Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hollie Puterbaugh. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hollie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
As a naturally anxious person, I crave stability. However, a career as an artist is anything but stable. I often think about what it would be like to have a regular job. Would it be more stable? Would I be happier? Would I still be able to create? When I was in college pursuing my undergraduate degree, I changed my major at least 3 times as I was trying to find my path. I tried to discover a field that was not art that still could fulfill my creative needs, but I still navigated back to art in the end. Now, I am truly happy as an artist and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else — being a creative is embedded in my identity.
Hollie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am an illustrator that specializes in editorial illustration, however I also create work for children’s/young adult publishing, concept design, and surface design markets.
I am known for featuring whimsical themes, feminine characters, bright colors, and texture in my work. A lot of my work also focuses on escaping the anxieties of real life and traveling to made up, fantastical worlds. My favorite part of the creative process is the ideation stage because it allows me to utilize my creative (and adaptive) problem solving skills to the fullest.
Typically, I work digitally with a variety of textured brushes. I am a trained oil/acrylic painter and I love applying that knowledge in my digital work during the rendering stage. No digital drawing program scares me! I love working in procreate, photoshop, and clip studio paint.
Currently, I am proud that I am trying new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone. With my anxiety, it’s so easy to stay “safe” and create what comes natural to me or what I’ve done in the past. Since I’ve come to SCAD, I see myself blossoming as an artist right before my eyes. SCAD has pushed me to take risks with my art, and for that, I am forever grateful because these experiences have shown me what all I am capable of. My art can’t be confined!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Illustration has always made me infinitely happier. My sisters and I didn’t have the easiest childhood, and art allowed me to escape and indulge in fantasy, which in turn sparked an undeniable joy within me. I think I started illustrating to share that almost indescribable feeling with the world. To me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is getting the viewer to feel from my art. I love creating artwork that evokes a feeling or emotion and seeing the looks on the viewers’ faces when they feel that emotion. I love when viewers are able to resonate with my artwork and understand why I create the things I do. We all just want to feel understood in this world so the acknowledgement of my art is extremely fulfilling. I also enjoy the innate nature of solving problems within illustration. The act of ideating and mind-mapping at the start of creating an illustration is my favorite part of the process because it allows my creative juices to flow freely, and I can tinker with the design until I’m content.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
When I was pursuing my undergrad degree at the University of North Texas, I was being classically trained in painting with acrylic and oil paint. When I graduated, I finally acknowledged my desire to pursue a career in illustration. My undergrad program definitely helped me learn the fundamentals of creating art and painting in general, but I was not lacking in the knowledge of the business side of being an artist. I wish I had known that there are illustration agencies, illustration conferences, and ways to send mass emails to art directors. Illustration agencies are a great tool because you can be represented by said agency, and they will scout your clients for you. Also, Illustration conferences are ideal for networking, and gives one the opportunity to be memorable. Learning how to follow up on connections and contacts gained from those events is something invaluable. Sending well-drafted follow-up emails to art directors will allow me to be more memorable for potential job opportunities as well as show ambition. I also wish I would have known the different markets of illustration when I was younger because it is important to have a niche where your illustrations align. This allows more focus on the freedoms that come with one’s artwork and opens up more possibilities for future projects as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hollieillu.com
- Instagram:@hollieillu
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollieputerbaugh
