The Artist’s Experience: From Brotherman to Batman

Dawud Anyabwile: www.anyabwile.com / @dawud_anyabwile / @_drawingfromthesoul

Clients: Big City Entertainment, Inc, Lion Forge Animation, Houghton Mifflin, Norton Reader, Harper Collins, Random House

“When I work independently, my morning begins when I feel like it. I always get more than a regular eight hour day no matter what time I start, but if I am on a schedule for a company or client then I am up and at work when it is required. I like to let my body do what it feels. It helps my creativity. For years I would draw all night long until I fell out which sometimes can be 8 or 9 am and then I would get up when I feel like it. I stopped doing that when I realized how important it is to rest. I am more concerned about my personal health than illustrating because without my health there is no illustration. So I may now go to bed at midnight if I am working on a major project. If it’s an average day I try to wind down between 10 and 11 pm or earlier if need be.”

“The most exciting part of the artistic process for me may be the initial stage of figuring out what approach you want to take to the project. Each time it’s a new experience and it can be daunting yet exciting, especially when you figure out which direction you decide to move into.”

“The amount of work that a graphic novel demands can be taxing on your daily schedule because you have to draw so many pages in a specific period of time which requires all kinds of camera angles, scenery, characters, and other kinds of problem solving complexities. Since you are doing it all by yourself you may not have the luxury of designing characters, props, and backgrounds as you would on a team project that is compartmentalized so that can be rough at times. In the end it is still fun to figure out the process as you move along, and once you are complete it is extremely rewarding to hold the finished copy in your hand.”

“For a client, the project is complete when I feel that the elements required are all present and looking good, unless there are revisions. When the project is for me, I just look at it and say, ‘It is done.’”

Denys Cowan: @denyscowanart

Clients: Milestone Media, DC Entertainment, Marvel

“I usually start the drawing part of my workday in the afternoon around 1 pm! I usually work until 8 pm in the evening or so.”

“I love the drawing and the layout process of what we do. I love all aspects of comic art.”

“I don’t have many creative blocks, however when I do, I always turn to my favorite artist for inspiration.”

“When is a project truly complete? That’s a good question. For me? Maybe never…lol. I don’t tend to look at my work much once it’s published. I keep finding things I want to fix!”

Darryl Banks: @glprime

Clients:  DC Comics, Strider-Nolan Media, The Bradford Exchange, Filsinger Games, 7 Lafayette, LLC

“I get up in the morning, pray, eat breakfast, then look at my schedule. My workday begins at 10 am with a sketch warm up or a prelim for a commission. I divide up my workday based on deadlines for my comics, commercial, and commission artwork. How late I end the workday always depends! Life happens and I always need to adapt. On average I would say my workday ends at 10 pm.”

“The most exciting part of the artistic process for me is improvement! I am always learning.  Stagnation is counterproductive to me. New techniques, better balancing of work time, and family time.”

“I have learned to be creative on demand over the years. Being professional demands that and clients put their trust in my ability to get things done. It isn’t easy but I am purpose driven.”

“A project is truly complete after the editor or client has no more revisions or additions and I receive my payment for services rendered.”

Eric Battle: @battlelinesrdrawn

Clients: Abrams ComicArts, The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust, DC Comics, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University, Swarthmore College

“It can be a challenge to be creative on demand and on schedule, but that’s the challenge of this industry.”

“I’ve found that the best way for me to get around artist/creative blocks is to recognize that I probably should step away from my desk and go do something else for a bit to clear my head, so I’m not just sitting there trying to force something that’s not going to happen at that moment. To recharge creatively daily, cycling, exercise, cooking, and listening to good music (SA House music/Prince/TOOL/Tricky) are key to reenergizing and counterbalancing the hours of sitting at the desk. Sometimes and whenever I can, finding a good dance party is crucial. Taking the time to dance for hours to great deep, dark, and dangerous house music and catch a vibe can be intrinsic to helping reignite the flow. Other times, I may just need to take a nap! “

Chuck Collins: @bounce_comic 

Clients: Augenblick Studios, Nickelodeon, Animation Collective, Netflix, Megascope

“Always start my workday with coffee first. Meditation in front of my computer with some good music and then I start whatever project I’m working on.”

“The sketching phase is the most exciting part of the artistic process for me. It allows me to freely express everything with no restrictions. It helps establish a flow that you can mold till you get your desired effect.”

