We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sandra Hernandez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sandra below.
Sandra, appreciate you joining us today. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)
My best investment ever: my iPad and Procreate In 2020 the laptop given to me by my college had broken. I had gone three months without being able to create digitally. I had invested in a Cintiq two years earlier and was unable to use the drawing tablet I had spent so much money on. I reluctantly bought an iPad but quickly found that I was using it far more than I ever used my Cintiq. Don’t get me wrong, working on a Cintiq makes you feel like a king but it does require a good amount of setup and upkeep. The number of cables I would have to plug into the wall, my Cintiq, and my laptop would consume my work desk. The Cintiq I had at the time only worked if I had it plugged in so it wasn’t very portable. With my iPad, I could go to the park and draw with no hassle at all. I think the iPad is one of the best things that’s happened to the art world recently.
Let’s say you pay maybe 500$ for an iPad and 15$ for the popular drawing app Procreate. That’s almost all you need to create as an artist. Cintiqs can easily go for 600$ without the cost of any drawing programs. Procreate has made digital art accessible for those who can’t afford Adobe Photoshop. Not to mention the fact it is wonderfully user-friendly and can be used for light animation. I’ve grown more accustomed to using maybe three to five layers on my artwork so I don’t necessarily need all the features that come with Photoshop. I will also add that the smudge tool on Procreate will triumph over Photoshop’s smudge tool any day.
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?
I got into my craft when I started college at Ringling College of Art and Design. Today I’m a freelance Illustrator and Designer with a focus on children’s books and children’s apparel. Some of the services I offer to clients are graphic design work, surface design, and picture book creation. I sell coloring books/greeting cards independently and show some of my work at local galleries. I work with independent authors to help bring their picture book ideas to life. I would say something that sets me apart from others is that I am happy to create a book from start to finish with a client. Help with copyediting, character design, storyboarding, book layout, all the way to final print. Not every artist will agree to do so as that involves more time and isn’t included in their job description.
One of the main things I could want potential clients to know is that I am flexible when it comes to style. My portfolio is colorful, bouncy, and all things fun. However, I can easily create in different styles that do not resemble my own work. If you see an artist you would like to work with online, you could always ask and see if they’re willing to work outside of their niche style.
One of the pieces I am most proud of is this red-head mermaid I completed a few months ago. I had tried working on that same mermaid a year prior, but couldn’t figure out how I wanted the colors to look. I put that piece on the back burner and came back once I had figured out my new style. I had come to understand where I could add little pops of color to make my characters seem more animated. There’s always room for more color, more saturation, and more fun!
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Buy prints, buy stickers, buy little sculptures, just buy art. I don’t feel like people buy from independent artists as much, and when they do they expect it to be just as cheap as the artwork they could buy at Target. Let’s say there’s a little art festival downtown and you pass by a tent selling crystal necklaces and beaded bracelets. You take a look at the price tag of this pretty little jade necklace and you think “Ugh, 25$? That’s a little steep”. Take a second and remember you are buying from an independent artist.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
The way I built my social media presence was by posting at a regular time almost every day. Researching how to post effectively on different platforms, Interaction with your audience is almost as important as posting regularly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sandra-hernandez.com/graphic-illustration
- Instagram: @whatsquirky
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatsquirky
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-hernandez-7a6834138/
- Twitter: @whatsquirky