We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rebecca Santo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rebecca below.
Rebecca, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
My optimism comes from reconnecting to my childhood sense of imagination, and this helps immensely in my day-to-day work. When I began my creative journey in freelance, I was eager to take on projects and get my career rolling. But I quickly found that when freelancing, projects and income can fluctuate, especially in the beginning when still establishing an artistic voice. And in a world of social media, it can be disheartening to see other illustrators showcasing their accomplishments and dream-projects while trying to navigate your own path. It’s terribly easy to compare yourself and spiral into pessimistic thoughts, making it difficult to create.
However, when I was a child, my strong sense of imagination made it so easy for ideas to flow so naturally. I wasn’t creating for anyone but me. I could tune out the outside world, be unbothered from making mistakes, and simply drew the work that made me happiest. Without the stress of comparing myself to others, all I had to do was absorb every learning opportunity and let my imagination run freely.
It’s inevitable to come across blocks, frustrations, and self-doubts in a career in art. So in the ups and downs of my journey, I try to think of that little-me that would be so proud of where I’ve come today, cheering me on to keep going for more. I imagine that excitement she once felt getting lost in her own head, like finding the romance in bumblebees and the smell of thunderstorms. Remembering that nostalgic passion reminds me of why I pursued art in the first place, and that pessimism turns into motivation. It becomes much more natural to move forward with that childlike hope inside of me, no longer afraid of what’s waiting ahead, but excited for it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a Freelance Illustrator from Cleveland, Ohio. Since the beginning of my career three years ago, I have illustrated for all sorts of projects, such as picture books, magazines, and packaging. Clients I have worked with include The Washington Post, Algonquin Young Readers, Up With Paper, Publix Super Markets, and plenty more. I blend both digital and traditional illustrations by implementing traditional textures into a digital illustration. I love to illustrate both the ordinary and extraordinary, from little everyday scenes to magical fairytales, capturing the feeling of childlike curiosity. I’m very excited for the upcoming release this October of my first illustrated picture book, “Merry and Hark, A Christmas Story,” written by April Genevieve Tucholke and published by Algonquin Young Readers. After working on this book, I hope to continue pursuing even more projects that have opportunities for illustrating strong senses of emotion or wonder.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities that were the most impactful in my creative journey so far have been community, curiosity, and letting go of the illusion of perfection.
Ever since my college experience at The Cleveland Institute of Art, I realized I learned the most by being surrounded by, reaching out to or supporting other fellow artists. Whether in-person or online, having an artistic community to be a part of is incredibly important and educational, as freelancing can get very lonely very easily. I try to listen to creative podcasts, join video “draw-alongs” on art community sites, and generally surround myself with other creatives of any sort.
Curiosity and experimentation is another way to keep a healthy creative practice. Being able to submit yourself to making mistakes and creating “ugly, messy work” can open so many doors for new techniques, styles and perspectives. It’s also great to circle back to basic studies or make work “for you” to refresh your skills and creative thinking. But you can often surprise yourself with how a little mistake could positively change your entire work process.
Lastly, as a creative, overthinking is one of the biggest challenges I am facing in my career. Second-guessing and comparing yourself to others can lead to creative blocks, burnout, or creating work that doesn’t feel like “you.” My advice to help combat this is to reflect with yourself more, take breaks, and remind yourself that a creative journey is never a perfect, seamless process. It’s important to quickly address problems that take the joy out of your passion, remind yourself that you are learning and growing, and let go of the notion of perfection.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
The number one obstacle I am currently facing is second-guessing myself while finding my creative “niche.” I have come to find that a niche in a portfolio could be a visually consistent style, a type of project, or even a subject matter/emotion. It’s whatever ties a portfolio together so that a client or art director can see exactly who you are and what you do.
When I graduated from art school three years ago, I started my freelancing career trying to do as many projects as I could. But in an attempt to attract more work, I began to dwell too much on what sort of illustration would be most marketable, instead of following my gut and doing what I love most. While having marketability, applicability, and versatility is important in having a successful portfolio, it’s also just as important to make sure your work is authentically “you,” instead of what’s popular or trendy.
To me, I want to tap into what sort of illustration that better achieves my artistic goals, by capturing strong senses of emotion, story, or nostalgia in my work. I am also very lucky to be currently relocating to freelance out of Europe, so I am eager to make a plan to narrow down and update my portfolio with a fresh change of scenery and new inspirations ahead. With a more natural, tailored portfolio, I hope to attract more projects where I can explore these artistic goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rebeccasanto.com
- Instagram: @santodraws
- Agency Website: lindgrensmith.com/artist/rebecca-santo/
- Pinterest: @santoillustration