“Bourbon and video games are how I deal with creative blocks. Haha! Before the pandemic, I’d often go to the local bar and interact with friends. I’d forget about the project and just let my mind get clear. When I come back to whatever I was working on, I’d feel more confident to draw again.”

“For freelance work, when I collect my final payment is when the project is truly complete. For my personal projects, I don’t think anything is truly complete. I usually look at things I could’ve fixed or have done better and carry it to the next piece of artwork.”

Jerry Craft: www.jerrycraft.com / @jerrycraft

Clients: HarperCollins; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

“Ideally, I start my day by jumping right out of bed and start drawing. However, married life sometimes requires things such as breakfast and conversation. When I’m on deadline, I like to get to my studio by noon and I usually work until 1 am. Stopping of course for lunch and conversation, as well as dinner and conversation.”

“Creatively, my fans inspire me the most. When I do a school visit or read emails from kids/teachers telling me how much they like my books or relate to the characters, that makes me wish I could snap my fingers and have the next book done immediately. But I know that it will probably take at least a year or more for me to finish. Also, other artists inspire me. If I see something of theirs that is really amazing, it makes me want to work even harder to get on that level.”

“I am very fortunate to say that I don’t feel like I ever have creative blocks. I always have so many ideas in my head that it’s hard to decide which to do next. So it’s like I always have something on the grill cooking, something in the fridge thawing out, and a few things in the freezer waiting to be defrosted. It never feels like work, and I continue to have fun.”

“There is nothing like spending a year of your life writing and drawing for twelve or more hours a day to complete ONE book. By the end, I feel like my skills are razor sharp. Now do that two or three more times, and if you are actually looking to grow, and learn, and evolve…you WILL! If you’re lucky, you never stop learning.”

“The most exciting part of the artistic process for me is looking at a page that I think is good, then figuring out a way to make it even better. Or coming up with a plot twist or a character that pushes my story to the next level. Then when that idea finally comes together to where I feel comfortable enough to show it to my agent and editor—and they LOVE it!”

“I create for the 12-year-old version of myself who hated to read because I could never find characters that I could relate to because so many of the books that featured kids like me are based on trauma. I make books that allow kids to laugh, to escape, and to hope! Not to be a constant reminder of how miserable their life can be.”

Tim Fielder: www.dieselfunk.com / @dieselfunk / @dieselfunk.bsky.social / @graphichistorycompany

Clients: HarperCollins/Amistad, WWNorton, Dieselfunk Studios, The Graphic History Company, Marvel Comics

“The time I’m working fluctuates depending on the project. Generally, I’m up at 8 am but won’t start till 10 am and will go till evening. That work is peppered with breaks throughout the day. Now that I’m much older my body shuts down around 10 pm. If I dare to work longer and do an all-nighter, it will take me days to recover. “

“What has always inspired me creatively is the intersection of characters of color within speculative scenarios—what is now called Afrofuturism. While I’m more than capable of doing work in different genres, I often find myself (like Scorsese with gangster films) going back to Afrofuturism. I find that graphic novel schedules are dramatically more adaptive to being creative. This is largely because the time allotted to produce long-form stories have longer deadlines.”

“I’ve learned over the years that projects happen when they are supposed to. Some come easy, others take years of tinkering. So, there is no such thing as a block—it is merely the path to completion. I liken it to writing a prose novel. The written and visual narratives take time. “

“My work has changed as I’ve grown older. Some changes are due to a more mature palette of interests which allows my subjects to be more advanced. Aging has also influenced my work as I can no longer work insanely long hours back-to-back. This has provided the unforeseen advantage of allowing my work to breathe. Art takes time. I would add that I went digital many years ago, implementing 2D digital illustration, 3D modeling, and game engine processes into my work. As a result, innovation plays a major part in my art. Next up is seeing where generative AI fits into the workflow.”

“The most exciting part of the artistic process is, ironically, when a story has already revealed itself, designs and breakdowns have been done, and I’m deep into production. It’s not so much that it’s exciting, it’s more that I feel a sense of calm because the path is clear. “

N Steven Harris: nstevenworks.com / @nstevenharris.bsky.social / @nstevenharris

Clients: DC Comics, Kingwood Comics, Dead Good Publishing, Universal Music Group, Ogilvy & Mather, Darryl Makes Comics (DMC of Run DMC), AT&T,  Condé Nast

“I may get up between 9-11 am. Exercise, shower, make a shake, or eat breakfast, then get to work at home or travel to the studio and get to work. I may work from 1 or 2 pm to around midnight to 4 am. My schedule changes from day to day.”

