Steckley

Children’s BookIllustrator

Reuben Award Winner

Travels from: Milwaukee, WI

“Colorful, amusing, and detailed double-page spreads resemble the real Rube Goldberg’s cartoons. . . Endpapers with sight gags, a progression of animals, and more add to the merriment, while a concluding look at simple machines keeps the antics educational.” — Booklist

Wisconsin Native Ed Steckley has been a humorous illustrator for over 30 years, beginning in live caricature and comic books to magazine illustration, advertising and children’s books.

He’s the illustrator of two different STEM/STEAM-centric series, based in the world of Rube Goldberg and his crazy contraptions.

The first is a picture book series, focused around a young Rube Goldberg – a little boy who creates crazy machines and contraptions to help him get through his day. The other is a Middle Reader series, written by Brandon T. Snider, which follows an early teenage Rube as he navigates middle school and embraces his love of science, engineering and machine building.

In addition, Ed illustrated the award winning kids activity book, Rube Goldberg’s Big Book of Building, written by award winning Rube Goldberg machine builder Zach Umperovitch, released in October of 2024.

In addition to children’s books, Ed’s work has appeared in numerous outlets and publications, most notably Mad magazine Saturday Night Live.

Ed's Featured Titles

Rube Goldberg Machine Creation

For the STEM/STEAM minded, we discuss my process for creating Rube Goldberg machines. From entering the mindset of an engineer, all the way towards execution of the final art, using humor and ridiculous innovation to create these funny, overly complicated and delightful contraptions. Live drawing, audience interaction, and lots of Q&A and anecdotes make this fun for machine builders of all ages. Presented with Guinness World Record holder and Rube Goldberg Machine Creation superstar Zach Umperovitch.

All ages

Rube Goldberg and the History of Cartooning

From the early days of newspapers when publishers found that visual storytelling would help to attract viewers, how artists and cartoonists have evolved the art of cartooning to attract and keep their readers engaged. Special focus given to historic comics, editorial cartoons, and Rube Goldberg in particular as an example of how the past has helped shape the current state of cartooning.
Ages 10 & up

Drawing Caricature and Humor

A comprehensive lecture on the history of caricature utilizing historical examples, visuals and examples of it’s use throughout history. Followed by my personal experience and love for the art, and how that applies to various other forms of art and illustration. Ending with a live caricature demo session and Q&A. Chock full of visuals, anecdotes, and lots of live drawing!

All ages

Drawing and Painting: The Process

A technical presentation on a number of painting techniques, with examples of each. Then a step by step demonstration of how I incorporate tools and techniques that best serve the project at hand from traditional media to digital. Live drawing, and lively Q&A.
Ages 10 & up

Art Instruction

A talk geared towards the psychology of drawing. How an artist’s mindset and attitude translates into the work. Includes a short history of various types of art, from caricature as a means of political and sociological expression, to editorial illustration and beyond.

Includes a comprehensive slideshow with examples, and ends with a live drawing session and Q&A

Ages 13 & up

The Who, What, Why, & Fun Behind Rube Goldberg

Watch and learn as two masters (of their respective crafts) simultaneously demonstrate the Rube Goldberg inventive process in an inspiring, yet hilarious display. Renowned cartoonist, Ed Steckley, begins by performing a live drawing based on an audience suggestion. Meanwhile, world expert builder, Zach Umperovitch, takes the stage to provide history and background through engaging visuals. Midway through, the experts will flip roles, with Ed taking the narrative reins, whilst Zach must now bring Ed’s drawing to life by building a machine right before the audience’s eyes. A presentation that is equally informative and entertaining! Presented with Guinness World Record holder and Rube Goldberg Machine Creation superstar Zach Umperovitch.
-All Ages

