Where are you from originally?
I grew up in Roeland Park, Kansas, which is a little suburb of Kansas City. Then I moved to Lawrence, KS for college, which is about 45 minutes away. And I never left! (except when I went to school in France for a year.)

Tell us a bit about your life and growing up, and when art became an important part of it:
I remember art always being in my life, and always making things as a kid. My Mom sewed all of our clothes, and my Dad was a stone mason. So doing things with my hands and being creative came naturally. I also had a great-uncle who was a printer, and gave me lots of pads of paper to draw on.

Traci used the Copic Airbrush System to create these journal pages.

What is your earliest memory of drawing or creating art?
I remember when I was in kindergarten, my teacher made comments on my drawings that I colored things the wrong colors and didn’t stay in the lines. I guess that hasn’t changed. I still have a little clay statue that I made as a kid of my dog (but it looks more like a cat).

What inspires you to create?
I think for me, I just have this feeling inside that I have to do it. And I’m happier when I’mdoing something creative, whether it’s taking pictures, or slapping some paint into my journal. And the more creative things I do, the more I’m inspired to create.

In what kind of environments have you learned about or “trained” in art?
I took all kinds of art classes in junior high and high school, including photography, printmaking, weaving and ceramics. Then in college I majored in graphic design. For my junior year of college, I went to la Villa Arson art school in Nice, France. But aside from that, I do a lot of experimenting on my own.

You’ve said you like finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. What are a couple of your best extraordinary finds or creations from ordinary things?
Some of my best “finds” I’ve used as printing or stamping tools. My first book, “Print & Stamp Lab” has a lot of these finds in them–such as using those oval and round corn cushions (for corns and bunions on your feet) to print with. And my favorite is using flip flops as printing blocks. Not only can you stamp the textured sole, but they can also be used as moldable foam to make your own stamps.

If you were stranded on an island, and all your basic needs were being met.  What three additional items would want to have? Tell us why, or explain what you would do with them:
Only three? My art journal, a Pentel Pocket Brush pen, and my bag of Copic sketch markers. (But I’d sneak in some glitter glue, too.) With the markers and brush pen, I could write and draw in my journal. Then I’d glitz it up with the glitter glue. I guess I’d have to apply it with my fingers, but I’m okay with that. I’d love to have a camera with me on that island, but then I’d either need some film and a photo lab, or my laptop & printer.

What’s your favorite part about being an artist?
That I get to make stuff! I get to do what I love for a living. I’m also never bored because I have so many different creative things I like doing. I also love experimenting with new materials and seeing what I can do with them.

What is the worst part about being an artist?
The financial part of it. Making a living as an artist is not easy. But I can’t imagine doing anything else.

How did you develop your particular art style?
Hmm, well that’s a tough one. I guess it evolved over time, and keeps evolving. I like to work intuitively, just doing what feels right, and working without laboring over decisions on what I’m doing.

Can you briefly describe your process?
When it comes to working in my art journal, I usually first apply a thin layer of gesso. Then I start layering on collage and paint. While I’m doing that, I start adding some text, stamping or writing a headline of sorts of what I’m journaling about. Then I get into more details with handwriting. I add photos, stamp with rubber stamps, and draw on the page with different coloring media. I basically work on the page until there’s no more room left to add anything. I don’t have a set way of working really. I do all of those things, but not in any certain order.

Do you wake up in the morning and know whether or not you’re going to have particularly creative or artistic day? What are the signs?
Not really. But I pretty much work all the time. I do start almost every day off by walking my dog through the cemetery that’s across the street from my house. I usually take my iPod Touch with me to take pictures. It’s a good way to start the day. I often get great ideas or problem-solve while I’m walking my dog.

Tell us more about working with layers (you mention them in your artist statement):
I find I like to use layering in all of the different media that I work in. In photography, I like to take pictures that use reflections or double-exposures, layering different images, color and textures on top of each other to create a new image. When I dye spinning fiber and yarn, I layer colors in the dye pot to get a rich, multi-colored effect. An0d when working in my journal, I apply thin layers of paint and collage, adding and subtracting as I work, revealing what’s underneath a layer while creating another one.

