Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samantha Hernandez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Samantha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am very happy being an artist, but those thoughts do pop in every once in a while. Especially when money’s tight and clients are scarce. I’m also a part-time substitute teacher at my district, so sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I just gave up art as a career and settled in a normal job (like teaching). I had the opportunity to get a taste of it when I was a long term sub as an art teacher for three months. I truly enjoyed being with all the children and making fun pieces with them, but it was challenging and foreign in it’s own way. The main challenge was just my level of exhaustion. I had no energy to even draw for myself… not even a little doodle. It felt so alien to me since I have drawn nearly every day — a habit I have instilled into my routine for the last 11 years. So for three months, I’d try to draw for even a few minutes before calling it quits…. which is not enough time to do anything substantial or worth sharing on a profile built for detailed art. That’s when I realized that being a creative is not my carefree choice to be the ‘unique and quirky’ artist… I AM the unique and quirky artist. It’s an integral part of me and nothing compares when I can do my craft.

Samantha, 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 went to Savannah College of Art and Design and pursued a BFA in Sequential Art and a minor in Storyboarding. For those who don’t know what that Sequential Art is, basically it’s using multiple pieces art (in sequence) to tell a story, words are optional. It’s great for comics and storybooks (those pamphlets that show you how to do CPR? Those technically count too). Storyboarding is used for any media that needs to make a visual representation of the story being told. Examples can be camera movements or key points in a movie or even mapping out the pictures in a book. Basically, I really like visual storytelling… a lot. I studied with a focus in becoming a penciller for comics, but found myself frustrated as I faced the fact that no matter how much time I put into my drawings, readers were going to glance it over and move on as soon as they were done reading the word bubbles. I am a very detail orientated creative and I wanted to do more than what I could do in panels.

One class I took though really tilted my world: a Children’s Books class… with the simple goal of creating a children’s book ready to publish. I could add all the work I wanted and it could be read again and again. So after I graduated, I tweaked it and I published Fleet Saves The Prince! I’ve published another book since then and have worked on some coloring books with other artists. Now I work with clients to either create art of their characters or scenes from their stories. I’ve worked with musicians and authors to create art that represents their songs or their books. I’d love to work more with book covers and interior illustrations though — I think that would be my ultimate dream job.

My main goal when I work with a client is understanding the story they are trying to tell. Without that basic knowledge, how am I to deliver the best product I can to them? I ask them questions they may not have thought about: what emotions are there… what is their body language like… what time of the year is it… is there anything with symbolism or importance to the character that needs to be there… is this more to help visualize the character or are we trying to capture a moment in their story that means something to you? These are important! Especially when you work within the Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, and Mystery genres! When I have those answers, I can confidently work on a piece of art that I know they’ll be happy with.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Please, understand the hours and skills that go into the craft and please don’t tell us we are overpriced. I understand it’s daunting. Considering too how, nowadays with AI, art can be made in a few minutes for free or dirt cheap. However that computer is taking bits and pieces of art that actual artists put hours into to create something that if you look long and hard at, will have so many glaring flaws. I know it seems faster than the weeks or months an artist puts into their craft — but that’s because it’s done by an individual with specific skills and knowledge that a computer just can’t understand.

We also spend our own time and money to create these skills and techniques. You would not go to an amateur learning the sewing machine to create a custom wedding dress line. You would not ask someone who just learned how to cook an egg to make a Beef Wellington for dinner that same day. Rephrase. You absolutely can… but you can not expect expert levels of craftsmanship. We have worked tirelessly to be great at creating custom clothes, mouth-watering meals, or stunning art. Our craft comes with a high price, yes, but that’s because the product is going to meet or exceed your expectations.

If you can’t purchase our services at a given time, that is something we’d never fault you for. Sharing our photos, reels, videos, or business information is a great way to still support us!

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I do not approve of NFTs and I think that there needs to be serious discussions with how to handle it’s impact on the environment and the creative world — and have actual actions towards those concerns — before artists are asked to humor them. I think that no artist that is conscious of the environmental impact we have on this planet should consider this as an alternative form of marketing or networking until the blockchain moves from greenwashing to actual environmental activism.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.samihernandez.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petite_sami/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samihernandez/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/petite_sami
• Other: You can find my other social medias through my Carrd: https://petitesami.carrd.co/