How did you become an artist?

First off, thank you for this opportunity! I’m happy to be here.

I’ve always loved to tell stories and I used illustration as a way to preserve those memories and share them with others. You could say my sketchbook was an open diary.

It was my big sister that inspired me to first start drawing. Like every other kid from the 90’s, we grew up drawing a lot of Sailor Moon and Pokemon fan art. As I shared more of my artwork, I met so many people who were supportive and excited to see what I would come up with next. I think their enthusiasm was contagious and that further encouraged me to share more.

Along the way, I’ve met all kinds of other talented creators whose passions and individual styles motivated me to continue to improve my craft. My artwork is self-taught mainly from studying techniques in other illustrator’s works. I’ve never had formal training, and relied on critiques from myself and artists I admired.

One of my favorite things to do was imagine myself in the hero’s position of video games and comic books. I designed my mascot, Belindraw, as a means of re-imagining a version of myself in different worlds. It was always so fun to alter her outfit to match the world she was “visiting”.

Where do you get inspiration?

I’d say it’s split between music, fashion, real life events, and other illustrators.

I especially listen to a lot of upbeat music with interesting narrative lyrics. Some of my favorite musicians growing up were Supercell, Deco*27, and recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Yorushika and Virtual Self, but there are so many more. To say that Vocaloid had an effect on my life is a gross understatement.

I also draw a lot of inspiration from life. Meeting passionate people (regardless if they’re an illustrator or not) and hearing their processes helps spark new inspirations and ideas. In my down time I’m especially guilty of window shopping luxury brands since they are at the forefront of fashion trends and I love to draw fantasy characters in cool clothes that match their personality.

As for illustrators, I am attracted to many artists who have energetic and unique styles. I have so many favorite artists I cannot name them all! But a few of the most impactful illustrators that helped shape my style today are: Yoh Yoshinari, Shirow Miwa, Kei Mochizuki, and Koge Donbo. These artists just have a wonderful energy and life to their work.

What’s your hardware setup?

I work off a custom PC and use a Wacom Cintiq 13HD Pro (with a separate remote for shortcut keys) mounted on an Ergotron arm (highly recommended for artists that curl up when they draw).

CPU: Intel i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB
RAM: 16GB

For on-the-go drawing, I use a 9.7” iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil.

I very much prefer to work at my desk using Clip Studio Paint! But I have a long commute to work, so drawing on a tablet has been incredibly helpful for keeping me productive.

What do you like best about Clip Studio Paint?

My absolute FAVORITE feature is the Clip Studio Assets. The resources stretch on for infinity and I love the fact that the community comes together and uploads brushes that can be helpful to others.

Also, I love the new timelapse feature that was introduced recently! They’re really fun to watch back and study my own process. All this for a price point that many creatives can take advantage of AND for a perpetual license!

And I’m sure this is just scratching the surface, I’m still discovering new features.

How long does it take you to make a single illustration?

It depends on what I’m drawing, but for a single character, it can go anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days. The sketching process is usually very quick and instinctual, but cleaning up the drawing takes forever because I try making things nice and clean. This is especially time consuming when I draw large illustrations that are printed and installed on the side of the cars (image a 40 inch long canvas!). It’s definitely a labor of love.

Personally, I try not to worry about the time spent on a drawing. I spend as much time as necessary to make sure I deliver my message effectively. I also like to take breaks and revisit drawings later so I can spot mistakes before I finalize.

Would you consider Clip Studio Paint an industry tool?

Yes, there is no doubt about it. I use it for all my personal and client work. In fact, I actually gave it a try because I noticed many industry professionals using it. This program is a very diverse tool for my needs: from illustrating a t-shirt design to drawing for convention banners all the way to large character car wraps.

Would you like to promote some recent project?

Recently I revamped my website (https://www.belindraw.com) and launched a store with merchandise featuring my original characters and fan art (https://shop.belindraw.com/) . I’ve also done some collaboration projects with some talented friends Mintea (https://minteaparty.com/) and Funky Garage (https://funkygarage.ca/)

Where can we follow your work?

I’m very active on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/belindraw/) , but I also have a twitter account (https://twitter.com/Belindraw) and https://www.belindraw.com :) I love to connect with many people, so please don’t be shy to reach out to me.

*** Belinda is doing a #Giveaway with us! Reach her post on Instagram, follow her, follow @graphixly and leave a comment. Winners of Clip Studio Paint Pro will be announced on April 12, good luck! ***