Allison K. Blanding Illustration

Fantastical, fictional stories with never ending possibilities are what fuel my love for illustration. Whether in the form of a children’s book or visual development, I have found that art truly is a vessel for visual magic. The impossible becomes possible. What if jellyfish evolved to be so buoyant that they could float above the clouds? What if fire could actually take on a life of it’s own? A complex cluster of painted marks can illustrate wondrous dreams, unusual worlds, and reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. Additionally, I have found the versatility of digital painting allows for a greater freedom to experiment and explore unexpected and unusual color palettes, further strengthening the narrative. To retain the fluidity of each individual stroke of color, I generally prefer bypassing the grey scale stage, and jump headfirst into color. Painting directly, I find, brings a certain life to even the simplest of artworks, an intended spontaneity that is often lost when a painting is overworked. Furthermore, by avoiding the itch to over polish I can retain the lively vibrating qualities of expressive, loose brush strokes. I earned a BFA in Illustration from California State University Fullerton, and am in the process of earning an MFA in Illustration.