Incredible Talent + Communication Skillz = Shane Clester

Finding the right creative individual to become the next cog in your talent machine is a really tough job. Sure it’s easy to flip through a designer’s portfolio or website to view their work. You may even love what you see from a particular artist or designer. But inevitably, you will have to communicate with that individual, on some level, in order to have a successful working relationship… and believe it or not, there are a lot of really talented designers and illustrators out there who, quite literally, can’t put two sentences together.

I found this out when searching for an illustrator for the new “Little Barrio” comic book. I reviewed a lot of portfolios and talked to a lot of illustrators and I was amazed at the level of work that some produced. But I was also very bothered at how many times this brilliant work was not coupled with the attitude and professionalism that I was seeking in a creative partner for the Barrio project.

Finding a brilliant, creative mind is only half of the equation for successful design collaboration.

• Does the person you’re interviewing have the ability to communicate on a professional level?
• Does he/she return phone calls or emails promptly?
• Can you talk through a process with him/her in order to get to the meat of a project, and then turn it into something that is creative and meets or exceeds deadlines?

It’s a truly tall order.

But after a long and grueling search through the haystack of illustrators I finally found the needle I was looking for.

Meet Shane Clester.
He is the brilliant—and professional—illustrator working on “Little Barrio” with us. Shane and I quickly found a groove and spoke the same language, even referencing the same obscure indie comics. Because Shane can operate both sides of his brain so well and so effectively, I can now take a step back from the creation process. He knows how to ask the right questions, he knows how to communicate his ideas effectively, he’s professional, he’s creative… and man’o man… can he draw.

Below is some of the work that has turned me into a fan.