Conversations with Prince

Today we’d like to introduce you to Prince

Hi Prince, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I don’t even know what age I started. Like most people, I started taking it more seriously in high school. That’s when I really locked in and started experimenting with different mediums— thank you to my art teacher, Ms. Barbara. She really brought out my potential, pushing me to enter art competitions around the city and join extracurricular art activities outside of school. I’m so grateful for her and everything she did to help me along the way.

But even with all that, I still wasn’t sure if pursuing art was the best idea. I knew it was super competitive and expensive, and at that time, I was kind of all over the place. I even contemplated joining the US Marines for a bit, and because of that, I drifted away from art. When my art teacher found out, she was really disappointed. Then my mom—and basically everyone around me—wasn’t thrilled about the whole military shenanigans. So, I ended up dropping that plan, and Ms. Barbara actually helped me get into SVA for illustration.


I spent a year at SVA, and then I dropped out because I just couldn’t justify the debt. It was super expensive, and I didn’t think it was worth it. After that, I started freelancing, doing pet illustrations,, and even worked in fast food just to make a little extra money. Then I decided to go back to school and enrolled at FIT as an illustration major since it was more affordable. It started out pretty well, but then COVID hit, and I had to recalibrate where I was going with my art. Throughout all of that, I’ve always been passionate about pushing myself as an artist, and I’ve gotta give a huge shoutout to my close friend Essra for sticking by me. She’s been a major motivator. It’s such a gift to have someone by your side when you’re chasing your goals. Anyway, during my senior year at FIT, I dropped out again, for personal and financial reasons. So now I’m, like, a two-time art school dropout, which is kinda wild when you think about it. But after that, I promised myself I’d dedicate every single day to learning and making art. I stayed focused and disciplined, kept freelancing, and reconnected with my love for animated films—especially Spider-Verse. Ever since the first one came out, I’ve been super inspired. Around that time, I also set up my print shop and started live-streaming my art, which started gaining some traction on Instagram and TikTok.


Then my mom stepped in and was like, ‘You’ve gotta finish what you started,’ and she helped me pay my senior year tuition so I could finally get that diploma. Honestly, I’m so grateful for her. She’s been such a huge part of my art journey, and I don’t think I’d have made it this far without her support.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, but that’s exactly what makes the art journey so interesting. Without those challenges, I wouldn’t be the artist I am today. I view every failure as a gift. Each one taught me lessons you can’t just be told—you have to somehow live through them to fully appreciate how they shape you. Those experiences have been a blessing to my journey. Especially since I had to earn everything along the way. Back in high school, I didn’t have money for art supplies, so my only option was to enter art competitions. They usually gave out $100 gift cards to Blick, and sometimes my art teacher would give me materials to take home. So yeah, making art was a struggle, but honestly, I loved it. And now, here I am—freelancing, selling prints, and doing what I love.
 I’m still growing and learning, but I’m glad I’m still here making art.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I do digital art, and I love illustration, concept art, industrial design (mainly footwear), character design, environment design, and visual development. I go by idrawnyc on Instagram because, before I even had an art account, I’d wander around Manhattan drawing people in the subway, sketching buildings, bodegas, pigeons—anything that captured the vibe of NYC.I think I’m mostly known for my Spider-Verse fan art; a few of my pieces have gone viral, especially the Spider Dress I designed for Gwen. I’ve even inspired a few people to create real versions of the dress, which I think is pretty cool.

I’m proud of myself for still sticking with my goal. No matter how tough things got, I stayed focused, kept moving forward, and now I’m proving to my past self that I can achieve great things. I’m still here, still growing and learning, and it feels good knowing that, in the process, I can help not only myself but also others.

What sets me apart? It’s my unique journey. Everyone’s path is different, and my experiences—whether it’s my environment, the media I consume, or the struggles I’ve faced—have shaped how I approach art. I bring my real self into everything I create, and I’m very driven when it comes to achieving my goals. If I want something, I go all in until I get it.

Take backgrounds, for example—like two years ago, I avoided painting them because I sucked at it. But I was really inspired by artists like Alberto Mielgo, Patrick O’Keefe, and Nathan Fowkes, and I wanted to reach their skill level, even though I wasn’t there yet. I knew I had to improve, so I locked in to studying and practicing. Now, painting backgrounds and environments has become one of my favorite things to do. I love doing it!

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success for me is the satisfaction I feel when I finish a piece. It might seem contradictory because I often struggle with imposter syndrome—something I think is pretty common among artists—but it’s a feeling that comes and goes. For me, success is more about the internal process than the external outcome. It’s that moment of “Yeah, I did that!”—the sense of accomplishment. I can’t control how others perceive my art, I can control how I feel about it and how much I enjoy the process. That internal satisfaction is what truly defines success for me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idrawnyc/?hl=en
• Twitter: https://x.com/idrawnyc1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@idrawnyc
• Other: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/idrawnyc/