Where are you from originally? As an artist, what are some of your favorite things about living and working in New York?

I was born in Texas, raised in Florida and then Colorado, I work and live in Brooklyn, New York. The best part of working in Brooklyn is the shared experiences with my peers and our tight-knit illustration and design community. It's not uncommon for illustrators in other U.S. cities to work in isolation so I feel lucky to have my art friends.

How and when did you first become interested in art and illustration?

Since I was a kid, I have loved drawing, being creative, making things, and coming up with stories. I can't say for certain how I landed on illustration specifically, but I've always been certain that I would make my living being creative.

 Above: Unpublished piece titled, "Boys".

What was your first commercial assignment?

My first illustration commission came from Flaunt magazine. It was a portrait of Peter Jackson which, looking back on it now, I did a horrible job. However, it was my best effort at the time and was a great opportunity to get my feet wet and give drawing on assignment a try.

What is your favorite part of the creative process? 

I don't have a favorite. Each part—sketching, ideation, drawing, layering, finishing touches—can be satisfying. Somewhere in the middle of my process, where the labor of making an image might become tedious, repetitive and carpal-tunnel-inducing—that might be my least favorite part.

Do you keep a sketchbook? What is the balance between art you create on paper versus In the computer?

I go back and forth between keeping a regular sketchbook and just drawing on sheets of loose paper. Everything that I publish goes through the computer before it's finished. However, everything that I make also starts with me touching a pencil, pen or brush to a piece of paper. So, I suppose it's 50/50 in terms of paper versus computer.

What is your favorite time of day for working? How do you spend the first hour of your work day?

I like to keep regular hours though sometimes I will work late or on the weekend and my studio, which is normally shared with four other artists, will be empty. Those times spent alone in the studio can be especially relaxing and productive. Otherwise I love showing up to work and being greeted by my studio mates, walking to lunch as a group at noon, and the spontaneous and lively chatter throughout the day. After setting down my bike or my bag and saying a quick hello to my buddies, my first hour of work is spent answering emails, billing, sending files, etc. Sometimes this will last all the way until lunch.

What are you listening to?

We often have an assortment music playing in rotation at the studio, mixed in with "headphones-days", where each of us might need a bit more concentration. With my headphones on, I typically listen to podcasts including, WTF, Bullseye, Here's the Thing, Fresh Air, Sound Check and New Sounds.

Who and what are some of your strongest influences?

I've picked up a lot of influences along the way but I think some of the most impressionable imagery is the art that I consumed as a child. Children's book author Leo Lionni has a book called Frederick about a group of five small field mice preparing for winter. While four of the mice gather wheat and nuts, Frederick gathers sunshine, colors and words. The art is both graphic (in the mid-century modern art sense), and, expressive and loose. The narrative is poetic, quite and emotional. It's everything I would hope to achieve with my art. It's all in there.

What was the biggest mistake you ever made and what did you learn from it?

I try not to dwell to much on mistakes and missed opportunities and instead focus on looking ahead. Most of my regrets have to do with not being honest with myself or my clients, not saying "no" when I otherwise should have, or not asking for what I need out of the relationship. That's something I try to remember with each new job, always ask for what you need and be honest about what you want.

What are some of your favorite blogs/websites for inspiration?

I actually find a lot inspiration listening to podcasts, interviews and documentaries about filmmakers and their creative process. There's so much that goes into making a film—writing, photography, costumes and sets, and acting. Relating and comparing the process of filmmakers and movie stars to my creative process and then finding similarities helps make what I do feel romantic and exciting.

Above: Redesign of two classic novels by Sarah Towndsend Warner, for Virago UK.

Has social media been a boon for self-promotion? Or do you have methods you’ve always used that still work?

Social media has completely changed the game. All you need is a Tumblr page, a Twitter account, and a good idea to run a professional and successful self-promotion campaign. Postcards are still nice but I feel they are quickly becoming obsolete as the gold standard of promotion. From what I've heard, most art directors find all of their artists on-line and don't even mind getting an email or two, every now and then.

I would say, don't wast your time or money on source books. In fact, I doubt an Illustrator or art director under the age of 25 even knows what a source book is. Annuals like the Society of Illustrators and American Illustration can get your work in front of art directors but it's not a guaranteed source of publicity. I only enter three annuals. I enter AI because the book is beautiful and it's a nicely curated selection of art. I enter the Type Directors Club for similar reasons. It's a wonderfully designed book and an interesting mix of graphics, type design and hand lettering. I enter the S.I. annual because as an organization, they do so much for the illustration community. However, I'd love to see the design of the S.I. annual change formats to something more precious and specialized. The current volume feels a bit more like a promotional book—it would be nice if the design felt more like a museum-quality publication. 

Where do you teach—and what do you like best about teaching?

I teach at Pratt and what I love most about teaching is that by breaking down the creative process for students, it allows me to examine and ponder my own process on a regular basis. And, when you meet a student who really has potential to make great work good, has a solid work ethic and the drive to self-initiate, there's nothing better than that.

What advice would you give to a young illustrator who is just getting noticed?

If you're getting noticed then you must be doing something right. Just keep being amazing, working hard, and making new things. Don't wait for opportunities, go find them.

Above: Illustrations used for branding of the Capsule Fashion Show. All art copyright and courtesy the artist.

Chris Silas Neal is an artist and illustrator whose work has been commisioned by a variety of magazines, book publishers and television. His first picture book, Over and Under the Snow, with author Kate Messner was praised for it's "stunning retro-style illustrations" (New York Times), was a 2011 New York Times's Editor's Choice, and won an E.B. White Honor Award in 2012. Hiis new book, Lifetime (Chronicle Books) will be released this fall. Neal recently directed short animated videos for both Kate Spade and Anthropologie and was awarded a medal from the Society of Illustrators for his work in motion graphics. Neal exhibits drawings at various galleries and speaks at events across the country and abroad. He currently works and lives in Brooklyn and teaches Illustration at Pratt Institute.