Episode 23: Harmony of taste and art: Illustrating Beer Labels
Santa Barbara based Daniel Sulzberg, aka Dan Village, specializes in creating friendly and positive vibes through whimsical, colorful, and detailed illustrations. Daniel started off as a scriptwriter on the hit show ‘Smallville’, worked as a Creative Director at Red Bull and today he is a full-time illustrator.
Journey to becoming a full-time illustrator
Although Dan loved drawing as a kid, and his father owned an art gallery, he never imagined drawing was something he could do as a career.
“My father owned an art gallery, which is the ironic part, and you know, he just would always tell me, like, "I don't think you should be an artist. It's a very hard life".
Dan worked as a scriptwriter and then Creative Director at Red Bull.
“I knew I needed to explore all the creative worlds to figure out where exactly I fit.”
When he was a scriptwriter, his writing partner suggested he create a cartoon.
“I was the kid that grew up on Saturday morning cartoons. What more would I want to do than to combine storytelling with with the artwork that I was doing, and create my own worlds and bring it to the next generation?”
“I started to get more and more freelance gigs and started to realise just how happy I was when I was just drawing all the time.”
Working with an illustration agency
Daniel stresses the importance of building relationships and putting work into the business side of things.
“I've enjoyed getting to know art directors, and I've enjoyed the collaboration process with them.”
Happy Bubble City. DPrints, China
“They wanted to just let me do my thing and be unapologetically me, which are my favourite projects.”
“Horror Vacui means the fear of having any empty space. And so I think that's kind of what my art seems to be. Because I want people to stare at it for a long time, I want them to find new things almost like a Where's Waldo in that sense, and have a lot of wonder to it.”
Dan draws our attention to hidden details within the illustration, reflecting his love of football and Dim sum.
Washington Post Editorial
An illustration to draw attention to the coin shortage crisis in the US during Covid. Dan reflects on his partnership with Claire Ramirez, Art Director at The Washington Post.
“I've worked with the Washington Post a bunch of times now. And they are some of the most brilliant, creative art directors I've worked with.”
Santa Barbara Family Life Magazine
Dan was asked to draw what it’s like inside his brain as the cover art. Dan talks about his love of meditation and the role it plays in his creative practise and managing life with two small children.
Illustrating beer labels
“For me is was like the ultimate passion collision. I was already a pretty big beer nerd…the beer industry has changed so much over the last 10 years, where now these people are like alchemists, they're able to create beers with the most wacky ingredients in them. And every week, these breweries are putting out these new, very special creations. And they're as creative as the artwork that's going on to the labels.”
“When I see just on social media, somebody's posting on vacation, and they have a beer with my label in their hand, I can't help but think they're enjoying this beer, and they're looking at the art at the same time. That is a really great experience for me as an illustrator. And hopefully for them as the consumer.”
Isometric Mayhem
Dan stresses the importance of personal projects to showcase what you love to draw and attract the kind of work you want to do.
“Isometric, mayhem was a chance to showcase really my heart and soul of what I love to draw.”
“It's amazing how many times I will get an art director reach out with a brief and use that piece as the example of what they want me to do for the brief.”
“The personal projects are really fun to do also because you get a chance to share your own personal poetry with the world.”
Tools to Create
Dan is a big fan of Procreate; “It that has just absolutely changed my world and my life. I can't thank that programme enough for existing.”
On Creativity and Ideas
“Sometimes if it's just not coming to you right away, it's best to just step away for a minute, go breathe some fresh air. And then it somehow the universe finds a way to get the ideas to you. Especially when you're passionate about it, and you care about it.”
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