We’re going to switch it up with our weekly series of spotlights and talk to the man who has graced us with the lovely illustrations that have re-branded our community. Dino Henderson is the creative genius behind the new YBP Guide icons and is also the featured artist in the main sidebar on the homepage. I got a chance to ask him a few questions in email to dive into his mind and artistic world.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into illustration
My name is Dino Henderson and I’m a freelance/stock image illustrator and a product designer in Arkansas. In my free time I love to sketch, discuss culture, study and discuss Biblical apologetics and doctrine and research obscure historical facts.
I was introduced to illustration at a young age. My uncle is a sports illustrator doing freelance work for Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and many college athletic programs. After he had helped to hone my art skills, he would pass me some of his excess work. That was my training ground.
What was the inspiration behind some of the Black cartoons, i.e. the ones used on YBPGuide?
Overall, the inspiration for all of the images in the Truth & Vector series come from a desire to combat the stereotypes and perceptions about race that are so pervasive in our society.
The YBP Guide mascot really captures the heart of what this series is about. What better way to condemn the old watermelon and chicken sambo than to show a well dressed, intelligent and socially aware black youth in staunch rejection? Victory is sweeter than any watermelon and deeper than any fried chicken.
What kind of advice would you give to others looking to get into Illustration? Any specific tools or websites?
If your serious about making illustration into a career, I would suggest first contacting several illustrators and asking them what their work day is like. Ask them what to expect in respects to the market, pay, clients and hours per week.
If you feel illustration is still for you, I’d definitely encourage some post-secondary education. Art institutes are great if you can afford them, but don’t feel you have to dish out 40K/yr to get some good instruction. I went to 2 1/2 yrs of technical college myself to be equipped to do what I’m doing now. There I learned Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, the latter of which I use to create all of my images on iStockphoto. If you are already proficient in these programs, you may think about sending your work to a stockhouse like Getty Images or iStockphoto. These websites will display your work and you will receive royalties for every image purchased.
Is there any long-term goal or idea behind your work? What would be an ideal scenario?
In the mean time I really hope to continue expanding the themes and styles that I’ve already established on iStockphoto while continuing to find new subject matter and styles in which to execute them. As far as long term, I hope to post up my personal website apart from iStockphoto which will advertise me as a freelance illustrator for hire. I’ve been doing freelance jobs here and there, but have stayed so busy with stock work that I haven’t made enough time to properly advertise my interest in freelance. If all goes as planned my personal site, iscreamcreative.com, will drop by early fall ‘09.
If you’re interested in having your work (illustrations, photography, sculpture, print art) shared as a feature of the YBP Artist series, contact us!