“Sometimes music inspires me creatively, but I am addicted to political, comic book related, and social awareness podcasts. Art books, comic book art editions, and political victories against evil politicians.”

“I work through creative blocks by drawing and working through ideas, taking a break by looking through art books or comics, go outside to a cafe, or for a walk. Nowadays, since I have done a lot of comics, compositions, etc., it is more about trying to keep it fresh and do things different. I always have ideas, but it is more about choosing the right one or trying to do something I have not done before.”

“I have had projects that have not had hard deadlines, which allow me to really take my time and rework or improve upon a previous sketch. But, I still have the deadlines of bills and rent, so I cannot take too much time on a project. Also, there are people coming behind me on a project, like the colorist and letterer. They have bills, too, so I just can’t be lollygagging on a job.”

“Creating interesting composition, setting a mood, evoking emotion, stirring up a relatable moment for the reader/viewer, and just designing a kick-ass action sequence, are the most exciting parts of the artistic process for me. Also, constructing a progression, a sequence that the reader/viewer can follow and get excited about.”

“A project is done if the artist understands that there is no such thing as perfection. The job has to be done at the time of the deadline so budget your time accordingly. Allow for growth to come through in your future projects. Growth will come, but will the artist allow for it?”

“I create for myself for public consumption. I want my work to contribute to the African diaspora and be a part of the diverse and expansive Black aesthetic. I want my work to be seen.”

Micheline Hess: www.michmasharts.com / @michmasharts / @michmasharts.bsky.social

Clients: Macmillan Publishing, Penguin Random House, Milestone Media, DMC, BLAM! Publishing

“My workday starts around 7or 8 am. Very often I’ll remain in bed, sip coffee. and start drawing with my iPad Pro. Around 9 am I have to stop because I also work full time at an ad agency as an art director, and it can get pretty busy there, too. If it’s not too crazy, I’ll stop around 5 or 6 pm and after a little break, I’ll start drawing again. Often I’ll keep drawing until around midnight.”

“I really enjoy the research and inking portions of the artistic process.”

“Creative blocks can really be a problem when there are deadlines involved. Sometimes I have to just try to push past it. If I can manage it, I step away from the work and go for a walk, ride my electric unicycle, watch a movie, read, or play video games. “

“When is a project complete? I sometimes look back on projects from the past and think to myself, “What was I thinking?” in regard to a certain panel or page. Technically, I suppose if the editor and creative director like it, it’s done. But if I had my way, it might take ages for me to get to a point where a project gives that feeling that it’s truly compete. Sometimes that never happens. “

Jamal Igle: www.jamaligle.com / @Jamaligle.bsky.social

Clients: Ahoy Comics, Archie Comics, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Disney Publishing, Heinemann Publishing, CBS Television, Sony Entertainment, Warner 

“I absolutely do not jump right out of bed at start drawing, lol. My day is fairly regimented so that my life has a little balance. I usually take care of the clerical and personal aspects of my life in the early part of my morning starting at 6 am. I’m usually at the desk by 10-11 and work until about 7 pm on average. How I end my work day depends on how stubborn I am. I rarely work later than 8-9 now that I’m older and know my limits. But when I was younger, I’d work until 4 am. That said, it’s also the reason I don’t work on monthly comic books anymore.”

“Probably the layout process is the most exciting part of the artistic process for me. Trying to put the puzzle of a story together is the biggest challenge. The drawing, while fun, is more of a mechanical process. “

“Sometimes you just have to be able to put the pencil down and walk away. That’s the point where I try to get outside for a bit, walk the dog, exercise. Spending time with my family helps, as well.”

“A project is never truly complete. You just do the best you can and hope that people like it, but they never feel completed, just printed and done.”

John Jennings: www.johnjenningsstudio.com / @johnjenningsart / @jijennings.bsky.social

Clients: Megascope imprint with Abrams ComicArts, Rosarium Books, Simon and Schuster and Marvel Entertainment.

“My work day has shifted dramatically because of two major influences. The first is being the father of a toddler who has autism. The second is, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. My day starts from 4 am or 5 am, depending upon what type of work I am doing. I have to get up before my son gets up or I may not get anything done or start my workday hours later. So, I try to get 3 to 4 hours of work done before he gets up and I have to feed him. Generally, I am trying to get to work as soon as possible and for as long as I can.”

