The Pencil Pushers Podcast celebrates the art of hand-drawing. Produced by MRC Brand Design Studio, it features interviews with illustrators, animators, comic artists, and other talented individuals. Hosted by Mike Rosado, an artist, musician, and designer, the Podcast aims to showcase artists' work and provide insights into their creative process. Join Mike as he chats with his friends and idols in the world of illustration, animation, and comic art.
The Pencil Pusher's Podcast
Claim This Podcastby MRC Brand Design's Mike Rosado
4.8(10 reviews)
89 episodes
Updated Weekly
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
53
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality43
Social0
YouTube74
Engagement85
Podcast Overview
The Pencil Pushers Podcast celebrates the art of hand-drawing. Produced by MRC Brand Design Studio, it features interviews with illustrators, animators, comic artists, and other talented individuals. Hosted by Mike Rosado, an artist, musician, and designer, the Podcast aims to showcase artists' work and provide insights into their creative process. Join Mike as he chats with his friends and idols in the world of illustration, animation, and comic art.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
3/9/2019
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53
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality43
Social0
YouTube74
Engagement85
7
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2
Good Performance
10
Growth Opportunities
excellent
Episode Length
1h 5m
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good
Show Notes Quality
3.0/5
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Every 32 days
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Recent Episodes
June 29, 2026
Justin Rasch: Stop-Motion Master Animator
<p>The Pencil Pushers podcast interviews stop-motion animator/director Justin Rasch, who has worked for 30 years across games, TV, and film, including ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Guillermo del Toro's Oscar-winning Pinocchio, and now directs/writes/supervises at Stump Puppet Pictures while sharing process online. Rasch recounts growing up in Florida inspired by comics, classic cartoons, Secret of NIMH, and practical effects artists, studying 2D and effects at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, then switching to CG after Jurassic Park. He describes breaking in by portfolio-hunting in 1990s LA, choosing Konami, and later leading animation at Luxoflux on projects like Shrek and True Crime: Streets of LA. Rasch explains how animation principles transfer across 2D/CG/stop motion, details his stop-motion workflow (blocking, shooting on twos, then final on ones), discusses why stop motion is hard to "control," and reflects on AI, audience interest in process, and working with Travis Knight and del Toro. He shares where to find him on Instagram and YouTube.</p> <p>Host: Mike Rosado (<a class="c-link" href= "http://mrcraleigh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://mrcraleigh.com" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">mrcraleigh.com</a>) (<a class="c-link" href= "http://instagram.com/ekimodasor" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://instagram.com/ekimodasor" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">instagram.com/ekimodasor</a>)</p> <p>Post Production: Max Trujillo (<a class="c-link" href= "http://instagram.com/trujillomedia" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://instagram.com/trujillomedia" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">instagram.com/trujillomedia</a>)<br /> Sponsors: MRC (<a class="c-link" href="http://mrcraleigh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://mrcraleigh.com" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">mrcraleigh.com</a>) and Burny Wild's (<a class= "c-link" href="http://burnywilds.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://burnywilds.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent">burnywilds.com</a>)<span class= "c-message__edited_label" dir="ltr" data-sk= "tooltip_parent"> </span></p>
June 8, 2026
Jon Contino: Iconic Brand Designer
<p>Host Mike Rosado welcomes designer/illustrator/author Jon Contino to the Pencil Pushers podcast to discuss Contino's upbringing on Long Island, his parents' craft-driven influence, and his early path from band flyers, cassette art, and self-taught HTML to charging for creative work at 14. Contino explains how his lifelong obsession with lettering, failed graffiti attempts, Photoshop experimentation, hardcore/grunge culture, and New York's grime shaped his "organized chaos" style, later balanced by a problem-solving approach to branding inspired by figures like Paula Scher. He describes career growth from a 2005 studio and a handmade clothing brand to building Contino Studio, shifting from illustration trends into larger storytelling and branding work, including Toyota, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and sports. They debate commercialization of "handcrafted," carbon-copy styles, and AI's threat, emphasizing human mistakes and youth rejecting "AI slop." Contino shares his remote studio model, intense family-driven schedule, rare client friction, flexible discovery through live conversation, a move from paper to iPad/Procreate for speed, heavy use of Figma/Framer, and excitement about revitalizing Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's brand.</p> <p>Host: Mike Rosado (<a class="c-link" href= "http://mrcraleigh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://mrcraleigh.com" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">mrcraleigh.com</a>) (<a class="c-link" href= "http://instagram.com/ekimodasor" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://instagram.com/ekimodasor" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">instagram.com/ekimodasor</a>)</p> <p>Post Production: Max Trujillo (<a class="c-link" href= "http://instagram.com/trujillomedia" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://instagram.com/trujillomedia" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">instagram.com/trujillomedia</a>)<br /> Sponsors: MRC (<a class="c-link" href="http://mrcraleigh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://mrcraleigh.com" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">mrcraleigh.com</a>) and Burny Wild's (<a class= "c-link" href="http://burnywilds.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://burnywilds.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent">burnywilds.com</a>)<span class= "c-message__edited_label" dir="ltr" data-sk= "tooltip_parent"> </span></p>
May 19, 2026
Ian Wenstrand, Artist & Illustrator
<p>Mike Rosado interviews Raleigh-based illustrator and designer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ianwenstrandart/">Ian Wenstrand</a> about his highly detailed, vibrant illustrations blending cityscapes, technology, and imaginative world-building. Wenstrand describes drawing constantly as a kid, studying studio art at University of the Cumberlands (recruited to swim), and moving from production artist retouching roles into graphic design before illustration work organically became steady freelance. He self-published a children's book inspired by artists like Graeme Base and cross-section illustrators, then gained momentum through public art opportunities including a 2018–2019 Citrix window mural and later a major Film NC tourism brochure project featuring five regional illustrations packed with 50+ movie Easter eggs. He outlines his process (two sketch phases in Procreate, then Photoshop for color), time demands, work-life balance with two kids, and the importance of tight contracts to prevent scope creep. Wenstrand shares influences (IC4 Design, Moebius, sci-fi film aesthetics), discusses collaborative "Easter egg" client input, and explains why he avoids using AI, adding an AI clause to contracts and valuing the human creative process.</p> <p>Host: Mike Rosado (<a class="c-link" href= "http://mrcraleigh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://mrcraleigh.com" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">mrcraleigh.com</a>) (<a class="c-link" href= "http://instagram.com/ekimodasor" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://instagram.com/ekimodasor" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">instagram.com/ekimodasor</a>)</p> <p>Post Production: Max Trujillo (<a class="c-link" href= "http://instagram.com/trujillomedia" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://instagram.com/trujillomedia" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">instagram.com/trujillomedia</a>)<br /> Sponsors: MRC (<a class="c-link" href="http://mrcraleigh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link= "http://mrcraleigh.com" data-sk= "tooltip_parent">mrcraleigh.com</a>) and Burny Wild's (<a class= "c-link" href="http://burnywilds.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://burnywilds.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent">burnywilds.com</a>)<span class= "c-message__edited_label" dir="ltr" data-sk= "tooltip_parent"> </span></p>
89 total episodes available
Recent guests on The Pencil Pusher's Podcast
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Judd Winick
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Mack Garrison
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Corey Livengood
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Sam Viviano
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is The Pencil Pusher's Podcast?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates weekly.
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This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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