As noted in prior post, December grad Melissa Rae Reinbold, who goes by Mellen, landed a job a Crayola.
She also was awarded the Don Breter Award for Best Illustrator in KU’s class of 2014. I sent Mellen a few quick questions about her success in landing such a great job. I’d heard folks at Crayola were impressed with how she incorporated her zines into her portfolio.
Q. What was the book you sent to Crayola?
A: The book I sent to Crayola was an original Pop-Up book I handmade (one of ten) that talked about who I was and what I do best… Illustration + Design!
Q. What is your job title?
A: Freelance Illustrator.
Q. How did day one go?
A: Day one went very well. I was given my own desk (so fancy) and learned how to log into my company email and calendar. They explained the servers they use and how to access them. I also started working immediately on creating digital mock-ups for store displays and more! Everyone was very friendly, and employees came over to my desk throughout the day to introduce themselves.
Q. Was there something you meant to say to current students in your recent ‘Taking the Plunge’ talk that you didn’t get to?
A: I meant to say a lot of things in my Taking The Plunge talk that completely slipped my mind. Here is a list of cool stuff I completely skipped over :
– Explain where I was earlier that day. -In Brooklyn, New York filming February’s Creative Mornings talk. I do this work through Hallman Productions, a videography company run by my boyfriend, Ben Hallman. Creative Mornings is a great project to be a part of, overflowing with creative people within the industry!
– Explain creative and freelance jobs (some not in my “field”) I held before Crayola and how they helped me (not only monetarily) but also to prepare for a full-time job.
– Explain how many, many, many, many people told me NOT to pursue illustration as my concentration. I was told on so many occasions that I’d never get a job with a portfolio full of tons of illustration. Illustration is what I love though, so I ignored their warnings and went for it.
An illustration concentration does not mean all you can do is draw. I have many skills, and they showed through. Even in my illustration heavy portfolio.
This year Kutztown University is fortunate to have truly exceptional illustration talent in our senior class. Congrats to Mellen, a December grad, and congrats to the other talented illustrators graduating in just a few days.
Illustration Concentration 