I finished this custom illustration before the holidays. A sweet husband asked me to create art of his wife with their two dogs walking in Alaska. We had met last year when I was there for the Alaska Robotics Mini Con. I absolutely loved drawing her, their dogs and the beauty of snow capped mountains.

It’d been awhile since I completed my last commission partly due to schedule and partly because I held off on them. I stopped because I felt that I needed to personally know the person to create. There’s an intimacy in drawing a custom piece. I study the person’s photos, learn about them through a friend or partner.  And a few years ago, I wasn’t comfortable with the level of pressure that I placed upon myself when completing that task.

Now, I’m aware that my growth as an artist allows me to create these pieces with ease. Creating custom art is joyful and exciting. I learn about people, their love for each other and get a rare glimpse into their lives. It feels like I’m learning to love them through each email, photo and line I draw. Every sketch, painting, comic or illustration teaches me. Sometimes it’s technical – about anatomy or value. Sometimes it’s a challenge to draw an animal or environment I’ve never drawn before. In the case of commissions, it teaches me again and again that love is everywhere. In a photo, a story or in a drawing.

I hope you have a lovely week.