Utne Reader Illustrated: Juan Carlos Solon

By  by Stephanie Glaros
Published on January 27, 2011
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In this continuing series, Utne Reader Art Director Stephanie Glaros explains the
process behind an
Utne Reader
illustration.

When I thought about illustrating “The Dow of Tweet,” an
article about how the general mood of people on Twitter can predict what
happens with the stock market, I wanted to go with a fun, whimsical approach. I
contacted Juan Carlos Solon because I thought his concepts were smart, his
characters were cute, and I liked his color palette. He submitted some great
sketches (below), any of which would have done the job, but I loved the animal-centric
second option. The final (above) shows the stock market bull being carried away
by Twitter birds, and is just as fun as I was hoping it would be.

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.

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