EFFLYAFTERDARK

Ah!  Sorry it took me a while to reply, it has been a while since I logged into this tumblr!  The digital download of WAKE is back up in my shop and ready for purchasing :)  I'll be ordering a few more of the printed copy soon, so if that is your preference, please stay tuned.

Thanks so much for asking :)

Oh, thank you so much!  I'm wanting to do a better coloured version of that piece.  Once I do, I'll definitely put up for sale in my shop as a print.  Thank you so much for asking, and for your kind words, I'm so glad you like it

Hi there!  Sorry for the delay in answering, I’ve been mad busy with work and haven’t actually logged into this tumblr in a wee while.  Anyhoo, I must say that your ask superbly brightened my day and I thank you for it!  It truly brought a smile to my face :)

It has taken me … Almost a decade I think to find a style I’m happy with and I’m still working to improve it.  What I found most instrumental in getting there really came down to loosening up and being willing to experiment with almost every aspect of illustration, from technique to medium, to subject matter … I often find that when you try one new thing, it leads to a new understanding/appreciation of three others.  For example, I DESPISE oil painting (it was required at my college).  I knew I would hate it going in, I hated it during, and I STILL hate the paintings that came out of it, but helped me to appreciate reflective colour, not letting the need for shading muddy up a piece’s palette, and not relying on layering to balance lighting.  Hell, drawing more chubby people (cheers to ace girlfriendKate for that!) improved my composition and helped soften my linework in general :)  The single most effective thing that “polished’ my style, however, I will admit, is rather anticlimactic; Mandatory boring desk job.  In three years I worked as a full time accountant of sorts, I developed my ‘pencil style’ as a result of drawing with cheap mechanical pencils on half-sheets of xerox paper (folded so that they could be easily concealed within my spiral notebook and easily hidden when necessary, heh). 

As to my influences, a prominent (and early) one I can cite would be the animated films of Rankin Bass (namely The Last Unicorn, Flight of Dragons and The Hobbit).  I also ADORE The Yellow Submarine (which I am pretty certain was the first animated film I saw, heh.  Cheers, hippie parentals :P).  Disney’s Fantasia got me started on my two of biggest obsessions; classical music and centaurs :D

When I started college, my drawing style was REALLY stiff.  I give a lot of credit to Chris Sanders for loosening the pickle jar lid that was my wrist at the time :)

As for comics, my pedestals are topped by such aces as Jen Wang (Koko Be Good) and Ross Campbell (Water Baby).

Shaun Tan’s INCREDIBLE work on The Rabbits really inspired me to push shape and form.

Also, here are only A FEW of my current inspirations!  Please everyone check them out and send them love :)

Rowan

Emily

Cari

And lastly, what made me want to separate this blog from my other work was the simple fact that some of my art contains ideas, subject matter, etc. that some people (and professionals) aren’t ready to deal with.  I like to have a sort of “safe space” where I can express other facets of my creativity that like-minded and interested individuals can stumble upon because they were were looking for it.  I hope that helps to answer :)

… And thank you again! :3