We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alex Barr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alex, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
As a comic artist, and a freelancer who is often hired for long-term projects, it’s very important to me that my motivation to see through finished projects is maintained. I do this by turning those projects into whatever I need them to be, in order to stay invested.
For example, whenever I’m working on a comic page, I don’t force myself to try to make it look exactly like the 200 comic pages that came before it. I think “What do I need from this? What do I want from this?” and allow myself to treat that comic page as its own illustration, it’s own experience.
That’s what a lot of art is to me, actually. It’s an experience that I’m having. It’s not about rushing to finish a project to meet a deadline, it’s about the process, the time I am spending on it. I see that process through joy and excitement and the opportunity to show myself and my clients what I can do. That way, it always feels fresh and exciting to me.
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?
I’m a comic/webtoon creator and a freelance artist! I operate under the artist name of “Dulceskull” at events & artist alleys, and I create a well-loved romance fantasy webcomic called Pink Sugar. I also run a small online shop where I sell stickers, prints, and other items that I draw and design.
I love to see the world through optimism. It’s a conscious choice to be kind, to be hopeful, and I express that through the colors and themes in my art. I work to show my audience a world that we are safe in, one we belong in. I’m known for bold, saturated, colorful work, and lots of queer themes in anything I do. Two things I love most!
When I’m not creating comics, I’m working on illustration commissions, painting, doodling, or slapping stickers on things. I love to make, I love to fidget with my hands and constantly be working on something.
I’m currently collaborating with Iowa author Katy Swalwell on a children’s book called “From Here & Queer”, which highlights accomplishments of queer history in the state of Iowa. This is something I am extremely excited and enthusiastic about working on, as someone who loves the color and vibrancy of kids’ books, and was a queer Iowa teen in a small town. We are aiming for a November/December launch and we could not be more hyped.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three things I’d consider heavily foundational in the way I grew as an artist and was able to stick with it, would be: – Having a supportive network found within my mother, teachers, and friends. Despite not knowing much about art itself, my mother appreciates it and sees the beauty and effort of it. She gave me so much love when I was growing up, and still does. I am not sure if I would have been able to stick with art if it had not been for her care and support.
– If you are working on something, like a comic or book, never shut up about it. Be excited about your project, by PROUD!!!
– Learning how to network and speak to other artists and associates in the industry. For better and for worse, much success in the art field requires networking. If you do not know how to speak to other people, how to introduce yourself and quickly explain what you’re all about, you will have a much harder time gaining traction. A lot of my opportunities came from being able to make a good impression and generally just being kind and sociable. It was very overwhelming at first because I am very introverted by nature, but is a skill I am forever grateful to have in my back pocket.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
A lot of the reason I started drawing, was because it was an easy way for Kid Me to communicate with others. If I was too shy to say hi to another girl in class, I’d draw a small picture for her and give it to her at the end of the day. If I wanted to befriend someone but didn’t know how, I’d sit next to them and draw recognizable characters until they’d look over and comment on it, and then we could start talking.
I still do this! I still use art, at its core, as a way to connect. Breaking the ice is difficult, so I let what I draw speak for me instead. I try to maintain an approachable, charismatic vibe so maybe someone will reach out to me. I love to collaborate and work with others, especially fellow minority artists, local artists, and comic artists. I love community, I love sharing information and resources, I love making art more accessible to those around me.
Contact Info:
- Website: dulceskull.com/
- Instagram: instagram.com/dulce.skull/
- Facebook: facebook.com/dulceskull
- Twitter: twitter.com/dulceskull
- Other: https://dulceskull.carrd.co/
