No sooner than on the first day, Illustrative kicks off with a one-day conference on Friday, 16 October 2009. Under the title "How to be an illustrator?", the event presents the joys and sorrows, strategies and outlooks of being an illustrator on the top floor of Villa Elisabeth from 12 pm onwards.

In the first half, well-known publishers, festival producers and lecturers discuss different strategies of how to lead a successfull life as an illustrator, wether in design or in art. In the afternoon, different artist-designer-personalities present their current projects and give an insight in their working practice. Among them are Julius Wiedemann (Cambridge), Alex Goh (Singapore), Raban Ruddigkeit (Berlin), Fernanda Cohen (New York), James Pallister (London), Paul Burgess (Brighton), David Polonsky (Tel Aviv), Yokoland (Oslo), Christian Montenegro (Buenos Aires), Eike König (Berlin).

The conference is open to all visitors of Illustrative (no extra-charge).

Location: Villa Elisabeth, 2nd floor

starts at 12.00 pm

ends 7.45 pm

Technology in its broadest sense has become a central pillar of the changes in our lifestyle, from the way we move between two points, to the way we eat things. And it couldn’t be different with communication. However, the impact of the combination of both technology and forms of communication, will have a major impact on how we live in the future, specially because it is dramatically changing the way we can create relationships based on new

channels of information. To understand that, we need to look at how media has accumulated, and how technological advances have increased the flow of information from ourselves and to ourselves. We also need to look at this “learning period” as a great opportunity to demystify technology as dangerous or unattainable, but as something that can generate inclusion,

education, and a creation of a real new industry of digital information technology.

• Biography

After studying graphic design and marketing, Julius Wiedemann left his native Brazil for Japan, where he spent almost four years in Tokyo as an editor and art director for digital and design magazines. He subsequently joined TASCHEN in Cologne where, as editor-in-charge, he has been creating a number of titles on a wide range of subjects, from design to pop culture, including Digital Beauties and the popular Web Design and Advertising Now! series.

www.juliuswiedemann.com

Publishing your creative portfolio online opens the gateway to opportunities beyond personal expectations and geographical boundaries. Explore new channels and resources to escalate your creative exposure, discover the dynamics of new markets and possibilities, and prepare for the unexpected.

• Biography

Alex Goh founded TAXI: The Global Creative Network in 2003 and directs strategic partnerships with TAXI's organizational partners, actively represents advertising awards across the globe, and produces design events and creative initiatives in North America, Europe, and Asia. Before TAXI, Alex started as freelance designer in 1998, and served professional creative roles in advertising and media agencies.

www.designtaxi.com

The ‘renaissance’ of illustration has meant that there are more and more well-trained artists nowadays. However, employers and illustrators often seem to be in each others way, there are a lot of misunderstandings and the downward spiral, that affects the creative industries at the moment, also affects illustrators. What possibilities are there for illustrators to make their job more attractive and more respectable, what does it mean to be a designer as well as an author, and what bridges need to be built to bring together people and images. The Website www.freistil-online.de tries to find answers to those questions, tries to establish important ties and further promotes the important discussion about illustration.

• Biography

Raban Ruddigkeit, born 1968 in Leipzig, works as a designer and author in Berlin. For 10 years he has been publishing the annual illustration magazine ‘Freistil’, he curates the rubric ‘Fontnames illustrated’ in SLANTED and gives talks about those topics. In October he will launch www.freistil-online.de, the first independent and comprehensive German illustration website. He is a member of ADC for Germany and of Create Berlin.

www.freistil-online.de

Fernanda Cohen will talk about juggling a successful career as an illustrator, along with running and giving conferences, lectures, workshops, writing for art magazines, academic teaching and fine arts. She will also discuss how to be a likable networker, a memorable interviewee, and a grateful job-getter in a competitive market where there is always someone younger, newer and better.

