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Samantha Jo Phan is an amazing artist who creates beautiful illustrations known for her cute and colorful style, which often features animals and other adorable creatures. She is a freelance illustrator who has worked for mobile games, entertainment, education and children’s projects. Samantha stopped by All Ages of Geek to chat with Galaxy-Boy Delivery all about her illustration, inspirations and advice for kids to get into art!
One thing that makes Samantha’s illustrations so special is the way she uses color. She has a great eye for choosing just the right shades and tones to bring her artwork to life. It makes her book cover designs super kid-friendly. When you see one of the covers you want to jump into her world of art!
Samantha is also a very talented storyteller. Many of her illustrations are part of picture books or other stories, and she does a great job of bringing the characters and settings to life. Her work is inspired by folk tales, nature and places she has traveled. Even without words you can truly see the heart in the art! Her true gift as an illustrator is sparking the imagination in all of us that kids (and adults!) can get lost in.
Overall, Samantha Jo Phan is an incredible illustrator and we were honored to interview her on All Ages of Geek! Now let’s jump into the interview!
What makes your work different?
I like working with bold shapes, bright colors and patterns. I love subjects based on folk tales, places I have traveled, expressive animals with lots of humor and emotion.
Who is your support team for your work?
My hubby, Quoc. We met in art school and he’s been my number one supporter. Gives me feedback on my work, helps me think twice when reading contracts, and taking on new projects. Lol we support each other in that sense. I wouldn’t have gotten this far as an illustrator without him.
Where do you usually work? Home studio? Study room? Cafe?
We have an extra room in our home which we use as a home studio. My setup is basically a table for my laptop and iPad. It’s a little cramped at the moment, but I just updated my closet space to have a crafty area (I used to cross stitch in front of my laptop).
List 3 books that inspire you!
These are my 3 favorite children’s books of all time: Richard Scarry’s Best First Book Ever, The Fuzzy Duckling illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen, and The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (I love the animated version too).
What are some worlds you’d like to explore in fiction?
I would like to explore folk tales and do my personal take on them. Anything with a rich cultural background! I am fascinated with architecture, patterns, and love making up stories around them.
What’s your favorite tool to create with? Pencil? Digital? Typewriter? Computer?
I love working in pencil. However, it has taken me a lot of time scanning and cleaning that it started becoming tedious. So I switched to iPad for sketching and my world has changed for the better 🙂
How do you create characters?
I like to imagine their little stories and moments around them. Then make chicken scribbles that only I can decipher (usually my mind goes faster than my hand). I look for ideas and qualities I would like to see in my character. Then I research references for details, graphic style, artist inspiration, clothing, features and color. I start with basic shapes and then refine from there.
What types of stories do you want more or personally?
I would like to do more stories of adventure and fantasy set in exotic places. Personal stories of triumph over the odds, love and family.
What was your first picture book, comic, etc?
The first picture book that I worked on is called The Colorless Chameleon by Hayley Irvin, Rachel Bostick and Cassidy Reynolds.
Who inspired you as a kid?
My parents, who are very creative at solving problems. Somehow they made things happen when they hit a wall. They worked hard to make sure I had a happy childhood, fueled my artistic interests, and are supportive of my choices.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A veterinarian and a fashion designer living in the ocean.
What can All Ages of Geek do more for the kidlit world? What do you want to see us do?
All Ages of Geek is doing a fantastic job giving the spotlight to kid lit artists, and we love what we do. Maybe having a review of children’s books that you admire and announcing any happenings in the kid lit world (like book fairs, book debuts and cons).
What do you think about All Ages of Geek? Who do you think we should interview next? Any creators you want to give a special shout out to?
It’s wonderful to find a community alike. I enjoy the podcasts, learning about folks, and their passions alike. Thank you for sharing your love and knowledge, happy to see the community grow. Shout out to all the illustrators whether they just started or been in the industry for a while. You guys are an inspiration for hard work, creativity, and joy. I love seeing so much variety and uniqueness in our industry. I am amazed of what you do which keeps me humble, and constantly learning new things every day. I don’t think there are any two illustrators alike.
I recommend interviewing Denis Angelov @denisangelov. I am a huge admirer of his work.
Where can people find your work online?
You can find my work on instagram https://t.co/EqPlspbFM0
Illustration is a super fun and cool way for kids to get interested in art and creation! Illustration is all about using pictures and drawings to tell stories or convey ideas. It’s a great way for kids to express themselves and let their creativity shine.
One of the best things about illustration is that it can be done in so many different ways. Kids can use pencils, markers, paints, or even digital tools to create their illustrations. This means that there are lots of different ways for kids to get started and find the medium that works best for them.
Illustration is also a great way for kids to learn about composition, color, and storytelling. By creating their own illustrations, kids can experiment with different techniques and see how they can use art to communicate ideas and emotions.
If you’re a kid who loves art and creativity, then illustration is definitely something you should try! And if you want to discover even more amazing illustrators, be sure to check out Galaxy-Boy Delivery on All Ages of Geek. Every week, they’ll be introducing kids to new and talented illustrators from all around the world.
So don’t wait – start exploring the world of illustration today and see how much fun it can be!
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