Workshop - Rube Goldberg Build Session

All you need is a good imagination and a pile of junk to start inventing. Zach comes prepared supplying the pile of junk; an entire truck load! Students will engage in hands-on building utilizing common everyday objects, often seen in Zach’s professional Rube Golderg projects, while Ed visualizes possible solutions, alternative solutions, potential roadblocks to the build. Divided into teams, each group will receive a common set of student-safe tools, along with access to the “mountain of junk,” and a final goal to achieve. Students will experience the necessity of trial & error firsthand, with the ultimate takeaway of learning from failure. Workshop duration is fully variable, from 1 hour to several days, depending on desired outcome. Presented with Guinness World Record holder and Rube Goldberg Machine Creation superstar Zach Umperovitch.
-Ages 8 and Up

Q&A / Brainstorming Session

Often the students’ favorite part of the presentation, this relaxed format talk allows for more back-and-forth dialogue via Q&A, rather than a full lecture. The questions flow both ways as students are asked about their Rube Goldberg based projects, beginning a narrative that transitions into a brainstorming & project discussion session – designed to help students through mental roadblocks during the inventive process. If time permits, impromptu Rube Goldberg machine components can be illustrated, or even built to demonstrate students’ prototyping ideas. Presented with Guinness World Record holder and Rube Goldberg Machine Creation superstar Zach Umperovitch.
-All Ages

“The students absolutely adored working with Steckley and were thrilled to receive his autograph. This was undoubtedly my favorite illustrator experience to date, and I believe it was largely due to Steckley’s engaging personality. Steckley’s collaboration and communication throughout the process were truly exceptional.” — Belvidere Central Middle School Teacher, 2024

“This was a great experience. Mr. Steckley is very funny and his artwork was a great reflection of his personality. I learned a lot about art techniques and it helped me to improve!” — Belvidere Central Middle School Student, 2024

“Ed Steckley was a great fit for our district STEAM night. He was able to work with our high school art students in the afternoon of the event and the seamlessly transition to sharing his talents and Rube Goldberg books with our elementary students and families in the evening. What a great fit for our event!” — South Milwaukee High School, 2024

“When I look at an Ed Steckley illustration, my eyeballs want to step out of my head and kiss my face! Ed puts so much care and effort into each of his illustrations that it’s worth lingering over each one to discover the witty nuances that are secreted away in the backgrounds and the margins.”— Jim Davis, Garfield Creator

“This book made my kids laugh and got them off screens. No really. It’s magic.” — Jim Gaffigan, Comedian

“Steckley’s black-and-white illustrations evoke the cluttered, mad-scientist feel of Rube (Goldberg)’s workspace. . .” — Kirkus Reviews

“With middle school humor and entertaining images, Rube learns to navigate strange and difficult situations in this first installment of the ‘Rube Goldberg’ series.” — School Library Journal

“Colorful, amusing, and detailed double-page spreads resemble the real Rube Goldberg’s cartoons… Endpapers with sight gags, a progression of animals, and more add to the merriment, while a concluding look at simple machines keeps the antics educational.” — Booklist

Ed’s Substack

Ed’s Portfolio

Ed’s Blog

Kalamazoo Museum’s Rube Goldberg Traveling Exhibit

Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention Exhibit!

Ed’s Merchandise

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Booklist Starred Review, Rube Goldberg’s Big Book of Building
#1 in Children’s books on Inventions & Inventors on Amazon, Rube Goldberg’s Big Book of Building
National Cartoonists Society’s top award winner for Best in Book Illustration
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement
Divisional Reuben Award from National Cartoonists Society for Best in Advertising Illustration
Book Illustration
Magazine Illustration
Parents Choice Gold Award

Media clips

WSOCDN | Milwaukee, Racine & Me show

CBS | The Drawing Board: Racine’s Ed Steckley illustrates a laugh

CBS | Racine & Me: Meet Illustrator Ed Steckley

Journal Times | Absence makes the ‘art’ grow fonder: Racine native illustrator wins UW-Whitewater award after moving back to Wisconsin

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.