Love this so much. 💜

Some beach people sketching made at Totoralillo, Coquimbo on a recent adventure in the little north of Chile. #sketchbook #drawnfromlife #lifedrawing #sketching

This morning’s plein air of a view from our cabaña in Panul, south of Coquimbo. This artwork was finished in watercolour, gouache and prismacolor pencils in a moleskin sketchbook. 🌼 Have a swipe through to see the painting process 🌼 #pleinair #pleinairpainting #landscapepainting

October almost got away with me but your latest Monthly Letter from Amy is now waiting patiently to be read.
 It’s a holiday edition, as I am currently visiting the little north of Chile! amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/on-vacatio... #comics #illustration #visualstorytelling

I love this shot of my desk after I finished the final artworks from my two part story, Cute meet. You can see more of the final artworks and the process on my website here: www.amygardner.com.au/ #picturebooks #illustration #CreatedWithoutAI

Panel linework for another page of my mini comic, “Listening”. It’s set in the world of The wizard and the girl comic because I don’t want to stop drawing these characters and telling their stories. #comics #comicartist

Hi #portfolioday! I’m Amy, I illustrate/ write comics and picture books for kids and adults in traditional media! Originally from Australia, I am now making the magic happen here in southern Chile. 🎨 linktr.ee/amygardner.art ✉️ [email protected]
 #comics #childrensbooks #illustration

In my September Substack we are time travelling back to 90’s rural Australia. What’s a young artist to do when art supplies are thin on the ground? Find out on Substack: open.substack.com/pub/amygardn...
 #comics #picturebooks #kidlit #creativepractice

Listening [1 - part 1] Some new short stories coming your way from the world and characters of “The wizard and the girl”.

#comics #thewizardandthegirl

Does anyone else have someone in their life that always wants to steal the first bite of your food? In our house, it’s me. This is my sequential illustration for the theme “Nice to meet you” which I created a recent Picture Hooks prompt. #kidlit #picturebooks #childrensbooks #CreatedWithoutAI

A quick finish for one of the spot illustrations that didn’t make it into the first edition of my comic, The wizard and the girl. Not sure about this angle for process videos. What do you think? #comics #kidlit #childrensbooks #watercolourillustration #dippen #watercolourcomic #CreatedWithoutAI

I’m going to invent some sort of fantastical teleporting, which takes you to worlds that live in exclusively other creative folk’s minds, exclusively to go for a holiday in @secondlina.com’s comic worlds. Yes please, thank you VERY much.

I can never not laugh at this little comic I made for my newsletter back in February. The way I drew my partner in the second panel still tickles me. #comics

Some Jeffrey Catherine Jones book covers (from back when paperbacks looked nice)

Take a little peak at what’s happening in my August Substack. 
 This month, I’m diving into what happened when burn out and grief hit all at once. Read the full post here: amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/when-the-b... #comics #creativecareer #burnout

just saw someone sincerely arguing that they need AI bc they don't have "natural" artistic talent and idk how to make you understand that nobody comes by this shit naturally. it's just...work. it's being bad at it for a really, really, really long time. it's intention, pursued over time! wtf!!!

My comic ‘The wizard and the girl’ was made entirely by hand in traditional media using acrylic ink and watercolours. Here is the hand painted wrap around cover I made during an art residency in Chiloé, where I also made the first hand bound print edition. #comics #kidlit #CreatedWithoutAI

AI is for writers who don’t like to write but want to have written, and readers who don’t like to read but want to have read. Into the sea with the whole miserable joyless fucking lot of them.

Testing out some costume colours with watercolour and prismacolor premiers. #characterdesign #comics #kidlit #originalcharacter

Character turn arounds….. but do it entirely freehand in traditional media #characterdesign #comics #kidlit #originalcharacter

Right, I'm off to go try this! Ta-ta #comics

Joining the chorus this #kidlitpostcard day! I'm Amy Gardner, an Australian illustrator and writer of comics and picture books living in Chile. Currently seeking representation. Portfolio: www.amygardner.com.au #kidlit #comics #graphicnovelart #childrensbooks #picturebooks

Look you just have to make the cool weird shit that excites you. You must. In this world besieged by bland, scrubbed boring, computer slop, you must. Make the thing you’re embarrassed to make, the thing that feels “too much” because otherwise we get drowned in a sea of cowardly work made by a button

Finished my #picturehooks entry in time for the competition deadline tomorrow. These are submitted now and I can relax ! #kidlit #picturebooks #childrensbooks

Cooking up some cute new pages #kidlit #childrenbooks #picturebooks

Yesterday I read a book in English to some Chilean kids at Piuke Librería, a local bookstore run by some lovely friends of mine. Here are some sweet things I rediscovered: I should not trust my face. It had a mind of its own.

