Art Interviews

Maxine Vee is an artist and designer from Toronto, Canada. She runs her own online store and enjoys drawing whimsical illustrations, environments, and characters inspired by the likes of Disney. Today she’s here to talk to you about how she grew her brand on social media and translated that success into a thriving business. Hey Maxine! Why don’t we start by talking about your journey so far? We’re all curious about your work, the influences behind it, and any past experiences that helped you become the person you are today....

Kevin Hong is a Korean-American illustrator working on editorial art, publishing, and animation. You might recognize his work from magazines like Wired, Entertainment Weekly, and Tor.com. In this interview, we talk about his love for the Iyashikei (or healing anime) genre and how it became the primary influence on his projects. Hey Kevin! Why don’t we start by talking about your journey so far? We’re all curious about your work, the influences behind it, and any past experiences that helped you become the person you are today....

Zi Xu is a Chinese-American poster and cover artist living in New Jersey, USA. After graduating from MICA, she had a chance to jump into the entertainment industry and has been actively working on official and officially licensed work for films, games, and comics since. Some of Zi’s biggest clients include Adobe, DC Comics, and Marvel, with the highlight of 2021 being her work on Disney’s mural for Star Wars day....

Aliya Chen is a young up-and-coming illustrator based in Los Angeles. After winning the grand prize in the Illustrators of the Future contest, she joined Netflix Animation as a visual development artist. In other words, Aliya ensures each scene has the right colors and mood for the emotion it needs to communicate. Together with her sister, Felicia Chen, they inspired one another, and both entered the industry at a young age....

We spoke with Djamila Knopf about her beginnings as an artist, building a sustainable art career, and her love of Studio Ghibli. Hey Djamila! Why don’t we start by talking about your journey so far? We’re all curious about your work, the influences behind it, and any past experiences that helped you become the person you are today. I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, and I was basically the definition of “the artsy kid in class....

Nadaskii is a self-taught illustrator who began learning about digital art while living in Morocco in 2015. Since then, she’s found her niche in learning to capture subtle emotions through light and color in her images. If you like quiet, peaceful spaces, we think you’ll grow to love Nada’s art and thoughts. Hey Nada, it’s great to have you here with us! Please go ahead and introduce yourself. We’re all eager to learn more about you and your work....

Vanessa Morales is a freelance concept artist and illustrator with a deep love of nature, the whimsical, and fantasy. Vanessa originally studied graphic design but quickly found her calling as a children’s book illustrator after graduating. Between her brilliant color palettes and friendly character designs, it’s easy to see why she chose this path. Hey Vanessa, it’s great to have you here with us! Please go ahead and introduce yourself to our readers; we all want to know what makes you, you....

If you’re a fan of Critical Role, you’ve likely seen Kit Buss’ work before. She’s the UK-based illustrator who first brought Vox Machina’s characters to life, having worked on the project since its inception in March 2015. Kit’s story highlights the importance of patience and perseverance for aspiring artists. She had to work a day job for years to make ends meet, but a chance meeting with Liam O’Brien became the opportunity of a lifetime, and now her work is seen by millions....

Edouard Caplain talks to us about his humble beginnings as a concept artist, his work on Life Is Strange 2, and how to tell stories through in-game environments. What sparked your interest in digital art? I first ran into digital art in the early 2000s on a French forum called Café Salé. I was really impressed by the work that was being posted there. Guys like Barontieri, Sparth, and Vyle were pretty active members, and I remember downloading all of their images!...