There is no single way to be a working illustrator, there are as many career routes as there are things to draw. Many illustrators want to work as comic book artists and others want to write children’s books. Regardless of the desired career, art conventions are a great spot for up-and-coming illustrators to not only get their name out there but actually make money off of their work. However, with thousands of art fairs and conventions each year it’s not only challenging to decide which ones to attend but difficult for artists to stand out from all the competition.
Dale Novak, on the other hand, has a completely different strategy altogether. Since graduating from RMCAD’s Illustration program in 2015, he has traveled all around the country and drawn things you might not even be able to imagine. What makes Novak so unique is that he’s the type of artist who prefers to hit the pavement and get his name out across the country at various conventions- not art conventions though. By attending conventions for paleontology, bugs, or even aliens, Novak is making a name for himself by going where his fellow artists aren’t.
Making a Name For Himself
Novak’s unique success story starts the same as a lot of artists. After graduating from RMCAD, he began applying to show his work in galleries all around Denver. He opened up about getting “rejected from every gallery I applied to, but I still wanted to make art. I still wanted to show people what I do.” So after some time of doubting himself, Novak finally landed an opportunity that was perfect for his sensibility. He became the head illustrator for Barf Magazine, a local underground music publication that made great use of his “cartoonish” style. He did all sorts of drawings for the magazine and even designed the logo. Better yet, as a staff member at Barf, Novak had unparalleled access to local bands who were always looking for all sorts of commission work.
His name started getting out there more and more through the many show flyers, t-shirts, tour posters, and album covers he designed. “From then on, I didn’t have to change my art styles to draw what people asked me to draw. Now they’re actually coming to me to draw what I want to draw.” This boost of confidence encouraged Novak to keep illustrating works for himself.
Returning to his childhood love of dinosaurs, Novak started creating dozens of illustrations of different species. He quickly realized that not only are there countless types of dinosaurs to draw but that the scientific conscience was evolving as fast as his artwork. As new models of what dinos actually looked like came out, his illustrations became factually incorrect. For many, the moving target of drawing a creature that died 65 million years ago, may be frustrating but for Novak it’s quite the opposite, “The coolest part about drawing dinosaurs is that every three years my drawings become outdated. As science catches up, it gives me an excuse to redraw them, making them more and more anatomically correct.”
The Road Less Traveled
After leaving Barf Magazine, Novak had an entire backlog of illustrations to his name, which he began taking all around the country to different conventions open to the public. However, he wasn’t packing up his car, driving across the country, and attending these non-art focused conventions just to be a contrarian. After years of making art other people wanted him to make, Novak knew exactly where his creative sensibilities lay, so his business strategy became predicated on finding the audience who would most enjoy his work as much as he did.
One of the first conventions his art became successful at was Salt Lake City’s Dino Fest, put on by the Natural History Museum of Utah. After all, who likes dinosaurs more than paleontologists? Finding conventions like these however is no simple task. Novak puts hours of research into finding the kinds of conventions that not only reflect the content of his art but are popular enough for his booth to turn a profit. Through tireless research, Novak ends up at under the radar conventions, like Phenemecon in Vernal, Utah, a paranormal convention where Novak makes a killing selling his alien prints.
The constant hustle of travel for weeks on end has taught Novak a lot about being an artist. He shared a piece of advice for other artists looking to sell their work at festivals, fairs, and conventions. “There are good months and bad months. Not every show is everything you hoped it would be.” Novak knows from experience the tribulations of the roadshow artist lifestyle. Some trips you make money, others you don’t. Some trips are worth the drive, others aren’t. Some trips you sell out, and others you get caught in the rain and your prints are ruined. Luckily in Novak’s case, it’s not just about business. “The more I discover, the more I want to draw. New cities make it fresh. I love to travel, so booking shows in new cities allows me to fill my brain with positive things.”
A One-of-a-Kind Art Style
So what’s the secret to Novak’s rich visual style? According to him, patience. Not unlike discovery of a long hidden fossil, some of Novak’s best work sits buried for long periods before finding its purpose. He shared that some of his favorite pieces are ones he’s started and then “actually forgot about until rediscovering them about eight months later and finished them.”
His high-contrast illustrations pop off the page in both black and white and full color. His depictions of science-fiction inspired elements imbue his work with a whimsy and sense of humor that perfectly complements the dark and gritty inking style. “When I sketch, it’s very scratchy. I started gravitating towards stippling because even if my line work wasn’t the best, the amount of time that you do building textures ends up paying off.”
This unique blend of elements is exactly why Novak was invited back to the RMCAD campus in the summer of 2025 to exhibit his work in the Rotunda Gallery. “To be 10 years out of college and get invited back to the campus to hang in a dream gallery was such an honor.” He shared the gallery with fellow alum, K. James, who graduated with a Fine Arts degree in 2021. Novak went on to say that he “always wanted to hang my work in Rotunda but I never got the chance while I was in school.” The show proved to be a quality respite from the road for Novak, who still lives in Denver. But even while in his home city, he remained busy with two other shows hanging in Denver at the same time!
What’s Next?
When asked if he had any aspirations beyond illustration, Novak responded immediately with just one word: “toys!” Proving that the artist’s inner-child is still at the helm and more curious than ever, even after all these years. Luckily for anyone in the mountain west (or as Novak calls it “dinosaur land”) looking to buy a print, he isn’t giving up on travelling any time soon. These one-of-a-kind conventions allow him the opportunity to not just see the hidden gems of the country but also eat his way through it. In fact, each show challenges him, teaches him something new, and inspires him to draw something he’s never drawn before. Whether it’s hot air balloon shows or entomology conventions, Novak sees every event as an opportunity to broaden his horizons. “There’s always new things to learn.”
For Dale Novak, life and art are both about what’s unexpected. Whether that’s monsters and aliens, or simple pleasures like beautiful drives and delicious food in small towns. Similar to his life on the road, he shared that “sometimes I surprise myself with the little happy accidents that the drawings bring.” Constantly in search of new things to try and make, Novak is certain to keep one-upping even his most original of works!
Want to Learn Something New Too?
If you’re also an aspiring illustrator, you can hone your talents, develop your techniques and find your voice as a student at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. At RMCAD, we offer both online and in-person degree programs, allowing students to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. Our programs incorporate storytelling, color theory, line work, and texture together to help illustrators learn new skills. Begin your journey in illustration by requesting more information today!
