Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Parker Simpson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Parker thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I recently had the pleasure of illustrating the characters for a unique gaming project with the lovely folks at Cleromancy Games called Worn Wanderers. The game is based in a post-apocalyptic fantasy setting where players lead a ragtag band of nomads and combat other groups for gold and glory. Folks familiar with trading card games like Pokemon or Yugioh would feel right at home with the custom deck building gameplay style of Worn Wanderers, but there’s a bit of a twist – instead of character cards there are character pins!
Each of your six characters is represented by a high quality enamel pin featuring their illustration, name, and color designations. I could go on about the gameplay and components for hours, but for brevity’s sake I’ll just link the site below if you’d like to learn more!
There are quite a few reasons this project has been so important to me. For starters, tabletop gaming has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have great memories of growing up playing TCGs and board games, so being a part of creating the character visuals for this entire new game has been such a joy. Exploring the lore behind these characters has given me the opportunity to continue expanding my character design abilities. In fact, one of the biggest influences that spurred me to learn to draw in the first place was the variety of character illustrations that I came in contact with through gaming.
But quite possibly the most fulfilling part of this project has been working with the Cleromancy Games team. I’ve worked with many clients over the years and without a doubt Cleromancy has been one of the best! Even though I’ve worked with them as a freelancer, they have gone above and beyond to help me feel like a part of the team.
I even had the chance to accompany them to the first exposure testing at Gen Con 2022 where we ran demos of the game with almost a dozen playtesting groups! This trip solidified my decision to pursue more illustration work in the tabletop gaming industry. Plus, it helped that Dennis, Brodie, Ryan, and Kalani were all genuinely lovely people to be around! The team’s passion for the game gave me a great feeling of validation for the hard work I put into illustrating the 30 characters featured in Worn Wanderers.
Realizing that there is a place for me in the world of tabletop gaming has been a deeply rewarding discovery. I’m looking forward to the new projects and connections I’ll be a part of in the future!
If you’re interested in learning more about the characters and gameplay of Worn Wanderers, follow the link below!
https://www.wornwanderers.com/
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?
Hello there! My name is Parker Simpson 👋🏻
I’m a freelance digital illustrator living his best life in Charleston, SC. My primary focus is tabletop gaming illustration and character design. I love hearing about people’s ideas and it gives me great joy if I’m given the opportunity to explore with them the things which they are passionate about 🖤
Bringing people’s ideas and dreams to life is incredibly fulfilling for me, regardless of the size of the project. I’ve connected with so many amazing folks across the globe through my artwork. I’m grateful for every opportunity to create and I’m always searching for new ways to grow. My illustration journey will always be evolving as I learn and develop my skills further to better serve my clients.
I may never become an iconic creator like my idol Genndy Tartakovsky…
I may never reach the level of character illustration mastery of David Finch…
I may never have the storytelling prowess of Brookes Eggleston…
But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try my best to reach those places. I look forward to bringing you along on this journey with me, it’s gonna be great! 🙂
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Something that I wish I had taken more seriously is the idea of creative community. It hasn’t been until the last couple of years that I began to seek out other creatives and I CANNOT overstate how important those connections have been.
When you’re doing your own thing (especially as an artist) it’s easy to get tunnel vision. There’s a romantic notion that getting swept up in your work and ignoring the world is somehow a good thing, but often times it damages our potential. Yes, there is importance to the concept of deep work, but you also need the chance to engage with other creative individuals to broaden your views and ideas.
There’s something rewarding about having folks around you that can speak into your life and allow you to speak into their’s in return. I’ve had so much value come from the friendships I’ve cultivated and I honestly don’t know how I grew at all before opening up to this. And it doesn’t even have to be local people either, the internet is a fantastic resource for connecting with other creatives. Obviously be safe online, but do your best to explore and find like minded folks to talk to.
Another important factor – Don’t just find people on the same level as you. It’s important to surround yourself with people who are more advanced than you to glean from their experience, but also having people who are further behind in their journey so that YOU can be the one to offer assistance. Being around folks who are all at different stages gives each person the opportunity to serve and to be served, especially when everyone has multiple creative pursuits. My local group loves illustration, graphic design, photography, videography, painting, web design, and more (and there’s only three of us, haha). We all have strengths and weaknesses, but being together allows us to grow more effectively and share in each other’s victories.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
The three books that come to mind are Start with Why by Simon Sinek, Deep Work by Cal Newport, and my personal favorite, Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.
Start with Why has concepts that I often return to when planning new endeavors, helping me to focus on the reasoning behind the ideas. Knowing why you want to pursue something allows you to plan better at the offset, but it also reminds you of the reasons you’re doing this when you’re in the thick of a new territory.
Deep Work is an insightful read for creatives and non-creatives alike. Its practices have helped me navigate the world of freelancing and given me instruction on how to best manage my time. Knowing how the brain works and how best to utilize your working hours is valuable knowledge for anyone in the workforce.
Four Thousand Weeks is less a business book as it is a mindset book. The concept is that humans have an average of roughly 4000 weeks on earth and how we use that time is important. The thought of 4000 weeks can be offensive to some who feel entitled to more, but it can also be liberating for some who see it as a fruitful supply. While not condemning either side, Oliver Burkeman navigates the different ways of responding to this expiration date with pertinent insights from his years as a productivity guru. It’s a fascinating read and is probably the book I’d recommend most.
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If you’re not a reader and want similar productivity/business content, check out the Deep Dive podcast with Ali Abdaal. It’s a great source of information and insight from a diverse collection of interviews.
https://aliabdaal.com/podcast/
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And if you’re an artist, I highly recommend using youtube for continued education. I have found so many helpful teachers through that platform that have pushed me forward in my illustration skills. Regardless of where you are in your skill level, I implore you to continue learning and developing, it’s one of the most valuable mindsets to have as an artist. Here’s a few of my favorite youtubers (alphabetically, not by importance):
Brookes Eggleston – https://www.youtube.com/c/CharacterDesignForge
David Finch – https://www.youtube.com/c/DavidFinchartist
Manu Mercurial – https://www.youtube.com/c/ManuMercurial
Marc Brunet – https://www.youtube.com/c/bluefley00
Ross Draws – https://www.youtube.com/c/Rossdraws
Sam Does Arts – https://www.youtube.com/c/SamDoesArts
Struthless – https://www.youtube.com/c/struthless
Contact Info:
- Website: parkersimpsonartwork.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/parker_simpson_artwork
- Facebook: facebook.com/parkersimpsonartwork
- Other: All the things: linktr.ee/parkersimpsonartwork