Rising Stars: Meet Christine Schneider

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Schneider.

Hi Christine, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always loved to make things. My artistic mother gave me the tools and freedom to follow my creativity as a kid. I came to Lawrence to attend KU and graduated with a BFA in Visual Communications. Before starting my own illustration and design business, I worked in newspaper, advertising and corporate design environments. During those years, I also worked in my free time as a children’s illustrator. I eventually went out on my own full-time, starting Yellow Pencil Studio, Inc. in 2006. Here, I work with a variety of illustration and design clients, creating anything from puzzles for kids’ magazines to branding for small businesses. I’ve illustrated a number of children’s books and authored a few of them. In addition to illustration and design, I decided to explore letterpress printing, which is something that has been in my family for four generations. What started as a side project, printing a few greeting cards, has grown into a full-fledged letterpress print shop where I print anything from business cards to wedding invitations. I’m privileged to be able to work on such a wide variety of creative projects, meeting so many interesting people along the way and helping them bring their ideas to life.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always challenges in being a solo entrepreneur, from balancing parenting and workload to managing the everyday details of running a solo small business. The pandemic has definitely been challenging, but I am fortunate to have been able to weather things so far.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think my strength lies in being a good visual interpreter. I take pride in sizing up what a client tells me they are needing or imagining and being able to create a solution that achieves their goal. Sometimes this is illustrating a concept for a children’s book, sometimes it’s branding and a website that helps propel a small business to success. I love solving creative problems.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I think it’s important to know that there’s no one singular path that’s right for creatives. One person’s journey to success may look very different from their peers. For me, diversifying and being able to work on a variety of projects and across multiple disciplines has helped keep burn-out at bay, both mentally and physically. Consistency and niching may be better for others. Some creatives need room to explore, while others thrive with parameters. It just depends on the individual, and there is no right way to do it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yellowpencilstudio.com and https://inkello.com

Image Credits
Christine Schneider, Yellow Pencil Studio, Inc.