We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amelia Crase. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amelia below.
Amelia , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
For me, keeping the creative fire going can be incredibly difficult. I officially title myself as an Illustrator, but sometimes I want to do so many different things in my field that I get overwhelmed and try nothing at all. Or, I’m bummed if a piece doesn’t turn out how I hoped it would. This is where my two best kept secrets come in to assist: Having creative buddies and taking a walk.
I am fortunate to be surrounded by creative friends and classmates that leave me constantly inspired. We bounce ideas off of one another, ask a million questions, and create together whether that’s in the classroom or taking our sketchbooks out to the park. Even when visiting home, my mom is also an artist. So no matter where I go in my house, her art is everywhere and so is her next big idea for a blank canvas. Having people in my life who are passionate about their craft instantly evokes my own creativity.
Secondly, going on walks is a part of my daily routine. Most times, I will take my old camera with me in order to see things through a new perspective. What might not look exciting in person may be the best photo of the day, and if I’m lucky, it may be the inspiration for my next illustration. Being out in nature, seeing animals in parks, maybe some good weather, it’s all inspiring. I also tend to write down all the things that I see on my walks so I can reference back to it later in yet another creative format. I love capturing life in any way I can.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Well, I’ll start off by saying hi there! My name is Amelia Crase and I’m a 21 year old illustrator who is currently a rising senior at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I’m majoring in illustration with concentrations in publication/animated illustration and surface design followed by a minor in creative writing. My title has become a mouthful, so if you can’t tell, I like doing lots of things!
What I do has never failed to be exciting and I love stretching my abilities as far as they can go. I’ve done a little bit of work in the children’s book industry and hope to do more some day. Currently I am writing a story about a dog and a rat called “The Adventures of Lank and Bit”. This is my first fully illustrated and written story that I plan to self publish one day and I am incredibly passionate about it. I love character design and development, especially when storytelling is involved. However, I am currently involved in my most recent adventure; pattern design!
When it comes to my illustrations, I tend to work in a digital format using both Photoshop and Procreate. However, my favorite medium to use is watercolor, which I tend to use most in my free-time. I personally love to maintain my skills in traditional art just as much as digital, it’s always good to take a break from the screen and get in tune with your senses. What you’ll most likely find me drawing is a wide assortment of animals, nature, or simply just people. Sometimes I accompany my artwork with phrases or I simply allow them to tell their own story. I love creating pieces that could make someone smile or be something they can relate to.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I owe a majority of who I am as an artist to ambition, sportsmanship, and patience.
Being ambitious has often led to some of my greatest outcomes. Whether it’s something small, such as using a pen in my sketchbook instead of a pencil, or something a little bigger, like putting myself out there for my dream job. It’s scary, I still have a hard time fully committing to something out of my comfort zone. Yet, over the last few years, I’ve pushed myself to try new things and the result has left me feeling more confident in both myself and my work. It also helps me stay excited for the next ambitious choice I’ll have to make!
Sportsmanship has been important to both who I am as a person and who I surround myself with. I played on the golf team back in high school, and sportsmanship was the foundation of my team. Even if we had a rough tournament, we pushed each other through and cheered everyone on. I made sure to carry these same qualities into my creative field. I have come to discover that being supportive and dedicated to your craft while being kind to others will get you far. There is no time to waste being negative. Be uplifting to others and recognize everyone is running their own race, so support them and cheer them on through the highs and lows. Be that person, and also let people like that into your life. I am forever thankful for the cheerleaders and supporters in mine.
Patience is something I always struggle with as an artist. When I am not able to create a piece how I imagined it, I tend to be hard on myself. This will sometimes drive me into a creative block that may last anywhere from a few days to a year. But I have discovered that being patient with myself as a creative and realizing where I want to improve and how I will do it is the key to beginning growth. Do not rush yourself into being something greater, be patient and kind to you and your current abilities.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
You’ve actually caught me at a funny time in my creative career because I’m just now pulling myself out of my longest art block to date. A whopping three years to be exact. I was still able to create for school and my job, but loving my craft and anything I made became impossible in this time period. I didn’t feel as though I was consistent or knew exactly what I wanted to draw. I had someone say my style wasn’t anything special, and around that same time, my first book illustration project was called off.
Feeling detached from art, my favorite thing, was something I wouldn’t wish on any creative person. I felt like a pot boiling over with an immovable lid. Luckily, I’m finding what you may call my “spark” again and re-learning what it means to truly love what I make, not out of obligation, but out of genuine passion for what I do. If you are currently feeling lost in your art career, I’m here to tell you it does get better. Keep drawing, connect with people, go outside, and just be kind to yourself. From one creative to another, we’ve got this!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ameliacraseillustrations.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunnybiird/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-crase-410010273/
Image Credits
Illustrations by Amelia Crase
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