Introducing artist Emma Russell
I am so pleased to interview Emma Russell, the crazy-talented young artist behind the new covers of my Invisible series of novels. Her pictures make me happy whenever I look at them. I was excited when she agreed to answer some questions for this blog.
Tell us a little about yourself.
Well, my name is Emma, I’m an 18 year old and the youngest of five kids. I’m from Southern California, and I’m an artist. Nowadays I don’t do much other than draw, work, and do school... I used to have way more hobbies, but now in my spare time that I don’t spend drawing I just watch Korean TV shows with my mom.
How did you get into drawing?
I’ve always had a knack for it, and I’ve always enjoyed drawing, but I got into it seriously in late 2013 when Frozen came out! I fell in love with the characters and started drawing them, then branched out and drew a bunch of Disney characters! I ended up selling my fan arts at a local craft fair until I realized copyright was a thing... whoopsie!!
How has your style changed or developed over time?
Hmmm, I think I’ve definitely gotten better at making things realistic! My style used to be a lot more cartoony and two dimensional. Now I put a lot more time into shading.
What are your drawing goals?
Oooh, good question! I think right now it’s just to draw what makes me happy. After I started to get a little bit of popularity on my Instagram I started to feel a lot of pressure to put out a certain type of content, but now I’m realizing that it’s about drawing what I love!
What do you most like about drawing?
Seeing the finished product! There’s nothing quite as satisfying as knowing you’ve put hours of work into something that is really beautiful.
What did you find most interesting or most challenging about drawing these book covers?
Character design is not my strong suit, and I’m not used to drawing the same character in different poses! I was surprised by how much of a challenge it was to make every version of the character look like the same person! (Ed: We think they look awesome!)
What's your process, and what tools do you use?
I bring up a reference photo (if I have one) and start to sketch it out, then I erase the sketch until you can’t see most of it, then I refine it. After that, I’ll do the line art, erase the sketch, then color and shade it until it’s finished! I use a multi media sketch book, any pencil I have on hand, a kneadable eraser + regular eraser, multi liner pens, and Copic markers!
Is there anything else you'd like the world to know?
Hmmm, I feel like anything I say would sound cliché and cheesy. So I guess, just stay positive! It’s much better to go through life with an upbeat attitude. :)
How can people follow you and your artwork?
Through Instagram! My user handle is @i_emma_artist. If you’d like to see more of my work, that’s where all of it is!
Ed: Emma, we think you’re really amazing. We can’t wait to see more of what you put into the world.