Today we're talking to Jillian from Squidbrains! I just discovered Jillian's wonderful work through the Storenvy community group. She has the most adorable animal illustrations
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| Jillian's Favorite Piece - Pockets and the Sea King |
Enough from me! Time to meet Jillian!
Who are you? and where can we find your amazing work?My name is Jillian and I am a freelance illustrator and character designer. My work can be found at a few places! Online I use the handle Squidbrains frequently.
Visit Jillian's Portrtfolio: Squidbrains.net
You can also find Jillian's work on Tumblr and Deviantart
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It all started with the flying dogs. As a child as early as the 3rd grade I was drawing flying dogs every day. My family bred and raised AKC golden retrievers and I loved them all an incredible amount. Loving animals was actually the passion that made me create everything I have made to date. Even 15 years later my art revolves around my love for animals!
What's your workplace like?
My studio is in my apartment in Los Angeles. In my apartment I have my laptop which is constantly running Photoshop, my Epson printer and of course my two muses.... Tim, my boyfriend and Charlie my pet rabbit! There are also shelves filled with Golden acrylic paints, adhesive and loads of papers. It's a sight to see trying to keep it all organized! :)
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| Family Portrait |
I like to sketch incredibly rough ideas in my sketchbook and then flush them out as a new drawing in Photoshop before I paint them. Recently I learned some new tricks in Photoshop and I literally can't stop drawing in the program now. :) With the Epson printer I create high quality prints that are very vibrant and will last years.
Where do you find your inspiration too create?
There is this amazing site called Tumblr. On Tumblr they have this great search engine that pops out awesomeness when you search "Cute animal gif" in particular. ;) Give it a try, you won't regret it! Aside from that the sea in particular is my biggest inspiration. Just thinking about whales the size of multiple school buses, angler fish with little light bulb antennas, dolphins that swim in pods for life---you name it. The sea is a vast mystery and is truly amazing!
We got the important questions out of the way! Now on to the silly ones!
What color are your bedroom walls?
My bedroom walls are plain white and curiously free of posters and frames! Having plain walls really helps you fall asleep at night! The living room is where all of the paintings and various awesomeness reside.
What animal do you fear?
I have an irrational fear of raccoons. Yes, the adorable bandits with tiny masks and opposable thumbs freak me out. Ironically one of my recent OCs is my adorable chubchub raccoon Buttons. He's a little slow and pants a lot.
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Squidbrains - Buttons the Raccoon Card |
That's really hard to decide. You could be a wolf howling at the moon with your brothers, a wild stallion tearing through endless fields of flowers, a moose looking for grass... you name it.In the end I really think I'd want to be an orca whale. Scientists discovered that orcas have a section of the brain that humans don't and thusly have deeper emotions and stronger bonds. I would be extremely thankful to know that feeling.
What kind of pet person are you?
Oh, I'm a dog person for sure! I've had golden retrievers, lab mixes, a doberman, bichon frise and two boxers! Growing up I was extremely blessed to have a family with a huge back yard! My next step in life is to get an apartment that allows dogs and get a corgi or corgi mix!
Jeans, Khakis, or skirts?
Last December my boyfriend gifted me with these incredible plaid pajamas. In hindsight he most likely regrets it because now all I wear inside are pj pants that are made luxurious cotton. Trust me, you have not lived until you bought Old Navy's baggy pj pants. Go on and treat yourself ;)
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| Squidbrains - Rhinochus Rhinos in the Desert |
If you could live in a fictional world, which one would it be?
That is an easy one! I want to live among fire breathing dragons! If there was a world that you could raise a dragon from an egg, train him and fly with him that would be the life. Thank you, Bethesda, for gifting me with Skyrim.
If you could go back in time and witness one historical event, what would it be? and why?
With that I am not actually sure. There has been a lot of amazing and scary times that lay inside our history books. I want to see the world's first telescope made by Hans Lippershey.... imagine what is was like being the first person to see far out into space! I wonder how mind blowing that was!
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| Squidbrains - Super Sheepies |
I'm not a huge popsicle fan but if I would have to choose it would be delicious, delicious strawberry :P
Sock, sock, shoe shoe or sock, shoe, sock shoe?
Flip flops! All day err day, even in the winter! I have these awesome flip flops made out of yoga mats.
What's one of your guilty pleasures?
Reading books is a huge guilty pleasure! If I am reading avidly I can bust through 3 books in a month. A few I love are Watership Down. Battle Royale, and Harry Potter. I've read all of those books three times. :)
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| Squidbrains - Pocket's the Fox and the Ghostly Trio |
The only thing I really believe in is good karma. I try to help others out as much as possible because along the way I know I have had a lot of help! It's so easy to smile at a stranger... so why not pass on a good feeling to someone else?So in the after life or whatever I hope to be super happy.
What's your favorite snack while working?
Coffee in the morning while working is the best. At other times it's chocolate milk or tea. I drink my own weight in fluids every day! Haha!
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would love to live in Japan. The buildings, culture, and sights are incredibly enticing to me.
If stranded on an island, what 3 things would you want to bring?
I would totally bring my 3DS to play Pokemon, my boyfriend Tim, and an Amazon warehouse. :P
Be sure visit Jillian's website to see more of her wonderful illustration work and connect with her on Tumblr and Deviantart