Meet Paige Williams | Illustrator & Concept Artist

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

Hi Paige, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I always loved drawing and doing arts and crafts as a kid, but I think what really set me on the artistic path was a book series I read when I was 11 or 12. I liked it so much and was so obsessed with it that I wanted to make my own drawings and characters for it with their own unique personalities and backstories. Doing that made me realize how much I enjoyed getting to create all new characters and thinking up new ideas, and so I just kept going and going. I was about 14 when I genuinely realized that art was what I was passionate about and what I wanted to do with my life. I started taking my art and drawing seriously and worked hard to improve as much as possible. Now I’m 25 and a professional illustrator, and it always makes me laugh to think about the fact that I owe it all to a book series about forest cats.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art comes in a few different flavors, but majority of it revolves around fantasy. I think what really sets me apart is my ability to produce a wide variety of characters for all different genres and styles. I’ve created so many high fantasy characters that are meant to be whimsical and endearing, and I’ve also created a lot of horror characters and creatures too. Two that come to mind are Addie Eastman, a shy, quiet town alchemist for an ongoing story concept of mine called ‘Stellatro’, an action-adventure game that is whimsical and heroic, and Cardinal Ignatius, a decrepit old man and lion amalgamation inspired by Roman Catholicism who wields a giant incense censer and wanders his abandoned cathedral looking for sinners. Two wildly different characters from wildly different universes, and done in styles that fit the tone of the story they belong to. Beyond my range of characters, I also excel at giving my characters and worlds life. Everything I do has a purpose, every prop or article of clothing or accessory I give my characters is done for a specific reason. Everything has a backstory. No matter what aspect you ask me about, whether it be a character, creature concept, or environment, the answer will never be “I don’t know.” I think this is something that is incredibly important when it comes to concept art and is what breathes life into those beloved worlds and characters.

It was not easy to get where I am now, but I don’t think it was easy for anyone. Being an artist comes with so much self-doubt and comparison. I’ve laid awake countless nights terrified that I wasn’t good enough, I’ve compared my art to others so many times and felt hopeless because I thought their’s was better. I still do those things. But it has gotten easier and I’ve learned how to compare myself less to other people and to have more confidence in my abilities.

The road to get where I am has been long and winding. I originally attended the University of Georgia in 2017, graduating with a BA in Interdisciplinary Art and Design with a film minor in 2021. Unfortunately, UGA did not offer any sort of concept art or worldbuilding classes, which is what I was the most passionate about. After graduating from there, I decided to attend SCAD to receive a BFA in Concept Art and Illustration. I am set to graduate at the end of the summer, in August of 2024, and though the path long and tiring and convoluted at times, I wouldn’t change any of it and I’m grateful for everything that has gotten me to where I am now.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in Savannah, Georgia means there is no shortage of things to do. First I would obviously take them to all the classic tourist attractions; ghost tours, River Street, Savannah Bananas game, etc. As kitschy and tourist-y as that all is, it still makes for a fun time with friends. The rest of the week would definitely be spent doing more of the local things that I have found and enjoy here. Tybee Island is a short drive away, making it perfect for having a beach day. Skidaway Island is gorgeous and has amazing hiking trails, I love taking my dog there (and she loves it too!). There’s a lot of amazing hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are often overlooked by tourists and not advertised to them, like E-Tang and Screamin’ Mimi’s. There’s also a ton of really fun bars that aren’t on the main tourist path that are awesome, like The Portal and Totally Awesome, which are both super cool arcade bars. Beyond all of that, downtown Savannah is beautiful and it is always a great time to just take a long walk through it and take in the historic sites.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Obviously I want to shoutout my parents, they were always supportive about me being an artist and never tried to steer me away from it and into a more “serious” field. I’ve made some amazing friends at SCAD during my time here, and met a lot of incredible professors who have taught me so much. And above all, I want to shout out the Warrior Cats series for getting me into art and worldbuilding in the first place.

Website: https://www.artbypaigeillustrations.com

Instagram: @paigewilliams_illustrations

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-williams-946624215/

Other: business email: artbypaige.illustrations@gmail.com

Image Credits
n/a