FTG 0038 – Illustrating the Artist’s Path with Artist and Entrepreneur Don Aguillo ’07

Overview:

Don Aguillo ’07 A&A is a freelance illustrator and comic creator based in San Francisco, California. He has over fifteen years of experience in comics, tabletop games, and working fulltime in his area of passion as both an artist and entrepreneur. Don shares his experiences as a first-generation American at Penn State, life as a Resident Assistant on campus and also studying (and drawing) abroad. Don explains the ins and outs of being a fulltime artist and how he self-promotes, enhances his skills, and evolves his style, and manages the business side of this career path in addition to promoting education of his Filipino heritage. You can read a full breakdown of topics below.

Guest Bio:

Don Aguillo ’07 Arts & Architecture is a freelance illustrator and comic creator in San Francisco, California where he illustrates covers for McFarlane Productions' Spawn series published by Image Comics, produces their own ongoing comic series, Rise, with Scout Comics, and work on other projects such as Adi Shankar's Netflix series Guardians of Justice and a host of commissions and freelance projects across the entertainment industry and independent publishing communities. Before this, he has worked for Stan Lee's company in concept work for one of his later projects, tabletop gaming projects, card games, book covers and art asset design work in all these fields. He earned a BFA with Honors from Penn State’s College of Arts & Architecture in 2007. Please feel free to connect with them or follow them @artofdonaguillo across all social media platforms to explore commissions or have him speak about his work.

Episode Topics:

· Choosing Penn State after growing up as an immigrant within earshot of Beaver Stadium

· Finding a passion – like drawing – in an elective/general education course as a STEM student

· Informing parents & family about changing your major – especially away from a familial path

· Being a Schreyer Scholar in the creative arts including the thesis process for a fine arts major

· Finding family, leadership education, and lifelong interests on campus through clubs like the Penn State Filipino Association and martial arts groups

· Living and working as a Resident Assistant (RA) while also being a Scholar and as a “townie”

· Using study abroad as an opportunity to test yourself and develop a vision for your future career

· Jumping at opportunities when they are presented – like being hired to an animation studio

· Determining that freelance work is the right path for you in the arts or other professions, and using each job to enhance your skills, the benefits, and challenges of this career style

· Developing and defining your personal artwork aesthetic

· Working in comics, board games, film & television, and getting paid for your work and worth

· New school technology for drawing

· Other industries where an art degrees can are useful – and the hard and soft skills that go with them for successful professionals

· Navigating artist job interviews vs. traditional interviews

· Balancing primary and secondary skill sets or media x and thoughts on overcoming creative blocks

· Showcasing work at signature industry events like San Diego Comic Con and Seattle Comic Con 

· The importance of feedback for continued learning and development as well as relationship building

· The relationship between visual, performing, and martial arts and learning culture through all three

· The importance of knowing the foundations above all else in art

· Writing, illustrating, and self-publishing your own graphic novel/comic book

· Aligning your paid work with your values and being okay with turning down opportunities

· Mentorship as an artist