Scarlett Shearwood : Freelance Illustrator and Designer
To say I love to draw would be an understatement. I live to draw. If I had given myself permission to pursue a career in the arts a lot sooner, I would have saved myself a good deal of heart ache. Last year (2020) afflicted us all, some more than others. I count myself lucky to have escaped with a back injury that meant I had to give up my physical on-site job working for a homelessness charity and pursue something far gentler, possibly home-based. Cue, le artiste!
I spend my time these days doing a bit of freelancing, a bit of book-keeping, and a bit of selling vintage items on eBay. But mostly everything I do is in pursuit of one goal: To draw. Anything that helps me get better as an artist I’m all over. That’s why I’ve taught myself Adobe Photoshop, followed by Affinity Designer (illustrator equivalent) and Affinity Publisher. I love nothing more than doodling on my tablet. Or attending a life drawing class.
I am constantly teaching myself new things, completing structured paid courses on Udemy alongside free tutorials on Youtube (who doesn’t love a bit of Stan Prokopenko ?!). I take an active role in design and artistic communities on Instagram and Reddit in order to grow my knowledge, connections, and visual library. I also regularly attend courses hosted by local academic institutions, including fantasy art and digital painting at Swarthmore Education Centre Leeds – 100 hours and counting! Alongside this, I often attend life drawing sessions hosted by See you Naked Leeds and am currently completing the drawabox.com series of practical lessons. I am also currently learning Blender, as i have become obsessed with the Loona app and would love to create something similar. Have you not tried it yet? It’s dreamy.
I still don’t know where this journey will take me. Part of me wants the security and intensity of an agency environment, perhaps in the field of graphic design. Another part of me feels that graphic design isn’t drawing, which is what I really want to do. Another part of me says well does the jobs market recognise people who can draw stuff really good? And another part of me freaks out because for some reason our water bill has increased to £56/month. For two people it doesn’t seem right, does it?
Andrew Loomis puts it better than I ever could. “Across this wide country are many of you in that predicament. You, also possessed of that unaccountable urge which seemingly comes from nowhere, want to speak the language of art. You love to draw. You wish to draw well. If there is any chance, you greatly wish to make a living at it. Perhaps I can help you. I sincerely hope so, for I think I have lived through every minute you are now living.” – From Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth, by Andrew Loomis.
I guess what i’m trying to say is… commissions are open. Please feel free to drop me a message using the contact form below.
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You can email me at contact@scarlettshearwood.co.uk
Find me on Behance.net or on LinkedIn.com or on ArtStation.com