We were lucky to catch up with Jess Smart Smiley recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jess, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
How wonderful is it that there is no end to learning one’s craft? I love it!
I’ve written and drawn since I could hold a pencil and I almost always get a “return” for the effort I put into these activities. As a child, I imitated the drawing styles of Quentin Blake, Jeff Smith, and Todd McFarlane, as well as a variety of fantasy artists, video game art, and cartoons I watched.
I’m a slow learner—which can be very frustrating—but I tend to be thorough in and committed to my education. Things really took off for me professionally when I decided to commit to finishing my work. Having completely finished work (instead of just sketches for ideas) made it easier for me to pitch new ideas to editors, publishers, and art directors.
Drawing is probably the skill that has served me best. By drawing, I learn to see the thing I’m drawing in ways I might not have otherwise. I love how a simple line can describe complex ideas and create characters that didn’t previously exist. Lines are also make up the strokes in letters and words, which can also be used to describe ideas and create characters.
Some of the most important skills I’ve learned are:
-Principles and elements of design (what creators have to work with and how to use them in a given image)
-The idea that quantity drives quality (drawing a lot is more likely to improve one’s drawing)
-Meeting deadlines (a completed project is worth more than dozens of potentially great unfinished projects)
-Being a chameleon (which is an approach of serving the needs of a given project by learning the necessary style, tools, techniques, and media required to make the project what it needs to be, rather than limiting the project only to one’s established skill levels)
-“Thou shalt not covet thine own ideas” (a creative commandment designed to free up one’s attachment to a given project or idea; it’s good for me to be committed and engrossed in a project and it’s not so good to become obsessed or overly precious about it).
The business side of creation hasn’t come easy or naturally to me, but it’s something I’ve enjoyed learning more about over the years.
Most recently, I suffered debilitating pain for 4 years that put me in bed for 3 of the same years. I was seen by 65 doctors before my condition was diagnosed and treated, and even still I’m in constant physical pain and will be in and out of mobility for the foreseeable future. Thinking and working through the pain—and between doctor appointments—has been incredibly challenging, but a much-needed relief from obstacles to my health.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Hi! My name is Jess Smart Smiley and I’m a creator focused on making positive and meaningful experiences through words, pictures, and media. I’m a little taller than average and have been wearing a green hat that covers the top of my head.
I have created 23 books for young readers (including the #1 bestselling comics activity book “Let’s Make Comics”, which has sold more than 10,000 copies), I have helped thousands of children, teens, and adults around the world create their first comics, and I have created work for DisneyPixar, DreamWorks, Macmillan, and Penguin Random House.
My first all-ages graphic novel “Upside Down: A Vampire Tale” was published by Top Shelf in 2012 and I’ve been making books and comics ever since!
I work full-time as a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, and writer, and love working with others to make unique images and experiences that use our collective strengths. I do my best to facilitate an enjoyably sustainable work relationship with directors, clients, and publishers, and I seek out projects with a clear and meaningful vision.
I also work as a freelance creative director and consultant, and have helped a variety of businesses with needs as diverse as re/branding, character design, story structure and development, idea generation, and creative processes for video games, apps, books, events, and more.
I love visiting schools, libraries, bookstores, and museums to share my passion for writing, drawing, and storytelling, and I’m looking forward to more visits following the release of my upcoming interactive graphic novel WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: TALENT SHOW TROUBLES, featuring multiple endings for ages 8-12.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In November 2017 I threw up and felt a terrible tearing sensation in my abdomen. I was treated for an abdominal strain or tear, but over the course of a year, the pain increased and spread to the rest of my abdomen, to my sides, and to my back. Once the pain hit my back, I needed to use a cane just to walk around, but even then the pain was so intense that I spent much of my time laying down with a heating pad or ice pack.
The pain intensified and doctors were still unable to diagnose or treat my pain.
I spent 3 long years in bed and my life turned from one of creative endeavor to that of full-time medical research and carrying out appointments. I read medical studies and journals, followed others with undiagnosed chronic pain in their abdomen and back, and joined online groups for others suffering from similar ailments.
The 65th doctor I met with finally offered me a diagnosis and treatment: through throwing up, I had embedded nerves in my abdomen and the nerves could be surgically removed.
Through it all, I conceived, wrote, and illustrated 4 full-length graphic novels (240 pages each), and took on freelance work for packaging design, clothing graphics, web design, and more, as I was able.
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While the 6 surgical neurectomies seem to have resolved my abdominal pain, the residual back pain is still nearly intolerable. I’m currently in and out of varying degrees of mobility and working closely with physical therapy and rehabilitation teams, a pain management team, neurologists, physiatrists, and other doctors.
I fully believe I am here for a reason and I believe my playful work has something to do with that reason.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
While I don’t think that artists as a whole should be supported simply on the basis of them being “artists”, I do believe the arts themselves are worth keeping in education.
The arts give both creators and patrons tools for finding, maintaining, and fostering meaning in their lives. The arts can be ways of understanding and operating in the world. When we sever arts from education programs, we literally remove options for students of life to solve problems. In other words, an education devoid of the arts is one that limits that students’ opportunities to grow, to understand, to problem-solve.
Contact Info:
- Website: Jess-smiley.com/links
- Instagram: Instagram.com/jess.smart.smiley
- Facebook: Facebook.com/jess.smart.smiley
- Other: tiktok.com/@jess.smart.smiley