Issue #8: The Home Issue

This very dear issue, which features uber talented kid-lit superstars Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy, children’s book pros Nikki McClure and Melissa Sweet, fave musician Andrew Bird and talented designer Katherine Tsina Bird, is all about the subject most dear to our hearts: Home. This issue is also the last one curated by our founding editor, Joanne Chan, as she passes the torch to McSweeney’s (!!!), so you’ll find plenty of extra special love and care pored into it.

The Home Issue showcases all your favorite series like Literary Giants by DocuComix and A Brief History of Color (starring Prussian Blue) by Alexis Joseph and Lindsay Stripling, as well as some timeless original illustrated stories like the non-fiction piece “Beyond the Blueprint: Artists Who Reinvented Home” by Claire Astrow and the first in Lindsay Stripling’s Lore, Myth, Legend series.

If you’re already familiar with Illustoria, you’ll know that we find homes in stories and pictures that sometimes leave us feeling warm and cozy and familiar, and other times take us to extraordinary places beyond our wildest imaginations. Some of our favorite artists and writers contribute to this issue in the form of interviews, original stories, art, and activities to share their unique and extraordinary interpretations on what “home” means to them. You’ll find that there are many ways to define and conjure up the feelings of home, and you’ll also find plenty of opportunities within these pages to partake in sharing what home means to you.

We hope you will consider bringing The Home Issue into your very own home!

“Shelter,” by Jamie Bennett

Excerpt from our interview with New York Times bestselling artists and writers Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy

“Fairytale Homes,” by Docu-Comix, whose Literary Giants and Their Pets is also found in this issue

“How Do You Say Home?,” by Rosie Brand

Excerpt from our interview with award-winning picture book artist and writer Melissa Sweet

“A Brief History of Prussian Blue,” one of our readers’-favorite series by Alexis Joseph (Case for Making) and Lindsay Stripling

“Beyond the Blueprint: Artists Who Reinvented the Possibilites of Home,” by Claire Astrow

Our “Q & Artist” series features beloved artist and textile designer Hillery Sproatt

Excerpt from our interview with quirky and hyper-talented cut paper artist Nikki McClure

A million thanks to our sponsor Sakura of America for their continued support of Illustoria, and for the partnership support of Case for Making!

Issue 8 Home Contributors include:

Cover Art by Carson Ellis
Carson Ellis & Colin Meloy
Nikki McClure
Melissa Sweet
Andrew Bird & Katherine Tsina Bird
A Brief History of Prussian Blue by Alexis Joseph and Lindsay Stripling
Beyond the Blueprint by Claire Astrow
Literary Giants and Their Pets by Docu-Comix
Q & Artist with Hillery Sproatt
DIY Basket Weaving
Fairytale Homes
DIY Peg Dolls
Legends, Myths, Lore by Lindsay Stripling
DIY Cardboard Furniture
Art & comics by….
Shelley Couvillion
Jesse Zhang 
Diana Schoenbrun
Anne Pomel
Jamie Bennett 
Rosie Brand 
Nigel Sussman 
Chelsea Larsson
Eline Veldhuisen 
Nelleke Verhoeff 
Drew Lytle
Jenna Lechner
Vaughn Parish

Announcing #5: THE MOTION ISSUE

Cover art by Yuliya Gwilym

We are thrilled to present issue #5 of ILLUSTORIA, The Motion Issue. This issue is currently at the printer and will be delivered in the coming weeks so be on the lookout! 

Color proofs of The Motion Issue

The Motion issue is bursting with invigorating stories and comics that will get your brain humming and your feet gearing up for action. We asked writers, artists, and makers to explore motion in all different forms, and the result is a meditation in movement in the form of sea creatures at the aquarium, the gallop of horses, journeys into space and fantastical worlds, the capturing of motion through art and photography, and even the progressive, forward-movement of trailblazers and activists. 

Start off the school year inspired and energized through interviews with writer/activist Kate Schatz and visionary artist Miriam Klein Stahl of the bestseller Rad Women Wordwide.

A spread from our interview with rad women Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl of Rad Women Worldwide and Rad American Women A-Z

Learn how to make your own Victorian-era animated thaumatrope with a DIY activity by our creative director, Elizabeth Haidle.

DIY Victorian-era thaumatrope activity

Become a color detective when you read a brief history of vermilion by pigment and watercolor expert Alexis Joseph of Case for Making and master watercolorist Lindsay Stripling.

A Brief History of Vermilion by Alexis Joseph and Lindsay Victoria Lee, for issue #5: Motion

Fall in love with heroes of art history through eye-opening comics on Eadweard Muybridge, Madeline L'Engle, and Henri Matisse, and enjoy so much more in the form of comics, illustrated stories, book recommendations, a playlist and recipe, coloring pages, and activities.

Photographing Motion: Eadweard Muybridge, by Marlowe Dobbe for issue #5: Motion

 Spread from Literary Giants as Kids: Madeleine L'Engle, by Elizabeth Haidle for issue #5: Motion

So get moving and pre-order your copy of The Motion Issue on our shop page or at your local favorite shop, newsstand, or bookstore! 

THE CANVAS ISSUE is IN

We are so thrilled to announce that Issue 2 has arrived and is getting ready to ship to our dear readers! (Stockists: Please contact us to place your order!) The Canvas Issue is overflowing with vibrant, gorgeous art by some of our favorite artists and writers. From the awesome cover art and interview feature with Press Here author Hervé Tullet to a Q&A with Tony DiTerlizzi of The Spiderwick Chronicles and The Search for WondLa series, a biographical story on Martha Graham by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Marlowe Dobbe, a comic on Georgia O'Keeffe by Todd Webb, a non-fiction piece, "Beyond the Canvas," by our very own Elizabeth Haidle of Docu-Comix featuring artists Lee Bontecou, Frank Stella, Diego Rivera, Louise Bourgeois, and Christo & Jeanne-Claude and so so much more.... It's an embarrassment of riches to be sure!

Here are a few pages from the packed 64-page issue.... Please enjoy! : )

Excerpt from "Beyond the Canvas: Artists Who Reinvented the Rectangle" by Elizabeth Haidle

Excerpt from "Mix, Splash, Muddle" by Julia Breckenreid

DIY twig mobile by our very own Claire Astrow!

Excerpt from our interview with Tony DiTerlizzi

Excerpt from "Georgia In the Desert" by Todd Webb, a comic that draws from O'Keeffe's own writing.

Purchase your copy here or ask for issue 2 at your fave local bookstore. xox