The Typecast

Welcome to The Typecast, a podcast hosted by Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo of Goodtype. Listen as we geek out over anchor points, our favorite typefaces, and how to grow an art business. For more of this duo, follow us on Instagram @goodtype.

SAYING WORDS ABOUT DRAWING WORDS

We’re two self-employed lettering artists who met by sliding into each other’s DM’s.

Now…we’re sliding into your headphones.

About


Dear hand letterers, designers, and artists of all sorts—despite what your grandma thinks, we know there’s a whole lot more to what you do than just “drawing pretty pictures.” This podcast, hosted by Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo of Goodtype, is about what it *really* means to be a working creative. From finding clients to pricing your work and nerding the heck out about kerning, we’re covering everything that goes into building a successful and sustainable business around your passion.


And we’re not just doing it alone! We’ll be tapping some of your current (and soon-to-be) favorite artists for inspiration, insight, and laughs. We’re big on giving takeaways that you can actually put into action, and we’re even bigger on having a good time while we do it. Tune into the Typecast twice a month for a tittle-ating time (yep, we’re gonna type-pun your face off), and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review so we can show our moms how famous we are!

Want to be on an episode of The Typecast?

We’re always looking for guests who want to help our audience of artists grow their creative careers (while sharing a few laughs, of course). Submit yourself, a friend, or a topic you want us to cover on an upcoming episode!

Want to get your brand in front of our listeners?

We’re focused on creating long-term partnerships that go beyond a quick feature during an ad break. We’re looking for brands that will stick with us, form deep relationships with our community, and help our artists take real, actionable steps towards their goals.

Because our partnership philosophy is different, our sponsor opportunities look different as well, including touch-points across all of Goodtype’s content. Interested in talking about what a partnership with us could look like? We’d love to chat.

Team Dklutr Team Dklutr

The Ups and Downs Of Art Licensing: Real Talk with Elizabeth Silver | The Typecast Episode 25

In this episode, Ilana and Elizabeth dive into their experiences in the surface pattern design and art licensing industry. Elizabeth shares her journey from working as an in-house designer to freelancing and licensing her artwork. They discuss the misconceptions about art licensing, and the importance of balancing multiple income streams and the challenges of managing time and energy.

In this episode, Ilana and Elizabeth dive into their experiences in the surface pattern design and art licensing industry. Elizabeth shares her journey from working as an in-house designer to freelancing and licensing her artwork. They discuss the misconceptions about art licensing, the importance of balancing multiple income streams, and the challenges of managing time and energy. 

The conversation extends to exploring the advantages and difficulties associated with engaging an agent in the art licensing field. Elizabeth and Ilana also provide insights into the multifaceted nature of being a creative entrepreneur.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

  • Art licensing is not a get-rich-quick scheme and requires patience and persistence

  • Balancing multiple income streams can be challenging and requires focus and prioritization

  • Developing a consistent style and voice in your work helps clients and agents understand what to expect from you

  • Imposter syndrome is common, but it's important to recognize your skills and experience

  • The importance of knowing your definition of success and creating a work-life balance that aligns with your goals

  • Being your own best boss means setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and finding joy in your work

  • Teaching and sharing your expertise is a valuable way to connect with others and contribute to the creative community

  • Having confidence in your art and understanding the needs of art buyers can help you succeed in the industry

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

Connect with our guest:

Website: Elizabeth Silver

Instagram: @esilverdesign

Youtube: Elizabeth Silver

Mentioned in this episode:

Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!

Grab your tea, coffee, or drink of choice, kick back, and let's get down to business!

Read More
Team Dklutr Team Dklutr

How Successful Artist Makes a Full-Time Income from Art Licensing with Erin MacManness | The Typecast Episode 18

In this episode, Katie and Ilana engage in a conversation with Erin McManness, the creative force behind Paper Raven Co.—a brand renowned for its distinctive blend of stationery and home deco featuring hand lettering and florals as its trademarks. Established in 2015, Paper Raven has thrived for almost a decade!

In this episode, Katie and Ilana engage in a conversation with Erin McManness, the creative force behind Paper Raven Co.—a brand renowned for its distinctive blend of stationery and home deco featuring hand lettering and florals as its trademarks. Established in 2015, Paper Raven has thrived for almost a decade!

Erin shares how she transitioned from aspiring to be in musical theater to discovering her true passion in art and pursuing a surface design major. She also touches on the pivotal role of licensing in her income strategy, the significance of realistic business boundaries and the art of infusing uniqueness into creations for client attraction. Erin has written two books “Art Starts with a Line" and "Art Starts in the Heart" and her story offers impactful lessons for creative entrepreneurs.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

  • How Erin discovers her passion for art from a musical major background

  • The benefits of obtaining a graduate degree for career and skill-building

  • Challenges in transitioning to the best-fitting career path

  • Experiencing the other side of business to realize and learn what doesn't work

  • Balancing logistics, scaling, and streamlining in a creative business to avoid burnout

  • Creating realistic boundaries for business owners

  • Allowing oneself to fail, try, and learn

  • Writing "Art Starts with a Line" and "Art Starts in the Heart

  • Pros and cons of artist representation

  • Tips for making your artwork stand out 

  • The importance of building relationships in business

  • Balancing priorities between creative pursuits and teaching

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

Connect with our guest:

Online shop: Brand Story – Paper Raven Co.

Instagram: Erin at Paper Raven Co.

Mentioned in this episode:

Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!

Grab your tea, coffee, or drink of choice, kick back, and let's get down to business!

Read More
Team Dklutr Team Dklutr

Art Licensing: Our Favorite Secret Income Stream for Artists & Designers | The Typecast Episode 9

In this episode, Katie and Ilana discuss art licensing and how artists can license their work for products like greeting cards, apparel, and home goods. They talk about how licensing differs from freelancing, how royalties work, tips for building a licensing portfolio, and the pros and cons of working with an art licensing agent.

In this episode, Katie and Ilana discuss art licensing and how artists can license their work for products like greeting cards, apparel, and home goods. They talk about how licensing differs from freelancing, how royalties work, tips for building a licensing portfolio, and the pros and cons of working with an art licensing agent. 

While licensing can be a lucrative income stream, it requires patience and persistence as the process from creating artwork to seeing it on products takes a long time. They demystify the licensing industry and help more artists tap into this powerful (and potentially passive) income stream.

Here's what you'll discover in this episode:

  • What licensing means, and how you can get paid to rent or sell a license to your work

  • What it means to be paid in royalties, and how to weigh the risk and reward.

  • How having an art licensing agent can help manage contracts and outreach — helping artists land or manage their opportunities

  • Thinking about the context and products where the artwork could fit well, like greeting cards, fabrics, home goods, etc. — considering scale, colors, and themes

  • How trend shopping and looking at what's already selling can help in identifying themes and prompts to create new artwork for licensing (and putting your own spin on them!)

  • The importance of contracts and licensing terms to understand the scope of how clients can use the artwork

  • Why licensing requires a ton of patience (it’s a slow game!) and why it’s worth it for artists

Mentioned in the episode:

Astropad

Free Training: Three steps to turn your art into Passive Income with Art Licensing

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!

Grab your tea, coffee, or drink of choice, kick back, and let's get down to business!

Read More