Continuing with my character exploration and keeping it silly. I redrew this sketch for the rough colour study and like it even more. The costume and characterisation isn’t right yet, but every step forward is a step closer to getting to know her. #characterdesign #comics #kidlit #picturebooks

Here is a sneak peak at what is going on in my July Substack. 
 What ingredients shown in my cover illustration can you relate to the most?
 Read the full post here: amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/the-real-i... #comics #childrensbooks #picturebooks #kidlit #selfpublishing

Hand drawn linework in real time. Slow down and take a minute to hang with me while I draw this new character. This character doesn’t have a name yet. She will be part of the new comic/ picture book concept I am developing. #characterdesign #comics #picturebooks #kidlit #childrensbooks

Another from yesterday’s character sketching session. Back at it today! #characterdesign #comics #kidlit #picturebooks #childrensbooks

I’m so far into this period of unemployment that I’ve started to consider I may be completely unemployable. It’s like a swamp of uncertainty. No one will pay me for it but I fear my only recourse is to go full bog witch.

This little character is starting to take shape. #characterdesign #comics #kidslit #picturebooks #childrensbooks

This panel from page 8 of my comic remains one of my absolute favourites. This is also a reminder that 'The wizard and the girl' is now available to buy as a digital download on Gumroad here's the link: amygardnerartist.gumroad.com/l/thewizarda... #comics #childrensbooks #kidlit #picturebooks

After a nice break where I’ve been spending a lot of time writing new stories, big and small, I’m back in my sketchbooks exploring all those new ideas. #characterdesign #comics #kidlit #childrensbooks #picturebooks

The neurodivergent trio of interests:

Hi #PortfolioDay! I’m Amy, an Australian illustrator and writer making comics and picture books, currently based in Chile. I create visually rich fantasy stories for children and young adults. 🎨 linktr.ee/amygardner.art ✉️ [email protected]
 #comics #childrensbooks #illustration

Hungry for children’s books resources such as mentoring opportunities, critiques, community and more? Over on Substack @katiedwyer.bsky.social has done the leg work for you and kindly left this awesome resource list free and available for all! open.substack.com/pub/katiedwy... #childrensbooks

Fellow writers, what does your desk look like for the first draft stage? Here is my wonderfully low tech set up. I have always preferred writing by hand, maybe because I had no home computer until I was 16. Also a pen doesn’t have a browser tab and I can’t get distracted. Who can say.

I’ve been blown away by the early responses to my new comic, ‘The wizard and the girl’ If you are a lover of comics and want to/ are able to support my work, you can buy the comic now via my Gumroad:  amygardnerartist.gumroad.com/l/thewizarda... #comics #childrensbooks

Here’s a taster of what's going on in my June Substack. This month I’m talking about launching ‘The wizard and the girl’ comic for sale on Gumroad and how the entire comic almost didn’t happen. Read the full newsletter here: amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/why-am-i-n... #comics #childrensbooks

Finishing up the comics for my June Substack newsletter, going out tomorrow morning! Subscribe now to get your Monthly Letter straight to your inbox! open.substack.com/pub/amygardn...

Here’s a taster of what's going on in my May Substack. This month I’m talking about the making of my comic ‘The wizard and the girl’, which is now finished! Read the full newsletter here: amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/the-wizard... #comics #childrensbooks #selfpublishing #makingbooks

Before and after inking the linework on another spot illustration. Only a few days left of my residency and tomorrow we are mocking up the comic for the first time. #comics #childrensbooks

A sweet moment from this morning. Here at the residency we get a visit from a neighbour’s dog called Franki. She knows she is pretty and I like to tell her so too.

A cute little before and after of another illustration of my main character that I finished today. This residency I am on is bringing out a lot of amazing creative moments and I can’t wait to show you the final comic. #comics #childrensbooks #characterdesign #freelanceillustrator

I’m going to miss this precocious, adventurous little character when I’m finished with this comic. Here’s the watercolours on a quick spot illustration that I will ink up tomorrow. Not long until the comic is put together as a book! #comics #childrensbooks #characterdesign #freelanceillustrator

Sketching up some nice spot illustration ideas for my comic today on my art residency here in Ancud, on the island of Chiloé. #comics #childrensbooks #freelanceillustrator

Good morning from day three of my art residency on the islands of Chiloé. #artresidency #comics #freelanceillustrator

I like to think that this panel is like me giving myself a hug because I finished page 10 of my comic. All ten pages painted and inked, right on time to head down to Ancud, Chiloé for an art residency to close off this project and make it into a book. #comics #childrensbook #freelanceillustrator

I haven’t show you all before and after from linework to finished watercolours, so here is that transition of my favourite panel from page 9. I’ll be inking this up today. #comics #childrensbooks #freelanceillustrator