Noah Klocek is an Art Director at Pixar Animation Studios by day, and a picture book creator by night.
On today’s episode, we learn about the ups and downs in creating his gorgeous picture book Cloud Country.
We also discuss how he incorporates his children’s art into his own, and how he makes every moment count…
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Awesome Links:
Connect with Shawna on Twitter
The Making of Cloud Country Video Part 1
The Making of Cloud Country Video Part 2
The Making of Cloud Country Video Part 3
Cloud Country on Amazon (Shawna’s Amazon Affiliate Link)
Music by Ryan Keith and Wes Cepin
What Do You Think?
Noah talked about the long, long journey towards finishing Cloud Country. He made several versions over many years and had to start over numerous times.
Have you ever worked on a personal project that you had to fight through for a long time… and maybe even had to restart?
Was it worth the struggle? What did you learn in the process?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Thanks so much for sharing! I look forward to every new episode. Such great insight for prospective illustrators/authors/creatives! 🙂
Thanks for listening Kathryn! Thank you so much for your encouragement and support!
I never really thought about how writing and illustration are similar in many ways. That is a thought that will help me as I keep trying to figure out this writing thing.
To answer your question, I have a couple stories that I have been working on, on and off, for years. They are slowly improving and I do hope to get a publisher to accept them one of these days. Here’s hoping…
I really believe that anyone who illustrates for kids has to appreciate the imagination and creativity of kids. We’re having our first in a few months, and I really look forward to that inspiration for my work.
Hi SarahLuAnn,
The revelation that writing and drawing are really very interconnected has been so liberating to me. It’s all storytelling, and realizing that is really empowering!
Keep at those stories of yours. Don’t ever give up!
That’s wonderful that you will soon have a little one of your own! Kids really are inspirational. I love their endless sense of wonder!
Shawnaaaa!
THIS IS SO GREAT. I took a plethora of fantastic notes! It is so inspiring to hear that you never really ‘arrive’ as an artist. You just get better. I have to make that a sign and put it in my studio. Thanks for an amazing podcast!
To answer the question about whether I’ve had to restart on a project, yes I most definitely have. I have a long format comic that I’ve started and restarted at least four times. It’s hard because I just don’t think I’m to the level of art that I want to be at yet. Part of the struggle is the belief that I can do it. It’s discouraging to draw and have things not turn out the way I want, but it’s also encouraging to keep pushing forward and looking back to see how far I’ve come.
What I’ve done is filled my plate with other projects, like The Godpony and Miss Ewe, and my upcoming short comic, The Unicorn in the Water. I want to get better. Doing smaller projects first is really helping me learn what needs to be done in order to complete a big project.
Thanks guys! Great comments!
Hi Britny! Thanks for listening! I’m so glad you found inspiration in the episode. Wasn’t Noah fantastic?! His interview was so heartfelt!
Thank you for sharing your experiences about starting over many times and how doing smaller projects is helping improve your skill and helping you work towards your bigger goal. Keep working at it. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll come up with in your future. I’m really enjoying all the things you are doing with Godpony and Miss Ewe!
What a super interview!!! Noah is SUCH a nice person. I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with him at CTNX – we even swapped books! It was so wonderful to hear about the struggle side of his process. I had wondered about it since I saw his three process videos.
I’ve been struggling to learn to write since my early days … as long as I’ve been struggling to draw. My writing process is sort of a loose struggle from the beginning of any story. After a few years work on my current story, for example, I have only the main character’s nailed down, the theme fleshed out, a flexible outline, and I’m continuing as always to play with these ingredients in my imagination’s sandbox.
Sometimes I completely pull ideas out, sometimes I throw new things in … all based on the theme of course. But I think story craft is much less linear plotting than it is improvisational exploration!
Super podcast, Shawna. You’re doing a fantastic job so far.
Thank you so much, Scott, for your awesome encouragement! Noah really is such a kind wonderful person. I really felt privileged to talk with him.
Thanks for sharing a little bit about your journey. Keep at it! You’re an amazing writer and artist. I can’t wait to see all the amazing projects you will make!
Shawna and Noah,
I loved this interview so much! Playing the long game; not giving up when you have to change your idea so many times; the symbiosis of writing and art in visual storytelling; it was all so good! It was also encouraging to hear how Noah and his wife balance their art and their family life (and still make time to spend with each other!) My husband and I haven’t decided if we’re going to have kids yet, but hearing about other people who find ways to pursue art and personal projects while still being good parents and spouses always gives me hope.
And I remember loving The Ox Cart Man growing up! ^_^
To answer the question, most of my personal project ideas are long term things. At the moment, the bulk of them are in the nebulous, way outside my skill set phase. Even the picture book project I’m working on now has gone through many transformations to get to this stage, and I suspect that it will continue to change. And I totally agree with Britny, working on small scale projects has been tremendously helpful for me. I learn so much in the process and I can actually get them finished!
Can’t wait for the next episode! Keep up the awesome work! ^_^
Hi Bethany,
Thanks for listening and for your great comments! I agree! Noah is not only inspirational to all of us because he is focused, but he is also such an awesome example of having a balanced life. I love how family is so important to him.
Thanks for sharing your experience in pursuing your projects. Keep at them and keep setting goals. When you are able to finish something it’s so fulfilling! I really like the idea of smaller projects too. The great thing is, when you do those smaller projects and finish them, you can really look back and see where you were and how far you have come.
Beautiful podcast guys! Thank you for sharing!
Every time I get an email from you announcing a podcast from Stories Unbound my eyes light up!! Keep’em coming!!
Thank you so much, Stathis! Thank you for cheering me on! Your encouragement is what keeps me going. Thanks for listening!
