Become as a little child (with your art)

Hey everybody,

First of all, I just wanted to express my gratitude for the support I’ve received this year. I’ve sold thousands of digital downloads, books, and prints this year, and that has been an enormous help for me and my family. So thank YOU!

In my church I often hear about the value of “becoming as a little child.” I think that applies to art as well. As artists, we are often directed to make our art more clean, polished, and realistic. But as we improve with anatomy, rendering, and color theory, we can easily lose the soul that our art once had. Korean artist Hyun Song We has re-discovered the magic of simplicity usually only found in the art of young children, but with the sophistication of a seasoned master. Check out some of his energetic and fun drawings!

Here’s a link to his instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hyunsong.we/

I have updated my store and there are several new items available. This big Harry Potter print I just finished would make a great Christmas present:

I also wrote and illustrated my first short graphic novel last month. It’s called Trick or Treat. Yes I know Halloween is over, but in my house Halloween is year round. Deal with it!

Check out my store HERE.

Lastly, this artist in Mexico created a remarkable and interactive art installation that works to connect divided people and I love it. We need more of this kind of thing. Check it out: https://wearenotdivided.reasonstobecheerful.world/artistic-wizardry-that-illuminates-our-bonds/

Okay, that’s all for this entry. Thanks again for following me on my art journey!

-Shane

New Kickstarter book coming soon

-Hey, everybody. I just wanted to inform you all about my new book. It’s called “VISIONS” and it’s a 70-page collection of hundreds of sketches, drawings, paintings, character designs, vehicles, props, and more! These are my favorite pieces of art that I’ve created over the last five years, and I’m very proud and excited to put it all together in one volume. I’ll be launching the book on Kickstarter on Monday, March 2nd. Check it out HERE.

-Check out these paintings by my friend Ty Carter. This guy is excellent at value and color control. I worked with this guy on a short film in college and now he’s doing excellent work at Blue Sky. Check him out on instagram and Twitter. @tycarterart

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-I recently read a great quote about art by David Lynch; “I don’t know why people expect art to make sense. They accept the fact that life doesn’t make sense.” Along with the necessary pursuit of craft and technique, let’s not forget the virtue of art to escape reality and surprise both others and ourselves. Go tell a story! -Shane

2019 In Review

It’s time to kick our feet up, tilt back a steaming mug of hot cocoa, and take a look back at 2019.

But first, I found this Australian artist on Instagram called bodieh who is making some charming table top game environments, characters, and props. I love this guy’s work.

My 2019 goals:

1) Create opportunities to teach and uplift other artists

In September I was contacted by the guys at SVSlearn.com (an online illustration school) and asked to teach a course on effective vehicle design. This was a big milestone for me as it means I’ll be able to teach and uplift many artists from all over the world in a structured and practical way. I’m very excited for my course to launch in the very near future. Keep an eye open for it here.

2) Make my website a meaningful resource for artists

In November I offered my custom Scary Stories brushes on my website and it’s been pretty successful! It’s been fun seeing people get inspired to create by them. I’d like to offer more brush packs and other resources on my website in the future. Also, I built a tools page on my website as a resource for people to know my favorite and personally recommended tools.

3) Build a bigger audience for my art

It’s been a pretty great year for growth. While I don’t necessarily put a lot of stock into Instagram follower count, I more than doubled mine this year and that has resulted in a nice source of passive income through print and merch sales. I’m incredibly grateful to anyone who decided to buy a print from me this year. It means a great deal and is a huge help to me and my family.

I would say I’ve been pretty successful in reaching my goals in 2019. Thanks to the support of all of you!

Other fun stuff that happened this year:

I finished my Scary Stories: A Tribute To Terror book! Well, almost finished. I still have a few minor details to work out and we still have to actually print it, but it’s almost done and it feels great. Order a copy here if you feel like it.

I created a fun little comic every day for 35 days straight. I call it simply “Comic.” It’s fun and challenging for me to try new mediums and artistic endeavors. I’ve taken a short break but I plan on getting back to it soon.

And lastly, I have another big Kickstarter in the works. I’ve been compiling my drawings over the last few years into a single volume I’m calling only “Visions.” More info to come in early 2020.

That’s all, that’s it. Thanks for another amazing year!

-Shane

2/3 through the year. Goal Progress 2019

Well, it’s September. That means we are 2/3 of the way through the year! Time to check my goals.

My goal this year has been to rebrand myself as something more than just an artist and to make “Shane Hunt Art” evoke a community of artists serving lifting each other up. That’s a lofty aspiration, I know. But so far I think I’ve been successful with it.

This year I began teaching private art lessons and using my website as a resource for my students. I have a lot more I could be doing in this area, specifically writing up tutorials and art lessons here on my blog, but it’s been a good change of pace to have weekly art lessons and holding my students accountable.

I also started doing the occasional “Ask Me Anything (AMA)” on my Instagram account and it’s been rewarding to interact with my followers and offer some advice or tips to maybe help someone reach their next level.

Live streams have been another fun way for me to engage people and offer my personal approach to visual problem solving.

I have one other big opportunity I can’t announce yet, but it’s a major step for me in my goal to teach and lift artists, and to establish “Shane Hunt Art” as a destination for positive community.

Thanks again for helping me reach my goals. More news coming soon!

What Is My Goal For 2019?

Hey everybody! I’ve been thinking a lot about my goals as an artist. One thing that has been severely lacking in my career so far is a serious effort to educate and lift other artists. I don’t consider myself a master or someone with great knowledge and wisdom, but I think I have learned a few things that could benefit somebody and it feels selfish not to share.

Therefore, my goal for 2019 (call it a resolution if you must) is to rebrand myself as something… bigger than myself. I want my brand to become synonymous with an environment of learning and collaboration between artists. I don’t know exactly what this means yet, but I do know that 2019 will be a great year of growth and personal development for me and my online presence.

Part of this effort is a complete visual rebrand of myself. I’ve built this website in hopes that it will eventually become a resource for other artists. I also adopted this new logo across the board for all of my art-related endeavors. It’s the signature I’ve used on my art for the last 20 years. It is a reminder that everything I create represents me.

My new logo

Anyway, thanks for being part of this great adventure. I’m feeling optimistic about the future of my brand.

-Shane