Today we’d like to introduce you to Alison Hess.
Hi Alison, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m an illustrator raised in Ohio. I began drawing at a really young age and always had an obsession with fantasy, whether it was found in my siblings’ hand-me-down fairytale books, or in anime, which I watched obsessively with my best friend. Worlds of magic, fairies, witches, and the supernatural became a comfort and an escape for me. At school I was usually nose-deep in a sketchbook, perfecting a drawing. I naturally ended up sharing my art online (first on Deviantart), which felt so cool back then. Not a lot of people my age were posting online, so there was kind of a thrill in it. I started pulling a lot of inspiration from things that I found on the internet on blogs and forums, and it was essentially the foundation of my art education. I feel like my style has become a clear fusion of all of my interests- fantasy, anime, nature, the occult, etc.. I want people to feel a sense of playfulness and curiosity when they see my work, like they’re peering through a window, into a world that is magical and maybe a little bit treacherous.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’m incredibly grateful to have an encouraging Mom, and a family that nurtured my creativity. I think my Mom’s general attitude towards my future was that she just wanted me to be happy. Art always stood out as my greatest interest and passion, so she didn’t question it. I’ve also had great friends who shared my peculiarities and encouraged me to take art seriously. I knew that art as a career was frowned upon by some, but I threw myself into it and was lucky to be awarded a great scholarship at CCAD in Columbus, Ohio.
College was both the most rewarding and the most emotionally difficult period of my life. I was finally in a place where I lived and breathed art- I was learning a lot and growing way more than I could have on my own. It was also a time when I was learning how to be a grown up, though, and the gravity of my responsibilities had me questioning if I’d made the right choice. COVID emerged right around my 3rd year in college, too, which shook up our lives a lot and made that crucial final stretch of school really awkward and difficult.
That period is few years behind me now, but the identity crisis of being an artist stills comes and goes occasionally. There have been a lot of part-time jobs to make ends meet, but I always knew that was part of the commitment. Sometimes it’s hard to find the spirit to make passionate art when you’re worried about money. Choosing to be an artist means that you sacrifice some of the stability that you might’ve found in other careers, and you have to hold yourself accountable to self-imposed goals and deadlines. It’s not for everyone, but if you feel truly compelled to make art, committing to doing it full-time can be incredibly rewarding.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an illustrator who works with both traditional and digital media. My favorite way to make art is pencil to paper, but I use Photoshop to finish and color most of my projects. I like that process of building a drawing because I can start it anywhere- I don’t have to be tied down to my desk, but I can always clean it up when I’m ready to make something “finished”. I’m very attached to my sketchbooks.
I would say that I’m most known for the fantasy illustrations that I post online. People really enjoy the characters that I make, and my style, which is inspired by a lot of popular anime, television, comics, and other contemporary illustrators. I think I feel the most “proud” of pieces that have a strong sentimental response from people. If it makes them feel a sense of beauty, mystery, or compels them to speak about how it makes them feel, then I feel fulfilled. I have a passion for storytelling that I try to express though my drawings. When making an illustration, I’m visualizing a context, character, ideology, and environment beyond what is immediately on the page. I want there to feel like there is an ongoing story between all of my work.
Although I definitely consider myself to be part of a certain established style/genre, I think there are small things that set me apart from my peers. I instinctively come back to specific themes and stylistic decisions that have come to define my work- beastly women with animal parts, overgrown vine-like borders, medieval references, fairies, dark backgrounds, and so on. I also naturally lean into a flat, “hieroglyphic” style, which is a quality that many people have pointed out about my work. I’m really happy that the art I enjoy making the most also happens to be what people like and respond to the most.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
It’s been essential for me to share my art online for as long as I can remember. Regardless of how we feel about it, and the pressure that comes with it, the truth is that we’re living in a digital age. Everyone is online, and that includes your biggest fan, a client, future employer, collaborator, etcetera. If you can find a way to use online platforms in an authentic and healthy way, it can be your greatest door to opportunity. I say this as an “independent” artist, but I’m sure it’s true for anyone. College also helped me understand how and where to find professional opportunities, as well as just going out around town and stumbling into artistic crowds. I’ve gotten several commissions just by sketching in the same cafe for weeks straight until I happened to catch someone’s eye. (This isn’t a guaranteed method, haha, but it’s never a bad idea to get fresh air and see what’s happening in your own city.)
Use the internet, local postings, creative events (zine fests are a personal favorite), or whatever you can. I’ve found that there is a synchronicity that happens eventually, regardless of what methods you take- you end up meeting someone at an art fair that you follow online, and then they set you up with a mural job, and a year later you’re both in the same gallery exhibition, and so on and so forth. Just be earnest, accept opportunities graciously, and find out what really works for you. The avenues are there!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ar.hess/
- Twitter: https://x.com/arhillustration?lang=cs
