Inspiring Artist - Bea Gifted

 

Just found the website of this incredible artist named Bea Jackson (Bea Gifted). Wow! Stunning digital and traditional illustration. I don't know much about her but I really love how she draws and paints, especially how beautifully she illustrates Black children. Ugggh, so good!

If you're not familiar with her please go check out her website and follow her on Instagram! I'm sure you have seen her art in picture books but if you havent here's one! "Parker Looks Up" :)

Here is an interview with her where she talks about her long career in the arts working in comics, editorial work, children's books, and more. 

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What's this? This is where I share inspiring artists that have been inspiring to me in my work sometimes directly and other times indirectly. I just discovered Bea's work but some of the folks I share I've seen over the span of many years. Here are some others to check out:

Cymone Wilder- Typographic artist and designer

Elizabeth Catlett - Sculptor and fine artist

Olivia Fields- Illustrator, cartoonist

Helen Mingjue Chen- Illustrator, concept artist

Wow, as I mentioned above please follow and support her work!!! Again here is her site.

Inspiring Artist - Lorena Alvarez

 

I came across Lorena Alvarez work with her graphic novel "Nightlights" in 2016. Ever since then I have been eagerly awaiting any new work from the Colombiana. Originally from Bogotá she studied there and here in the states. 

One of the things I love most about her work besides its incredible sense of imagination, is her use of color. It is delicious to look at. Listen to this interview with her on the Children's Book Podcast.

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OK, thats some of her illustration work which is both digital and traditional. You can follow her on IG here. Her portfolio is here, and you can cop her comics Hicotea and Nightlights at most book stores. She's worked on some other books too, but I don't know them as well.

If you liked this check out some of the other ladies I've shared:

-Claire Wendling

-Bisa Butler

-Ami Thompson

Looking for more inspiration, here's my last Inspiration Board from August of 2022

Inspiring Artist - Ami Thompson

 

I believe I came acRoss Ami's work through Pinterest. I keep a board of inspiring characters and saw her work recommended to me. WOW. So much raw energy, emotion, design, color, and mood. I love her work-all the excitement and danger, the strong female characters, and the carnage I believe some of these characters could cause if we were living in Ami's world. 

I'm sure you'll recognize these cats from Avengers.

Ami has worked on a bunch of films such as Raya and the Last Dragon, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Mutafukaz, and she is currently working on the Maggie Kang directed Sony Pictures film "K-Pop: Demon Hunters" which I can't wait to see!

Here's an interview she did with Bobby over at Schoolism.

If you get a chance go follow Ami Thompson on Instagram. She doesn't post a ton, but when she does its dope.

If you missed the last inspiring artist, check him out here: Zeke Peña

Before that I shared some work from:

Bisa Butler

Mira Nair

and

Elizabeth Catlett

PDF - Curious about how to make a kids bk?

 

So, you've always wanted to get into kids books but you're not sure where to start? 

1. Read this free post I made about the start of my journey.

2. Purchase this downloadable pdf which details some of the key things I talk to newbies about when they ask me for advice.

If you'd like to get to know me a bit better you can check out some of the press and interviews I've done here. Peace!

-Rob

Christian Robinson -Inspiring video

 

Always dug Christian's work, its great to hear some of his story! Check out his site.

If you missed my last posts about an inspiring artist "Zeke Peña" or "Elizabeth Catlett".

Inspiring Artist - Zeke Peña

 

Zeke Peña is an incredible artist working in traditional fine art, and digital illustration. I don't remember which piece brought me to his work but I love it. The rich colors, the realism and the exaggeration. I love how his work portrays all types of people and how he tells a story through visuals.

Zeke has worked on a bunch of books! Picture books, comics, and middle grade covers. And I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more illustration and some writing coming from him soon. In addition to book work you can tell he really digs working with the community on art projects that puts their stories first.

Here you can see a video presentation where he talks about some of his work.

If you dig his work go check him out at www.zpvisual.com

And the last inspiring artist I shared was Gabby Zapata and Bisa Butler