“Ideation and world building are my favorite things about the creative process! I love the beginning of a new project where everything is still malleable and new and you’re figuring things out.”

“I generally don’t get creative blocks. I honestly have the opposite issue; too many ideas but not enough time to get them down. I tend to collaborate a lot and that’s how I recharge. Collaboration makes most ideas stronger and you tend to see things differently when you start throwing ideas around.”

“A project is truly complete either when the client needs it or, if you’re doing it for yourself, you can’t find any other thing that sticks out as a huge problem. At the end of the day, we have deadlines, schedules, and publications schedules to meet. It’s a system and if one thing is off, it throws off everything.”

Ken Lashley: www.ledkillaart.com / @ledkilla

Clients: Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Hasbro, Lucasfilm, Mattel, Riot Games, Boom Studios

“I’m more of a night owl by nature. Mornings are more about easing into the day—maybe checking emails, reviewing notes, or gathering inspiration before diving into work. That said, deadlines dictate everything. The beauty (and challenge) of creative work is that inspiration doesn’t always strike on a set schedule, but discipline ensures the work gets done.”

“Inspiration comes from everywhere. I constantly absorb different forms of art—anime, animation, classic and contemporary art books, different artistic genres, and even watching videos of other artists’ creative processes. Seeing how someone else approaches their craft often sparks new ideas for my own work. I believe creativity operates in degrees—some days, the ideas flow effortlessly, and other days, it’s more of a grind. The key is to show up regardless. No one should be able to tell whether it was an easy day or a hard one based on the final work. Consistency is just as important as inspiration.”

“I honestly don’t experience creative blocks in the traditional sense. One of the ways I avoid them is by keeping multiple projects going at once. If I ever feel stuck on one, I can shift to another and return with a fresh perspective.”

“Time at the drawing table has been my biggest teacher. Years of consistent work have made me more efficient, more confident in my lines, and more aware of my strengths and weaknesses. In the past few years, I’ve been focusing more on inking my own work, which has helped me refine my process into something that feels truly my own. There are always new techniques to learn, new styles to experiment with, and different ways to tell stories visually. My work now might be unrecognizable from what I was doing a decade ago, and in another ten years, it’ll likely transform again, hopefully. That’s the beauty of being an artist—you’re never really ‘done’ improving.”

“What is exciting is to think that as a kid you dream of being a comic book artist and now you’re actually doing it. Beyond that, there’s something cool about seeing an idea take shape. That moment when rough sketches turn into a fully inked, polished page—it never gets old.”

“No piece is ever truly complete—just abandoned. There’s always something that could be tweaked, a line that could be cleaner, but at some point, you have to step back and let it go.”

“First and foremost, I create for myself.”

Shawn Martinbrough: www.shawnmartinbrough.com / @smartinbrough / @smartinbrough.bsky.social

Clients: DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Abrams Books, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Vanity Fair 

“I usually start my work day around 8-9 am. I check emails first then start drawing. Every day I take a break to hit the gym or ride my bike for an hour. This offsets sitting on my butt drawing for nine hours plus every day. I usually wind down around 1-2 am. Sometimes if I’m in the groove, I can go until 5 am but I must go to bed before the morning birds start chirping.”

“The most exciting part of the artistic process is solving the visual ‘problem’ and fully translating the idea in your mind to paper. The latter almost never happens completely, but when it does, it’s a rush.”

“Sometimes it can be difficult to be creative on demand, but bills need to be paid so that’s a strong motivating factor. As an artist, you tend to work with others like an editor, colorist, letterer, etc., so you must be respectful of their schedules as well.”

 “I deal with a creative block by pushing through it. If you’re on a deadline, you really don’t have the luxury of entertaining a creative block. When a block does happen, I go to the movies, a museum, or an art gallery. I take in something very visual or I’ll simply start sketching out the idea until I get into the creative groove of the project.”

“Very rarely is a project truly complete for me. It usually comes down to running out of time and needing to deliver to the client.”

Alitha Martinez: www.ariotstorm.com / @Ariotstorm 

Clients: Marvel Comics, DC Comic, Image Comics, Papercutz, Abrams Books, Humanoids, Archie Comics, Lionforge, Kahzoo, Learner Publications, Dark Horse Comics

“My workday starts…well, it doesn’t really end. This dynamic started many years ago so I would say that usually by 1:30 am, I’m already drawing and I tend to sleep (for these last few months) two to three hours a night. That’s it.”

