Interview with Art Director Stephanie Glaros
posted by Nate Williams

Stephanie Glaros is a Minneapolis-based art director and photographer. Since 2005, she has worked as Art Director for Utne Reader magazine.

Please describe a typical day?

My daily activities vary a lot, depending on where we are in the magazine production cycle. But most days you will find me corresponding with illustrators, reading articles, evaluating new art submissions, meeting with editors, and working on the magazine layout/production. Oh yeah, and deleting the mountains of crap emails I receive.

What is your working environment like?

Our office is in downtown Minneapolis, where I also live, which makes my commute just a 15 minute walk. It’s a pretty typical office environment. We have lots of windows, which is nice. I have tons of stuff on my walls because people send me beautiful artwork all the time!

How did you get into design / art direction?

I was working at a corporate finance company creating their marketing materials when I decided to go back to school for graphic design (I have a BA in Women’s Studies). After I graduated, I got hired at Utne Reader as a freelancer. I learned how to art direct illustrations on the job. It took me several years of assigning illustrations before I think I actually became “good” at it.

Illustration by Dante Terzigni


Illustration by Victor Kerlow

What type of projects do you work on?

Mostly I work on the magazine, but I’m also a photographer. Here is my photo blog: flyovercountry.tumblr.com

What is your favorite part of your job? why?

Working with illustrators is definitely my favorite part of my job. I love artists, and I enjoy the back and forth of collaborating on art for the magazine. I am truly blessed to have access to so many talented and creative minds.


Illustration by Ryan Cox


Illustration by Marie Mainguy

What is the worst part of your job? why?

Dealing with administrative stuff (budgets, invoices, contracts, etc.). Yuck.

When should an art director use illustration over photography?

For each article that requires art, I first ask myself if a photo of the subject matter would be helpful to the reader, assuming the subject is an actual person, place or thing. If the subject is an idea, a personal narrative, or otherwise conceptual in nature, I opt for illustration. I’m not a fan of stock photography and manage to avoid using it for the most part.

Illustration by Zina Saunders

How do you discover new illustrators?

Mostly I let new illustrators find me, but if I am looking for someone new, I first dig through a special file I keep of samples from artists who I want to work with but haven’t yet. If I don’t find them there, I start with illustrationmundo.com or illoz.com.

What is the most desired skill from an illustrator? (style, concepts, reliability, etc)

All of the above! Also good communication skills, and a sense of humor. I like working with people who are fun to work with.

What is something new you have noticed or learned recently?

I learn new things every day at this job because we are constantly on the lookout for new ideas to share with our readers.

Would you rather see illustrators experimenting with a variety of styles? or concentrating on a single style?

I prefer to work with people who have developed no more than two distinct styles. If I see more than a couple styles in an illustrator’s portfolio, I have to wonder what the final art might look like, and that’s a gamble I can’t afford to make. I’m looking for strong visual voices, not jacks-of-all-trades.

For a young illustrator coming out of school, how important is it to see the work in context with a design?

For me, it’s not important at all. What does help me, though, is an article description or headline to accompany an image. It helps to know what the illo is supposed to represent.

For illustrators just entering the market, is there still a need for a traditional portfolio?

I live in Minneapolis, but mostly work with artists in other areas of the country/world, so for me there’s no need for a physical portfolio. Even if I lived in NYC I don’t think I’d have much time to meet with artists in person, unfortunately.

Do you have any other advice for illustrators?

Yes! But keep in mind that other ADs may feel differently: Don’t follow up a postcard or email with a phone call confirming whether I’ve received it. I hate to sound rude, but if I like your work, I will notice it, trust me. Do add a personal note to your email or postcards. It’s nice to feel special. Do make sure your website is easy to navigate and doesn’t include anything but your very best work. And don’t be afraid of ADs, we are your friends!

You can submit your work to Stephanie here:

http://www.utne.com/about/submissions.aspx

Keywords: art director, article, designer interviews, Stephanie Glaros, Utne Reader magazine. 
