We interviewed an amazing artist! Check it out!
1. How long have you been doing art?
– I’ve been doing art since I was 4 years old! I have Mark Crilley (a famous art YouTuber) to thank for his anime art tutorials that got me really motivated to keep drawing until I was 13, when I decided I would branch out and take art more seriously.
2. What is your favorite thing about being an artist?
– I’ve always had way too many ideas as a kid and I’ve always loved making people happy. So being an artist is kind of like mashing the two together into one single outlet! I create to get my ideas out into the world and I also create to brighten up people’s days. I’m not a big fan of the entire process of drawing… I spend an exhausting average of 15 hours on most of my pieces, but if it gets some people to smile then it’s totally worth it.
3. What inspired you to start?
– Ah, my “artist origin story” is actually a fun little thing I tell people every now and then. Back when I was 4, I was left-handed. My preschool teacher didn’t like that and forced me to use my right hand instead. I had a really hard time catching up in class and I would use up my recess practicing how to write, but then I realized I could practice by drawing! I was finally able to do something right with my non-dominant hand so I got really happy. That day I came home telling my parents I wanted to become an artist!!! As for seriously starting with digital art, my dad bought a tablet-pc when I was 13 with Clip Studio Paint installed on it. I instantly fell in love when I drew on it and it opened up a world of possibilities for my drawings. I think I’ve drawn every single day since then.
4. What advice would you give to newer artists?
– There are a lot of things I’m still learning now, so I’m a bit scared to leave advice. Right now I’m struggling a lot with my art style. I’ve found that I forced myself to make my art look recognizable and on-brand, but that stifled my growth as an artist. Although it’s important to have a consistent art style that makes you feel stable, it’s also important to continue experimenting. Do things that you’ve never done before! If you think you can’t do backgrounds, add backgrounds to your drawings!! Experiment constantly, improvement comes with practice. While doing this, don’t forget to USE REFERENCE!!!! If you’re like me who’s too lazy to do art studies, using references in your drawings is already a form of studying! Most importantly, take breaks. I had a hard time grasping this one, but us artists are not machines. It’s okay to take a step back from drawing every once in a while. Art is meant to be fun, don’t burn yourself out doing it!! 😀
5. Do you have a favorite piece If so why?
This one’s quite an old piece, but it’s definitely one of my favorites! I took a really long break from drawing (October 2019-June 2020) and this was the first piece I was proud of after that 8 month-long hiatus. I wasn’t sure if I would even be able to draw after such a long time without doing art, but being able to create something that made me and many other people happy felt amazing.
6. What are your plans for 2021!
– I usually just make it up as I go, but I actually do have a few things planned for 2021! I want to dedicate this year to trying new things. I plan on painting more often and maybe even doing some lineless art. Mostly just playing around with my style and the things I draw. 2020 was a year filled with fanart, so I think I’m going to start drawing more original art too. I’d like for people to know me for my skill and my ideas, not just the drawings I bring to a fandom. Although I’m not sure if people will be interested in my characters, that won’t stop me from drawing the things I love! Lastly, I’d like to start a webcomic. I first talked about my comic “The Little King” on Twitter, but no one’s really heard much of it after that. The comic is in development though and I’m mostly just making changes to how I want the end-product to look!
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