I’d forgotten how much I love mixing acrylic gouache + coloured pencils when painting portraits. My materials today were #holbiengouache #prismacolorpencils #strathmorepaper Would anyone actually like to see process videos of something like this?

I applied!!! I can’t believe I backed myself so hard and got my manuscript/ dummy and all my applications in for this year’s final ever #pbrisingstars mentorship program. Thank you for the opportunity @pbrisingstars.bsky.social 🎉✨

Frogs can be mysterious and some frogs can be mysteries.

Go treat yourself to the full story of my latest handmade, traditional media frog themed comic over on Substack. amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/a-frog-tha... #comics #childhoodmemories #frogcomics #frogs #watercolourandinkcomic

I am putting my all into my application for the @pbrisingstars.bsky.social mentorship program for 2026. Anyone else on here applying? #pbrisingstarsmentorship2026

What do frogs and learning to swim have in common? Not much, unless you’re 4 year old me and it’s the 90s. Full comic over on my Substack! amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/how-an-ima...
 #comics #childhoodmemories #frogcomics #frogs #watercolourandinkcomic

Relaxing while I listen to an old episode of @blindboyboatclub.bsky.social and organising colour chart of my new #schminkewatercolour set. I am having the absolute time of my life here. After this I get to hand paint a little comic I wrote about how much I love frogs. Magnificent. #comics

Here’s your link to my December Substack letter for the curious. Alongside my end of year reflections, this month’s letter is full of some awesome photos of the student work from my recent comics workshop plus a cute comics exercise for you or your kids to try! open.substack.com/pub/amygardn...

Subscribers to my Substack will be getting their twelfth Monthly Letter of 2025 in their inboxes tomorrow (Sunday) morning! Before this mad year comes to an end let me tell you about some of the creative magic and light I found along the way. open.substack.com/pub/amygardn...

To plot or not? In my November Substack, find out what happened to me when this question hit me in the face while starting my current fantasy writing project, aptly named, ‘Project Wander’. amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/to-plot-or... #comics #illustration #pantser

Listening [2 - part 1] Page two of my new short stories set in the world of ‘The wizard and the girl’ comic has arrived! 

#comics #kidlit #thewizardandthegirl

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

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