Meet Adam Sanford: Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam Sanford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I reached a point in my life where I realized that I would not be content if I did not at least attempt to do something with my love of drawing. I think I loved it so much that I assumed, for years of my life, that it was not a possibility. Many people I know don’t do what they love as their job, so I thought that I had to find something that seemed like a “real job”. I started going to DragonCon as a yearly event, and that’s where I visited an artist alley for the first time. Meeting real live artists making a living with their art was a big eye opener. Something about seeing the people behind the work and how they connected with other people through their work really struck a chord with me. I just had to give it a shot. I would regret never trying. So I invested enough to start a convention table, and that was when I really felt like I went from hobbyist to professional.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an illustrator, art educator, and wearer of orange hats! I began freelance illustration in 2017 and began teaching digital art not long after that. I have created illustrations for children’s books, promotional materials, apparel, stickers, websites, and various other media for clients across the United States. I also produce and sell my own art and prints internationally. I am continuing to grow and connect with other artists and clients on my art journey. I enjoy working in multiple styles, telling stories with my art, creating characters, and envisioning worlds. I strive to infuse my work with humor, rich color, and whimsy. I’m inspired by stories from my childhood and by my own children. Nothing worth having is easy. My growth as an artist is a never-ending challenge, and the challenge is what makes it all so interesting and worth working toward. It is important to remember that the toughest obstacles will bring out the most growth. When I was in art school I was working with some masking fluid on one of my drawings. After painting in all the swirling clouds and sunset with watercolor, I rubbed off the masking fluid and it tore the face off of the central figure in the drawing. With a deadline looming the next day, I was devastated. Not only had I ruined hours of work, but the paper was wrecked meaning I could not correct the problem. I had to devise a solution or start over, and there was not enough time to start again and finish by the deadline. I ended up scanning the ruin artwork and combining it with a process photo I had taken earlier. While I had the image in Photoshop, I started adding loose messy colors on top of the drawing. I printed the image out and used colored pencils to clean up the work. I had discovered a new technique for myself of layering a traditional medium, then a digital medium, and then another traditional medium. The results were so satisfying that it opened a whole new trajectory of process for me. That’s when I realized that failure is the fastest way to level up. You have to give yourself room to fail. As artists we have to always be students, never stop learning, and push ourselves to reach just a little further each day. I always want my next artwork to be the best I have ever created.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would go to the aquarium or the zoo and draw animals. We would go to DragonCon and shout movie quotes to all the cosplayers to see if they can respond in character. We would drive around and find locations from all the great movies and tv shows that were filmed in Atlanta. We would have to get an Orange Shake at the Varsity, find something arty to do at the Goat Farm, and go see Big Bird at the puppet museum. We could stay at the Social Goat and have French toast the next morning. We could go visit the High Museum; I love looking at the sculptures; I’m not a 3D artist so they look like magic to me. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my wife for supporting us all those years ago when I went back to finish art school. Thanks for putting up with all the mess that comes from my creative endeavors, including that time I wanted to learn to ride a unicycle by practicing in our kitchen. Also, shoutout to my family, extended family, brothers by choice, teachers, and friends who have been so encouraging, supportive, and loving . There are too many of you to name, but hopefully you know who you are and that you mean the world to me!

Website: adamsanford.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamsanfordart

Other: https://www.artstation.com/adamsanfordart https://www.deviantart.com/theoriginaladam

Image Credits
Annie Harrow