Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators

Featured Artist

Ilene Winn Lederer

Student Scholarships

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators!

Welcome to the official website of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators (PSI), one of the largest illustrators societies in the nation. The Society brings local illustrators together to facilitate artistic and professional growth, advocacy for artists’ rights, and the camaraderie and promotion of our collective Pittsburgh talent. With an enthusiastic volunteer base, PSI maintains a lively schedule of regular meetups and special events designed to educate, engage, and inform working illustrators, buyers, the public, and students alike.

All PSI members and interested prospects and the public should click on the EVENTS icon above to stay informed on our busy calendar of events! New programs, presently being organized by our Board, will be restarting in January 2027, and will be announced once the dates are confirmed and will be available in person and/or on zoom.

FALL SOCIALS AT J GOUGH'S

Fall socials are held at J Gough's 4213 Murray Avenue PGH PA 15217 on second Tuesdays of the month. The next ones are:

Tuesday, October 13 at 6:30pm

Tuesday, November 10 at 6:30pm

PSI covers the appetizers so no need to delay eating dinner before coming! Members cover their own beverages.

Feel free to welcome friends, non-members, prospective members, and bring work, works in progress, promos, questions and ideas for future programming—this is YOUR society!

PSI needs YOUR input for programming. Come to the socials to propose who you want to come speak, programs you would like to see, topics you want to pursue--it's your Society!

All reminders will be announced on our Basecamp site and on this website as they are confirmed. READ MORE

Upcoming Events

Hello, PSI members! Comic Creating Classes open to PSI members next 4 Sundays.

PSI member Howard Bender announces a series of Comic Creating Classes open to PSI members.

If you’re interested, please contact Howard Bender at 732-600-3462. Note email below to reserve a spot in the sessions gwlankard@gmail.com
Where: Artists & Craftsman Supply, Squirrel Hill 5603 Hobart St, PGH PA 15217
Dates: Sundays Sept 27, Oct 4, Oct 11, Oct 18, 2026
Time: 1:30-3:30pm per session
Fee: $25 per session (QR code on Basecamp, or pay in person)
Host: Grant Lankard (Beowulf, Memoirs of the Morbid, League of Cryptids)
Email: gwlankard@gmail.com to reserve a spot and ask questions
Topics: 9/27 Beginning Writing-Characters, Plotting, Collaboration, Scripts, Dialogue, Editing
10/4 Pencilling-Anatomy, Storytelling, Designing Panels, Backgrounds
10/11 Inking and Lettering-Materials, Textures, Word Balloons, Typography
10/18 Putting It All Together-Combining these topics into a short 'zine!

We’re also looking for artists willing to share their experiences working in independent comics as part of this series of classes.
Guest speakers:
Howard Bender (former DC, Marvel, and Archie Comics Artist)
Marvin Wynn (The Edge)
Lena Gantner (Transformers, DC Pride)
Rob Jones (Kate Carter Adventures)

Thanks to GREGG VALLEY for his brilliant presentation at the Carriage House on July 28 and to CHRIS SICKELS RED NOSE STUDIO for his lecture and stop-action animation workshop at The Hub Works in West View on AUGUST 22!

PROGRAM WITH INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER ILLUSTRATOR WOUTER TULP BEING PLANNED

For PSI's 2027 Guest Artist Zoom program, PSI is planning:

Session 1 with Wouter Tulp (Netherlands illustrator with worldwide clientele):

An introduction to the work of Wouter Tulp
A demonstration by Wouter, and introduction to an exercise or assignment that PSI members complete after Session 1, and email to you by the deadline you stipulate

Session 2 (perhaps one month later for participating illustrators):

Wouter's critique of the exercises that PSI members send to you

This program is being planned for January/February 2027 by Tara Zalewski-Nease—stay tuned for confirmations, where Session 1 will occur live, and other info on the Zoom schedule for both sessions.

PROGRAMS FOR ALL FULL AND AFFILIATE MEMBERS

All our members are highly encouraged to propose programs and speakers that PSI can present beyond October 2026. Contact anyone on the Board (Jim Mellett, Wintis Gibson, June Edwards, or Fred Carlson) asap with your ideas or come to the socials to discuss. We need your input READ MORE