The artist talks about how his watercolour work has developed
Where did you grow up and how has this inf luenced your art? I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. There are many parts of the Bay where art is celebrated. This included not only illustration but also music, theatre and more. I was lucky to have grown up in an area where creativity was encouraged.
What, outside of art, has most inf luenced your artwork? Outside of picture book illustration, animation and comics, I’d say that my family has been very inf luential in my work. Growing up, I always enjoyed being around a family who had such strong, hilarious and caring personalities on both sides.
What was your first paid commission, and does it stand as a representation of your talent? My first paid commission was while I was in school. I’d just gotten an agent and was commissioned to create illustrations for a small story in an educational magazine. It was a fun job because the story starred a robot character who taught kids how to recycle. The mediums I used were watercolour and ink. I believe I’ve grown way more comfortable with watercolour since then.
What’s the last piece that you finished, and how do the two artworks differ?
The last piece I worked on is a watercolour image of a frog wizard perched on a lily pad. These days I love to use coloured pencils with my watercolour more often than ink. I enjoy coloured pencils because of how I’m able to cross-hatch while still having a softer effect.
What rituals do you follow when you’re painting?
I usually start out with thumbnails and colour roughs. I generally create colour roughs in watercolo
