicate the heart and soul that goes into her work. After all, we’re all individuals with different life experiences. 

Cymone also shares her perfectly imperfect painting process, why she began working on canvas and what tools she uses to create her personal projects. Whether she starts with a fully fleshed-out sketch or it turns into more of a trial-and-error approach, she always ends up making something she enjoys. Sometimes she uses sandpaper or a steel brush to add texture and other times she scrapes the wood with the metal ridge from a tape dispenser. With every painting, she says, the process has been different. 

Find out why Cymone uses her skill and voice for political messages, how she collaborates with her brother Cedric, and why you should never serve her soup as a main course on this brand-new episode of Paid 2 Draw. 

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MENTIONED LINKS: 

• Cedric Wilder (Cymone’s brother)
• co-loop (collaborative artist management agency)
• Vincent de Beur
• Hoodzpah sisters (Amy & Jen Hood)
• Eric Stefanski
• Netflix x Target: Stranger Things Product Video
• Ryan Appleton (Cymone’s agent) 

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FOLLOW CYMONE: 

Instagram: ⁠@simonandmoose⁠

Website: simonandmoose.com
Pinterest: simonandmoose
Agency Site: co-loop.co/cymone-wilder

HIRE CYMONE: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

Martina Galarza, aka Marte, is an Argentinian graphic designer and lettering artist based in New York. Inspired by cartoons, graffiti and psychedelia, she’s all about infusing fun and vibrancy into her designs—creating a perfect blend of nostalgia and contemporary cool. In this very personal conversation, Marte opens up about how she had to change her life to avoid burnout and made a point to enjoy weekends and vacations in order to be happy. 

Her favorite medium to design for is the poster. She loves how it interacts with the environment, how it changes it, fades and gets torn away. And how it can have an actual impact on an event’s turnout. Starting out by making gig posters for her friends’ bands, she now gets to create work for big-time artists like Paul McCartney, Arctic Monkeys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

Even though Adobe Illustrator is Marte’s go-to software, she always approaches every project by drawing with a pencil on paper. Because for her it’s important to be in touch with the material. On this episode Marte shares with us her entire process from rough sketch to finished artwork. 

Find out how to create striking posters, why nothing really matters and what rocks have to do with all of it on the latest episode of P2D! 

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SHOW NOTES: 

• Marte’s Domestika course: “Creative Poster Design for Events”
• YaniGuille&Co. (Yani Arabena & Guille Vizzari)
• Angela Kirkwood
• Fileteado Porteño (traditional Argentinian painting technique)
• Jim Parkinson
• Ken Barber & Andy Cruz (House Industries)
• Type@Cooper (post­graduate certificate programs in type design at Cooper Union)
• “Milton Glaser: POP”, by Steven Heller, Mirko Ilić & Beth Kleber
• TDC Ascenders Competition
• Young Guns 21 

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FOLLOW MARTE: 

Instagram: @marte_______
Behance: be.net/martevisual
Website: martevisual.com

HIRE MARTE: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

Florian Schommer is an art director and designer working within branding, illustration, editorial design, packaging and contemporary art. Dividing his time between personal projects and collaborating with international clients like Pepsi, Nike, Penguin, Sony Music, Columbia Records and The Guardian, Florian now lives and works in Berlin. 

Growing up in the skate and punk scene of the ‘90s, he later attended art college in Düsseldorf while constantly touring the world with a variety of bands. Doing design work for bands during his studies gave him a reason to show his work and make a name for himself. Florian shares how a break-through project for Jägermeister lead to him dropping out of grad school in Hamburg to pursue a full-time career as a freelance creative. 

He’s basically had a professional career before his career as an illustrator. Playing in touring bands back in the day has taught him how to navigate an independent creative business today. Art directing record covers and having a booking agent are very similar to working with an illustration agency. 

On this week’s episode, Florian also discusses the importance of talking about prices. Because somehow we were all tricked into believing that talking about money is rude. If you’re unsure about how to price a project, don’t be afraid to reach out to your colleagues. Talk to your peers and don’t let clients rip you off. 

Now go ahead and listen to this super inspiring conversation with Florian and tell all your illustration friends about it. We’re trying to build a community here! 

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SHOW NOTES: 

• Album art for “Joy Is The Only Treat” by Client
• Some Form (3D studio in Berlin-Kreuzberg)
• Kjosk (Florian’s old studio in Hamburg)

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FOLLOW FLORIAN: 

Instagram: @florian.schommer
Behance: be.net/schommer
Website: florianschommer.com

HIRE FLORIAN: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

Jurena Munõz Lagunas, aka Ju Mu, is a multi-faceted artist based in Berlin with Peruvian-Chilean roots. Born in Hannover, Germany, she studied Fashion Design in Palma de Mallorca where she developed a fascination for surreal creatures and monsters. The cult of shamanism and the connections between humanity, the spirit world and nature are perennial features of her work and serve as inspiration for her colorful masks, canvases and murals. 

Deeply impressed by the creative genius of indigenous communities, Ju Mu implements influences from diverse cultures and creates her very own surreal worlds through patterns, colors and whatever tools she can find. Those ancient tales have informed her profound love for storytelling and it’s apparent in all of her artwork — from costumes to sculptures.

Ju Mu is a creative powerhouse who never runs out of ideas. If she could, she would realize every spark of inspiration on her own. But art is a collaborative endeavor, so sometimes it’s best to work with people who know more about a certain technique than you do and to learn from them along the way. 

In recent years Ju Mu has started embracing the power of sowing seeds. Because in order for your creative career to stand the test of time you have to play the long game. Good work, she says, will always leave a lasting impact. 

You can hear all about Ju Mu’s process and inspiration in this inspiring interview with an incredibly unique artist. Thanks for listening! 

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FOLLOW JU MU: 

Instagram: @jumumonster
Website: jumumonster.vsble.me
Shop: jumumonster.bigcartel.com

HIRE JU MU: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff. 

Paid 2 Draw is back with an all-new season! On the first episode, we get to talk to Anna Rupprecht who is an artist and freelance illustrator based in Berlin. Her art reflects the current zeitgeist through clear contours and interesting image dynamics with diverse protagonists of her generation. Since going freelance after graduating from the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, she has worked with a wide range of international clients like Adidas, Apple, Netflix, the New Yorker, NY Times and Pinterest. 

Anna’s hyper-detailed work stands out with bright colors, unusual perspectives, political themes and bizarre fashion elements. But no matter what style you’re working in, she argues, what it all comes down to is a good idea. The most inspiring people for her are interdisciplinary artists who put their creativity first. 

Also, creatives should always make time for quiet contemplation. In order to come up with great ideas, Anna says, boredom is an integral part of the creative process. Sometimes you just need to sit around and do nothing. 

We talk about all this and so much more on the season premiere of Paid 2 Draw. From losing herself in the process of trying to fit in to phone-induced depression, the pressure of having to be online, using references and being the last true Heelys ambassador, Anna touched on every subject you could think of. Don’t miss this super inspiring chat we had with one of Berlin’s greatest! And then tell all your creative friends about it. 

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FOLLOW ANNA: 

Instagram: @annarupprecht_studio
TikTok: @annarupprecht_studio
Website: annarupprecht.com
Behance: be.net/annarupprecht

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HIRE ANNA: [email protected]

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If you liked this episode, please subscribe and leave a review.
And follow Paid 2 Draw on Instagram and TikTok. 

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Hosted by Vicky Cichoń and Dave Leutert.
Music by Amanda Deff.