What a nice surprise. I went to sjsu with Noah and its great to see him successful. I’m rebuilding a portfolio to hopefully somehow get in the industry and after hundreds of sketches I’m just starting to find good compositions. Of course the goal is to have great compositions. I must enjoy it though if I’m willing to constantly start over again.
Hi Dominic, Thanks for your comments! That’s way cool that you and Noah went to school together! It sounds like you’re working hard, and that hard work will definitely find you a place in the industry. Keep climbing that mountain!
I really enjoyed the interview with Noah. I listened and took lots of notes this morning before going to my (non art related) day job and found myself thinking about some of the stuff Noah talked about.
There are a few projects that I have been working and struggling with. After hearing this interview I was inspired to jump back into them. I also liked the comment about writing and drawing being similar, this has given me a new perspective on my approach. Thank you for doing this podcast and I look forward to the future episodes.
Hi Mark, Thanks so much for listening and for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m so glad this interview has fueled a fire for you. It did for me too. Ever since I interviewed Noah, I’ve tried to carve out just a little time every day to get back to my personal projects. I’m glad this interview has inspired you to get back to some projects you are working on too!
Cloud Country is a lovely book and my nephews Christmas present!!! I also own Noah’s The Slumber Sketchbook, just beautiful artwork.
Great podcast Shawna!! I feel very inspired after listening and ready for a weekend of personal art. I loved when Noah was talking about scheduling time for art. I personally must have a schedule to lock down time to complete personal art. The more I schedule the more I can fit into a week, it’s like having a rhythm, and I find if I have an allocated time I must produce art. If I wait for inspiration to hit me, I might never get something done!
And in regards to restarting projects, many many time have I done this and every-time the piece is always better for it! Also sometimes I re-paint an older piece, I find it can show you how far your art skills have improved in that time. I look forward to the next podcast!
Hey Tegan! Thanks for stopping by!
This interview got me to start carving out time for my personal projects as well. Noah is an inspiration!
Schedule. Yes! I need to stick to my scheduled worked times better. I get so much more done when I do. Good luck on your scheduling endeavors as well.
Thanks for sharing your experiences about starting over on projects. I think a lot of people are afraid to do this. But I think the more seasoned you become as an illustrator, the more you see that starting over can actually be really valuable. As long as your not just starting something over and over and never finishing it of course. That’s awesome that you’ve had that courage and discipline to start over and that you have seen better artwork as a result.
What a great interview! Noah’s artwork is so beautiful and inspiring.
His persistence is also very inspiring. Noah mentioned that he needs to create systems for himself to him working on his own projects. I have been creating my own systems to keep me motivated and moving forward. There are so many frustrations and roadblocks that can shut me down mentally and stop me from creating so I think it is important that I create steps and processes to keep me pushing through the difficulties.
Thanks again Shawna. You are doing a great job!
What a wonderful interview! It was so interesting to hear all the hardships that he had to redo the book 5 or 6 times before getting published and all the wonderful influences with his children.
Listening to the interview with Noah was very interesting. I could sort of understand when he said he ‘kept thinking he would arrive as an artist at some point and just my day job would take care of all of that,’ because I used to think it would all fall into place on what artists I needed to be too. But now I know that it won’t happen if I just sit and do nothing and instead I need to make great art and push myself to improve and promote myself if I want to grow into the artist I want to be. Which I am still trying to understand how to do.
That was smart to hear how he uses a particular size of sketchbook to help him make ideas and sketches without feeling overwhelmed about how to fill the page. I couldn’t help but smile when he said his art looks ‘awful the first time around,’ as I feel like that a lot too whenever I first start something and my super critical side of my brain kicks in and seems to find fault in everything I see!
I like how Noah says that it’s important to ‘really take an art form for children seriously’ because I agree that is what makes children’s books a great read and draw for the audience and the beautiful art that artist really put their heart into is what really drew me to want to be a children’s book artist too. I could sympathize with you Shawna and Noah when you said writing a children’s book is hard, I haven’t written one myself but from what Noah says and what I’ve read about the struggles of other writers to get their stories published I feel I can somewhat understand.
That was such good observations Noah made when he said ‘to make it meaningful is really hard,’ and also ‘packaging it up so that it’s beautiful, succinct and yet appropriate for the age group is really, really difficult.’
It was very encouraging when Noah says ‘he can’t give up’ and ‘I just have to keep plodding ahead.’ Having this attitude is so essential to help you keep going and after all the revisions Noah had to do for Cloud Country seeing how he uses his positive attitude is a great example of how this helps artists pull through rejections or setbacks.
I can relate Shawna, to the feeling you mentioned that ‘it was such a revelation to me the day I realized that illustrating is storytelling.’ When I finally realized this I was happily surprised thinking ‘ohh no wonder I like the idea of a career in illustration!’ Because as an artist, telling stories with pictures is challenging but fun especially when you are able to get the drawing(s) to show the emotions you want.
Wow, very inspiring interview with Noah Klocek. I found his comments about struggling
as a children’s book illustrator inspiring. He talks about the struggle and how easy it is to
give in and quit but if you really believe in yourself, you will become a different person
and your work will improve. Amazing interview.
Such an inspiring show. It’s helpful to know what a long, arduous process this very talented illustrator went through to get his picture book published. Thanks, Shawna and Noah!
Picked up a copy of the Children’s picture book, “Cloud Country”, Noah Klocek creates a wonderful sense of place and a beautiful world. I love the organic paintings and really enjoyed the story with my kids. It’s great to hear his insights on creativity and working on personal projects beyond his own creative day-job.
Oh my goodness, yes! Cloud Country is a gorgeous book!! I can’t wait to see the amazing things Noah comes up with next!