Finally, I had the bright idea to bring my own portfolio and so I went around to a lot of children's book publishers and some card companies. I waited in a crazy long line to meet with Lucasfilm, Darkhorse and a bunch of other really great companies. I sat there for four hours, and finally when I was about three people away they announced that they were done looking for now and to come back tomorrow. I didn't go back, so I opened up the Comic-Con booklet and picked out a bunch of companies I wanted to meet with. I went to each booth asking if there were art directors wanting to look at my portfolio. Many weren't interested, but I got a good response from a children's book company and then finally at the tiny little booth for Topps was before me. The art director looked at my portfolio and liked my Star Wars drawings. Later I was asked to work on the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated movie trading card set.
I have done three trading card sets: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Indiana Jones Masterpieces and Star Wars Galaxy. I also have a few "How To Draw" tutorials on Starwars.com.
What kind of tools do you use for inking/coloring?
I sketch and draw with pencils and then ink in the lines with Copic Multi Liner pens. I love the thin ones the best because you can get in all sorts of details; sometimes thicker lines are fun too for a real cartoony feel. I used to use mainly watercolors but since I've jumped on the sketch card wagon, I pretty much just use Prismacolor markers and some Copic markers. I can blend them into each other which is really beautiful, and makes for such a fun contrast to the silly art.
Describe your art style.
Silly and funny. I want people to see my stuff and laugh or at least chuckle. That's my main goal with what I do. Some stuff is cute and some is just bizarre, but it's all about fun for me -- like making a page out of Artoo's scrapbook! I have a really great time when I'm drawing things the way I see them in my head.
Droids! I really love taking mechanical type things and making them organic. At first the reaction is, "Why do they have eyes?" and "They have metal bodies it shouldn't be flowy and bendy like that!" But it works, at least I think, cause of the humor and fun it evokes.
What is your process from beginning to end for an assignment?
I like to think about funny situations I can put a character in, to give it a different perspective than just representing it as you already know it. I try to just think silly or funny things, like how much Lyn Me loves Boba Fett, so if she was a teen, she would have all posters and stuff in her room, wearing shirts with the Mandalorian symbol and drawing hearts around his name. Or if it's something more literal like "draw this scene," then I just start sketching away. I usually will do one quick thumbnail in my little sketch book just to lay out the figures placement, then I draw right on the paper or card, erasing as I go along, maybe changing things around if it looks weird. Then I ink it in with pen, maybe add some little details or scrapes or squiggles, and shading too. I'll scan at this point, then I'll color with my markers or paint. Lastly, I add highlights with a gel pen.
What advice do you have for budding artists?
Draw, draw, and keep drawing. Also don't be afraid to approach companies or artists you admire and ask them if they have time to review your stuff. Or send them printouts of your work, what's the worst that can happen? They will throw out your printouts. But you might get someone who likes encouraging artists and they can give you some critiques; which is a lot of their knowledge being passed on to you. You have to make it happen for yourself. Go to conventions, meet fellow artists, ask them, show your stuff to companies, and submit stuff! Remember no one is ever done learning.
Check out more of Falk's work on her site Nicolefalk.com and her blog as well.