“The state of being creative on demand is all I’ve ever known. I’m actually envious of people who say they only work on one project and have the luxury of putting a lot of time into it. I just realized last year that I love this job because it’s a constant learning process and you never stop learning. I was trained and brought into the comics industry by Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti, and other professionals and they trained me to work the way I work today.”

“If I go from drawing Aquaman to whatever it is, I’m constantly drawing. I think it was Aquaman, Azrael: Ash, followed by Black Widow, and then Black Panther. I would usually draw a page every day so I’m transitioning from penciling to inking to penciling. I’m just used to the flow of it. It feels like putting a puzzle together.”

“The thing that excites me about the creative process has nothing to do with comics. Comics is my job. What’s creative and exciting is when I get to write and draw my own sci-fi stories and think to myself, ‘Did I create this?’ The feeling of being truly comfortable in creating and not questioning anything is indescribable. You’re allowing an idea to just flow through you. When I’m in full work mode, it amazes me when I reach that level.”

“I don’t get creative blocks. As a professional artist, there are too many projects to work on back to back so creative blocks haven’t happened to me since I was a kid. Even then, I found the trick to avoid them is to work on something new. I don’t really experience that hardcore creative block that stops me from working because I can always float over to the next project. I can’t afford to be creatively moody or whiny. I am built to work. That’s it!”

“People who work on creator-owned projects can finish a project when they think it’s done. When I reach the last page #20 or page #22 of a DC Comics or Marvel book, that’s when I’m on to the next project. More work means that I can keep my boy fed. “

Jamar Nicholas: www.jamarnicholas.com / @jamar_nicholas_cartoonist / @jamarnicholas.bsky.social

Clients: Scholastic, Abrams Books, Marvel, View Askew

“I have found that it’s helpful for my week (and my sanity) to keep office hours in my home studio. I begin my day at 8 am and after walking and feeding my dog, by 10 am I am in the chair and work on a myriad of administrative things during the day, usually saving drawing towards the afternoon, where I feel the most locked in creatively. My ‘closed’ hours are supposed to begin at 6 pm, but I rarely hit that mark. Luckily I work for myself, as I would accrue a ton of overtime! I usually go to bed around 1:30 am.”

“The Work exists way beyond the need to be creative, so you meet The Work every day and try to tackle it. Forecasting your month, then week, into days and hours is how I usually assemble my brain around the long act of writing and drawing 250-plus page projects. Zooming out really helps to make sense of the scale and scope of projects that big.”

“I usually am inspired by looking at collections of older cartoonists’ work or talking to colleagues over the phone or Zoom, and a lot of ideas come to me when I’m walking my dog during the day!”

“The best approach I’ve learned to deal with a creative block is to get up and walk away from the desk for a while or change gears. It usually doesn’t last very long, but it helps to step out of your way from time to time and allow yourself the moment to sit in a chair and think or read. Staring at a blank page or blinking cursor has never helped me solve creative blocks.”

“I think my work has evolved as my attitude toward creating has changed. I recall when I began my career thinking that drawing an entire 22-page comic book was impossible. But with time and work under your belt, getting comfortable with solving problems on the page, my storytelling and work has improved.

“Before I left my day job to become a full-time author, I felt like my comics suffered from trying to just get things finished before needing to go to work. Most of my projects were more rushed than I would have enjoyed, but now I get to take more time than I’ve ever enjoyed.”

“The concepting stage and also inking are the most exciting parts of the artistic process for me. There’s a million parts that are rough-going, and I’m really beginning to enjoy editing.”

Khary Randolph: @kharyrandolph

Clients: Marvel, DC, Image, Boom, Archie, King Features, 20th Century Fox, Netflix, Epic Games, Mattel

“The first things I do when I start my day are check my emails and maintain my social media presence. Social media has become a big part of my profession so it’s important to clear all the business out of the way so I can prep and be focused on the art without too many distractions.”

“Being creative on demand is not that difficult for me, not anymore. There are obviously some days when you are more creative than others, but over time I’ve trained myself to always be able to get something out. This is a business after all and we always have to be progressing towards the end goal. Being on schedule on the other hand, that’s a different story. I’m more interested in how a project will stand the test of time over making a deadline. It’s always a fine line you have to walk, but I do feel as though quality should come first.”

“The beginning stages of a project is the most exciting part of the artistic process for me. It’s when everything is new and you don’t exactly know what you’re doing yet. It’s both exhilarating and scary at the same time, but it’s also when you wind up making the boldest choices. 

