In this continuing series, Utne Reader Art Director Stephanie Glaros explains the
process behind an Utne Reader
illustration.
When I thought about which artist I’d ask to illustrate the
article “Diplomacy in a Lab Coat,” I immediately thought of James Yang. The
story is about scientists acting as diplomats, and Yang is adept at tackling scientific
subject matter without feeling cold or clinical. He sent me some great sketches
(below), and I chose the one on the top right with one request: add more flags
so that it doesn’t look like the story is only about the United States and
North Korea. He did, and I was very happy with the results.
Since its inception in 1984, Utne Reader has relied on talented artists to create original
images for stories that express powerful emotions, brilliant new ideas, and
humorous storytelling. Browsing through back issues of Utne Reader is like a tour of “Who’s Who”
in the illustration world. Artists like Gary Baseman, Brad Holland, Anita Kunz,
Bill Plympton, and Seymour Chwast have graced our pages over the years, to name
just a few.
