We were lucky to catch up with Ryan Shaw recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ryan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I’ve always loved creating art since I was in grade school. My older brother (who is also an artist) had a massive comic book collection growing up and he would show my the different art styles his favorite comic book artists. I would marvel at the pages, the work of art, and the fact that these artists made a living doing what they loved. I also was enthralled with cel animation from golden age cartoons to what I was watching as current day animation at the time in my youth.

I just knew that I had to pursue a creative and artistic path, because of all those influences that impacted me at an early age. Drawing is my escape, it is one of my true loves, it is always there for me and I am fortunate enough to make it a career now.

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?

As I mentioned before, at an early age I was in love with drawing and I knew I wanted to make a living doing it. As I got older I realized that this is not a common and viable career path in most instances. When it was time for me to go out into the real world I was lost. I had no clue what I wanted to do besides being an artist. I worked different jobs in the time before I finally went full time as an artist. Some of the jobs were retail jobs where I was at work more than I was at home, others were office jobs, and one office job in particular that was a nightmare that reaffirmed me knowing that the only thing I was born to do was being an artist and sharing my art with as many as possible. So, my venture into art started back in 2009 doing art on the side as extra pay, and also illustrating children’s books. One thing led to another and several years later I finally took the plunge, as my art business grew, to go full time into art.

I specialize in cartooning, digital art, fan art, hand-drawn originals, character designs and logo designs. I am most known for my cartooning and illustration work. I am most proud of being associated with organizations that convey a positive message in the community, such as iWrite, One Step Closer Foundation, school districts, and local libraries. I have also had the honor of celebrities reposting my work on their social media pages and giving me shout outs.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

The best advice I can give as far as building an audience on social media is to create a profile on as many platforms as you are able to manage, the more the better. Do not get discouraged when you do not have much interaction or engagement on a post or on your pages, especially at the beginning. Keep posting your work constantly. Always give your audience something to look at, as far as your work goes. Don’t post about political, religious or social issues, not everyone is going to agree with you, and you can lose potential business or fans. I learned that lesson the hard way, but nonetheless, I learned from it. Just keep the subject matter to your art and entertainment or events you love you will grow you’re audience even more that way.

Some platforms will work better for you than others. Instagram and Pinterest are very art friendly, along with Deviantart. Facebook and LinkedIn are great platforms for building your business. Also post on Twitter if you can. The more eyes you have on your product the better chances you have of being seen by someone influential, and also landing more work.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to use my gift to inspire others and bring some joy into their lives. A lot of my work is purchased for private collections and as gifts. When I receive photos and messages back showing me how excited the recipient of my art is, it makes me happy.

It is also very rewarding to go to Title 1 school visits with the non-profit I partner with, iWrite Literacy Organization. The kids at those schools as always the most grateful and enthusiastic when I come to visit. They have so many question about art, and they are truly excited and attentive to what I show and tell them in regards to my art career. It is the most rewarding experience for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cartoon-u.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/cartoonryan
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/rks80
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ryanshawillustrator
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/Cartoon_U
• Youtube: www.youtube,com/jessejames80