Daily Inspiration: Meet Megan Roy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Roy.

Hi Megan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path to illustration was a little bit unconventional, but I’ve always been drawn to the arts. I got my degree in Visual & Media Arts and then moved to Los Angeles to work in the film industry, but realized pretty quickly that it wasn’t the best fit. After that, I took a sharp left turn and thought wanted to be a teacher, so I enrolled in a credential program while I worked as a receptionist. During the credential program, I remember looking around at the other students, who so clearly had a real passion for education, and thinking “I’m not sure I have that.” Luckily, I had started drawing in my free time at work and began sharing some of my art on social media. From there, friends and family would send me small jobs or artist requests they found online – I applied to every single one and got most of them. That was the confidence boost I needed to follow my instinct and focus on the thing I really enjoyed. I took the risk and quit my job to dive into freelance illustration full-time! Since then my work has been on everything from tour merchandise to book covers, puzzles, phone cases, in national publications, on home decor, and I was even featured in a commercial once! I love what I do and have no regrets about how I got here.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There are always bumps in the road, some bigger than others. When I first quit my receptionist job, it was really scary, I didn’t know how I was going to make money or if it was the right decision. I didn’t have a formal illustration or design education, so I was learning a lot on the fly and figuring things out as they happened. Confidence was also an issue for me at that time, but I learned pretty quickly that doubting yourself doesn’t get you anywhere. “Fake it ’til you make it” really does work! Just keep telling yourself that you’re talented and deserving of the opportunities you get, and eventually, you’ll start to believe it (and so will everyone else).

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 create versatile and playful artwork that can be utilized across multiple mediums and on lots of different kinds of products. Everything from social media to books to toys, clothing, and pet accessories – it’s a one-stop shop to add aesthetic value to your brand or business! When I license artwork to other brands for use on their products, they can either choose something from my existing portfolio or hire me to create something custom. I love creating one-of-a-kind designs and collaborating with brands who share my values.

My style is playful and loose with a focus on color and texture. I tend to infuse a bit of humor or light-heartedness into most of it because I think art is fun and I want my work to reflect that! My favorite things to draw right now (though they’re always changing) are repeat patterns, animals, food, and seasonally inspired designs. I’m most proud of the way my work continues to evolve and get better every year. I really feel like I’ve hit my stride in the last year or so, and I’ve never been more confident in my own abilities.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I think it’s super important to be able to trust your instincts. Of course, that means you need to develop good instincts first, which often requires a lot of trial and error. So I suppose resiliency and a healthy dose of fearlessness is good to start, then trusting yourself will come later.

Contact Info:

• Website: megan-roy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roymeister/

Image Credits
Dog Park Puzzle photo credit: Jiggy Puzzles