Rising Stars: Meet Carlos Deltizzle of Colorado

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Deltizzle.

Hi Carlos, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started out doodling on my homework and never stopped. My work is a mix of dark, trippy, and sci-fi themes with intricate details — inspired by the cartoons and horror movies I grew up on. I mainly draw with pen and ink, but I also mess around with acrylics, watercolor, and digital art.
I’ve shown my work in galleries, done tons of freelance projects (logos, album covers, merch), and now I’m the art director for the animated series Novastars AC. I also create packaging art for Apex Solventless. Everything I make comes from the same place — a deep love for imagination, intricate details, and worlds that don’t exist.

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?
There are days when I just don’t have the drive to draw. As much as I love creating, it isn’t always easy to keep that spark alive. I’ve had to balance my passion with the reality of needing a steady income, which meant taking on full-time jobs just to keep up with bills. That constant tug-of-war between survival and self-expression can wear you down.
Freelance work has helped me stay connected to my art, but it also brings its own challenges — juggling client projects while trying to make time for my personal work, and still finding a moment for myself outside of all of it. On top of that, the rise of AI has made it even harder to find clients who value original art. It’s tough watching people turn to quick, generated images instead of supporting artists who pour their time and heart into their work.
And then there are those quiet moments of doubt — the times I’ve told myself I’ll never be good enough, or that my work doesn’t measure up. But even when I feel that way, I keep going. Because art has always been my way of processing the world — my therapy, my escape, my connection to something bigger than myself. Even on the hard days, it’s still the thing that reminds me who I am.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a visual artist and illustrator who specializes in intricate, dark, and surreal artwork inspired by sci-fi, fantasy, and the animated shows/movies/video-games I grew up with. My style is detailed, trippy, and heavily focused on patterns, illusion, and form. I love creating pieces that pull people into another world. My main medium is pen and ink, but I also work with acrylics, watercolor, and digital tools.

What really sets me apart is the combination of technical precision and imagination in my work.

What I’m most proud of is how far I’ve come — from doodling on my homework and doubting who I was, to turning my passion into a career that still challenges and inspires me every day. Even through burnout, creative blocks, and the rise of AI, I’ve managed to stay true to my voice. I think that persistence, and my ability to keep evolving while staying authentic, is what truly sets me apart.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
My Email and Dms are always open. I’m usually up for any creative projects. In terms of support, I love to see people sharing my work and leaving feedback on it. I also have a lot of personal work available on my website.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://deltizzle.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deltizzleart/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deltizzle

Image Credits
All images are my artwork (Carlos Deltizzle)