We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maren Lawrence a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Maren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
It’s taken a while to learn what I know now. The earliest I can remember doing digital art goes back to when I was 12, playing around with MS Paint on my dad’s computer. He noticed I had a liking to it and eventually got me a bamboo tablet. So much easier than a mouse! However, I’d say the real drive to pursue art, specifically digital art, came when I was 16. My dad bought me the first generation of an iPad Pro, and it changed the game for me. No longer was I stuck at the computer in the office, forced to wait my turn. I could draw digitally anywhere! On the couch, in my room, or even at school!
With this newfound freedom, it gave me the opportunity to play around with different art programs more. Finding the right app for what you want to do is essential! No more MS Paint or Manga Studio, now I was messing around with Adobe Sketch (Fresco), Medibang, and Procreate. Eventually, when I started to attend Snow College for their AFA program, I realized I could use my iPad for assignments. Digital art can be very handy, even if it’s not the final product. Once you realize you can use a projector to make it easier to transfer your digital creation to a physical surface, so many creative projects open up to you. I created mock-ups for relief/screen print, experimental drawing, animation, and eventually my whole AFA art show! For three years, I used digital work to improve my traditional. Next would be the University of Utah, where the Illustration program encouraged digital art, and I’ve been working with it more often ever since.
I wouldn’t speed up my learning process, even if I could. There’s something about playing and taking your time with a tool that helps you get a better feel for it. If anything, I’d want to go back to my two years at the U of U and slow myself down! I became a little too dependent on digital work for illustration. I believe very strongly in having a messy sketchbook, but that’s something that digital work tends to poison. You want your work to be perfect, and delete the imperfect. I avoided my sketchbook more and more throughout my last year there because I could make cleaner versions of what I wanted on my iPad. I’m still struggling to open my sketchbook! The fear of perfect art is real.
Skills that are essential are things like abusing the layer function, playing with brushes, and asking around. Seriously, don’t be afraid to ask other artists what brushes they use and any tips on how a program works! If they try to keep that from you, that’s on them. Plenty other artists love to help!
In terms of my artistic skills rather than knowing my way around a program, traditional work really does help. I know I’ve said I’m struggling with opening my sketchbook, lately, but I still want to emphasize drawing in a sketchbook! To get better at any skill, you have to let yourself suck. You need those mess-ups. Art is no different, so find what you like to do traditionally. I personally am a huge fan of figure drawing! Not only is the human body beautiful, but there’s something so endearing about seeing the sketch lines and adjustments in a figure drawing that makes it feel alive. That’s what I do to break from the digital-perfection-curse, at least!
If there’s anything I would love to pursue but can’t, it’s learning more Adobe products. They’re getting expensive — and with the rise of AI, ruining a lot of artists’ trust. Which sucks, because a lot of illustrative opportunities rely on knowing your way around Adobe. If you’re a student, abuse the hell out of the programs while you can! That’s one thing I wish I took more advantage of during school.
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?
My name is Maren Lawrence, but you might notice I like to go by Mew or Mewnia online. Feel free to call me any of those names, I don’t mind! I use she/her pronouns and identify as Aromantic, having graduated with an AFA from Snow College and a BFA in Illustration from the University of Utah. It’s been a long ride, but it’s been fascinating — and still going!
Personal-self-wise, I LOVE, love, love cats. So much! They’re just so… shaped. If that makes sense? I have two of my own; Ninja, who is 15, and Poppy, who is 3! Both are black cats and both have stolen my heart for many years. I have two loving parents; a supportive, goofy father, and a fellow-artistic mother. I’ve looked up to both of them for inspiration for as long as I can remember, and I’m super appreciative of their support through the years.
On the art-side of things, I’ve been told by many a person that my artwork is dynamic. I do like to focus on flow — and while I may not always succeed at it, I like to exaggerate poses, as well. I work mainly with human characters. There’s something so nice about them. Uh, not in an inherently sexual way, but just a pure miracle-of-life beauty. Hands, tummies, and the overall organic feel of humans is something that powers my passion behind most of my art. Even if I’m more focused on other aspects of the work. Line work and limited color palettes are skills that I’m currently improving and playing around with! It’s thrilling to stretch the logic of a color or emphasize depth with boulder lines.
In terms of work, any career in art is incredibly difficult and competitive to get into. I have only been able to do internships so far, along with small character commissions. Ever since graduating, I have noticed I almost never get work done at home — partially due to some felines needing my attention 24/7. So work gets done easier when I’m out and about! Whether I’m swinging in a cocoon outside or sitting in a dimly-lit cafe, my work-ethic improves ten-fold. I’m currently looking for artistic jobs that are either close by or will let me work in such environments when I need to.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Fanart, fanart, fanart. Something that a lot of artists find is that fanart gets way more attention than original works. Above that is NSFW work, but I’m not brave enough to dip into that, haha!
Interaction is also encouraged!! You should like other artist’s stories, comment, collab, whatever. Don’t get sucked up in the consumerist headspace where it’s “uncool” to let your presence be known. The internet is just as social as real life, and a lot of artists and followers love to interact and be interacted with! In fact, I know so many artists are practically begging for it. It keeps the motivation stirring, and motivation attracts attention.
It’s taken me years to get the followings I have. I mainly use Tumblr, and no one really cares about the amount of followers you have on there. It’s something that I really like about it! On instagram I have 400+ and that’s without posting videos. The algorithm on there is very hard to appease, especially now that Meta is throwing everyone’s works into a dumpster to train AI. It’s an app that’s running out of time, so be careful if you want to take it seriously. Right now more than ever creators are unsure of which social media platform is truly great and easy to get traction on. My tip? Do what you love anyway. Don’t care about the number of followers you have. It messes with your mental health in the long run.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Style! An artist’s artistic style or preferred medium greatly influences their career. A lot of non-creatives tend to not fully understand the skills needed for certain styles, and therefore not understand the struggle that could come with it. Non-creatives tend to have a bias that realism is the pinnacle of art, so a lot of stylized, cartoony work often gets pushed aside as “lesser” or “for children.” At the same time, they also have a bias that anyone who draws even somewhat cartoony is born to work for Disney. In reality, it’s a lot more complicated than that.
I personally have a struggle with having a style that’s mixed with both Western cartoons and Japanese animation (anime). I’ve grown up with both, so the inspiration finds its way into my work. Either it’s too anime or too western for projects asking for either or. Stylized works are just trickier to sell overall, and not always seen as professional. Does that make me want to stop making them? Absolutely not. I know based on my followers that there is an audience for what I do, and it’s what I love!
Don’t get me wrong, adjustments are good where you need to. Composition, lighting, and a sense of balance can take your work a long way. Asking for professional Portfolio advice doesn’t hurt, either! Keep trying and keep going, someone will eventually want your skills. It’s how I got my internship, at least!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marenlawrence.info
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mewnia.art/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maren-lawrence-960b9427a/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mewnia1575
- Other: https://mewnia.tumblr.com