When and how did you start using Copic markers?
Some years ago I was teaching at an art event in a hotel that had a “store” set up near the classrooms. I think that was the first time I saw a Copic Sketch marker. I liked the size of it and bought one to try it out. I was hooked! In my journals, I often draw outlined letters for my “headlines.” I like to use the Copic Markers to color in the letters.

What motivated you to use them?
Since I work in layers, I like to use permanent pens, markers & stamp pads. That way if I’ve done some work and decide to apply another layer of paint or a wash of color on top of it, I can do it without things running or bleeding. Since Copic markers are permanent, they work great for my style of working. I also love using the Copic Airbrush System with stencils to create backgrounds or borders in my artwork. I probably mainly use the brush side of the sketch markers. I like to color things in with them. The size makes it go fast!

Who are some of your favorite artists?
The main one who comes to mind is Hundertwasser. I love his sense of color and organic shapes in his drawings. As far as journals go, Dan Eldon and Peter Beard. I love that they use their photographs in their journals and also rework them to create a new piece of artwork, which is something I like to do too. I’m also drawn to outsider artists.

You’ve published two books and have numerous online tutorials. Tell us a bit about them:
My first book is “Print & Stamp Lab.” It’s a DIY book that shows you how to make 52 different stamps and printing tools from things around the house, or from things that are normally used for other purposes (like flip flops and corn cushions that I mentioned earlier.) My second book is “The Art Journal Workshop.” It gives basic information on different mixed-media materials that can be used in art journaling, then has 20 different journaling exercises. I’m known for my “raw journaling,” so the exercises in this book go beyond the surface and into deeper self-exploration through journaling. It also comes with a DVD that has 6 videos of me creating some of the journal pages in time-lapse photography. Right now, I’m working on a kid’s book called “Print It!” It’s a short book for a British publisher that has 12 projects for kids to make They learn how to make the stamping or printing tool, and make a project that uses it at the same time. That book will be out in 2012. Aside from those books, I’ve got online videos such as me creating a journal page, how to mount rubber stamps, how to use henna stencils in an art journal using both paint and the Copic Airbrush System, and how to make moldable foam stamps, and some others. They are all on my blog at http://www.TraciBunkers.com/blog.

Tell us about your 30 Days of Journaling project:
Last winter I needed something to get me going. I felt like I wasn’t doing anything creative just for me and wanted to change that. So I decided to do 30 days of carving, where I carved a stamp and blogged about it everyday for 30 days. I also did a sketch or drawing and posted it too. I got such a great response and enjoyed doing something creative everyday, that I wanted to do 30 days of something else. Bianca Mandity, inspired by my 30 days of carving, told me she was going to do 30 days of journaling. I decided to do it too. So everyday for 30 days, we both worked in our journals and blogged about it. Normally I do a journal page from start to finish in one sitting, but didn’t have time to do that everyday for this. So I set a time limit of a half hour, and whatever I got done in that time was what I did for the day. Then the next day, I’d finish what I had worked on the day before, or start a new journal page. Before this experience, there were times I just didn’t work in my journal because I felt I didn’t have enough time for a whole journal page. This showed me a new way of working and that I could work in my journal in small amounts of time. It also showed me that I could follow through with a commitment like that! Since then, I’ve done two rounds of “30 Days of Get Your Art On” where I just did some sort of art every day and posted it on my blog. And in December I did “30 Days of Drawing.” Check out my blog to see all of those.

Watch Traci use Copic Sketch markers and the Copic Airbrush System in an art journal:

Find Traci on the web:
Website
Blog
Etsy Shop

Some time last year I was contacted by Cat Staggs and was very excited by the work she was doing. She has a very painterly style and her techniques give her film and comic book icons a rich presence.

