Colorful Pencil and Marker Animal Illustrations by Katy Lipscomb
I was eagerly waiting for this Tuesday because today I have a special guest. Would you please welcome Katy Lipscomb, a fantastic American illustrator? Katy creates incredibly light, colorful, stunning, and perfect performance animals illustrations. To create illustrations, she uses Pencil and Marker. Katy`s magnificent style wins by storm everyone’s heart. People say that the illustrations that she brought to reality reflect the spiritual soul of the animals, and I agree.
These beautiful animals illustrations easily take me to the magical world of a childhood full of bright, colorful dreams and creatures, where everything is possible.
All your ideas are about to become the truth. Without a doubt, Katy creates not just animal pictures but incredible creatures with a unique, inner, and magical power.
When I spotted such inspiring and glorious artworks, I was interested in knowing who the master of those fabulous Animal illustrations? Or maybe, I ask who the queen of the magic land where all the inhabitants are, those shining, colorful, fantastic, and spiritually illustrated creatures are?
As it turned out, Katy is my neighbor and lives in sunny Georgia. She also has a very similar to my interests. Katy loves Space, has a passion for traveling, loves working in a properly organized environment, and loves horror movies.
Besides all that, she is a great and amiable personality. Katy was so kind as to share some interesting facts about her life and helpful information on tools that professional Illustrators use. By the way, Katy also has quite good proficiency in social media; the loyalty of her fans well supports that.
@Katy_Lipscomb Instagram account has 223K followers, which is impressive. You can also learn what tools a professional illustrator uses and some tips on following your dream. I am sure you will love her great illustrations and get fabulous inspiration from this fascinating Q&A session.
An Interview with Illustrator Katy Lipscomb or Do what you Love, Love What You Do!
Tell me a few words about yourself. Where do you live? What do you do?
Katy: Currently, I live in Athens, Georgia, but I grew up in Alpharetta, Georgia (just a little north of Atlanta). I attend the University of Georgia and am finishing my BFA in Studio Art with an emphasis on drawing. I will graduate in the Fall!
When did you realize that art must become a part of the lifestyle?
Katy: Ever since I was little, my mom ensured I had a place to do art in the house. This started when I was two or three in our first house with a little nook under the stairs. I think this very generous support of my desire to create things kept me interested in art as I grew up. When I was 12, I attended a few classes at a local art center (figure drawing, basics in drawing, etc.), which instilled an even more significant interest in the arts.
Do you have artists in your family?
Katy: My grandmother in Texas is a quilter. I used to spend summers at her shop, sewing and quilting. I also have a grandmother who is a watercolor artist. I have a few other creative family members in my extended family. Having these connections was terrific while growing up!
What inspires you the most? Who is your greatest inspiration? What is your favorite artwork?
Katy: This is a difficult question! I am certainly inspired by animals and nature, which is pretty evident from my artwork. I am constantly inspired by those around me and in my family.
My Mom swam in the 1988 Olympics, and my Dad is an ER doctor. My boyfriend of 5 years is also an artist and consistently impresses me with his level of commitment. Being surrounded by all of this commitment and passion has kept me focused and grounded.
What jobs have you done other than being an artist?
Katy: Surprisingly, I have only ever been an artist. I launched my first commissions and an online store when I was 15 and have grown my business ever since. Over the years, I have taken a few other freelance art-related jobs and social media positions, but these are all an extension of my business.
What is your most significant achievement?
Katy: To date, I think two of the projects I am most proud of in my adult coloring books with Blue Star Coloring: “Howl” and “Stress Relieving Cats.”
What is your primary professional goal?
Katy: I want to keep expanding my business and the “Katy Lipscomb” brand. This entails sharing my artwork on social media and working on new projects and opportunities.
What are the most critical responses you have got to your work?
Katy: Of course, I appreciate every comment I receive, but now and then, I get a response that will stick with me for an extended period. These also tend to be the most difficult comments to digest: people who say that my work reminds them of deceased family members or loved ones, hospitalized people, say that my work brings them some joy while laid up in bed, etc. Hearing such personal stories is simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking.
What do you dislike, and what do you like about the art world?
Katy: I appreciate that social media and online resources make it possible for artists to find nontraditional means to become a part of the art world. I think the art world is opening up and becoming much more receptive to all types of work. There are still types of work that are rejected by the community, but for the most part, anything is fair game as long as the artist can articulate their intentions.
What do you like the best about your lifestyle?
Katy: I love that I am constantly doing something new. I am not stuck in a rut continuously working on the same types of projects. This is why freelancing is so much fun! I never know what the next project will be.
I am also fortunate enough to be at a point where people will hire me for the type of work I like to create, rather than getting asked to work on projects that don’t necessarily fit my style.
Do you afraid of failure? Do you have any fears?
Katy: I don’t necessarily fear failure. I do, however, fear that sometimes success is short-lived. Styles can get popular and die off very fast. I hope that I am adaptive enough to move with current trends without sacrificing too much of what makes my artwork unique.
What would you call the biggest adventure of your life?
Katy: I have had a couple of “big adventures.” I was able to take a family trip to Italy in 2011, which was incredible. I have also taken two excursions to Costa Rica, which were incredibly stimulating for my current work.
What work do you most enjoying doing, other hobbies?
Katy: Besides art, I enjoy rock climbing, horseback riding, geocaching, reading, and gaming. Sometimes it is relaxing to focus on other hobbies besides art to avoid the stereotypical “burnout.”
Having other hobbies also contributes to my artwork. For example, my love for the outdoors combined with gaming and reading is why I love creating fantastic creatures and scenery.
What’s your strongest memory of your childhood?
Katy: I have quite a few strong memories of childhood. One of my earliest memories (which might be a little dark) is when I was 2. Our first family house caught fire and almost burned down.
My memory is of leaving the house in a panic, not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation. Of course, I have happy early memories as well!
There is a small town in Canada on Lake Erie where I spent most of my summers called Port Bruce (many families live up there, and at one point, my grandparents owned property in the town). I have strong memories of sailing, fishing, and playing on the beach in Port Bruce.
What’s your scariest experience?
Katy: I actually have two for this answer! On my first trip to Costa Rica, our group went white water rafting on the Pacuare River. It was a two-day trip, and on the second day, we rafted through class 4 and 5 rapids. Halfway through the day, our raft was got stuck in a hole, causing the raft to take on water and spin rapidly. Half of our group was tossed into the rapids.
My foot was caught underneath the seat in front of me, and I was slung from the raft, but I did not get fully ejected because my foot was stuck. My leg was hyperextended rather than falling out completely, tearing my ACL and meniscus (the tissue underneath the kneecap).
The scary part of all this was that there was no way to immediately be transported to a hospital. Instead, we had to finish rafting the rest of the river, which was another 4 hours! The second scary experience was voluntary: Skydiving! 😉
What is your favorite or the most inspirational place (in the city you live in)?
Katy: My favorite place is Port Bruce, the town I mentioned in a previous comment. It is consistently a haven to which I return. In Athens, Georgia, my favorite place is the Lamar Dodd school of art. This is the building where almost all art classes are held and consistently offers art openings and exhibitions.
What is your dream destination?
Katy: My dream destination would be going to space. It may sound a little silly right now, but if prices ever became affordable for the general population, I would be in line for my ticket!
What would you like to do more in your life?
Katy: Traveling! I want to experience more of the world and various cultures!
What kind of movies do you like? If you would ever become a movie director, what kind of movie would you film?
Katy: My favorite movies tend to be psychological thrillers and (well-executed) horror films. Some of my favorites are “It Follows,” “Psycho,” “Silence of the Lambs,” “Momento,” and “Inception.” I also love the recent trend in space thrillers. “Gravity,” “The Martian,” and “Interstellar” are fabulous.
What is the process of creation? What is the first step?
Katy: I think the answer to this question is different for every artist. My very first step is to clean up my work area and organize my materials. It is tough for me to create in a messy environment. There is something about a clean workspace that promotes productivity.
What kind of software do you use to create your artwork?
Katy: I don’t usually use software to create my works. I do use photoshop and Illustrator for cleaning up files and post-processing, though!
What tools do you use to create your masterpieces (pens, pencils, paper, brushes, etc.?) What can you recommend?
Katy: I use a wide variety of materials. Some of my favorites are Prismacolor Premier Soft Core pencils, PH Martin’s Concentrated watercolors, Copic Sketch markers, Winsor & Newton watercolors and gouache, and micron liner pens.
Are there some special technologies that you use?
Katy: Besides some software for post-processing, almost all of my work is done by traditional means.
Do you cooperate with well-known brands?
Katy: Yes! I have had the pleasure of working with brands and Companies like Patreon, Winsor & Newton, Daniel Wellington, Blue Star Coloring (best known in the adult coloring world), Passion Planner, Topps, Ethika, Modify Watches, and many others.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Katy: I am consistently told that making a living off of art is nearly impossible. I think being told this repeatedly has pushed me to prove myself and consistently work hard. Another great piece of advice is that having a good work ethic is absolutely crucial in the freelancing industry.
You are setting your own hours and deadlines (for the most part), and without a good work ethic, it is best to go into a more structured line of work.
What would be the first advice to give yourself 10 years ago?
Katy: Master the basics of drawing. Young artists get so bogged down with developing a ‘style’ that they forget to draw before learning how to stylize a drawing.
If artists focus on becoming well-rounded and proficient in technical drawing at a young age, they will have a solid foundation for stylizing their work in the future and adapting to any project that may come their way!
What are your favorite phone applications?
Katy: POKEMON GO.
Haha, I love Instagram, of course. I think it is a great tool for artists to promote themselves.
Other essential applications (to me) are Paypal, Slack, Geocaching, Dropbox, and Best Times (an app that tracks the best times to post on social media).
But seriously, Pokemon Go is fantastic.
You are a wonderful woman. What are the top 5 things you carry in your purse?
Katy: Besides the essentials (wallet, ID, credit cards, phone, keys, etc.) I always carry the following:
1. A pencil
2. Something to draw on (a small sketchbook or notepad)
3. Headphones
4. Advil
5. A random trinket for trading while geocaching.
Any suggestion you would like to give to those who want to make art and their hobby a part of their lives?
Katy: I think anyone considering making art a part of their lives shouldn’t hesitate to start immediately.
Art can provide healing, insightfulness, stress-relieving, challenging, and overall enriching to a person’s life. Start by buying a pencil and sketchbook. Draw what you see, what you imagine, or both! Go to local art openings, events, and museums.
Subscribe to blogs or follow artists on Facebook and Instagram. People can take so many little steps to bring art into their everyday lives, and I encourage anyone to take those steps!
Thanks, Katy, for the exciting answers to all of my questions.
I would like to wish you, Katy, to stay the same great and positive person as you are. I wish you to achieve all of your goals and let your way to the greatest success smoothly and filled up with lots of positive, exciting, and useful discoveries.
To know more about Katy’s artworks and stay up to date with the latest news, please follow Katty on social media: | ONLINE STORE Looking forward to your thoughts in the comments below! Read also an Interview with Incredible Fashion Illustrations by Natalia Jheté.