• Biography

Fernanda Cohen grew up in Buenos Aires, and moved to New York City in 2000 to study illustration at the School of Visual Arts. Her work has received over 50 awards worldwide and she is a faculty member of the School of Visual Arts; she’s on the advisory board of 3x3 Magazine, the vice president of ICON6 (The Illustration Conference), and the coordinator of a lecture series at the Society of Illustrators of New York.

www.fernandacohen.com

A look at six years in illustration through the eyes of the short history of MEAT Magazine and the independent magazine sector: In his speech James Pallister highlights the following points: When MEAT set up, there was very little illustration used in editorial design and campaigns, now a lot - The group of independent magazines from the UK who relied on free contributions from young illustrators and their success in launching careers - MEAT is changing relationships: from submissions to commissions - How MEAT spot talents - Power relations in flux: Who is better off, the illustrator or the independent magazine publisher? Probably the illustrator...

James Pallister will show lots of visuals from Meat and other independent magazines.

• Biography

James Pallister is the publisher of MEAT Magazine, writes for "Grafik", "Creative Review" and "Kilmajor Magazine", and is Senior editor at the "Architects' Journal".

What makes a good illustrator today?  We should be agents of change, learn to question things and never be boring. Let us try and find something we believe in, other than fashion, style, decoration and butterflies. Have a voice. Embrace imperfection, making mistakes, move away from the computer and don't accept no as an answer. Illustration is often perceived as being crafty, old-fashioned and twee. What it should be is exciting, questioning, contemporary and relevant.

Let's move on up.

• Biography

Paul Burgess, a graduate of the Camberwell School of Art and the Royal College of Art, is a freelance illustrator, designer, photographer, artist and educator, who lives and works in Brighton. He is Acting Subject Leader in Graphic Design and Illustration at the University of Brighton, has been on the judging panel for ‘Images’ / Association of Illustrators in 2001 and 2005 and is the author of the book ‘Satellite: Sex Pistols Graphic Design and Memorabilia’.

www.mrpaulburgess.com

A visual presentation of the work process on this award winning animated documentary feature film: design and art direction decisions, drawing someone else's memory, explanation of the unique animation technique and demonstration of the different stages of producing animation.

• Biography

David Polonsky graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, in 1998. His illustrations appeared in most of Israel's leading newspapers and magazines and he was the art director and lead artist for Waltz with Bashir, an animated documentary feature about the 1982 Lebanon War.

Polonsky teaches animation and illustration at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design and at the Shenkar School of Design.

www.dpolonsky.com

Yokoland is a Norwegian design studio. In his lecture, founding member Aslak Gurholt Rønsen will talk about the many hidden references and remixes in the studio's projects. What originally started out as ridiculous ideas done for the designer's own amusement, has later become an important and profound part of the studio's output. Through the years the studio has done several remixes of both other designers and artist works, as well as remixing their own projects. The lecture will focus on the background of these projects.

• Biography
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Between 2001 und 2005 Aslak Gurholt Rønsen studied at the Central St. Martins College of Art & Design and  at the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo. Together with Espen Friberg he founded the Design Studio Yokoland which is located in Oslo.

www.yokoland.com

Christian Montenegro is talking about his roots and his development from Comics to illustration through graphic design. He will also discuss his interest in the history of art and how all these influences bring about his current style.

• Biography

Christian Montenegro was born in 1972 in Argentina. He has studied illustration with comic artist Alberto Breccia and has taught morphology at the Graphic Design department of the University of Buenos Aires. Today he illustrates for several publications, advertisements and many other things.

www.christianmontenegro.com.ar

HORT began its inhabitance back in 1994, under the previous stage name of EIKES GRAFISCHER HORT. Who the hell is Eike? Eike is the creator of HORT. HORT - a direct translation of the studio's mission. A creative playground. A place where 'work and play' can be said in the same sentence. An unconventional working environment. Once a household name in the music industry. Now, a multi-disciplinary creative hub. Not  just a studio space, but an institution devoted to making ideas come to life. A place to learn, a place to grow, and a place that is still growing. Not a client execution tool. HORT has been known to draw

inspiration from things other than design.

• Biography

Eike König founded HORT in 1994 in Frankfurt under the name EIKES GRAFISCHER HORT. Before HORT, Eike worked as an art director at Logic Records. 2007 HORT moved from Frankfurt to Berlin Kreuzberg. Apart from HORT, Eike also teaches at Universities.

www.hort.org.uk