From her bio:

llustrating over 130 cards for the Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith card set for TOPPS, Cat joined the Star Wars / LUCAS FILM family in 2004. The highly collectible artist’s sketch cards brought Staggs into the forefront of Star Wars fandom. Having produced exclusive prints for Star Wars Celebrations III, IV, and Europe, Cat has also contributed drawing tutorials and Halloween masks articles for the kid’s section, as well as illustrating short fiction for starwars.com

Not content to only play in that galaxy far, far away, Cat’s work has also been featured on The Lord of the Rings Evolution and Masterpieces card sets and three sets featuring Indiana Jones for TOPPS.

Moreover, further cementing her reputation among collectors and fellow artists, Cat’s distinctive work can also be seen on Rittenhouse Archives’ Iron Man-The Movie, Complete Marvel Avengers, X-Men Archives and DC Legacy card sets, as well as The World’s Finest VS trading card game for Upperdeck.

See below the interview for a brief description of her process.

What is your earliest memory of drawing or making art?

I don’t remember not drawing. My mother tells me I was drawing something the second I could hold a crayon.

Do you have formal training or are you self-taught?

Both. I would draw all the time but I also focused on art classes from an early age. I never wanted to do anything else. I went to a University Of Texas in San Antonio and studied fine art, obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree. That is the extent of my formal education. But to this day I am still learning something new everyday. Whether it be something I figure out on my own or learn from my peers and/or mentors.

Can you briefly describe your illustration process?

I usually come up with an idea. I Frankenstein reference together. I normally shoot my own(myself or with the help of a photographer ) as it is the only way to make sure i get exactly what I need. Then I will do my layout sketch. Once that is finished I then scan the sketch and print out a blue line version to do the coloring on. I usually start with an under drawing of the basic light and shadow. Once that is complete I go in with the color, layering until i reach the desired render. once i am “satisfied” I go in with a white acrylic to had the highlights in the final layer.

Paint vs. Markers? What is the deciding factor?

For me i really enjoy markers. I feel like I have a little more control over the media than I do with paint or a paint brush.

How did you get into doing trading cards for film and comics?

I started going out on the convention circuit and handed out portfolios. I was then contacted a few months later by Topps asking if i was interested in working on the Revenge Of The Sith trading card set. And the rest is history.

Who are some of your favorite illustrators/ artists?

I am a big Norman Rockwell fan as well as Jon Whitcomb and Robert McQuire. More recent illustrators include Adam Hughes, Phil Noto, Mitch Breitweiser, Mark Brooks, Brian Stelfreeze and Dustin Nguen to name a few. I am lucky that part of my job is going to conventions and getting to sit in the middle of some of the most talented illustrators of our time. It is really inspiring.

What advice/crit from a teacher or mentor have you received on your work that really helped you develop?

My high school art teacher told me to go with my gut and trust my line and keep the focus on one idea at a time. Continuous second guessing is never a good thing and in the end you will wish you went with your initial instinct and could lose your idea in the process. It was great advice at the time.

That being said, I have come to learn, the initial idea is not always the strongest. There are times when another set of eyes will see things that the creator does not. Things that can bring a new energy to a piece, especially if it is just not coming together. Art tends to always be evolving even within a single piece. An idea can strike right in the middle that would make it better. Inspiration can strike at anytime. I have found that most artists will never complete a piece. We are constantly seeing ways to make it better, even years later.

What’s the best part about being an illustrator?

Working freelance.

What is the worst part about being and illustrator?

Working freelance…LOL

Here is a brief step-by-step of the above Batman image Cat did for a private collector. She used Copic Markers as well as white acrylic for highlights.

Top left to right
1) cleaned up sketch
2)Blacks
3)Warm Grays
4)Tonal grays
5)Neutral and cool grays
6)blue violet under drawing
7)first color layer
8)second color layer
9)whites

If you dig what she does then check out her website, her deviantart page and her blog.