Teacher Name: Jennifer Willis
Grade: 12

Materials: Digital artwork
Dimensions: 8 x 9 inches

Artist Statement: For as long as I could hold a pencil, I have been making art. As a child, I used everything as a canvas for my little sketches: napkins, schoolwork — sometimes even my own arms. I love designing characters and over time have developed complex personalities and rich backstories for them. When not drawing, I am immersed in books, comics, animation, and film, consuming any compelling story I can find. My goal is to bring my characters to life by writing a story of my own.

Visual storytelling within the realm of comics informs my work as an artist. A simple but bold graphic style with flat tones and complex color combinations exemplifies the aesthetic for both my fan art as well as my own personal stories. I often use spoken or written prompts as catalysts for my character designs, crafted with both traditional and digital media. My desire is to create and explore as a professional artist.

I am drawn to many facets of story media, including animation, comics, and even the occasional video game. Those who have inspired and influenced my work are varied: from the Green Lantern comics to the Adventure Time cartoon to the Halo video game series, to name a few.

In addition to further advancing my skills as an artist, I aspire to shape my literary voice and develop a distinctive style of writing to bring my art to life. Through the sequential arts and animation genres, I hope to write stories that viscerally move and excite people.

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