Spotlight: Casey Crisenbery
Casey Crisenbery is a SCAD alumnus who graduated in 2011. By using a combination of media to emphasize his pieces, Casey has really shown a wide range of capabilities and flexibilities. Whether it be the use of sunny, bright colors or earthy, desaturated tones, Casey communicates an element of quirk from his pieces and to their spectators. Check out what he had to say when we interviewed him!
To see more of his works, please check out Casey’s websites!
When and why did you get started in the illustration field?
When I was growing up, I always was drawing or making things. It was probably in high school when I first started making money from my art– I would do portraits for friends of the family. Both my parents and art teachers encouraged me to follow my passion for drawing and that’s when I made the decision to go to an art college. Initially I had a hard time deciding on a major– I enjoy math, so I was really considering architecture. When it came down to it though, illustration offered the widest variety in work while still keeping with my love for drawing and being challenged.
How did your style came to be to what it is now?
I initially struggled with the idea of having a signature style. When first starting in the Illustration department, I wanted the style of each project to match the nature of the assignment. There’s a lot of opinions out there on what to do for developing one’s own style, but things really clicked for me when I heard a piece of advice– to draw what you love and a style will follow. Even though I feel like the art I’m making now is different from my college work, it still fits into my portfolio because of my habits and the innate way I draw.
What are the major influences in your work?
I’ve always been inspired by nature. Some of my favorite times have been going on hikes and exploring the outdoors. That love for landscapes and environments has definitely found its way into my work. The summer before senior year I also had the opportunity to go to Lacoste and since then, travel has also been a large influence. As far as current illustrators go, there’s Peter Brown, Chuck Groenink, Kali Ciesemier, and Meg Hunt.
What is your process when creating illustrations?
When working with a new project or book, I like to initially read over the assignment or manuscript and get good overview of everything. A lot of times I mark up the text and even draw small thumbnails in the margins. What I’ll do is take those scribbles and draw additional sketches in my sketchbook. I’ll take the best of those to line-work, then to finish. I like to also put together a mood board of sorts, including inspirational references that I’ll draw imagery and colors from when working through the final drawings.
What do you feel about the world of illustration as of now and how should aspiring illustrators break into it?
The field of illustration is certainly much harder to break into than I initially thought coming out of SCAD. It is very competitive and it can be easy to get discouraged when jobs don’t come right away. I’m going to borrow some words from Linda Warner-Constantino– “The people who make it in the creative world are those who stick with it and don’t give up.” I believe that it’s important to stay persistent even when jobs are not coming in. Do what you have to do to keep creating and keep putting yourself out there.
What tips can you give to aspiring illustrators when they start working professionally?
One thing that’s important is cultivating the business relationships that come your way. Landing the job is only part of it, the other half I’d say is the dynamic between the Illustrator and Art Director. Some of that is meeting every deadline and having good communication. When it comes down to it, you want to be hired again for future projects and being on good terms with the employer is a huge factor.
All images belong to and used with permission by Casey Crisenbery