“A project is never complete for an artist, it’s just ‘complete enough.’ If left to my own devices I would never label any project complete, because it can always be just a little bit better if I have more time.”

Afua Richardson: www.afuarichardson.com • @afua_richardson

Clients: Marvel, DC Comics, Fox, HBO, Image comics, Boom Studios, Valiant, ESPN, Activision Blizzard, Google, Vanity Fair, Universal

“If it’s a good day, I wake up around 6:30 am clean my home and office space, walk, exercise, and listen to music and sing. My workday starts around 10 am and I work until 2 pm, eat, and work until about 7 or 8 pm. If I have a deadline, I work until I can’t anymore.”

“Work is work. If you’re not giving to yourself you can’t give to your art. You can’t draw from an empty well of inspiration. So you have to do things to get your mind in the right place to create. These days, with the weight of the world on our shoulders, it’s harder than ever to create a routine. Ownership of your mind is vital and evaluating what you can and can’t control will help you set a schedule.”

“Choosing colors and creating characters are exhilarating parts of the artistic process. Colors are essentially the allocated emotions of the piece. In terms of music it’s like the chords you choose to back the melody. Creating characters is like determining the strengths and weaknesses of an accumulated identity. A culmination of people you know, the person you are, and the person you’ll need to be. Their clothing, their posture, and silhouette are the instruments you use to compose the song of the person you’ll be following on a journey.”

“In order to change the mind, you must change the body. For me that means movement. Dance, walking, running, stretching. When you elevate the heart rate, your blood flows and so does the inspiration.”

“When is a project truly complete? That is something I’ve yet to learn.”

Robyn Smith: robrosmo.com / @robrosmo

Clients: DC Comics, Netflix, Black Josei press, WNBA, Nike, Chronicle Books

“When I was working on Nubia for DC Comics, I started my work day as soon as my eyes opened. I would literally just roll out of bed, drink so much coffee, and grab my iPad. I’d end the workday when I couldn’t stare at my iPad screen any longer, so usually around 2 am. I’d just put my iPad down and go to sleep. There was very little routine involved. Not healthy, and I have since corrected that but that’s how I got it done at the time.”

“I’m not exactly the fastest at drawing so it took a lot of organization and late hours to meet my deadlines. As long as I’m organized, being creative on demand doesn’t seem as daunting.”

“When experiencing a creative block, I’ll try using a medium I don’t usually make comics with. Maybe painting, maybe marker, or whatever I can do to have my brain look at something differently.”

“The most exciting part of the artistic process is probably a tie between the character design and mapping out the pacing of a comic.”

“A project is truly complete when I can look at it and say, ‘Good enough.’”

Marcus Williams: www.marcusthevisual.com / @marcusthevisual 

Clients: Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Massive Comics, King Features, Boom Studios, Action Lab Comics, Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures Animation, Amazon, Nickelodeon, 9B, Martian Blue, Google, Hasbro

“It’s not difficult at all to be creative on demand or on a schedule. It’s taken a lot of conversations to understand this fact, but not everyone has lived in and cultivated their imaginations since childhood. When digesting other media such as sci-fi, action adventure, fantasy, video game stories, etc, I’ve used these sources as fuel to nurture my own imagination reservoir. I can literally never run out of ideas. I see new concepts and ideas as just problem solving in reference to creating new characters and stories.”

“I don’t really have a rigid schedule or ritual for my work week. Depending on how I feel, I can walk away from any project that I’m working on and switch gears to either recharge or retire for the evening before working on it again. Depending on how much sleep or energy I have stored up, I can work way into the next morning or afternoon.”

“Being creative is the most exciting part of the artistic process for me. Being a character designer and illustrator simply awards me the skill to render my creative ideas. It’s most exciting to come up with something that is interesting to me firstly. I rarely think about what will entertain or excite someone else when generating new ideas or concepts.”

Ronald Wimberly: ronaldwimberly.com / @ronaldwimberly

Clients: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Disney, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Macmillan, The New Yorker, Apple, LVMH

“I usually start at 7:30. Make my bed, stretch. etc., get to work. I’ve endeavored to limit work’s encroachment on the rest of my life. Ideally, my workday ends by 18:00, but sometimes I have to work later, whether compelled by excitement for what I’m doing or because I poorly managed my time. “

“The most exciting thing about an artist has been staying alive long enough to eventually reap the benefits of my practice.”

“A project is truly complete when people stop thinking about it.”